'03 Springfield Picture of the Day

[Jim Tarleton]

You got better eyes than I do!!!

Jim,
I went thru the same mountains in late '63 and early '64. Tough terrain!

I tell people that it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever "lived". Freezing cold at night and hot as Hades in the day. I was shot at the day I arrived, and shot at the day I left. The area was infested with the biggest rats I have ever seen. I have a picture somewhere around here of one that I shot with an M16. Looks like a housecat.

Watched a B52 bombing mission over the valley. Never heard or saw the B52's, but we could see the concussion waves coming off those blasts like a text book pictures. Someone or something at or near Danang (maybe Firebase Baldy?) would occassionally fire rounds over the first ridge (my first firebase) that were so big we could hear them going through the air. Way bigger blast than a 155. I always firgured there was a battleship in the bay firing 16"'ers over our heads, but never knew for sure.

A lot went on in that valley that we never knew about. We would see smoke from the firefights and watch the Bumblebees fire spotting rockets for the jets. The Phantoms would scream down the valley like angels from hell itself. It was kinda weird to see a fight from such a distance and not be able to help. Listened to some unit begging for help over the radio one night. It went on for several hours. Never knew who or where or the outcome, but there was no card game that night. Our radio reception was terrific.

Got stuck on resupply runs while hitching a ride on a CH46 one time. They wouldn't let me off. I was riding with a Chaplain and another officer (other than the crew). I remember the Chaplain was sweating like a stuck pig everytime we came into the LZ to unload the cargo net. The door gunner had some fancy multi-M60 setup that keep throwing hot cases everywhere. He would start firing as we approached and he never quit until we were some distance away. We made either two or three passes that day, and I learned to have a deep respect for air crews.

We called them the "Misty Mountains".

Jim
Lagrimas de Luna