North High School Class of 1966 Involvement in the Vietnam War.
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Floyd Ruggles Vietnam August 1968
I'm just a simple old warrior who served in the uniform of this country's military in War, that loves to discuss all aspects of life. It is my firm conviction that if one understands what caused the war, how the war was conducted, and the Reconstruction Years that followed, one will know what this country is about. You can email 24/7 at: floydruggles@1streconbn.comThanks for stopping by.
WE NEVER PROMISED YOU A ROSE GARDEN...
On a recent trip back to Nam Doc Snider took flicks of the still standing sign and guard shack on what are the only things left of Camp Reasoner. Why the Vietnamese left them standing is unknown.
Sign in 1969
It looks like this now (May 2011)
Elephant Valley
I'm thinking back to a time in 1969 when I was on a mission in Elephant Valley. A day that time stopped for me. It seems like yesterday for this proud Marine.
A company sized unit of North Vietnamese moved around me, four or five feet to my right and ten to twenty feet to my left on a winding trail. One by one they moved past me , one by one. As a twig snapped and one of the North Vietnamese turns and looks at me. Time stopped. His eyes seem to be searching for me. This moment was an eternity for me. Then, the enemy moved past me with packs on their backs, their weapons shouldered, carrying heavy arms and equipment. I could almost make out the serial numbers on their RPGs. Fifty or sixty NVA passed me and my team by that day and moved off into the bush. Not a shot was fired, not one shot was fired that day.
To all my brothers with painted faces. What a somber place it seems to be looking back at that river in Elephant Valley on that summer day. The enemy passed our team by that day. All of us recon Marines walked on through the elephant grass,crossed the river and moved to higher ground. Not a man was lost. Lt Riley and our radio operator, Pfc Tom Harkens called for artillery. The artillery rained down on the other side of the river. My mind wandered back to that place and that winding trail.
As I’m thinking back today to that day and time when not a shot was fired in Elephant Valley I do thank you my brother’s with painted faces from Company B. All my children and grandchildren also thank you.
This story is dedicated to a gung ho bunch of Marines from 1ST RECON. Thanks for the good times, my brothers.
For some of us, Viet Nam was a long time ago. For some, it was a few minutes ago. There's something that happens years after leaving the RVN, that all of a sudden, you are thinking about places you've been, people you were with and people that did not come home. You are not alone. It's happening to all of us in one way or the other.
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My Missions in Vietnam
It seems to be bits and pieces of time that have been locked away for forty years. My 23 missions in Vietnam. As a young tough warriors with an attitude from the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, Bravo Company, 2nd Platoon. All my missions coming soon to this website. Click a photo...
Click image to go to 1st Recon Battalion's home page.
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