The cell collates reasons for hospital visits by patients. The truth is a saw a lot of things I had never seen before and haven’t seen since. I guess the most perilous thing I did there, was ride security in the back of a 3/4 ton running medical materials back and forth between Long Binh and Saigon. I would sit in the back of the truck with my M16 and make sure no one tossed a grenade or a Molotov cocktail in as we rode up and down US 1.
It was in 1971 that they completed the new stockade which was directly adjacent to the old one. I was in 221st Signal company, 1st Signal Brgade. 1st Infantry left summer 1969, to Hawai. While I was there early out went from 90 days to 150 days. We has 7 detachments; Phubai, Danang, Pleiku, Quin Oun, Camrahn bay, Tonson hut air base, Can Tho. 221st Signal Co was in center of Long Bihn, 2 blocks south of Silver City.
We processed officers below Lieutenant Colonel into and out of the country, got them their sssignments, and shipped them around in country. The company that did the same for enlisted men was just up the hill, by the CO’s air conditioned trailer near the swimming pool. Sloshed through agent orange, especially on our perimeter side which fronted an infantry brigade. Got home with less than 180 days left to serve, so I was immediately released. This in response to comment #154, Gary Burkholder, I remember you and the name of your 10 Tractor, I believe it was a gasser.
Everyone who served there was exposed, no matter what the MOS. If you have it or any of the many presumptive AO-related conditions you are eligible for VA Compensation checks of up to $3,500.00 per month tax-free. To all Nam vets – I served at Long Binh from 11/67 – 11/68 at 50th Medical Clearing Company, next to 24th Evac Hospital. It was a POW hospital for wounded Viet Cong and NVA’s and I was an orthopedic tech putting casts on limbs shattered by M-16 rounds. I checked into the 624th S&S Co in October 1966.
I worked inside the LBJ every day from mid-September, 1969 through mid-September, 1970. I was nominally the SJA for the 18th MP Brigade, but actually worked most of the time for the LBJ “Correctional Officer,” in other words, the warden. However, different sources, include memoirs by veterans, refer to the base as LBJ or Long Binh Junction. If you are curious about those writings by veterans, please contact me and I can share some of titles with you. Never heard the base called LBJ, but the stockade was called LBJ as in “Long Bing Jail”.
He would love to connect to following men he served with during this time. I was with the 615th MP Company, headquarters in Long Binh. I spent my tour working out of a detachment in Thu Duc which was located between Bien Hoa and Gia Dinh.
My primary MOS was 95C and I arrived with 26 other MP’s as the first group of Correctional Specialists assigned to the stockade. We were with the 284th Military Police Company which was housed directly across from the jail. I worked the night shift from 6pm to 6am which included 4 hours at a gate, 4 hours in a tower, and 4 hours in a compound before being assigned to the control room. I remember that “LBJ” referred to the stockade and not to the post.
Did involve processing $ US payments to Vietnamese for a program I later heard called Phuc Wong. I was at Long Binh from September 1967 util November 1968. Worked at HQ USARV. Went back a couple of years ago. Hired a driver and after a few wrong turns we were able to get close to the old HQ building. We were stopped at a guardhouse within sight of the old HQ building, but were not allowed in.
When we got hit in Feb 69 I remember laying on the ground looking up at the 122 rockets coming overhead, you actually see the smoke trailing the rocket it was so close. About the time I was leaving they installed showers and toilets with hot and cold running water. My Uncle hubble’s law expresses a relationship between __________. , Warrant Officer Charles Franklin Smith MedaVac pilot, was shot down near a hot LZ on his third trip near a hill forward base. Reported as an accident until this year when fellow pilots pushed their reports several times. Finally the Pentagon released a detailed report.