Alistair writes...

"Our unit was based in Phubi when I arrived on 8/28/65, I was among the first Marine replacements in country. I was fresh out of 6 months of Ammunition Technician school in Quantico Va.

I joined the Corps on 10/15/64 and went to MCS Quantico after Boot Camp (San Diego) and then to the ITR Infantry Training Regiment at Camp Pendleton California. Boarded the Troop Ship U.S.D.S. Gen. D.I. SULTAN in San Diego, California on 8/3/65 and arrived at Danang, Vietnam on 8/27/65. 

From Danang, we flew by C-130 from to Phubi. I had never heard of the HOWTAR before arriving in Phubi. I was with MORT212 until rotating home on 9/16/66.

Our unit made three Helicopter assaults from 8-65 to12-65 plus many trips by truck to Hue. In late December we were sent to Okinawa to refit and in April '66, we were attached to the 1st Marine division on a float off the coast of Vietnam. This unit was called Special Landing Force. Between April and the end of August our unit made 13 major Operations. The battalion landing team with our 3rd Marine Division unit, the 2nd Bn, 12th Marines, were airlifted by H-34 choppers inland of the beach. There we set up our positions and the remainder of the Amphibious force came ashore in the usual AMTRACS and landing craft. I believe the point was to catch the enemy between our two forces and kill as many as we could. Our unit was very respected within the whole force. We often took fire missions away from Naval Gunfire. We were very fast coming into action after we landed. I was the fellow who was responsible for the logistical support of the whole battery both 4.2" rounds as well as small arms ammunition and grenades. I was also the one upon landing that guided the choppers in with the folding baskets filled with the rounds for the Howtar. We only had around seventy five men at any time to man six guns and defend the position. I carried the M-60 Machine Gun plus a .38 Smith & Wesson revolver as a side arm. There were never enough .45's to go around. I had picked my .38 up in the PX in Okinawa. The chopper pilots carried 4" .38s so ammo was never a problem.

The way an operation unfolded was that the initial assault would come in and I was always in this wave with the M60 and with about 15-20 other Marines. We would lay down a field of fire with our weapons and secure the perimeter around the landing zone (LZ). When the LZ was secure, the next wave of choppers would come in carrying one HOWTAR and its crew each. The last series of flights to arrive would bring in the ammunition. Sometimes we would have a unit of grunts with us but not often. As Marines are Riflemen first, on a few operations we would deployed as Infantry. Halfway through one operation, "Operation Hastings", that took place in and around the "Rockpile" A.O. (Area of Operations), we sent the guns back to the U.S.S. Iwo Jima and from there, we were deployed with the new UH-46 as Infantry.

It was a very interesting experience!

I took most of these flicks with a Brownie 126mm Starflash camera by Kodak."