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1967 Airborne Troopers
We are paratrooper - We are "Geronimo" soldiers - We are "Screaming Eagles"
Many of us reported to A Company out of jump school. When we arrived we meet our first
Vietnam, veterans. They proudly wore the combat patch of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Later, a
large group of trooper arrived from the 82 Airborne Division who would go to Vietnam with us.
When the Division announced we were going to Vietnam, we began intensive training. We knew
conventional warfare now we trained in jungle warfare. The Vietnam veterans showed us what
we needed to know to survive and return home.
We learned Vietnamese words and phrases; we practiced repelling and jumping from a hovering
chopper, and learned to guide them in for a landing. (The same training taught in air assault school
today).The M-16 rifle became part of us. We practiced spotting the enemy, fire from the hip, and
hitting our target. There was also individual training outside the company. Some trained as radio
operators (RTO). Others went to Recon school or took demolition and booby-trap training. A few
learned sniper tactics.
During this time, we developed close friendships. We would go together to Nashville on weekend
passes. Others traveled home with their buddies and meet their families. If you did not have a
pass to get off post you wrote letters home, drank 3.2 beers, or went to the movies. Sundays
many of us went to the Chapel.
We made our last jump as a company before going to Vietnam, which allowed us to collect jump
pay for the whole time we were in Vietnam. Soon after, we boarded military C-141 aircrafts to
begin our journey to Vietnam. We made several stops along the way.
Our first stop was Clark Air Force Base in the Philippians where we stretched our legs and
received a hot meal not the C-ration we ate in flight. Our next stop was Wake Island where we
had an opportunity to explore the island. Our final stop was the Republic of South Vietnam.
We walked off the planes at Bien Hoa Airfield, in full combat gear ready to go immediately into
battle. We boarded buses and traveled to Cu Chi, the base camp of the 25th Division, to begin
several weeks of in-country training.
We are paratrooper - We are "Geronimo" soldiers - We are "Screaming Eagles"
Many of us reported to A Company out of jump school. When we arrived we meet our first
Vietnam, veterans. They proudly wore the combat patch of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Later, a
large group of trooper arrived from the 82 Airborne Division who would go to Vietnam with us.
When the Division announced we were going to Vietnam, we began intensive training. We knew
conventional warfare now we trained in jungle warfare. The Vietnam veterans showed us what
we needed to know to survive and return home.
We learned Vietnamese words and phrases; we practiced repelling and jumping from a hovering
chopper, and learned to guide them in for a landing. (The same training taught in air assault school
today).The M-16 rifle became part of us. We practiced spotting the enemy, fire from the hip, and
hitting our target. There was also individual training outside the company. Some trained as radio
operators (RTO). Others went to Recon school or took demolition and booby-trap training. A few
learned sniper tactics.
During this time, we developed close friendships. We would go together to Nashville on weekend
passes. Others traveled home with their buddies and meet their families. If you did not have a
pass to get off post you wrote letters home, drank 3.2 beers, or went to the movies. Sundays
many of us went to the Chapel.
We made our last jump as a company before going to Vietnam, which allowed us to collect jump
pay for the whole time we were in Vietnam. Soon after, we boarded military C-141 aircrafts to
begin our journey to Vietnam. We made several stops along the way.
Our first stop was Clark Air Force Base in the Philippians where we stretched our legs and
received a hot meal not the C-ration we ate in flight. Our next stop was Wake Island where we
had an opportunity to explore the island. Our final stop was the Republic of South Vietnam.
We walked off the planes at Bien Hoa Airfield, in full combat gear ready to go immediately into
battle. We boarded buses and traveled to Cu Chi, the base camp of the 25th Division, to begin
several weeks of in-country training.
| They site was initially intended to record the history of the paratroopers of Alpha Company - 2nd Battalion - 501st Airborne Infantry Regiment - 2nd Brigade - 101st Airborne Division who left Fort Campbell, KY, December of 1967, for Vietnam. We quickly learned we could not tell our story without including the soldiers who replaced us. The story of A Company is a three-part story covering 1967, 1968, and 1969-1972. |