This photo is the bottom half of firebase 29. Photo taken from a bunker higher up. - Gene Miller
Wonderful vacation spot. Good view, just had to keep the gnats from chasing you off - Jams Hudson
Vernon and his fuel tanker truck, similar to one driven by Terry Haller
Facebook conversation about firebases around Dak To - January 2023
I've copied portions of a conversation I found on Facebook, concerning firebases around Ben Het and Dak To. Firebase 29 is the main topic:
Bill Dunn When I first got to Firebase 29, west of Dak to and above Ben Het Special Forces Camp, I of course didn't know anyone. One night I went to a bunker that was having a poker game going on. Highlight of the evening was watching someone's pet spider monkey gathering up the cards after each game. Smart little guy!
Don Hippie Smith When I first got to Ben Het in late Jan 1970 someone used to keep a pet spider monkey in the watch tower-
Gene Miller Don Hippie Smith: I was off 29 by then. This photo is the bottom half. Photo Taken from a bunker higher up.
Bill Dunn Jerry Parsons: Is that the most westerly end of FB29? My bunker was the furthest west on the main hill.
Mark Coonrad Jerry Parsons: That was May 24th of 1968? Were you there that day? The 3/12 sent their advanced party in preparation to take over the FSB. Nearly all of the advanced party was killed or wounded that night.
Jerry Parsons It was mostly for target practice for the NVA. We almost got overrun there in 68. A Co. 1/8 4th. inf.
Mack Allison Was anybody on FB 29 in 68 when they evacuated it? They flew the guns out, troops had to walk to Ben Het Bill Dunn Mack Allison: I was. Left under incoming. Heaviest pack I carried all year.
Dannie Moses 68-69 ran recon patrols off FB 29
Dan Ford Sr. I used to take convoys from Camp Enari to Dak to and Ben het. Coming back was usually the problem. If you can't get back to Enari before sundown then stay where you are. Got caught a couple of times at Ben Het in 69. Scary place.
Bill Dunn Dan Ford Sr.: Our firebase took incoming for over a month in 1969. Bad place.
Dan Ford Sr. Bill Dunn: Both borders close. Cambodia and Laos were loaded with troops from the North. We were always told at the last minute that we were going to Ben Het. Five 4th Infantry MP V-100's and six gun trucks for about 50-60 loaded trucks and tankers. Empty all and all return, if you can get back by sundown. That was my call for about a year. We hauled ass.
Terry Morris Dan Ford Sr.: Ben Het was a horrible place in 69. It was under seige for a long time in 69. I was flying gunships out of Kontum. Very familiar with how bad Ben Het was.
Tommy McRoberts I remember the NVA tanks overrunning Ben Het in early 69
Tommy McRoberts Bill Dunn: I was near there when it happened, one of their tanks was captured (disabled)
Rudy Burbank Bill Dunn: they brought it down to Dak To in 69 . Scary!
Allen Strieter Tommy McRoberts: B Co 1st 69th armor captured tank early March 69. I was with A Co 1st 69th & came to support B Co. It was a hell hole. NVA threw rockets at us all hours of the day from Cambodia.
Terry Haller one night in 66 I and three other Gour drivers hauling Fuel and Amo got caught at the Special forces camp and couldn't get back to Pleiku and Shit got real that night.
Terry Haller I was in the Gour company in November 66 when it first started. This is my friend Vernon that drove a tanker like mine.
Ed Bonnie Schenck Terry Haller: we only had one tanker one wrecker/boom cargo, and 6 cargoes left when I got there. we took turns on the tanker, but we’re assigned to our every-day vehicles. James A. Booth I was with the 57th AHC. We were supporting Ben Het on 5/23/69. We were told to pick up a wounded choi hoi at little Baldy, an OP a klick away from Ben Het. As the prisoner was boarding, a mortar hit near me. I was badly wounded, the choi hoi was killed and the SF E6-7 was killed. His name was Rudolph Macheta. We both went down. I was knocked unconscious, so I never knew how Macheta was. Through research I found out. If anyone recalls this incident and or Macheta, please comment.
Bill Dunn Larry Schnitzler-Spriggs: Do you remember that monkey Larry? There was also a pet dog in Artillery.
Mary Delp Guess. You saw a lot of things..heard that the monkeys in the highlands at times would make it impossible to sleep...the whooping..the howling....the grunting...was crazy....and the whole military was sleep deprived so it was difficult at times.......God bless you.
Gary Smith For fun on FB#6, hill 1001 at Dak To, We would pull the bullet out of the cartridge, dump out 1/2 the powder, stick it in a bar of soap, shoot the rats with the soap plug. LOL B co 3/12 INF