Jace, graduating from RTO School – Fall of 1966, Fort Riley, Kansas.
Jace, at 220lbs, in dire need of Boot Camp! Photo taken 2 weeks prior to entering the U.S. Army. Union Grove Drag Strip, Wisconsin – May, 1966.
Jace taking a break during training at Custer Hill – it appears Jace somehow lost a few pounds. . .
Fort Riley, Kansas – Jace with Ron Mintz and Terry McBride, hoisting a few beers at Custer Hill’s beer hall.
Jace aboard the USS General John Pope enroute to South Viet Nam. January, 1967.
Down to a lean mean 160 lbs, Jace is ready to take on the Viet Cong. . .
February, 1967 – Jace and John Howell at Camp Bearcat, South Viet Nam. They’re happy now, not knowing the Mekong Delta looms ahead.
February, 1967 – Jace returning to his 3rd Platoon tent after showering at Camp Bearcat’s luxurious facilities. Within two weeks we joined the Mobile Riverine Force and moved to the Rung Sat Special Zone – 3/39th moved into here.
Here’s an emblem we received when we patroled the Rung Sat for Viet Cong. Charlie Company troopers discovered many weapon caches there & we eliminated quite a few VC.
Jace manning his radio during Charlie Company’s adventures at the Rubber Plantation – south of Saigon. Jace recalls frightfully discovering big black scorpions during the night in their bunker. The villagers all turned out while we used their open showers – that was weird. All they really wanted was our left over soap, which they fought each other for.
This old South Vietnamese currency could make you extremely wealthy, Jace – just think e-Bay.
April, 1967 – Jim Dennison, Jace & Don Peterson aboard the USS Benewah in the Mekong Delta. Several weeks later Don lost his life during Charlie Company’s first battle with Viet Cong forces.
Military funny money – hey Jace, how much is this worth, figuring 4% growth per year?
USS Benewah & Montrose side by side – these fine Sailors took good care of us Army Troopers – except for some of the nasty places they took us to.
A Chi Com hand grenade – the VC made it into a booby trap – 3rd Platoon troopers luckily saw it.
A sample of the USS Benewah’s fire power – twin 40MM Cannons. The Navy had another set of 40’s along with numerous 50 Caliber & M60 Machine Guns.
