"Vietnam Page" a Vietnam Travel Page by awcooke

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In October in 1968 I was notified by the draft to report by Oct. 7th in Fort Knox, Kentucky for basic training. Nine weeks of basic, then to Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, for artilery training. I came home for Christmas and got engaged to Rita, Dec. 24, 1968. After Christmas I returned to Ft. Sill, Oklahoma to continue artillery training. I came home to Cleveland for a short leave in February before going to Vietnam. Flew from Cleveland to L.A. and stayed with Jim & Jean for two days in Pomona. Jim got up late and I almost missed my flight from L.A. to San Francisco. A short Bus ride from San Francisco to Travis Air Force Base was all that remained.

Left for Vietnam on March 9th. I was assigned to the "9th Infantry Division, 3rd Brigade", "C Battery, 2nd Battalion, 4th Artillery Regiment" in the Mekong Delta. I was assigned to a 105mm Howitzer Battery. The first gun I was assigned to was the old Split Trail designated the M101A1. The Battery then received the new lightweight M102 Air Mobile Howitzers later in my tour of duty. I stayed on the guns for twelve months.

I received two Presidential Unit Citations with Oak Leaf Cluster and a Vietnamese Civil Merit Award. I left Vietnam around March 15th, 1970, arrived back in Cleveland around March 21st. Rita and I were married two weeks later on April 4, 1970. On April 6th, we drove to Ft. Knox, Kentucky where I was assigned for two months. I was then assigned temporary duty to Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. Upon arrival in P.A. Rita and I could not find a place to live off base so I drove Rita back to Cleveland. I searched for a place to live for two weeks. Rita then joined me in P.A. where they remained for two months, when I was again reassigned by the Army to Ft. Knox, Kentucky. Rita and I remained at Ft. Knox until October 7th, 1970 when I was mustered out of active duty. I returned to civilian life joining Honeywell where I remain today, 30 years later.

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