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John Gallagher's 1967 Tour with 81's
Click picture group for full size version
Dave Brace 3/3 H/S Comm 1967 (below in phot album format)
I joined 3/3 in September 1966 while they were refitting on Okinawa. We were only there for a few days when word came down that we were going to board ships the next day (Sunday), as I believe 3/9 was heavily engaged by the NVA on Mutter's Ridge.
By the time we arrived off of Vietnam, the fighting was over and we were not needed, to we floated around for a few weeks. We finally went into Dong Ha by helicopter and then flown out to "Payable Hill" which was just north of the Rockpile and very close to Mutter's Ridge.
The living conditions were terrible and we were very vunerable to attack and mortars. We moved off of that hill in January 1967 and walked to the Rockpile, where 3/3 stayed throughout my tour. One of 3/3's rifle companies was always based at the "Punch Bowl or Fish Bowl" between the Rockpile and the Razorback.
I started taking pictures in early 1967 at both sites and later at Ca Lu. I took many rolls of film, but most were stolen or destroyed when other units took over our positions while we were out on sweeps. I was a 2531 Field Radio Operator and was attached to all 4 rifle companies at one time or another. Jeff Maloney was a squad leader with Kilo Company and the photo of him was taken by me in Oceanside, CA. Guz was the India Company's battalion radio operator for their C.O. Cpt. Stump. At that time, India was based at the Punch Bowl.
Dave Brace
