april 1968 wunder beach viet vietnam war

#April 1968 wunder beach viet vietnam war free#

In September of 1968, while conducting a body count of enemy KIA. While doing a body count some soldiers were posing with the enemy dead as they conducted a clean up and body count on the battlefield. Mike also has memories of his platoon leader, who taught him some valuable leadership. They used reclaimed material to build temporary homes at Wunder Beach, to forget about the stress they were under. Mike took many pictures of good memories. They, like many young men with time on their hands, liked to goof off. The two worked their job in rotation and spent much time together in between operations. Hardin’s comrades in combat was Paul Pinkerton. Hardin conducted his job with such distinction, that the 5th Battalion, 4th Artillery awarded him as an “Honorary Artilleryman.” They stated that his exemplary accomplishments of “putting steel on target” earned him their respect and admiration.

#April 1968 wunder beach viet vietnam war free#

He said he had free reign of the ship and visited all parts of the ship witnessing all the operations for artillery fire. He was able to visit the fire control room and see how they operated when receiving his calls for fire. the New Jersey’s call sign was “On Rush.” This was also the ship that he could call indirect fire from. Hardin was direct by his company commander to take some R&R away from the combat area. He also witnessed the horrific injuries that come with combat. He would experience nine men being killed in action that were in his company. Hardin’s time in Vietnam did not go without seeing the horrors of war. He said that they could open the tops of these vehicles and fire 4.2in mortars mounted in the tops of the APCs. Since it was a mechanized unit, they moved in M-106 Armored Personnel Carriers (APC). Hardin’s job consisted of leading a mortar platoon. Hardin and the 1/61st supported armor (M48 Patton Tanks) from the 1/77th Armored Infantry Regiment along with the infantry platoons. He felt he had to protect his soldier’s morality and keep them spiritually right towards themselves.ĭuring operations in Vietnam, Sgt. He told his men to give out what they wished, but to hand them down and not throw the rations into the rice paddies. This was disrespectful to the children and the farmers in the field. He recognized that when the children went to retrieve the rations they were damaging the farmer’s crops. Hardin witnessed men in his section thoughtlessly throwing unused rations to the children he noticed they threw them into the rice paddies. He also learned that one needs to protect his own spirit by the way he treats others. However, we must maintain the ability to hold on to our humanity. Hardin wanted to impart on his soldiers that our job was to close with and kill the enemy. He also earned the designation as an 11C40.Īs a leader, Sgt. Later he was moved to become a mortar platoon sergeant. Sergeant Hardin did survive the assignment and was then assigned as a squad leader in the Mortar Platoon. He said that if a man survived 6 months in this position, he would be moved up to a better spot. By knowing their own location and the direction to the target, range could be calculated and artillery fire could be called in on the enemy. FOs could detect the flash of an enemy weapon and count the seconds until the sound of the report reached their location (sounds travel at 343 meters per second). He also remembers the smells, heat, humidity and the sound of incoming that met them as soon as they landed in Vietnam.Īs an FO, he called in mortar and even artillery fire to support the company. He was assigned to the 61st Infantry Regiment (mechanized), 5th Infantry Division “Red Devils.” He recalls arriving in Vietnam, on 22 July 1968, aboard a C-141 with the 1st Battalion, 61st Infantry Regiment (1/61).

Brigade when they received orders for assignment in Vietnam. Hardin demonstrated calling in and adjusting mortar fire. Hardin was then assigned to Fort Carson, Colorado, with the 5th Infantry Division, as an instructor. After 23 weeks, he graduated on 4 March 1968, with the rank of Sergeant (Sgt.) E-5, MOS 11B40. Those that completed this course were considered to be “Instant NCOs.” He was also trained as an 11C “Indirect Fire Infantryman.” Mike completed all of his training successfully.

He was trained as an 11B “Infantryman.” He was recognized for his aptitude and leadership and instead of going directly to Vietnam, he was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia, for Non-Commissioned Officers Candidate School. After basic training, Mike was sent to Fort McClellan, Alabama, for advanced infantry training.