DODGE CITY AKA MUD FLATS AKA ???

 

The Dodge City AO (TAOR) was West of Hoi An, and Southwest of Danang.  The Battalion CP was near Phong Luc (2) - map coordinates 014632.

The TAOR included what we called the Dodge City area - AKA Mud Flats, a free fire zone just South of our Battalion CP - hence, the name. 

So, while some of the pictures are from inside Dodge City during various operations, patrols, etc., many are from the immediate area surrounding our CP - which was also within our TAOR. 

 

 

This is a map of the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines TAOR which included the free fire area called Dodge City aka Mud Flats.  

The Dodge City area is roughly bordered by the Song La Tho river (North) and the Song Ky Lam river (South).  Route 4 more or less bisects the area East to West.  The railroad had been destroyed - along with all the bridges in past operations.

Alpha-numeric markings on map are for reference when communicating with command or for fire missions of one sort or another.  The reddish rectangle near Phong Luc (2) - centered on map coordinates 014632 - was the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment CP/area.

 

 

Operation "Meade River" was a combined operation of 3 USMC battalions, if I remember right.  After the operation, our battalion went down for a final sweep. Regiment had insisted to us - the S-2 section - that a 3-storey underground bunker was still down there.  After much searching, the best we could find was one old bunker.  We took some "enhanced" pictures with a Polaroid camera that Regiment left us (and we subsequently "forgot" to return) to indicate a 3-storey underground bunker.  So we could get the hell out of Dodge. These pictures are ones left over that we did not send to Regiment.

The first picture shows the "slope" of the bunker to indicate its "depth".. The second is me posing in front of the "main entrance.. The 3rd is myself, 1stLt. Frank Ahearn and SSgt Hue, ARVN Interpreter attached to us.. The 4th is me, I think, setting charges to blow the bunker..

 

 
 

This picture was taken on 21 February 1969 and is a VC/NVA propaganda float that was sent down the river to TuCau bridge (inside our TAOR) the night before. 

From left, GySgt Charles Rush, 1stSgt Kamp, me and 1stLt Goodwin. 

 
 

This was taken in a small hamlet near our battalion CP - We had run a small patrol out there with S-5 (civic action folks) to give out clothes, food, etc.  I had just finished giving out a bunch of candy..

 

 
 

Charlie Rush and I were taking pictures of various things this day - probably late February 1969.  He had 1st Platoon, Delta Company. 

We had known each other somewhat before Vietnam - and it was good to see him when he joined the battalion in September 1968.  First operation we went on, when we were coming back waiting for helicopter lifts, we started to receive some small arms fire - not much and from a good distance away.  Still, everyone took cover, except for Rush - standing up, with his compass, tracking an azimuth to the small arms source, telling me not to worry, that they don't shoot Gunnery Sergeants.

I wish that were true.. Rush was KIA April 1969.

 

 

  

This is during a sweep of a small 'ville (hamlet) just to the North of the river bordering Dodge City.  SSgt Paul Thomas, 2d Platoon Leader, Bravo Company, was searching the roof of the main house.  He found an NVA flag, radio (with short wave band) and about 700,000 Piastres ("P's") - South Vietnam Currency - or about $7,000 U.S.  

In the next picture, I am sorting through the stuff Thomas found.  He wanted to keep the money - although converting it to MPC or dollars would be next to impossible. 

At any rate, the Battalion CO, also on the sweep, found out almost immediately that we had found some money - and he informed our radio operators to "tell those two not to move until I get there."  Didn't trust us for some reason..

 

 

Mieu Dong Bridge - I think.  This is the bridge over Highway 1 that Paul Thomas's platoon had responsibility over..

Here, we are "patrolling" with the two boats that are part of the bridge security - actually, kind of racing. Except in the next picture, we received a bit of small arms fire - couple of rounds, I think - and we answered with a blooper round (M79 grenade) round (you can see the hit just to the right front on the riverbank.)  I am the idiot sitting in the center without a helmet..