Main Photo Gallery
The 4th/9th Infantry In Combat...RVN 1966-1970
Click on an image below to view full-sized version.
Mike Smith - Co.D 4th/9th 69/70
This is a Cobra chopper pad at Tay Ninh base camp. Looks like the rainy season.
Jim Byle, my assistant squad leader. Jim and I found each other about 2 months ago.
This is Jim Koebnick, my machine gunner, taking a break. Jim and I found each other about a month ago.
Taking a break during a sweep. We are probably having to wait on the RVNS!!
Here is an 8 incher (Howitzer) at French Fort. This was a serious gun! Notice Nui Ba Den (Black Virgin Mountain) and Nui Cal in the back ground. We spent some time up there and humped down to Nui Cal to blow an LZ for the 1st Cav.
Here is an 8 incher (Howitzer) at French Fort. This was a serious gun! Notice Nui Ba Den (Black Virgin Mountain) and Nui Cal in the back ground. We spent some time up there and humped down to Nui Cal to blow an LZ for the 1st Cav.
FSB Stoneman taken from the radar tower. Notice the 105mm gun. Taken about May 1969.
Crossing a canal while conducting a sweep outside FSB Stone-man. This is 3rd platoon.
Another picture of FSB Stoneman. I am on the right and my assistant squad leader is on the left. His name is Krut.
This is yours truly waiting on word for my squad to move out.
Waiting outside the wire to be picked up by choppers for an eagle flight. I believe this is my RTO. Cannot recall his name.
Robert "Willy" Dixson - Co. A 1966
Loading up in Hawaii to ship out to Vietnam.
A squad from A Company entering the main gate at Cu Chi April 1966
The "White House" in the base camp at Ben Luc
Hardman and Smith - Co. A April 1966
Building the bunkers at Cu Chi early 1966
Christmas Show at Cu Chi 1969
Mike Smith Co. D 4/9 69/70
Mike Smith Co. D 4/9 69/70
Dan Hardman and Abernathy
Two of the original 4/9 from Alaska
Just off the ship early 1966 note the stateside patches (Tropic Lightning)
Two of the original 4/9 from Alaska
Just off the ship early 1966 note the stateside patches (Tropic Lightning)
Building the bunkers at Cu Chi early 1966
Arndell, Tracie & Coleman in rear. Co. D 68/69
James Tilton - Co. A 68/69
Co. A on patrol down the side of Nui Ba Den
James Tilton front left, I think the guy beside him may be John Angelini.
The fourth man up is Doug Bean, who was in my fathers squad. This is also Nui Ba Den
Pictures sent in by Shannon Tilton
The fourth man up is Doug Bean, who was in my fathers squad. This is also Nui Ba Den
Pictures sent in by Shannon Tilton
A Co at French Fort building tower for starlight scope.
A Co receiving ride from 2/22 armored after patrolling down Nui Ba
A Co on patrol near Rubber Plantation (Ben Cui?)
A Co, 1st platoon Medic (name unknown) at rubber plantation.
Notice bowls attached to trees.
Notice bowls attached to trees.
James Tilton with Kit Carson Scout ,Yem at French Fort.
Yem was NVA Captain until the north murdered his family.
Pictures sent in by Shannon Tilton
Yem was NVA Captain until the north murdered his family.
Pictures sent in by Shannon Tilton
Greg Lederer - Co. A 68/69
Jon Wright - HHC 1967
90th.. replacement
4duce or 105 ammo
RTO SGT. Roger Bailey
Elwood "BUZ" Fasold RTO
PLT SGT. Coony HHC
Huey at FSB Martha
Lofty TOC CU CHI
Sgt. Mankowski at Martha
Part of the Mortor Plt Cu Chi
Ron Rearden & Sgt. Stan Sauer
Ron Readen (RTO) & Buz FSB Martha
Sgt. Stanley Sauer FSB Martha (RTO)
CW Bowman Co. B 4/9 1967
Sandbagging the the bunkers after the engineers build the structures.
Volleyball net I believe was used by weapons platoon.
Road running past base camp. People from the village watching us build the base.
Buying cokes and beer from Hoa. She is the one I found when I returned to VN in '98.
Gary Heeter on top of a bunker at Trang Bang..
Repairing bunkers Sgt Rodriques in back..
Top of my bunker facing away from the village. I think this is John Guise from NY carrying ice.
Patrol near Trang Bang
Filling sandbags..
Carl Sorenson - HHC 4th/9th 68/69
Col. Simpsons change of command ceremony
Col. Simpson giving battalion colors to his replacement
Col. Simpsons giving his farewell speech
Helicopter...not sure of the type or name
That is the number 2 gun at the right
105's firing on suspected VC bunker complex
105 rounds hitting suspected VC target
Chopper being unloaded of enemy weapons taken from same area after air strike.
Some of the captured VC weapons
Carl on the right with his best friend Dan Jones
Carl at Tay Ninh for the last time and heading home Feb. 1969
Taken shortly after Dec 22 1968 an award ceremony those in front row are receiving the Silver Star. The next rows are Bronze Stars and Purple Hearts...This is a Army Photograph
Terry Thompson - Co. A 69/70
Clifton J. Collar - Co. B 68/69
Tom Maddox with others at our bunker at Mole City
B Co. Members at Mole City
(Picnic table made out of ammo boxes)
(Picnic table made out of ammo boxes)
Clifton Collar with 90 mm at Mole City
L to R...Bob Chaveas, Tom Maddox, Don Anderson, and Clifton Collar
Manchus going in!
Bill Chamberlin, Clifton Collar, McCormick at French Fort, Nui Ba Din in the Background
Bill Kelly - Co. C & D 67/68
Bill Kelly Co. C & D 67/68
River crossing... Co. C 4/9 1967
Bill Kelly on left other soldier unknown 1967
ARVN soldiers far right
ARVN soldiers far right
Co. C 4/9 1967
Arndell Grider - Co. D 68/69
Jerry McKenna - Co. A 66/67
Ayers
Benton
Langdon
Murray
Popcorn
Pratt
Rain at Base Camp
Tex
Wood
Bill Pike - Co. B & HHC 65/66
Looking across the lake in early October to the Manchu 4/9th barracks in Fairbanks, Alaska.
B Company barracks in Cuchi. Note the trench in the foreground used in the event of mortar attack.
"Stinger one two this is Manchu 65. Go ahead, over."
(Helicopter gunship company and 4/9th Headquarters Company call signs) That's me on the air in the Ben Luc TOC.
(Helicopter gunship company and 4/9th Headquarters Company call signs) That's me on the air in the Ben Luc TOC.
Schofield Barracks Hawaii Early 1966
Quad D
Those of you from B Company should recognize the hooch where we sold
beer and sodas. That is Christopher Nooney taking his drinks back to his area.
beer and sodas. That is Christopher Nooney taking his drinks back to his area.
In the town of Ben Luc, I saw these of-age, male detainees being
marched in to the compound for interrogation by the CIA and G2.
Hard to say what we learned, if anything.
marched in to the compound for interrogation by the CIA and G2.
Hard to say what we learned, if anything.
John P. Angelini - Co. A 68/69
Johnny Angelini
Eddie Nava & John Garcia
Johnny Angelini & Tatum
Pineapple & Johnny Angelini
Don Creten - Co. B 66/67
Danny Luster - Co. C 67-68
Some of the guys.. Danny with the mustache.
Danny
Larry Criteser - Co. A&D 4th/9th 67/68
A Co. Camp Martha, near Trang Bang, the two lines toward bottom of sign say: "rotary wing pilots half fare" fixed wing pilots no charge"
Christmas '67, Katum, D Co. Wpns. Plt. Sgt. Floyd (with package) Sgt. Criteser (with Car Craft magazine)
Christmas '67, Katum, D Co. Wpns. Plt. 2nd squad Left to right: Jesse Godwin (Alabama), Larry Criteser (Oreg.), Eugene Johnson (Tex.), Russell Philip (standing, Ill.) Orvill Shoopman (Ken.), Harvey Grimball (La.) W.W. "Tom" Tompkins (Fla.), Ramon Martinez (Puerto Rico)
81MM #2 gun, at Martha A Co.
Resupply of A Co. at Camp Martha during Operation Harry.
Resupply of A Co. at Camp Martha during Operation Harry.
Resupply of A Co. at Camp Martha during Operation Harry.
Larry and the other kids at the perimeter wire.
Ed Episcopo - Co. C 4th/9th 67/68
The Filhol Rubber Plantation. The flash is a 500 or 1000 lb. bomb.
This is a full side view of the Black Virgin Mountain Dec. 67
Breaking camp and moveing out in the HoBo area in Oct. 67.
You can see the Black Virgin base to the right of the photo Dec. 67.
The 60mm mortar gunner is re conning by fire in the HoBo Oct. 67
This is one of three jeeps hit with a B40 rocket near Trang Bang during an ambush in the Summer of 67.
I took this from the window of a Chinook while leaving the Cu Chi base camp for the HoBo woods.
Swimming in a bomb crater
This was the convoy of Manchus heading from Cu Chi to Tay Ninh during the permanent move in Nov 1967.
You can see Cu Chi below and the HoBo woods in the distance.
This is a familiar sight of a Chinook dropping supplies into the night camp with the purple smoke on the drop zone Oct 1967.
Taken on a Chinook or a Caribou, I can't remember. We were heading to the HoBo Woods. No one was happy about going back to the HoBo.
"Grunt's Dream"
By: SSG George "Sonny" Hoffman
The Parrots Beak
By: Wayne R. "Crash" Coe Blackhawk 54
Larry Mitchell - Co. B 4th/9th 67/68
B Co resupply by truck near Tan Son Nhut (pretty sky). I'm guessing this was around August 1968. The big guy in the middle of the road was 1SG Klaer - Top to Bravo at the time. He was the favorite character of many at the time. He made sure the company in the field had what it needed - no matter who had to steal it.
Point man wading into dense jungle after move to Tay Ninh. My buddy Dennis Wagner took this of me around November or December 1967.
B/4/9 mortar platoon firing a 81mm at Katum. I would guess this was late January or early February 1968. The guy in the T-shirt right by the tube I'm pretty sure is Ron Briley. I have not identified the others yet.
Sign announcing Katum as the 1st BDE HQ around Jan 68. Katum was the large forward base for the 1st BDE during Operation Yellowstone which began 12/8/67.
Close up of a parked Huey from the 25th Aviation. I'm pretty sure this was at the Tay Ninh base camp air strip.
Manchu belt buckle close up.
Chapel at Tay Ninh base camp
4/9th HQ at Tay Ninh. SGT Douglas McCarty, 2nd platoon Co B. Awarded silver star December 28, 1967 along with CPT Baker. Killed in action April 11, 1968. A great friend to everyone who knew him.
B/4/9 orderly room at Tay Ninh. Probably April or May 1968.
SGT Binh, Vietnamese interpreter for the Manchus, taken at Tay Ninh around 1-68. Binh spent a good bit of time with Bravo and was involved in the heavy fighting at what came to be known as "The Hourglass" LZ, 1-5-68. The Blackhawks lost a Huey and a door gunner early in the day, and LT Colon, his 1st platoon, and Binh held out in fierce fighting when they came under attack before the last lift out.
Denny Higgenbotham - Co. D/3rd Platoon - 1968/69
Bob Wolfley - Company B - 1967/68
Dwight Davis - Co. A/Recon - 1968
