My first TTT -- Vietnam 1971

[myoung]

I had almost forgotten about this. Back in 1971, Sgt Fultz and I lived in a TTT for about 3 months. The accommodations were minimal: bunk beds, a hanging locker and a small fridge (which made us popular with the troops).

It's difficult to spot the TTT in these panos, but perhaps you might be interested in seeing what passed for an Army encampment in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, South of Pleiku just a few kilometers from the Ia Drang River.

View looking East taken from an observation tower.


View looking North.


View looking West.


Okay, now can you see the TTT?


Three US Army units lived here. My Combat Engineer platoon, our Heavy Equipment platoon, and an Artillery Battery. Being engineers, we had all the equipment and tools to create quite a comfortable and safe camp. To the South was an old French minefield part of which we just bulldozed away.

[emiller]

Thanks that is cool stuff.

[oicu812]

That's hard-core.Thank's.
9th engineers?

[myoung]

That's hard-core.Thank's.
9th engineers?

20th Engineer Battalion (Combat)

[Mightydog]

old French minefield

And when stepped on, they released anti-American insults?

Those pictures are cool. Do you suppose that area has over-grown with the jungle by now?

[myoung]

Those pictures are cool. Do you suppose that area has over-grown with the jungle by now?

Actually, the entire countryside from Pleiku 40 miles north to the south of Phu Nhon is covered with houses and small towns. I viewed the area in Google Maps and couldn't believe what I saw. Only a few traces of our presence are still visible, most notably our rock crushing base at LZ Weigt-Davis.

This is where the Montagards had been forced to resettle but now that they are all gone, the Vietnamese have populated the area.

[doris s.]

Great story about your first TTT camping! Amazing photos!

Doris

[myoung]

Great story about your first TTT camping! Amazing photos!

Doris

Thanks, Doris. There's more to the story as you might well imagine. For example, I learned to make sure that my next TTT has thicker, paneled walls to resist shrapnel.

[tonyj]

I learned to make sure that my next TTT has thicker, paneled walls to resist shrapnel.

So that means you are planning to camp with the South Central bunch?

[Jst83]

Thank you Mike for the pictures and serving our country.
I really like real wartime photos, my father was in Korea and passed away back in 75 when I was 9 and I never really talked about that at 9 so I guess seeing old photos lets me see a little of what he might have seen when he was in.

[emiller]

:applause: Thank you Mike for the pictures and serving our country.
I really like real wartime photos, my father was in Korea and passed away back in 75 when I was 9 and I never really talked about that at 9 so I guess seeing old photos lets me see a little of what he might have seen when he was in.

My dad was in Korea also. He just passed away on June 24th at 82 years old. He would not like to talk about the Korean war and I find it interesting that there isn't a lot of talk of this war nor many documentaries.

[teardrop_focus]

Mike, you're a gifted photographer.

Thanks for your brief story, the pics in this thread and the link to your photos in your post signature.

[BigAl]

Greetings from one ex-Sapper to another (71st RE, 124 Fld Sqdn, BAOR)

I enjoyed your photos, although I might have to pass them to the photographic analysis unit to find the Teardrop! ;) Thanks for sharing.

What I would like to know is, how did you come to be living in a Teardrop in a warzone, and what became if it?

[myoung]

What I would like to know is, how did you come to be living in a Teardrop in a warzone, and what became if it?

As you must know, Engineers (Sappers too, I presume) are first-class scroungers and creative builders. I have no idea where the trailer came from but I do remember leaving it in the motor pool at battalion HQ after we abandoned LZ Lonely. Our battalion stood down and most of the soldiers returned home about four months later. Other that personal possessions, everything was turned over to the Vietnamese. Who knows, perhaps the trailer still sits in the motor pool.

The trailer was certainly preferable to tent living (or was it camping) out in the field. My platoon was always point for the battalion so we pretty much did what we liked without the bother of scrutiny and second guessing by senior officers. I was the second lowest ranking officer and the sixth oldest of 42.

[Rich S]

This is my first Pop Up we lived in some of these in 1969. Near Boun Me Tuit. Not to far from were you were at.