Page 24 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2025 - Online Magazine
P. 24
by Larry Williams
“We went on daily patrols. Each
man had to carry at least one
round of ammo for the 90mm in
addition to some C-4 explosives,
200 rounds of ammunition for the
M60 machine gun, two bandoleers,
15 clips, and his M16 rifle. On May
8, we went about 100 yards down
a trail and came across a big pile of
bicycles. We found out that it was
the end of the Ho Chi Min Trail.
The VC would bring supplies and
ammunition down the trail from the
north and then dump the bicycles.
We blew up some of the bicycles,
and I was glad to get rid of 20
pounds of C-4.
ichael Henry Jeter was me to Travis AFB in San Francisco. Later that day, my C Company
born in Lubbock on July They flew us to Nam via Hawaii. started towards B Company. I was
M10, 1946, the youngest I was flown to Tan Son Nhut 4th or 5th in line when a VC popped
of five children. Tragedy struck Air Base near Saigon, put in the up out of a spider hole and threw
the family in December 1954 when 90th Replacement Battalion, and a grenade right at me. I yelled,
Mike’s mother lost her battle with assigned to the 47th Infantry, 2nd ‘Grenade!’ before it exploded. I took
cancer. “My dad never remarried, Battalion, 9th Division. We were some shrapnel under my chin. The
and he never got over it. sent to the Division Base Camp guy in front of me got a back full
called Bearcat near Long Binh. and the guy behind me got a chest
“I graduated from Lubbock High full. C Company had 15 wounded
School in 1966 and attended Texas “A Chinook helicopter landed us in and B Company had 15 killed. Later
Tech for one semester before being the jungle where the 9th had their we went to Cho Lon, the Chinese
drafted July 13, 1967. I was sent to own little camp set up. On my first section of Saigon, during what was
Fort Polk, LA for basic training and big patrol, I was way back carrying called Mini Tet. That was the worst
to North Ft. Polk for AIT (Advanced an M-16. Our point man and the firefight I participated in—four days
Infantry Training). guy behind him both hit a trip wire, of house-to-house fighting. I lost my
and a hand grenade exploded.
“I had a 30-day leave, and my sister Everybody started shooting. Two platoon leader there, Lt. Casper.
was in Lubbock for Christmas. She guys were wounded but died in the “On June 20, we were sent to an
lived in California, so I rode with helicopter on the way back to the artillery unit at Firebase Lambert
her when she went back. She took hospital. (or maybe it was Moore.) I rode
24 Lubbock Senior Link
