Bios I-W

I was 81s Platoon Commander from November, 1965 to ca. late September, 1966. We sailed for West Pac around early march or April, 1966. From 81s, 3/5 I was transferred to Hotel Company, 2/5 and served there mainly as 3rd Platoon Commander until I was severely wounded on January 9, 1967. During my overseas tour I completed ten combat operations and made scores of patrols. I was wounded on my eleventh operation, LINCOLN. The fire in the only practicable LZ proved so intense that, for the only
time I even know of, the helicopter pilot both refused to land and actually took off. My men then saved my life by more or less spontaneously standing up and telling the helo pilot that "it's not bad down here, see? We're all standing up" ( our Company Gunny, Gunny Husak, even took off his flak vest and tee shirt, and asked the helicopter
pilot to try to "land the helo on top of me, where it's safe."[!]). Had these heroic things not been done, then I would surely have perished.

For that reason and more I am forever grateful to the men I served with. For reasons which would take a while to explain, I am likewise extremely grateful to the men of 81s, 3/5, since in another situation they also helped save my life. I hope this is enough info to at least get me listed officially on the site. I have recently passed along some info I know of concerning some of the other officers from H&S, 3/5 to my former C.O., Hans Haupt,
a very good man and outstanding Company Commander. . I can tell you the 81s Platoon, 3/5 which I had the privilege to command was an outstanding unit, a fact amply attested to by its record in training and in combat.

As Hans may have already told you, I have written a book, entitled NOT GOING HOME ALONE, which deals mainly with the period of training for and service in Vietnam. For excellent reason I have dedicated it to the men I served with in 3/5 and 2/5. They were the best; that I believe. And without them I would certainly have died some 32 years ago.

I was stationed in An Hoa, April 1969-March 1970. I was with H&S 3/5 but attached to Lima 3/5 from May 1969 to March 1970 as their Forward Air Controller. I was wounded the first time with them after leaving Liberty Bridge around June 6 or 7. I didn't go out on the medivac chopper. My wounds were mistakingly called in as non battle connected by a Sgt. If anyone remembers, let me know. Thanks!

I joined 3/5 in March 1967 Chu-Lai. I was attached to 3/5 as a combat engineer and pulled many opps and patrols with all of the companies. So I had alot of friends especially coffee drinkers who always wanted C-4 ....you grunts took good care of me and of course I had a selector automatic M-14.I often wondered why you guys volunteered me for nite ambush..gunny always called me his personal "sapper".In April 1968 I was assigned to 2/27..I thought they were new guys shipped over because
of TET but soon found out most of these grunts were on their second tour. I hope you all remember me ..I had a large "KC"on the side of my helmet..the Kansas City Chiefs copied my design (I wished). I have two regiments close to my heart. Semper Fi Marines....3rd Battalion/ 5th Marines ..VietNam lives on.

Confey V. Maldonado

HEY BRO , I’M LOOKING FOR A BRO THAT I WAS IN NAM WITH .WE WERE IN H&S CO. 2/7 & 3/5 WEAPONS PLT. 106’S & IN A CUPP UNIT SKINNER’S RAIDER’S THAT WAS IN 2/1. MY NAME IS CONFEY V. MALDONADO (SMILEY) HIS NAME IS JULIO MARTINEZ IF YOUR THE BRO I’M LOOKING FOR GIVE ME A CALL PLEASE.

MCRD San Diego Oct 67
India 3/3 3rdMarDiv Apr 68 May 69 Wounded
Sept 68
Marine Barracks 8th & I D.C.    May 69 Sep 69
HQBN 3/26    Sep 69 Mar 70
HQ 1stMarDiv G-1    Mar 70 Oct 70
H&S S-1 3/5 Oct 70 Mar 71
H&S S-1 1/1 Mar 71 Apr 71
Camp Pendelton    ETS

Lawson (Stan) McDaniel, Jr.

Please place me on the roster is served with H & S company, 81s Plt, third section and end as 81s, ammo NCO. You have a great web site, just found it today. Does it bring back memories. I join 3/5 in February of 1967 at hill 69 just north of Chu Lai. I was with the 81mm Plt, H&S Company 3rd section which was attached to Lima Company. We moved north and set up in Base Camp in Kam Ky. Later we moved to just south of DaNang off US 1 outside a small village called Dog Patch. I still have the Flag for the 81 Plt we flew in the Nam. I remember well when based at Tam Ky that while on an operation Kilo company ran into an L shape ambush and call in air support and the smoke drifted back on their lines. I remember taking the bobies (many very close friends) off the choppers and placing them in the CP tent. I was 19 years old and cried like a baby.......Life was never the same after that! I would like to know when the next reunion is to be held. I rotated in March of 1968. I do love the web site and appreciate the hard work which has been put into it. Would love to hear from some old friends. Semper Fi! Sgt Mac USMC Retired.

Here's a pic of the helmet cover. The hills listed are #'s 69, 49, 76, 35, 54, 63. I'm not sure the meaning of them though. I think they were hills we occupied and did H&I fire.
Operation's, Mustang, Cortez, Desota, Spoil, Union 1 & 2, Adaire, Calhoun, Chociese, Pike, Swift, Shelby, Baxter, and Arizona. Most of them are small but the biggie for me was the Union's. As you can tell, my nickname was MOD and we were known as the "MOD SQUAD" when I became leader. I was a Corporal, in 81's, 4th Section mostly attached to Mike Company.

I was going through the "Wall". I was in 81's, attached to Mike Co. and we had two platoon members killed while attached to them. One, Charles (Chuck) Meyers s.p. and Cpl. Pilon s.p. were both killed. I'm not sure what operation it was but think it was one of the Union's. (probably II).....Chuck was killed while walking point with the company. (Editor note: Charles Myers and Alan Pilon are added to the Wall).

My name is Tom Mullen I got into An Hoa May 1, 1969 and went to Reg. 5th Marines HQ. CO. until September 1st then I got transferred to H&S HQ CO 3/5. I got out of Vietnam in April of 1970 and was sent to 1st LAAMS CO. 29 Palms until September of 1970. Got out and drifted for a couple of years and then I became a plumber for 18 years. I was hired on as a plumbing inspector for the city of Sioux City, Iowa for the last 10 years.

My MOS was 0141, I had many duties, from writing the Company dairy in the morning, Mail Man, Corporal of the Guard checking each bunker at night. When we went on Battalion Operations, I was 1st Sergeant Smith's Body Guard. I carried a Company Roster with me at all times because we had to know where our men were of our H&S Company. Those were a few of the duties I had.

In country March to October, 1970 after requesting a transfer from 1st MAW (REAR) in Iwakuni, Japan. I was a radio operator (call sign Whiskey 2) for an 81mm mortar section, first on Hill 37, near Dai Loc on Rte 4, in Quang Nam Province, from the spring to the summer. Moved to Hill 52, also on Rte. 4, further west, in the summer. In September we moved over to FSB Ross, in the coastal plain, pretty close to the Que Sons. I was lucky, dodging incoming was my closest exposure to danger. It missed.

My name is Gordon Odom, USMC 1964 - 1968. Boot camp at San Diego platoon 230. Served aboard USS Topeka 1965, gunfire coordinator operation Double Eagle.Troop handler at Camp Pendleton until 28th marines were formed. Then sent to RVN, assigned to 3/5. I was with H&S Co. 3/5 in 1967 & 1968. Rank was E-5, assigned to Battalion went on many trips as convoy security. Served with Tony Stovall, Ken Lottridge (sp) D.E. Lewis, Arthur Scholl , Craig Sullivan and many more but can't remember names. My e-mail address is odoms@cox-internet.com.

Started to do this once and my computer died. Better it than me. Parris Island Aug.64 (PFC), La Jeune (Gieger)(LCPL), to Camp Margurita, Pendleton (CPL). Trained with 1/5 - ended up in Hospital missed rotation with good buds who became 1/9 at the turn. Casual company - one of the first with what became BLT 3/5. USS Renville to Okinawa - Camp Schwab. Trained in pre-war exercises, whorehouses, sloe gin, massage parlors and heat. LPH - 5 (USS Princeton) to Subic and the delights of Olongapo. (Sitting in a second story bar, after curfew w/SSgt Shute, watching a hard boiled egg dispenser, when we heard a shot and a moment later "Halt". Olongapo was as close to a wild west show as could be found.) Over to 'Nam for a wet run, first operation then back to Subic. Back to Nam and off the boat into duty around Chu Lai. Does anyone remember the ROK marines we worked with? Capt. No Do? Out to the field an Hill 53 on the way to Tam Ky(SGT). (Does anyone have copies of the "Hill 53 News" that was pumped out for 2 or 3 issues? Bad poetry and news blurbs) My brain is getting older by the second and the fact is this is probably boring. I remember too much! I have forgotten much more. In closing, I will always remember the leaders, those officers and NCOs who could ask for your blood and your life and you raced to get in line to give it, yet they never asked for more than they gave. Grateful to have made it back to remember. Can't see the wall...no matter how many times I have stood in front and touched it.

I served with the S-3 Operations Section from 01-68 to 01-69. Don't think I missed an operation during that time. (HOUSTON I, HOUSTON II, ALLEN BROOK, MAMELUKE THRUST (2), GUSSE BAY, MAUIE PEAK, HENDERSON HILL, MEADE RIVER, and TAYLOR COMMON)

Those were some bad times. Didn't think I would make it home even serving "in the rear with the gear" so to speak.

I've been able to find a couple of people I served with and it was good to see they were still around. I hope this will let others I met know that I'm still around.

Served from Oct. '66 to Nov. '67 with 3bn.1st. Marines. I was scheduled to go home on leave for 30 days and 3/1 was going on "float faze". The 1st Sgt. told me it would be easier to transfer me than for me to try to catch up with them when I returned. 3/5 was only a click away at the time, so in Nov. '67, I transferred. I served with the 106 platoon from that time until June of '68. I rotated back to the States a few day after Paul Bonetti and Bob Sproul were killed on the 13th. My MOS was 0351. I may have been the first maintenance NCO they had. When I arrived, there were no 106's in use. I found them in a tent preserved. There were, to my knowledge, no 0351's in the platoon and no one knew anything about the 106. If there has ever been anything I was good at, it was the 106. I convinced them to, at least, get a couple ready and place them on the perimeter. I got a group together, had a few short classes, and we set up two. Eventually, we mounted two more on mules and kept two in reserve. I never did like the gun mounted on a mule or on a Jeep as the Army had them. That gun should have only been used in a fixed position. The Colonel, at the time, thought it was a wonderful idea to have them mounted and mobile. Not a good decision as would later be proven.

I have more good memories of this era than bad ones. We were good, weren't we? When I think of Paul Bonetti leaning over the sand bags in the rear of the hooch at the old rear area puking his guts up after drinking a bottle of "Silver Fox", I still laugh. They were the best and worst of times......Rick

JUST GOT THE WEB ADDRESS FOR THE 3/5 AND WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR PROVIDING THIS OUTREACH. I WAS WITH BRAVO 3/5 FROM FEB 66 TO MAR 67 BUT I WAS NOT A MEMBER OF 3/5 I WAS ATTACHED TO 3/5 BUT I WAS ACTUALLY WITH THE 1ST ENG. BN BUT STAYED WITH 3/5 DURING THIS PERIOD . I WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH TO ABLE TO BE IN SOME CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WHO I MAY HAVE SERVED WITH DURING THIS TIME PERIOD THAT MAY HAVE BEEN WITH 1ST ENG. BUT TO BE IN CONTACT WITH ANYONE FROM THE 3/5 DURING 66/67 WOULD BE GREAT. THANKS AGAIN . HOPING TO HEAR REPLIES REAL SOON.

BOOT CAMP-PARRIS ISLAND MARCH 64 PLT 125. CAMP PENDLETON WITH 7TH ENG LATE 64 , EARLY 65.
SHIP OUT VIET NAM WITH 3/5 LATE 65 TO OKINAWA FOR COUNTER GUERILLA WARFARE TRAINING AT
NTA OKINAWA . SPECIAL LANDING FORCE ABOARD USS PRINCETON OPERATIONS DECKHOUSE 1 AND 2, HASTINGS, AND 2 MORE CAN'T RECALL. WOUNDED ON OP HASTINGS SENT TO USS REPOSE TO OKINAWA TO ARMY HOSPITAL FOR 3 MONTHS. RETURN TO NAM TO LIGHT DUTY IN CARPENTER SHOP FOR SHORT TIME, FULL DUTY WITH 1ST ENG, BRAVO CO. ATTACHED TO 3/5 . CLAIM TO FAME , COMMO TOWER ON ROCK PILE . LEFT NAM MARCH 1, 1967, TO NEW RIVER NC IN CASUAL PLATOON UNTIL DISCHARGE JUNE 67. RETURN TO CALIF. MARRIED SEPT 67, DIVORCED IN 1980, 2 SHORT MARRIAGES, FLOATED AROUND L.A. AREA, WORKED FOR GETTY OIL AND MANAGED A HOME APPLIANCE REPAIR SHOP . TREATED FOR PTSD AT NUMEROUS VA. HOSPITALS, CAME TO TUCSON AZ 1987 MARRIED MY FIRST LOVE TO WHOM I HAD BEEN ENGAGED TO BEFORE I LEFT TO NAM, RAISED 2 YOUNG STEP SONS WHO ARE NOW MY HEROES, THEY ARE BOTH IN THE CORPS, ONE A AMTRAC MECHANIC AND GULF WAR VETERAN NOW STATIONED AT 29 PALMS CALIFORNIA, THE OTHER AT CAMP BUTLER OKINAWA, I MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING GOOD IN MY LIFETIME WHEN I LOOK AT THESE BOYS OF MINE. HOPING TO HEAR FROM SOME OLD PALS OUT THERE...NAMES ARE HARD TO RECALL SO I MIGHT NEED SOME HELP WITH THAT, SEMPER FI

Lynwood Scott (Scotty)

I joined 3/5 as a 2531 (radio operator) and I was assigned to the comm
platoon. Capt Ayers was the comm officer at the time. the first combat
I was in was on operation Desoto in Jan 1967. Anthony Russo and myself were the FAC team for phase I of the operation. I believe we were with Kilo company at the time. I was on Union I, Union II, Adair, Calhoun, Pike, Swift, Shelbyville, Baxter, Denver, and No-Name 97. I left Nam in December of 1967.
Russo and Myself were the FAC team for Lima on May 26 1967. We were on the third helicopter that landed in the hot LZ. Russo was wounded that day and was medi-vaced . I would like to locate the following people: Antony Russo (from Miami FL.), Bill Thomas (from California) Danny Snider (from Fl.), he was in 81 mortars, Pee Wee Nail and Jim Goins (from Ala.). I would be glad to hear from anyone else that served with me. Semper Fi, Scotty

I left the Corps in 1974, tried to get a job- no one wanted a Nam Vet in the 70s- so I went back into the service and became a corpsman. I retired in 1992. I am 46, and teach martial arts as a hobby, and work for the VA in Memphis Tennessee. I love the Corps, and will to the day I die. I love talking to and treating Marines who come through the VA. We have some honest to goodness war heros there, and I respect them all!

I served with 3/5 Feb '66 through Feb '67. I was the S-2 Feb thru Sept '66 and then became India Company CO. In Feb '67 I went to DaNang as General Walt's Aide. I retired from the Corps in Oct. 1988 and now live in Shelton, Washington.

I Came to H&S Company after Tet, as the S-3 Chief. I transferred from Mike
Company. I was the Platoon Sergeant and then the Platoon Commander for the 1st Platoon with Mike Company. I served from May 67 - June 68, with the Battalion. I received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart while with
Mike Company.

I served with 3/5 from the beginning when we formed at Camp Pendleton, Margarita area I believe. From there we mounted out some time around the first of 66, where after a short stop in Hawaii, we were off to NTA in Okinawa. I served in H&S Company 3/5 Bn.Supply under Capt. Jassem, Sgt.Silvers in Bn.Supply, SSgt. Cooke in Bn.Armory. I would like to hook up or hear from any other Bn. Supply people. I rotated out in Feb of 67 due to medical emergency in the family. At that time we were in Chu Lai. That's where we ended up after embarking on the Princeton for some operations up and down the coast. Then the wet net landing at Chu Lai, I will never forget that part.

I went to Nam and was on the USS Princeton as part of a Battalion Landing Force.I participated in Operation Deckhouse Deckhouse 2,Nathan Hale and of course Hastings.I also participated in
Operation Colorado.I was wounded on August 14 1966 in Quang Tri Province. I was sent back to CONUS and spent until December of 1966 in the hospital at the Great Lakes Navy Base in Illinois,im from Illinois so it was the hospital nearest my home.I went to Camp Lejune where they had me teaching demolition at the school there ,well that sucked so I walked into the company clerks office and told him I wanted to transfer out of there, he told me the only way I could transfer is go to Vietnam but I was not back in the states a year so I had to sign a wavier,I told him give me the damn thing I will sign it because I hated the place. I got back to Nam around April of 1967 and I was assigned as a Squad Leader to Fox Co 2nd Bn 7th marines was there only to September 67 when I got word that my father died.When I got home on emergency leave I applied for and received a Hardship Discharge because I was the only child I have no brothers (other than my fellow Marine Brothers) or sisters.I spent a total of 2 years 7 months and 17 days in the Corp.Those were the best times and sometimes the worst but I would not trade them for anything. I'm like you searching because I need to at this time in my life to
see old comrades and make contacts again. .Semper Fi

Served with H&S 3/5 from May1 to October 27, 1968, got wounded and was sent home. I can help fill in some blanks from "68". Gunny Smith was Comm Chief and I knew Sgt Brick, radio operator with Mike Co who won the Silver Star. I humped a radio for S3 and the Battalion CO. Would like to find some 10s I served with. Semper Fi for ever!!!!!

Arrived An Hoa November 15, 1967, My MOS was 2511 (Field Wireman). Participated in Operations: Denver, No Name97, Auburn, Tet Offensive of 1968, Houston I, Houston II, Allen Brook (at end of Allen Brook I was notified of my Mother's death, sent home on emergency leave) after my return, I participated in Operations: Susses Bay, Mameluke Thrust, Mauie Peak, I was WIA on operation Henderson Hill October 27, 1968. Was medivaced-out with Mike Wilson our radio operator and another Marine
(Name Unknown). I married in 1974 and have three wonderfull children. We moved from our home town of Columbus, Ohio, 12 years ago. My wife, Debbie and I are now living in Weaverville, CA. Semper Fi !

I just stumbled into the 3/5 site while trying to get some material for my history class that I teach. My name is Tom Walsh. I came in country at Chu Lai in May of 1967 and wound up with H&S, even though I was supposed to go to Lima as a Radio OP. I became Col. Webster radio operator and later Col. Rocky's. I left Vietnam in June of 1968. For part of that, I believe Capt. Marnell was my CO. It is all quite a blur and there are very few names that I remember. Fr obvious reasons, I basically tried to put it all in the past once I was back in the world. I never really kept any contacts. But, now in my mid-50s, I seem to have the need to finally take another look. This is strange because I have a grown daughter who really knows very little about that part of my life. I also served with Maj. Bowers (he was a Major then).My e-mail address is ptwalsh@sdcoe.k12.ca.us. If anyone remembers me, please make feel free to write. God Bless all of you and Semper Fi. Tom Walsh

Boot camp PI from Dec. 63 to Feb. 64. Served with H & S 2/7 81's MOS 0341 May 64-July 64, H & S 3/9 81's July 64-Aug.65, H & S 3/5 81's Jan. 66-Apr.67. Mar. 8-65 landing VN USS Princeton. Operation Deck I & II Nathan Hale, Hasting, Colorado, Jackson, NAPA and others. Would like to contact old buddies during this time period. SEMPER FI!!