VIETNAM CHAPLAIN: FEBRUARY 1969

Jack Day's

Worlds

Vietnam Chaplain
Central Highlands Diary
February 1969

The 1969 unit records for 6/29th Artillery reports, ""Contact was very light and sporadic throughout the Brigade AO during the early part of February, however the maneuver elements found numerous huts, fortified positions, weapons, rice and ordnance storage areas. Artillery activity during this period consisted mainly of firing on intelligence targets and firing Night Firing Programs based on target data gathered by the maneuver elements. Extensive aerial reconaissance missions were conducted by the battalion S-2/S-3 elements in order to pin-point selected enemy locations, trail and bunker complexes, bivouac areas and routes of movement. The information gathered during these aerial reconnaissance missions was used to prepare night firing programs."

Letter to home, 2 February, Camp Enari.

Charlie's apparently getting a little restless – hit a bunch of places this morning including Pleiku Air Base. Mostly the kind of thing where 3-4 guys set up a tube, pop off a few founds and di-di-mau [run] away in a hurry.

On TV tonight saw "Love on a Rooftop," "Mission Impossible," and "Bonanza," interspersed with "commercials" for Savings Bonds, Free Enterprise, The Red Cross, and Aerospace Developments.

At about this time I moved with the I Bde Headquarters to Firebase McNerney. McNerney, 2/3 of the way between Camp Enari and An Khe, permitted travel by road as well as by helicopter. As with the Oasis location, it was possible to get to 4th Division Headquarters at Camp Enari, and to the 71st Evacuation Hospital in Pleiku, by jeep.

McNerney I Bde Sign

0036 First Brigade Sign at entrance to Firebase McNerney

Now the jeep got even more use, as my assistant Bruce Chaffee and I travelled back and forth on route 19 between Camp Enari, the 71st Evac Hospital, and Firebase McNerney. We had the opportunity to travel in convoys, but usually decided we were safer as a lone vehicle travelling at a good speed. Route 19E Sign

0052 The Engineers were proud of their work paving the highway so thick it was hard to mine

Black Hawk Sign

0019 Roadside Warning signs were a little different than they were "back in The World"

Letter to home, 6 February, Firebase McNerney.

Feelings about war – from my limited perspective here – it's becoming a drag. I can see why they only keep you here a year – one gets tired out. You don't see much tragedy – life pretty much just keeps going for most if the people, and for us, we live day by day, moving around. The atrocities you hear about aren't happening in this part of the country, not by us, and even the VC are operating at a low level. The major things I run into are personal – the guys brokenhearted with Dear John letters, the whole gamut of personal mess-ups. Over here, talking only to the men, you could develop a quick hatred of women. Get back to the states, and you get the other side – tearful girls whose husbands never showed up at DEROS, pictures of Vietnamese chicks they weren't supposed to know about, etc.

I may be changing units sometime to 3/12 Infantry. Right now 3/8 is the only one with Brigade and can be covered by Chaplain Brown, the Bde Chaplain, while 3/12, which he was covering, is up at Kontum.

The wind is fantastic here – the helicopters are grounded a big part of the time.

I sleep in a sweater, sleeping bag, with a blanket over it. Temperatures in the 60's. Yesterday it stayed so cold they had 8 volunteer to burn shit, usually an unpleasant and little sought detail.

When I visit the S5 -- Civil Affairs teams -- I sometimes give rides to Montagnards in the area with the jeep. Picked up a girl last time. Strictly topless. Since they're all mostly that way, you tend to get used to it.

Letter to home, February 11. Firebase McNerney.

The battalion's been here for a couple of days stand down (time to rest, relax and get re-equipped) and headed back out this morning. Since I got to give services to everyone, I'm unemployed now for a few days.

Bruce sold his tape recorder since we're maybe going airmobile and had too much stuff.

Tet approaches. I think Charlie is going to attack mostly civilians, not military. When he hits us, he loses about 30 of his people for everyone of ours, but he can terrorize civilians more easily.

Silver Stars

0044 Captain Nelson's Awards

At Firebase McNerney award ceremonies were held when officers rotated in from the field.

A history of the war notes that February 22 - March 15 1969 saw Communist forces end a Tet ceasefire, with attacks on Saigon and 115 other cities. Attacks took place throughout Vietnam, killing 453 US soldiers in the first week, 336 in the second and 351 in the third.

The 1969 unit records for 6/29 Artillery reports that on 15 February 1969, the 1st Brigade received the mission to move to the southwest Kontum City and conduct offensive operations against the 24th and 66th NVA regiments. Intelligence reports indicated that these enemy elements had been given the mission to attack Kontum City and interdict Highway 14. In order to facilitate command and control the 1st Brigade and 6/29 Arty deployed a Tactical Command Post to Plei Mrong. Contacts with enemy elements throughout the operations were numerous, but small. On 28 February 1969, 1st Brigade terminated operations in the vicinty of Plei Mrong and moved the Tactcal CP, maneuver elements, and artillery to the vicinity of Polei Kleng and subsequent deployment into the Plei Trap Valley area.

The continual constant through the weeks and months: traveling from place to place by helicopter. Some of the views, as in this view of a winding river valley, were spectacular.

0021 Winding River Valley Viewed from a Helicopter

View by doorgunner

A door gunner's view

0146 Some danger comes from real tigers!

0149 When roads weren't paved, there was a price to be paid.

Letter to home, February 26. Firebase McNerney.

Didn't think I'd make it back tonight – 10 after 7, it's getting dark and finally the helicopter arrives at this mountaintop outside Kontum where I happen to have been all afternoon. Letter to home, February 27. Firebase McNerney.

Today we'll jeep to Enari, thence to hospital to visit, then stretch out at their swimming pool...

In Memoriam, February, 1969

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©1999-2005 Jackson H. Day. All photos taken by Jackson Day or Chaplain Assistant Bruce Chaffee unless otherwise noted. All Rights Reserved. "Letter to Home" contains actual excerpts from letters written at the time. Updated January 25, 2005