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Jim Hayden and
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1 Alpha and Others
'69 -'70
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I got these pics from Jim Hayden and he got some of them from Jay Peterson.
I'm not sure who some of the guys are.
Jim and Jay pics page 2
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Jay sent me some commentary for the pics below.
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11/14/2002 - The two pics below are from Jay.
They are of "Doc" Rudy Wirgau from 2nd platoon.
Name was Corky. I am not sure if that's his real name or nickname. He was the battalion Radio Operator assigned to Hotel Company. He carried a giant version of the PRC25. It had the ability to encrypt messages so that they could be broadcast in the clear. The codes where changed every week, I believe. The batteries were bigger, the radio was bigger and everything about it was heavier. Corky never seemed to sweat and never complained about anything. He had actually been through radio school and knew what he was doing when it came to radios. He taught me everything I needed to know about being a radio operator and then some. Also supplied various skills to put those dam things back together whenever we screwed them up, which was all the time. The picture was taken in the command bunker at Liberty Bridge in June or July. We went there after being pulled out of the Arizona. As a side note about Corky. He was MOS radio operator, but in May when Sgt Pope got hit with rifle fire by walking into a bunker, everyone, including me was eating dirt. Corky calmly returned fire at the bunker keeping the gook pinned down while we pulled Pope to safety. He had to have learned that in boot camp because they don't teach it in radio school.
This is a picture of Charles Robb. Charles Robb was the guy after whom the term "skating mother fucker" was coined. Robb never saw a work detail he couldn't get out of. In fact when the picture was taken he was hiding in the command bunker with me avoiding a work detail. (He was hiding, I was immune because at the time I was platoon radio op.) He was with 1st squad when I arrived in country Jan 69. I think by the time this picture was taken in June he was with another squad, but I could be wrong. He was a good marine and had the skill and experience, but refused to act in any capacity of leadership. He worked 24/7 at avoiding everything. He also had the same last name as the Marine who had married President Johnson's daughter. He did everything he could to lead everyone to believe that they were related and that if you "fucked with him you were fucking with someone with clout". Actually, Robb was from Pennsylvania and not related to anyone with the least bit of clout. He was a scam artist and I'm sure that he has served or is serving time in some prison somewhere for selling a bridge or similar structure that he did not own to someone who believed they were getting a great deal. I would love to hear from him just to hear all of his lies about how much he did in the past and was going to do in the future. A great guy and a good friend. The last time I saw him he was explaining how he was going to go on R&R in Hawaii and get some medical ailment to get sent home. I am sure he was successful.
This was 1st squad around Feb or Mar 69. Sammy Jacobs was 1st squad leader when I arrived in the bush in Jan. 69. (Sammy has checked into the web page and left half of his telephone number. Joe Hatton is going to get Sammy's telephone number someday and we'll let him know there is a reason why no one has called.) Sammy was a short timer in Jan., hurt his ankle and was shipped home. Barry Blue became 1st Squad leader then. Barry is the short guy with his arms crossed. If you notice he's the one wearing a hat in the correct manner. That's because he's from Texas and that's the way it should be worn. Barry was the only guy I ever knew who actually liked that stuff they gave us that they called beer. I used to give him my cans of "Black Label", "Shlitz" and "Pabts" because I could not stand to drink the stuff. Barry is back in Texas. He belongs to the 1st Marine Division Association and the Association of Texas Marines. He's got a roofing company. His address is 1201 West Circle, Brenham, Texas 77833 (409) 836-5800. Barry goes to the 1st Marine Div. reunions almost every year. When I last talked to him he complained that there never seemed to be any old Hotel guys showing up at those things. Barry has not signed in at the 2/5 page because he does not have the internet at home. (At least I think that's the reason because I gave him the site info) I was Barry's radioman when I was with 1st squad before moving to platoon radio op. He was a great squad leader. Take a look at the 16 April 69 entry for Operation MUSKOGEE MEADOW. That entry was 1st squad and Barry was in charge. After we opened fire on them and caught them by surprise we figured we were going to get the hell out of the area. Lt. Brookshire radioed that we were to check out the area. After questioning the sincerity of that command, we moved in to check out the area. About that time we got ambushed. Barry was one step in front of me when the gook fired at him. The round hit his flack jacket, ricocheted off his camera and just nicked him. He is lucky to be alive. That was one of his purple hearts. (Not sure if it was 31 or #2) As an aside, the entries in the Journal for the Command Chronologies would have been radioed in by Corky. Standing next to Barry is Charles Robb. He's got his elbow resting on Barry. This is typical for Robb. It's all part of his attitude. Next to Robb on the far right is a guy who came into country at just about the same time as I did. I believe that his name was Krug. I can't recall if it was his first, last or nickname. We had a lot in common because we came in about the same time. I believe that he was from Pennsylvania. When I moved up to platoon radio op I lost track of him. I think he got medivaced, but I'm not sure. The name Krug was not on the company roster for April or May and I'm sure he was there in April when we crossed the river into the Arizona. I may just be wrong about the name. I can't recall the name of the guy on the far left. He was new at the time the picture was taken. I had been in country for a little over a month and was able to point to someone else and refer to him as the "fng".
Me on the right. I can't recall the name of the guy in the picture with me. I believe he was a radio operator for either air or arty forward observers. However, that maybe completely wrong.
All of these pictures were taken in November 69 (or there abouts) None of them are Hotel guys. I had just been lucky enough to get up to Battalion thanks to Lt. Brookshire. I was working in Operations under Major Driver. We were located on the hill that you have labeled "Hill 65" on your map. I figured I was home free by then. Counting the hours and minutes until I was on my way home. It was the monsoon season, I had a roof over my head, was hiding inside the perimeter and was never required to do work details. Thoughts of a second tour would not have been considered crazy given the situation. However, at that point, as you remember, someone thought an operation in the Arizona would be a great idea. I actually had a small part in getting it organized. Who would have thought that a Major would want to go along and get his boots dirty. I have to state that whatever your opinion of an officer may have been, unless you included gung ho and concerned about the men under his command, your opinion of Major Driver would have been wrong unless that was included. I have the utmost respect for him, both as an Officer and a man. Being with Operations at the Battalion level in the field is considerably less treacherous than being in a squad with a PRC 25 on your back. However, when you're short and you thought you were out of the bush, it was a rude awakening finding yourself on a chopper headed for the Arizona.
He was one of the Battalion radio operators. He had the same radio training as mentioned earlier concerning Corky. I can't remember his name. I just remember that he had a real salty attitude."
Another guy who was in Operations with me. He also had moved up through the company ranks to get assigned to the battalion level. I believe he had been with Golf Company before Operations. My best recollection was that he was originally from New York, but had moved out to California to go to UCLA studying drafting/architecture before enlisting in the Marine Corp. He had worked as a bouncer at various clubs and was on the UCLA wrestling team. He was someone you really didn't want to get mad and mess with. However, it was tough to get him angry. Again, I can't remember his name. I sent an email to the webmaster of the 2/5 page (who also was with Golf) and asked him if he recognized the guy and to get a name with no luck. The guy way in the background of the photo was nicknamed "Pappy". He was a forward observer for either arty or air.
A crusty old marine sgt. on the left who had something to do with the Battalion CP. Not sure what his job was, but he was a great guy and didn't screw with anyone unless it needed doing. The guy on the right was an officer who was the liaison officer for the forward observers for air at the company level. Can't put a name with either one of these guys.
This guy was one of the Battalion radio operators. There was a bunch of them. This guy was trying to get all of the words to the Buffalo Springfield song "For What It's Worth". Between the two of us, we pretty much got all of the lyrics down. He wanted to be able to sing it just to piss off the brass. He was really a hippie in camouflage. Name? The picture was taken in the radio operators hootch on Hill 65.