Dwightsphotos2

Dwight's Photos #2

"Click on Dwight's Photo for Dwight's obituary"

The following photos are additional from Operation Cedar Falls

The 175th’s part in this operation as I recall was to build a road approximately 3 miles long from one firebase to another firebase for re-supply purposes. The operation lasted about a month.

During that time after the road was constructed the 175th would clear it every morning of mines. As I recall there were several uncovered during that time. We usually blew them up in place with a ¼ black of TNT. This brings me to an incident that occurred on a particular day that we were clearing the road.

A chopper had landed to our rear as we were clearing the road. Out jumped a full bird Colonel with his entourage. Our CO, Capt Thomas, was standing in the area as he did on a daily bases with out his shirt or helmet. I saw him approach the Colonel and after a few moments they were in a heated discussion that ended when the Colonel got back in his chopper and left. Later we found out that the Colonel wanted the Captain to remove some of the mines we were finding so he could take them back to Saigon for an exhibit. Captain Thomas offered his bayonet to the Colonel telling him to dig out his own mines if he wanted them that he ordered potential mines blown in place for the safety of his men.

After we had cleared the road we would retire to the firebase to help the infantry pull perimeter guard around the artillery units at the firebase.

This was a bad time for F Troop who had been helping with security. They lost a gun jeep to a mine and a ¾ ton truck passenger to sniper fire on this operation, resulting in the deaths of SSgt. John Hargett and Edwardo Cazanas-Dias

Eric Reed and the kids

Re-fuling the heavy equipment. Possibility Terry Shepard on the pump to the left.

Re-fueling the heavy equipment. SFC Hanson in the middle

An F Troop gun jeep passing the our convoy on the way to the site. They were pulling security for our convoy

Our convoy on the way to the site.

Our convoy on the way to the site being held up. An F Troop gun jeep had hit a mine.

Construction of the road

Clearing the road with a mine detector every day.

Capt Thomas standing in the jeep, Russell J. Wignall driving.

It was with great supprise that while doing Dwight’s photos that I came upon one of myself, Ron Titus. I remember it like it was yesterday. We were taking a break from pulling our own security that day while clearing the road. The infantry had suffered losses the night before due to short artillery rounds on their ambush patrol about a mile up the road from the firebase. We had gone out as a reaction force in our dump trucks that night to help with the chopper medi-vac of dead and wounded and to pull security. The following day the infantry asked if we could do our own security… We Did.

#50

#51

#52

#53

#54

#55

#56

#57

#58

#59

#60

#61

Cooking up C-rats with C-4 explosive

#62

Back in Tay Ninh the company began the construction of a combination EM and officers club. It would be the first permanent building built in Tay Ninh base camp at the time.

Laying out the footers for the new clubhouse. Capt Thomas and the architect of the project, Sgt Fryklund in discussion center right facing the camera. The guy with the shovel to the left of Thomas is Ron Titus

Mixing concret for the project, Left Terrance Dias, Samuel Lococo Jr, Gerald W. Patterson, John M. Morris, and Roger J. Deschenes picking concret from his chest..

First Sgt Caesar White with his hands on his belt never cam out of the CP often and was always in complete uniform. Sgt Fryklund to his left. The person bending over finishing the footer concrete is Ron Titus with "Speedy" Franco I. Gonzalez.

The Army's version of a ready mix concrete mixer. Left, John Tachco, David P. Vekaryasz, Terrance M.J. Dias standing on the wheel and John M. Morris

Second Platoons animal farm

An ARVN Look out post. Good to see from and a good target for Charlie Somewhere outside Tay Ninh.

Charlie Reed at the 2nd Platoon huch, Tay Ninh

When it was finished

#63

#64

#65

#66

#67

#68

#69

Darwin Wendt on the left Unknow place and Sgt. on the right

#70

The following photos were taken Dwight was with the 9th Division

This photo was taken at the 9th Div. basecamp, Bear Cat. It is the 15th Engneer supply yard

This photo was taken at the 9th Div. The 9th operated mostly south of Saigon in the Delta region. That region was more wealthy compared to the rest of rural Vietnam and reflected in their building construction, mostly tiles, and their asphalt roads seen here being patched.

This photo was taken at the 9th Div.

This photo was taken at the 9th Div. in Dong Tam during a USO show

If anyone can help out with identifying any of the photos give me a shout.

#71

#72

#73

#74

#75

#76

#77