Mike Company               

Third Battalion, Fifth Marines

RVN, 1966 -1971

November-December 1999

December 26, 1999

Please welcome Jim Bisesi, who was the adjutant with 3/5 from November of 1967 to December 1968. Jim retired in '74 as a Sergeant Major.  On the H&S roster.

December 21, 1999

Please welcome Don Lavetter to the H&S roster.  Don had a wireman MOS but ended up as a radio operator and forward air controller.

December 18,1999

Please welcome James Muston to the roster.   James with Mike Company from 67-68 and was wounded on Operation Union II.

Made Joe Holt's 2nd Platoon of India picture larger (also taken on Oki in early '66).  Joe remembers every person on it and we've posted all the names....so if any of you guys had friends in India Company then, look it up.  On India's site, Joe's picture page.

December 17, 1999

Added a picture of the entire Company (Mike), taken on Okinawa in early '66.  With many thanks to Rick Golbeck for sending it in.  On Rick's picture page.

December 16, 1999

Added a comments page to the La Thap Operation page.  Comments from Mike McFerrin on the op and related actions and Gray Rainbow's brief reminiscence are included.

December 15, 1999

Gary Bolen reports that his brother, Everett Bolen, passed away last night. Gary writes: "He suffered many years from severe wounds, mental disorders, blindness and only partial hearing from injuries sustained in the Hue Tet offensive. He finally has peace."  We salute you, Everett.

Please welcome two new members to the Mike Company roster.  Curt Lyon was 3rd Platoon, 1969 and was found by Harry Wesley. Curt has three more 3rd herd guys from '69 that he's mailing in to us. And Perry Hyler was a machine gunner with Mike Company in '66, on Hastings. He was found by Joe Holt from India and he's got some more guys that will be signing up. Neither Curt nor Perry have email yet so if you want to contact them please let us know.

Rick Golbeck and Joe Holt remember some of the first names of the guys identified in the 1st Platoon pic of '66.   We've added them.   Also, Rick is mailing us a Mike Company picture of '66 which will be scanned and posted here soon. 

December 13, 1999

Thumbnailed the large overlay on the the LaThap Op report, for faster loading.

December 12, 1999

Welcome Mike Brown, with the Scout Sniper Platoon from November 1967 to October 1968 and was attached to Lima, Kilo and India at various times. On the H&S roster.

Added six names to the H&S Wall. On 2/6/68 Lance Corporal Edward Thurmond; On 2/7/68, Corporal John Jacobs and PFC Timothy McHugh; On 6/18/68, Lance Corporals Keith Taylor, Charles Thomas and Amos Lawson.   Timothy McHugh was an 0311, all five others were 0351s (106s).  With thanks to Artie Mosher for remembering.

A textbook Cordon and Search Operation was conducted at La Trap hamlet in early May 1969 by Mike Company and Bravo Company of 1/5.  At 5th Marines bequest, Captain Burns, Mike Company CO wrote up an after action report on it.   It is reproduced here, as the La Trap  report.   There is an additional report, put out by division, in September 1969 on this op. It will be eventually posted here.

Lima Company has posted a story written by Lt Ed Conti, Lima 2nd Platoon commander on the action leading to Lima's relief of India Company on Operation Hastings.  You can read it on Lima's site by clicking this link.

December 11, 1999

Welcome to Artie Mosher of H&S.  Artie was in country from October 67 to November 68 both with us and with 2/5.  He's been in touch with George Blankenship and Capt. Bowers and would love to hear from old friends.  On the H&S roster.

Paul O'Connell has published more of his letters home from Vietnam. They're on the Vietnam Veterans Home Page, the granddaddy of all Vietnam related sites, at http://www.vietvet.org/pocindex.htm.

Added a picture from Rick Golbeck, of 1st Platoon on Okinawa, in April 1966. Rick remembers a lot of the names and they're identified.  Good definition on the picture.

December 8, 1999

While I'm thinking about it, the following AARS are available upon request. You may email the webmaster   and it will be sent to you via email attachment.

Operation Swift:

5th Marines (Regimental) AAR

3/5 AAR

1/5 AAR

Operations Union I and II:

1/5 AAR

December 7,1999

Added 3 more Marines to the Mike Company roster.  None have email. To contact any of them please email the webmaster.

1. Corporal Raul Vela was with Mike 1969-70 and was a squad leader, he thinks with 2nd platoon. He's looking for LCpls Blair and Sonnet who were there when he was wounded, or anyone else that knows him.

2. Harry Wesley, "Doc Wes" was a corpsman with 3rd platoon from 8/69-7/70 and is looking for anyone who might remember him.

3. Dana S. Shreve was found by Doc Wes, and was the 2nd Lt., Platoon Commander of 3rd Platoon during some that period, late 1969 to early 1970.

We've added another outstanding story from Joe Holt to India's site.  It's entitled Thirst., another way to find water.

December 6,1999

Armando Leal was a hospital corpsman who lost his life and was awarded a Navy Cross while serving with Mike Company, on 4 September 1967. (Operation Swift, the same day that Sgt Peters and Father Capodanno also fell and were subsequently awarded Medals of Honor).  There is a school in San Antonio named after Armando and we've posted a write up on it in our memorial section.  With thanks to Ken Miller for finding it and sending it in.

There have been a number of stories submitted to Kilo Company's site, well worth reading.  The link to Kilo is on our favorites page.

December 2, 1999

Added an anecdote by Jim Kirschke, which I've titled Semper Fidelis, on how the term is recognized as belonging to us, even in other countries.  In our bits and pieces section.

November 30, 1999

Forgot to mention that Hank Oliver, who we just added yesterday, is looking for Sergeant Tony Stoval...anyone know where he is?

Frank Ambrose's email address has changed.  I've changed it on the roster but here it is for you guys who want to update your lists: af4ew@earthlink.net

November 29, 1999

Please welcome Hank Oliver, who was with the S-1 shop from January to April of '67 then, after recuperating from wounds, transferred to India until Februay 1968. Some bio information is posted on India's site.  On the H&S roster.

Added a story from Richard Golbeck, Hastings, about exacting a little payback on the NVA after what they had done to India.  For further reading on Hastings, India has extensive remembrances of what befell them on their site, and Lima has a story called Easter Story on their site, about the relief of India on that operation.

Posted another story from Joe Holt on the India site, a while back.  Mush is the name of the story, about combat engineers.

Ron Heath, the Kilo Company Webmaster, has posted reunion information for the 59th commemoration ceremonies for the 1st Division in San Diego next year, on his site.  Click here to jump there.

Added three more pictures from Mike Wilson, at An Hoa and Phu Bai, in '68 (there's a picture of Chuck Shimkus and Jim Partain, who Mike is looking for).  On the H&S picture pages.

Added a picture from George Blankenship, of himself and 3 others, one of which is Paul Bonneti, who is on the H&S Wall.

Added a picture page for Richard Montgomery, with a picture of him and Charles Scott (Bronze Star winner).  Also reproduced a copy of a Sea Tiger article on Mike Company, about action on Hills 200 and 310.

5th Marines was awarded the Meritorious Unit Citation for Operation Mameluke Thrust, in 1968.  We've reproduced it here, with thanks to Richard Montgomery for providing it.

Vic Vilionis found a picture of Daniel Bruce and updated his MOH graphic to add it.

I have completed transcribing the 5th Regiment AAR for SWIFT. If you want it please email me. The previous one I did was the 3/5 version and it is also available.

November 27, 1999

Uploaded Mike McFerrin's sixth story, Dreams and Visions. Mike explains the unexplainable about as well as it can be done in my opinion.

November 24, 1999

We are most pleased to add two of the very earliest Platoon Commanders of H&S Company, M.E. Christians of 106s and Flames, and Jim Kirschke of 81s, 65-67. They've been added to the H&S roster and you may read their comments on the bottom of the roster page. Coincidentally, after their tour with H&S they both went to Hotel 2/5. Welcome Marines!

    A HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!          

November 23, 1999

Welcome to Chuck Cammack who was with 60mm mortars from September-December 1968 and then transferred to Kilo 3/26.  On the Mike Co. roster. Chuck is trying to located Bob Mayes, Bob Leevy, and Dave Sneed who served with the 60mm mortar section of M/3/5 during September-October of 1968.

Added, to the Bits and Pieces page, a Commentary published in the Napa Valley Register, 11/22. Don't believe the 'pinkies'; Vietnam stopped communism is the title of the article, By Dr. Schultz and outlines what part the War did in doing that.

I've been disappointed in the performance of our guestbook.   Therefore, I've switched. The link to the new guestbook is at the bottom of the opening page and also on the guestbook page.  The entries from our old guestbook are archived on the guestbook page.

November 22, 1999

Added two more Marines to our Wall. LCpl Dennis La Nore and PFC Oscar Bell Jr. were both killed on July 22, 1966 on Operation Hastings. With thanks to Rick Golbeck for remembering them.

November 21, 1999

Added a picture from Mike Wilson, outside the Comm Platoon tent at An Hoa in late '68.  On the H&S picture pages.

Added some memories from Steve Haygood/Walker on Operations Union II and Swift, in the history section.

Fixed a couple of Confey Maldonado's pictures that didn't open.

"The Grunt Padre", the book about Father Capodanno who lost his life and was awarded the Medal of Honor while with 3/5 on Operation Swift is now available for preorder. A review of the book, order form and point of contact can be found by clicking here. All royalties from the sales will be used to support the Father Vincent Robert Capodanno Foundation, a non-profit organization established by the author to honor the memory of this chaplain and to continue his ministry of outreach to his beloved grunt Marines.

November 17, 1999

Added 8 pictures from Confey Maldonado, on the H&S picture pages.  From 1970, FSB Ross, LZ Baldy, Hill 953, 106s, USO shows.

Added extensive information to Chuck Greene's biography.   On the Mike Roster page.

November 16, 1999

Please Welcome Confey Maldonado to the H&S roster. Confey was with 106s in 70 and 71 and is looking for his friend Julio Martinez, also in 106s at the same time.

Added PFC Lionel A. Ryan to the H&S Wall.  PFC Ryan was killed on September 5, 1968 on Goi Noi Island. Mike Wilson was two guys behind when he stepped on the large mine and had to call it in. Sleep Well Marine.

Added two more pictures to Ray Harton's picture page, his family and Marine son and picture of PI platoon 1035, 9/66.

Added another of Joe Holt's excellent stories, Haalp! to the India site.

November 15, 1999

Welcome  Richard Golbeck of Mike Co, 1966 to the roster.  He's one of the originals that came over on the Renville.  See his bio and read his guestbook entry!

November 14, 1999

Added three pieces, with thanks to Bob Farmer, under the Bits and Pieces section. I gave them each separate pages. Pledge of Allegiance is from a speech by John McCain; Different is the "Why the Marines are Different" by an Army Colonel", Lt Col Richmond is an observation the man makes on the quality of Marines in the late '60s.  They're all must reads.

November 13, 1999

Added Corporal Ray Harton to the Mike Company roster, and his bio. Cpl. Harton was wounded on Swift, 9/4/67,  and was the last person ministered to by Father Capodanno before he died. He also credits Sgt Peters with saving his life.  Both of those gentlemen were awarded the Medal of Honor (on our citations pages). Welcome, Marine!  

Added two more member of H&S to our roster.  The Company Gunny of H&S in 1966, Retired Sgt Major Billy Chapman, and Buddy Bradley who was with H&S 1966-67.  Added a brief bio and request from Buddy.  Welcome, Marines!

Added another picture from Hans Haupt, in front of the Green Bunker in Da Nang (1st Mar Div HQ).

November 10, 1999

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES!!!

Added a picture of Hans Haupt, former CO of H&S, on the picture page.

Welcome to Estill Fugate, 1st Platoon, 1966, wounded on Hastings, to the Mike Company roster. We've also posted a bio for Estill. 

November 7, 1999

We've added two new additions to our H&S roster.  Please welcome Joe Anchondo and Jay Grigsby, both with 81s and FOs from 1967-68.  Some of you old timers here may remember Curtis Eidson from India posted a picture of Joe, looking for him. Well, Hans Haupt went dialing for dollars and found not only him but Jay also, friend of both.   Outstanding!

Denny Dinota changed his email address, I've changed it on the roster but you can reach him at dinota@earthlink.net.

Added a story, a free form poem actually, from Paul O'Connell entitled The Rest Camp.  It's powerful and it makes you think you were there. In the Remembrance section.

November 3, 1999

Added the Battalion ammo tech in '66-67 to the H&S roster.  His name is Charlie Rousseau, aka "Tuna". He doesn't have email but if you want to get in touch with him please write Norm Bailey.  Welcome Charlie!

Changed all references to Radio under Platoon headings on the H&S roster to Comm. You'd have thunk I'd known better since I was a 2531. Thanks Norm.

November 2, 1999

Added biographical information for Norm Bailey, on the H&S company roster. Norm was the FAC with Mike and Kilo from December '66 to July '67.  (Note: Norm was awarded a Navy Cross while with Force Recon on a later tour and held a Bronze Star while with H&S that he was awarded when with 1/7)

November 1, 1999