In the late spring of 1971, the Marines were dumping weapons and other stuff into the Bay of Danang. I made about three or four 5-ton truck load trips before I rejoined my unit (I was on walking wounded duty). We dumped what appeared to be new weapons including M60 machineguns. Bunch of grease guns. No ammo or M59's. Many of the weapons were still in wooden crates, some in what appeared to be plastic cases. No clue why they were dumped. I was told there were no TO cards for them. I don't know what a TO card is.

Saw no 782 gear, just small arms weapons (M79's, M16icon's, etc), refridgerators, typewriters, and stuff like that. We did pry open some of the crates looking for 45's. I found none, but one of the other drivers showed up with several 45's one night. They weren't new, and looked pretty old.

We were picking this stuff up from a warehouse very near the airport, because I kept seeing American Airlines planes taking off.

We off-loaded onto barges and the Navy pulled the barges out into the bay and we dumped the stuff overboard. Shot anything that floated with those crummy little grease guns (usually the refridgerators), then threw the grease guns overboard. I remember the grease guns didn't climb as much as I expected. We were only given one clip/magazine of ammo for each one (three men per truck).

One day I got to the dock before the barge, and I met these cheerful little kids who were hanging around. One had a horrific scar on his forehead. I asked him where he got it, and he said when the VC took over Danang (???). One of the kids was about 5 years old and he was smoking an OJ held in his left hand between his thumb and first digit with his little finger closest to his face (first OJ I ever saw). I took his picture and still have it. I asked them where they lived, and they pointed at what appeared to be a dump (landfill). Life was tough over there. I hope those kids made it, and I would love to meet them now as men.

Jim