25th Infantry Division Base Camp, Pleiku, South Vietnam

After a long flight from Hickam Field we arrived at our new home in Hell.  Probably the most difficult year of my life.

Travel was by Chopper mostly the big Chinooks, so we could carry our big guns (105mm Howitzer) and enough ammo to survive a few days, also C rations and water.














My new home in Dec 1965! Not much for  comfort but it was home.

Schofield Barracks, HI - Permanent Duty in Paradise!

After a long and difficult ocean voyage aboard the USS Robertson (7 days in the Pacific) we arrived in paradise at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
It was a wonderful 8 months, on the beaches of the north shore of Hawaii and visits to Honolulu for fun. Made many friends and attended the University of Hawaii at night.
We drank a lot of beer and camped out on the beach on weekends. Never did become a very good surfer, the waves were always too big and intimidating for me!

Fort Sill, OK - AIT

January was a little better in the dust bowl.
Artillery training (Advanced Individual Training) at a very historic Fort.

Fort Knox,KY - Basic Training

It sure was a cold November & December in Fort Knox going through a very tough basic training.

Drafted into the US Army

It was a Friday the 13th in 1964 on a cold November day when I was drafted into the US Army and my life was changed forever. I met a young man from Chicago (Joe Grbin) who became my best friend for our 2 years together in the Army.  Unfortunately we lost him to suicide (PTSD) in 1990.
He was a hero in Vietnam and saved many lives at a hot LZ in 1966 and received a silver star with V for valor. Will never forget him, RIP Joe.