I enlisted in the Marine Corps in June of 1964. After graduating from boot camp I was assigned to Lima Company 3rd Battalion 1st Marines as an infantry machine gunner.  We trained at Camp Pendleton California until March of 1965.

Late in March we moved to Okinawa and became the 1st Batallion, 9th Marines.  While on Okinawa, we lost four men in a botched river crossing exercise, we recovered the men with grappling hooks - it was a sign of things to come.  I also completed Vietnamese Language School there.  In June we moved to DaNang, Vietnam to defend the airbase.  We were attacked on July 1 when five airplanes were destroyed and a number of airmen and Marines were killed and wounded.  The company radioman was shot and I was assigned to that job- not the best way to start a new career. On July I became part of the "Mixmaster" as toops were transferred to different units to make them permanent in Vietnam. All of the men we had trained with were now spread over 6 Marine Battalions. I was now the head(company) radioman for the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines. In this capacity, I called in fire missions from artillery and aviation, medical evacuations for dozens of Marines wounded and killed. On September 6, 1965 my origional team leader was killed in action, L/Cpl Badsing was one of the first Chicago Area Marines to die in Vietnam, he was followed by L/Cpl Estes. Ten Marines in my 13 man squad were wounded. In December I was moved back to Okinawa to get replacements.

The new replacements were mostly men from the Camp Butler Brig(jail). We returned to Vietnam in January 1966 as the "Reactionary Force" for the 7th Fleet. We participated in operation "Double Eagle" where we were surrounded by 5 Battalions of North Vietnamese Regulars. We fired all of our crew served ammunition and retreated in the darkness. Many Marines and civilians were hurt in this operation- we had to leave Vietnamese wounded behind - the cries could be heard for miles.We returned to the Da Nang Airbase defending Highway 1 - there. we worked with the 3rd Tank Battalion(Tank with the Horns). On my last night- we came under 122MM rocket attacks-now with no weapons(I had turned them in) I feared I would die on my last night- luck prevailed -there was no follow up attack- and I left for home the next day.    John Rosenau

John, a belated thanks for your service.  Your Vietnam experience was obviously a lot hairier than mine.