Viet Nam War 1970-71 - One REMF's story of a year in Nam
NEW SUBDIVISION
11th ACR photo.
11th ACR11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENTFIELDVIETNAMUS ARMY© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
11th ARMOR FROM THE AIR
From a Huey helicopter, 1971. Army photographers were routinely flown in to sites of prior skirmishes to create a record for the brass. © 1971, MJ Roche.
11th ACR11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENTFIELDVIETNAMUS ARMY© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
POWs
Two NVA soldiers are captured near Trang Bang, RVN. Photo source unknown.
11th ACR11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENTFIELDVIETNAMUS ARMY© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
TRAPPED IN NAM
The bunker at DiAn hootch/office. LT Paul Mahoney poses. This bunker saw few occupants in the Fall of 1970 due to minimal enemy activity in the Saigon area. © 1971, MJ Roche.
11th ACR11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENTdi an basecampVIETNAMUS ARMY© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
SUN RELIEF
Blackhorse Troopers check map coordinates from the deck of their M48A1 Patton Tank just a few kilometers east of the Cambodian border in March, 1971 . This photo was published in 2007 with the permission of the photographer in a United Kingdom informational text about umbrellas. © 1970, MJ Roche.
HOOTCH GRUB
Jeff Lowe, Bob Eveler and Paul Mahoney behind the hootch at Di An, barbecuing ribs from PX. © 1970, MJ Roche.
DI AN BASECAMP11th ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT19701971© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
FANS
Lieutenant Paul at the 11th ACR / 17 PID hootch screened porch at DiAn . © 1970, MJ Roche.
DI AN BASECAMP11th ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT19701971© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
LOH BABY
The "Loach" or light observation helicopter (OH-6A "Cayuse") seen just outside the "wire" at Di An Basecamp, the home of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in 1971. Flying in this craft, configured as a two-seater, was the ultimate airborne rush. A pilot once allowed me to take the "stick" as we zipped across an open landscape. © 1971, MJ Roche.
DI AN BASECAMP11th ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT19701971VIETNAM© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
REMF-READY
Three sixteens, and a boonie hat inside a hootch, Besides toting a camera, journalists were required to carry a loaded weapon on all aircraft. Inscriptions on the wall are from former residents extolling the virtues of army life in Vietnam. © 1970, MJ Roche.
DI AN BASECAMP11th ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT19701971© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
FANCY CHRISTMAS CARD
Homemade Christmas card mailed home, December, 1970. (17th Public Information Detachment, 11 Armored Cavalry Regiment, Di An, RVN). Bottom row left to right Ralph G. Leigh, Jack McAllister, Ed Yocum. Middle row Mike Roche, Bob Eveler. Top row Jeff Lowe, Rod Covington, Joe Marchesani, Darrel Jensen. This image appeared On the Vietnam Vets website at Christmas 2019,
Taken in the rec. area at the front of the 17th PID hootch, which contained our barracks in the middle of the single story buiLding and our small office. at the back end. Processed in the 11th ACR Photo Lab Duece-and-a-Half truck at Di An by Ed Yocum. Photo by RJ House 28th Military History Detachment, Di An. The food at the messhall here was such poor of quality, we purchased food locally and prepared it outside on a grill or on a heat plate in this common area. nobody was overweight at DiAn! We once returned from the mess with a "steak" that no one could eat and threw in to our pet hootch dog. He too gave up the supposed beef after several minutes. Was this life light years better than eating "C" rats out of a can? Without a doubt!DI AN BASECAMP11th ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT19701971© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
CAVALRY TOUGH
A true, field-hardened 11th ACR Trooper during the Cambodian assault in 1970. This brave man has been identified by his family members after viewing it on this website! He is Leon Lester Woodruff of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He left us in late 2016 . May God bless him for his contributions to our country! Photo: Tom Rosini.
11th ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT19701971CAMBODIA© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
THE 11th ARMORED CAVALRY STANDDOWN
Four-star General Creighton "Abe" Abrams speaks to Blackhorse Troopers outside of Regiment Headquarters at Di An. Colonel Donn A. Starry (commander of the 11th Armored Cavalry) stands behind Abrams. Photo by SP5 Mike Roche. © 1971, MJ Roche.
DI AN BASECAMP11th ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT19701971GENERAL ABRAMS© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
WHAT OUR GUNS WROUGHT!
The pock-marked countryside outside of Cu Chi where the 25th Infantry Division base camp was located. Seen from a Huey helicopter in September 1970. Many of these "pools" were later used by the Vietnamese for fish farming. Unexploded Ordinance is still being found today throughout the Vietnamese countryside. Chuck Searcy, a former US Army Intelligence assistant, helped launch Project RENEW in Quang Tri Province, to clean up unexploded ordnance and provide medical assistance, rehabilitation, and income generation for UXO victims. All vets of Nam owe a debt of gratitude to Chuck Searcy and his team in Hanoi and the field. © 1971, MJ Roche from a Huey helicopter.
AERIAL VIETNAMUXOUS ARTILLERY AND BOMBERS VIETNAMCHUCK SEARCYPROJECT RENEW© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
NEWPORT BRIDGE OVER SAIGON RIVER
The Newport Bridge (today called the Saigon Bridge) over the Saigon River on which we traveled frequently between Di An and Saigon. © 1970, MJ Roche.
SAIGON AREA19701971ROAD TO SAIGONVIETNAMNEWPORT BRIDGE© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
MAINTAINING
Inside a courtyard in Saigon. © 1971, MJ Roche.
SAIGON AREA19701971ROAD TO SAIGONVIETNAM© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
COMMERCE
On the outskirts of Saigon, December 1970. Gasoline was sold by the liter out of glass bottles further out in the countryside. © 1970, MJ Roche.
SAIGON AREA19701971ROAD TO SAIGONVIETNAM© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
FRIENDLIES
Street scene near Saigon. © 1970, MJ Roche.
SAIGON AREA19701971ROAD TO SAIGONVIETNAM© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
SAIGON TAXI
Saigon taxi, December 1970. © 1970, MJ Roche.
THREE WHEELING
Saigon street. Was this civilian on our side, the side of the North, or perhaps both...depending on the day? © 1970, MJ Roche.
SAIGON AREA19701971ROAD TO SAIGONVIETNAM© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
CHILDREN AND WAR
Children and war mixed every day. Scanned from a damaged Kodachrome color slide with a Nikon LS40. © 1971, MJ Roche.
SAIGON AREA19701971ROAD TO SAIGONVIETNAMARVN ARMY© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
HARVEST
Cultivating crops off Route 1 near Saigon, March, 1971. © 1971, MJ Roche.
SOUTH VIETNAM COUNTRYSIDE ROADS NEAR SAIGONHIGHWAY 1© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
BRICK FACTORY
A brick kiln plant outside of Saigon, 1971. © 1971, MJ Roche.
SOUTH VIETNAM COUNTRYSIDE ROADS NEAR SAIGONHIGHWAY 1© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
SPACE AVAILABLE
War-impacted housing on Highway 1 near Saigon, March, 1971. © 1971, MJ Roche.
SOUTH VIETNAM COUNTRYSIDE ROADS NEAR SAIGON© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
SIDEWALK GAMES
The road to Saigon, Winter, 1971. © 1971, MJ Roche.
SOUTH VIETNAM COUNTRYSIDE ROADS NEAR SAIGONSAIGON© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
HUEY VIEW
A small village and rice paddies seen from a Huey (Bell UH1) helicopter on a mail delivery flight to Nui Ba Den. © 1971, MJ Roche.
SOUTH VIETNAM COUNTRYSIDE ROADS NEAR SAIGONUS ARMY MAIL DELIVERY© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
FRENCH VILLA
An old French villa off Highway One on the way from Di An to Saigon. © 1971, MJ Roche.
SOUTH VIETNAM COUNTRYSIDE ROADS NEAR SAIGONHIGHWAY 1© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
BIEN HOA AIRBASE
A C-130 cargo plane lands at the US Army airstrip at Bien Hoa. US claymore mines are shown in the foreground. © 1971, MJ Roche.
SOUTH VIETNAM COUNTRYSIDE ROADS NEAR SAIGONBIEN HOA AIRBASE© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
NUI BA DEN
Nui Ba Den (Black Virgin Mountain) in Tay Ninh Province stands over 3200 feet tall. Seen here from a small fire support base (11th Armored Cavalry Regiment). The extinct volcano had a US Communications base near the summit and was sprinkled with VC caves throughout the middle elevations. For a time, I was assigned to deliver mail to US Commo units who would pop smoke to identify my target for the canvas mail bags. © 1971, MJ Roche.
SOUTH VIETNAM COUNTRYSIDE ROADS NEAR SAIGONNUI BA DENBLACK VIRGIN MOUNTAINFSB© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
TIMID WAVE
A boy waves to a passing US Army convoy on Highway One near Saigon, January, 1971. © 1971, MJ Roche.
SOUTH VIETNAM COUNTRYSIDE ROADS NEAR SAIGONHIGHWAY 1© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
WHAT DID SHE THINK OF AMERICANS?
A young girl waves at a passing US Army duece-and-a-half truck. © 1971, MJ Roche.
SOUTH VIETNAM COUNTRYSIDE ROADS NEAR SAIGONHIGHWAY 1© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
FEEDING THE PEOPLE
A farmer cultivates his crops just off Route 1. © 1971, MJ Roche.
SOUTH VIETNAM COUNTRYSIDE 1970ROADS NEAR SAIGONHIGHWAY 1© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
SAIGON MARKET
Saigon street market captured in January 1971. Directional sign indicates upcoming intersection. "Cholon" is a Saigon neighborhood populated by the ethnic Chinese.© 1971, MJ Roche.
SOUTH VIETNAM COUNTRYSIDE ROADS NEAR SAIGONHIGHWAY 1© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
GREETING
Kids wave at a US Army Jeep. © 1971, MJ Roche.
SOUTH VIETNAM COUNTRYSIDE ROADS NEAR SAIGONHIGHWAY 1© 1970 1971 MJ ROCHE
TERMINAL TRAVELING SITE
The international airport in Saigon in 1970. I once spent the night here awaiting a flight to Washington and saw very healthy rats traveling across the counter directly underneath the "Pan American" sign above. At least they weren't delayed going home. © 1970, MJ Roche.
HEAD SHED, LONG BINH
This image was taken out the window of my office at the US Engineer Command (Castle Courier Newspaper) at the air conditioned US Army Headquarters (USARV), Long Binh. The cars await the senior officers who are about to end their day. Many had civilian Vietnamese drivers. We employed two full time English speaking secretaries at the paper Who both lived in the Cholon area of Saigon © 1971, MJ Roche.
CASTLE COURIER NEWSPAPER
Inside this edition, SP5 Albert Gore, Jr., recounts the events of a battle at Fire Support Base Blue in an article for the "Castle Courier" Engineer Command Newspaper on April 5, 1971. The Castle Corier was the largest circulation paper in Vietnam (10K). Edited 15km away at our newspaper offices , US Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) near Ton San Nhut airfield. The paper would later win an award as the best military newspaper in the world! Drawing by SP4 William Smith, photos by SP5 H. Alan Leo. © 1971, MJ Roche.
Front page of the April 5, 1971, edition of the "Castle Courier" newspaper announces the international award the newspaper received. Al Gore's compelling article about the enemy attack on Fire Support Base Blue can be found in its center spread.© 1971, MJ Roche.
SP5 Albert Gore, Jr., recounts the events of a battle at Fire Support Base Blue in an article for the "Castle Courier" Engineer Command Newspaper on April 5, 1971. Edited at newspaper offices at US Military Assistance Command Vietnam near Long Binh. Drawing by SP4 William Smith, photos by SP5 H. Alan Leo. Gore would later serve as a Congressman, Senator and Vice President of the US under Bill Clinton. He was awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize and won a 2007 Oscar for his documentary film addressing global warming ("An Inconvenient Truth"). © 1971, MJ Roche.
SP5 Albert Gore, Jr., recounts the events of a battle at Fire Support Base Blue in an article for the "Castle Courier" Engineer Command Newspaper on April 5, 1971. Edited at newspaper offices at US Military Assistance Command Vietnam near Long Binh. Drawing by SP4 William Smith, photos by SP5 H. Alan Leo. © 1971, MJ Roche.
© 1971, MJ Roche.
In the 2000 presidential election, opponents claimed Gore was "coddled" and protected from harm. The New York Times was forwarded copies of the paper to prove he was active and often in danger. Drawing by SP4 William Smith, photos by SP5 H. Alan Leo. © 1971, MJ Roche.
AIR RECON
At the nightly "circle of lawn chairs" between the hootches at Long Binh. Listening to tapes, grilling a steak, drinking a beer, and watching aircraft overhead. A buddy from Maryland taught me how to enjoy a fine French Pinot Noir at this site. © 1971, MJ Roche.
LONG BINH POST
Hours of fierce basketball games helped us stay fit and pass the time. LONG BINH POST offered swimming pools, basketball and tennis courts, a golf driving range, and University of Maryland extension classes. At its peak, the base had a population of over 60,000! Photo by SP4 Bob Hinchliffe.
TROOP SHOOTING PRACTICE
The two-story hootches (a hootch is the name given to a soldiers living quarters in Vietnam during the war) where we bunked. The barrels contained sand or cement to help defend the occupants from rocket attacks. The eaves protected from monsoon rains, the "windows" sported two layers of screen to deter mosquitos and help with air flow on miserably hot days and nights.
SHOPPING TRIP
The Main Post Exchange (PX), retail store, in Vietnam. This shot was taken of SP4 Bertrand, from the stairs of our hootch, directly across the street in Long Binh. Here GI's could purchase packaged foods, watches, Japanese stereo equipment and cameras. © 1971, MJ Roche.
GAURD DUTY
A group of REMF's head out to all-night guard duty on the wire at Long Binh. A REMF is a "Rear Echelon Military Folk". Other translations were more prevalent. Note the absence of steel helmets and flak jackets and the presence of comfortable lawn chairs. Such was the nature of the conflict in the south in 1971. © 1971, MJ Roche.
The largest PX is Vietnam at Long Binh. Note the barber shop, center right. You could even purchase a car here and have it waiting for you when you returned home. Our hootch dog chases the guys going on guard duty on the base perimeter.. Being so close to the PX, we often had first dibs on newly arrived stereo and camera gear shipped in from Japan. © 1971, MJ Roche.
