EMAILS FROM THE 'PIG' MEN |
Hi Steve, Boy the picture of that "Grease Gun" brings back the memories! I can almost feel it in my hands. When I first got to 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, 3rd AT's, the springs in all our grease gun magazines were so old and weak, that you couldn't put any more than five rounds in a magazine. Otherwise, the magazine spring was too weak to push the rounds up, and it wouldn't feed. When we were attached to Alpha Company, 3rd AT's, and we were at Khe Sanh in 1967, the Alpha Company Headquarters moved to Khe Sanh. They set up west of the west end of the airstrip. One of the Marines that I went through Boot Camp, and ITR with, Roger Coffee, (from Dayton, Ohio), was the Supply Sgt. for Alpha HQ. I asked him if he had any grease gun magazines. He had a whole foot locker full of brand new grease gun magazines still in the protective paper wrapping, and told me to help myself. I grabbed a whole "armful," (13 magazines), so I was set for life. Whoever inherited my Ontos, A-22, when I rotated home, ended up with those 13 new magazines, and a grease gun with a set of M14 bipods fastened to the barrel of that grease gun. It looked pretty wicked, but when I had been a driver before I became an O.C., I would extend those bipod legs all the way down, and set the loaded grease gun on the slope plate in front of my driver's hatch, with the wire stock extended, and the bent end hooked down on the front edge of the driver's hatch. This kept it in place, and kept the gun instantly accessible for immediate use. I carried (in the Ontos), those 13 loaded magazines plus an extra 20 boxes of (1000) .45 caliber rounds. I previously had those M14 bipods on an M14 with a selector switch on it. I had temporarily traded my .45 pistol for it, to an Ontos Commander that didn't have a pistol, and had been issued the M14 when he arrived in country. He had "unofficially" added the selector switch, and I requisitioned the bipods. That was a nice gun. I had to give it up when he had to officially turn it in to be issued his own .45 pistol. I then got my .45 pistol back. When 2nd Platoon went on a (BLT) Battalion Landing Team with 3/9 to Okinawa for five weeks in January to sometime around the end of February 1967, we refurbished our Ontos and repainted them at the tank park in Camp Hansen, Okinawa, (5th AT's?). I remember every morning working outside in that tank park, in the cold, and smelling the diesel exhaust fumes from the tank engines. I had a stencil made, and painted in white letters on the sides of the top outer 106 barrels of A-24 (formerly C-24): "Have Guns Will Travel". Lt. Sauer, our Platoon Commander, who was later killed the end of April 1967 in the Hill Battles on Hill 861 near Khe Sanh, followed my lead, and had a stencil made for "his" Ontos. He painted in yellow letters "Sauer's Grapes." More Ontos trivia: When I first was in Charlie Company, 3rd AT's in October 1966, our radio call sign was "Heavy Fist Charlie." It later was changed to "Tanic Acid Charlie." When we, (2nd Platoon), were transferred to Alpha Company, 3rd AT's, our radio call sign was "Porto Bello Alpha." Ontos were called "Pigs" not because of the dirty crewmen inside, but that term was used when referring to an Ontos in communications on the radio. Tanks were called "Foxes." Apparently these names were used so as not to give any information out to the enemy who could (and did) monitor U.S. military communications. Someone said that Ontos were called "Pigs" because of all the dirt and dust that came into the interior of the Ontos while traveling with the rear doors open. While I was in Vietnam with 3rd AT's, I never saw anyone travel any distance at all with the rear doors open on any Ontos. Enough dust and dirt came in through the open driver's hatch and the open O.C.'s hatch. Traveling with the rear doors open would have let in much more dust and dirt that was churned up by the tracks. Also, with the rear doors open, this would have exposed the driver's back and the O.C. to small arms fire. We never fired our 106's with the rear doors open either. Semper Fi, - Scott Berry - |
RECOLLECTIONS AND REFLECTIONS FROM ONTOS CREWMEN AND MARINES WHO SERVED WITH THE ANTI-TANK BATTALIONS. |
1. You are not a superman. 2. If it's stupid but works, it isn't stupid 3. Don't look conspicuous it draws fire 4. When in doubt, empty your magazine 5. Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than you are. 6. Never forget that your weapon was made by the lowest bidder. 7. If your attack is going really well, it's an ambush. 8. No plan survives the first contact intact. 9. All five-second grenade fuses will burn down in three seconds. 10. With the pin pulled, Mr. Grenade is not your friend. 11. Try and look unimportant because the bad guys may be low on ammo. 12. If you are forward of your position, the artillery will fall short. 13. The enemy diversion you are ignoring is the main attack. 14. The important things are always simple. 15. The simple things are always hard. 16. The easy way is always mined. 17. If you are short of everything except enemy, you are in combat. 18. When you have secured an area, don't forget to tell the enemy. 19. Incoming fire has the right of way. 20. Friendly fire isn't. 21. If the enemy is in range, so are you. 22. No combat ready unit has ever passed inspection. 23. Things that must be together to work, usually can't be shipped together. 24. Radios will fail as soon as you need fire support desperately. 25. Anything you do can get you shot including doing nothing. 26. Tracers work both ways. 27. The only thing more accurate than incoming enemy fire is incoming friendly fire. 28. Make it tough for the enemy to get in and you can't get out. 29. If you take more than your fair share of objectives, you will have more than your fair share of objectives to take. 30. When both sides are convinced that they are about to lose, they are both right. 31. Professional soldiers are predictable, but the world is full of amateurs. 32. The most dangerous thing in the combat zone is an officer with a map. 33. The buddy system is essential to your survival; it gives the enemy somebody else to shoot at. 34. Never worry about the bullet with your name on it, instead worry about the shrapnel addressed to occupant. 35. All battles are fought uphill and in the rain. 36. It isn't necessary to be an idiot to be a senior officer, but it sure helps. 37. Suppressive fires won't. 38. A sucking chest wound is nature's way of telling you to slow down. 39. Teamwork is essential: it gives the enemy other people to shoot at. 40. Napalm is an area support weapon. 41. Mines are equal opportunity weapons. 42. Killing for peace is like screwing for virginity. 43. Combat will always occur on the ground between two adjoining maps. 44. Never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can sleep. 45. The more a weapon costs, the farther you will have to send it away to be repaired. 46. Field experience is something you don't get until just after you need it. 47. For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism. 48. A purple heart just proves that you were smart enough to think of a plan, stupid enough to try it, and lucky enough to survive. 49. All-weather close air support doesn't work in bad weather. 50. The crucial round is a dud. 51. Don't ever be the first, don't ever be the last and don't ever volunteer. 52. The seriousness of a combat wound is inversely proportional to the distance to any form of cover. 53. Murphy was a grunt. |
MURPHY'S LAWS OF COMBAT |
A FEW ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS FROM ONE OF THE FORWARD AIR CONTROLS OFF THE FACNET. |
** Friendly fire - isn't. ** Recoilless rifles - aren't. ** If it's stupid but it works, it isn't stupid. ** Never forget that your weapon was made by the lowest bidder. ** If your attack is going really well, it's an ambush. ** Five second fuses always burn three seconds. ** The easy way is always mined. ** Never draw fire; it irritates everyone around you. ** When you have secured an area, make sure the bad guys know it too. ** No combat ready unit has ever passed inspection. ** No inspection ready unit has ever passed combat. ** If the enemy is within range, so are you. ** Military Intelligence is a contradiction. ** The one item you need is always in short supply. ** Interchangeable parts aren't. ** The worse the weather, the more you are required to be out in it. ** Field experience is something you don't get until just after you need it. ** No matter which way you have to march, its always uphill. ** Every command which can be misunderstood, will be. ** There is always a REMF way, and it usually doesn't work. Author unknown Cagey30 |
.THE BEST ADVICE I EVER GOT...."A HAND GRENADE DOESN'T MAKE A MUZZLE FLASH!" Steve |
UPDATE ON ONTOS KIA'S FROM R. SCOTT BERRY. |
THESE NAMES HAVE BEEN POSTED ON THE ONTOS CREWMAN AND AT'S MARINES KIA PAGE. CLICK THE PLACK TO VISIT THAT WEBPAGE. |
Steve. I'm getting old and my memory is going but I do know that "Turk" Turstege who was a long time Pig man was killed. Turk was the Plt, Sgt of A Co. 1st AT in 65. I was just busted on the drill field and took over as the heavy section. I was reinstated a month after leaving PI so I took over the Platoon, Turk took over my heavy section. A lot of people dont know that career Marines spent two and three tours 'in country'. I spent 3. Turk on his second tour like me was a SSGt then and reverted to 0369. Turk was killed as a grunt Plt. Sgt on his second tour. Turk came from the old school of Ontos men who spent years at the inception of 'the pig'. We came from the original Bat (106) plts. In 1958 the Marine Corps changed from the "reckless" 75 RR to 196. I was in 4.2 mortars which was a 0341 weapon. After 1/8 came back from the initial landing in Lebanon 4.2 went to 12th Marines all the personel became 106 Plt. then on to Ontos. Turk was a believer in 'the pig' and like me took a lot of chances bucking Jr, officers who wanted to remove our 30 calibers for infantry positions. Im not sure how to spell his name or his first name as we all called him Turk. But Tursteege was definately a KIA. Sorry I can't remember the correct spelling. As we get older it becomes harder and harder but I can see him and all of the guys as clear as it was yesterday. there were some great "old timers, Padilla, McCormick. Bradshaw, well the list goes on. I would appreciate it if you can find out on Turk he died as a 0369 but he was and always will be an 0353. Joe CAN ANYONE HELP JOE ANDROLWICZ WITH THIS MARINE'S NAME SO WE CAN ADD HIM TO THE WEBSITE? |
THIS CAME IN FROM JOE HENDERSON. |
This a photo of Colonel Walter "Mu Mu" Moore. He brought the 1st Anti-Tank Battalion to Chu Lai in March 1966. He was transfered to the 2nd Battalion 5th Marines in June 1966 as CO. He retired in 1973 after 33 years in the Corps. He entered the Corps as a Private at MCRD San Diego. During WW II as a Corporal he was promoted to Lt., received the Bronze Star. He was also in Pacific Island Campaigns and the invasion of Okinawa. He had a history in the Tank Bn. for a number of years. He was a hell of a marine from the Old Corps. |
Hi Steve, Further detailed info on those KIA's in my last post to you: 1st Lt. Philip Howard Sauer Date of Birth: 7/6/42 Single Home of Record: Coronado, California Ser. No. 093419 MOS: 1801 - "Basic Tank and Amphibian Vehicle Officer" Platoon Commander of 2nd Platoon "C" and "A" Co., 3rd Anti-Tank Battalion, 1966 - April 1967 KIA: 4/24/67 Quang Tri Province Hill 861 Age at Death: 24 Location on Wall: Panel: 18E, Row: 081 LCpl Ray Leonard Ferry III Date of Birth: 10/3/49 Single Home of Record: Waterbury, Ct. Ser. No. 2345982 MOS: 2143 - "Self Propelled Artillery Repairer/Technician" "A" Company, 3rd Anti-Tank Battalion Vietnam Tour Start Date: 2/15/68 KIA: Non Hostile: 4/9/68 Quang Tri Province "Other Accident, Ground Casualty" Age at Death: 18 Location on Wall: Panel: 49E, Row: 055 Cpl Robert Paul Payne Date of Birth: 12/17/43 Single Home of Record: Hampshire, Il. Ser. No. 2250308 MOS: 2847 - (Radio Communications) "A" Company, 3rd Anti-Tank Battalion Vietnam Tour Start Date: 8/17/67 KIA: 3/18/68 Quang Tri Province "Died of Wounds/Ground Casualty - Artillery, Rocket, Mortar" Age at Death: 24 Location on Wall: Panel: 45E, Row: 024 |
BELOW IS A LETTER TO HOWARD RABY WHILE HE WAS SERVING WITH 3rd AT's., DON'T THINK IT EVER CAUGHT UP WITH HIM. HIS THEME SONG SHOULD HAVE BEEN, "I'VE BEEN EVERWHERE" OR MAYBE 'THE BEACH BOYS' "I GET AROUND". JUST ALONG AS IT WASN'T YOUR PAY RECORDS. |
"LOST MAIL" |
USE YOUR OLD ORDERS TO HELP FIND GUYS IF HAVE YOUR SRB, DRAG IT OUT AND CHECK OUT YOUR ORDERS, IT GIVES YOU THE SERIAL NUMBERS AND FULL LAST NAME OF THE GUYS YOU WERE TRANSFERRED WITH. HERE IS SET OF ORDERS FOR 0353's LEAVING STAGING BATTALION AND BEING SENT TO VIETNAM AND 1st. ANTI-TANK BATTALION IN 1967. THESE WERE MARKLEY'S ORDERS. IF YOU DONT' HAVE YOUR SRB, GET IT. |
FROM RICK MADERA AND R. SCOTT BERRY INFORMATION ON UPGRADING YOUR MEDALS AND RECORDS CLICK THE MEDAL BAR BELOW. |
THE ARMY'S BEST INVENTION THIS PICTURE OF THE P-38 OR 'JOHN WAYNE' WAS SENT IN BY HOWARD RABY |
NAME THIS MARINE? HOWARD RABY SENT THIS PICTURE IN OF A MARINE HE SERVED WITH AT CHARLIE COMPANY, 3rd ANTITANK BATTALION IN 1965, DOES ANYONE KNOW HIS IDENTITY? |
REMEMBER BEING HANDED THIS WHEN WE GOT OVER THERE? I DO AND I REMEMBER THE MACV HEADQUARTERS HAD COLD POP AND BEER. DID YOU KNOW ONTOSCREW MEN WERE ATTACHED TO THE ARMY....READ THE 1968 COMMAND CHRONOLOGIES FOR 1ST TANK BATTALION....Steve |
