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25,363 out of 865,797 Veterans
25,363 out of 865,797 Veterans
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Call Up The Reserves - It was 1968 and President Johnson approved a limited call-up of Reserve Military units 24 months or less. It included 25,000 men from all branches. Many or most of the Army units were not combat ready and only a few about 5,000 were sent to Vietnam. One of them, the 231st Transportation Company from St. Petersburg, FL was called in Ready or not we were chosen to get battle ready in 4 months and report to Duty. Little did we know if would be Vietnam Mekong Delta as a logistic Boat Unit. The 231st was staffed by 182 men of worldly experience from 19 to 50 years of age. Combat was not our gig but in the Army’s profound judgment, they figured out a special mission for our Boat Crews. We were to support all the combat troops in the Mekong Delta with material of all sorts including carrying Troops to the battleground, Landing Mat, Ammo, Beer, Toilet Paper etc. The War was on for the Fighting 231st.
The first battle was with the Army and Congressional delegation of our State to negate the call up in general. Reason, the unit was not trained in close combat operations. We were a Heavy Boat unit I.E. Tug Boats and Cargo Ships. We lost that battle and proceeded to get ready or not for what the mission was, which only a few knew. Suddenly the unit had been designated LCM Med Boat Unit with 19 LCM8’s (Landing Craft Mechanized). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LCM-8
This Reserve call-up was known as the Clark Clifford Experience , Clifford had replaced Robert McNamara as Secretary of Defense in 1968 and convinced President Johnson to deny General Westmoreland’s request for an additional 206,000 American troops. So the training began and the main body arrived in late Aug. 1968 in Vung Tau South Vietnam to addapt the LCM's (boats). Plywood Quarters were built for 6 men to a boat, two 50 caliber machine guns and two 30 caliber machine guns plus grenade launchers and personal small arms were installed. Six man crews ( NCO’s) manned the boats and the mission began with a bang. Something like 74 pallets of Budweiser to the 9th Infantry deep in the Delta at Dong Tam. We were instant heroes!
Note: we were informed by Col. Boyd (see below of 50th-year Commemoration of Vietnam War we were not only the first Reserve Unit in Vietnam but of all the reserves call-up only 5,000 served in the war zone. The following links and pages will attempt to put on the record the efforts of this unit and the current situation of its members today. Send any updates please and I will try to post them asap.
Military Experiences
Aug 1964 - Aug 1970
Marine Engineer and Unit Diver
1968-69 Operated with 6 man crew LCM Mike Boat throughout the Mekong Delta delivering logistic material (ammo & Beer) to the out bases of 9th infantry.
Military Credentials
Certifications
Aug 1968
Boat mechanic
Aug 1965
Salvage Diver
Personal Information
Interests
Disabled Veterans
Diving
Flying
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