| AO Sprayed Here - Everything Is Dead Now |
| Page 77 Photos From Buddy Hall My name is Buddy Hall. I served in Vietnam with the 402nd Transportation Company (Terminal Transfer) from June 1968 to June 1969. The Day I Left For Vietnam Needless to say I didn't sleep much the night of the 4th. I got up early the morning I was to leave, June 5th, 1968. My emotions were running so high, as you can imagine my thoughts were will I ever see my family and friends again after today, and still trying, with every ounce of my being,to stay strong for Mother, Daddy, Grandmamma and the rest of the family that was there. I had made some phone calls the night before and said a lot of good bys. Good by was not a word I wanted to use, it seemed so final this time. |
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| Buddy Hall Looking Over The Fence Next To His Hootch At Camp Camelot |
| After we were all dressed, off to the airport we went. We had some picture taking time and just time to visit. I can remember trying to memorize everything that was being said and the sounds of every voice. I knew it would be a long time before I could hear those sounds again, but I can't honestly tell you what was said, my mind was so wound up and sad I was just trying to hold back the tears. We said our good bys and I boarded the plane, looking back just one more time to see everyone. When the plane took off, it felt as if my heart was going to come out of my chest, it was pounding so hard. All the lonely feelings that I had dreaded had already started. But I had no idea what I was in for, and the rest is history!!!! |
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| Buddy Hall And C.W. Benton Smiling About Something At The Bien Hoa Site |
| Climbing Up The Guard Tower |
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| Ted Henry - Buddy Hall - ? |
| Buddy Driving The Crane |
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| C.W. And Buddy Off Loading Some Napalm |
| Buddy Operating The Crane At the Bien Hoa Barge Site |
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| C.W. And Buddy Riding Some Bombs |
| Cooling Off At The Barge Site |
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| There was a lot of work to be done and boy was it hot. |
| Off Loading More Napalm |
| Buddy Standing On Some Bombs At The Buu Long Site |
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| Buddy is getting some fuel for the crane. |
| Buddy At The Maintenance Shed |
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| C.W. Benton Filling Sand Barrels And Getting Some Fuel For The Cranes |
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| C.W. Going For A Swim |
| C.W. Rigging The Crane |
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| Buddy Taking A Rest |
| ? And Buddy |
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| Working On The New Bien Hoa Barge Site |
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| More Work On Bien Hoa Barge Site |
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| Navy divers inspect bombs underwater before bringing them up from sunken barge. |
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| Wiley Allred At The Bien Hoa barge site |
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| Wiley Standing On Some Cargo And Then Operating The Crane |
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| Work Continues On The New Bien Hoa Barge Site |
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| Clearing More Land For The New Bien Hoa Barge Site |
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| Bien Hoa Site Ready For Work |
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| Cooling Down After Hard Days Work At The Bien Hoa Site |
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| ? And Buddy Hall |
| Buddy And C.W. |
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| Buddy Operating The Crane |
| Anyone know who these guys are? |
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| Crane Deck |
| Wiley And Bell Working On The Crane |
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| Foundation For Bien Hoa Barge Site |
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| Who is that walking into the office? |
| A Little Rest For Buddy |
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| Buddy Standing In Front Of The Tuck That Took Us To The Bien Hoa Site |
| Who are these guys? |
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| Equipment Used To Build Some Of The Roads To The Bien Hoa Site |
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| Rice Fields Next To The Bien Hoa Site |
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| Looking Across The River From The Bien Hoa Site |
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| Buddy And C.W. At The Buu Long Barge Site |
| Wiley Allred At The Buu Long Barge Site |
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| Bien Hoa Site Just About Finished |
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| C.W. At The Buu Long Barge sSte |
| C.W. Walking The Barge At The Buu Long Site |
| Buddy And C.W. Wearing Napalm Top Hats |
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| River View |
| Buddy And C.W. Looking Pretty Serious About Something |
| Roadside Town And Village |
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| Bringing Up Bombs From Sunken Barge |
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| Buddy On Crane At Buu Long sSte |
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| Back Home To Camp Camelot |
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| Buddy Hall with his high school friend, James Holland. James was with another unit and came to see Buddy at Camp Camelot. |
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| James And Buddy Were Both From Pensaacola, FL |
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| C.W. - Buddy - Bell |
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| C.W. Cutting Jim's Hair- Looks Like Buddy Just Had His Done Too |
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| Short Timer's Party - Buddy Is Going Home |
| C.W. - Buddy - Bell |
| Wiley Allred And C.W. Benton |
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| Group Photo - Sure Wish It Came Out Better |
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| Wiley And Bell |
| C.W. And Wiley |
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| C.W. And Buddy |
| C.W. And Bell - Getting Short |
| The Day I Left For Home |
| I got my departure orders to go home from Vietnam on 12 April 1969, which was almost two months before I could leave. What a long two months it was. As so many things could happen to you and your mind just wondered on all the bad things. But I made it through it all. I was excited about going home and getting back to a normal life, but on the other hand I hated to leave all my good friends, but that's what happens in war. I had to report to the 90th replacement center on the east side of Long Binh Army Base for out processing. My report date was 4 June 1969 and leaving 5 June 1969. Well that was a joke. There were so many soldiers leaving Vietnam, there were not enough planes each day to take us all. What they did was have two reveille calls each day, one at 08:00 in the morning and one at 16:00 in the afternoon. They would inspect everyone each time and if you didn't pass inspection you would get bumped back to the bottom of the list. Well, after two days of seeing Officers and top NCO's getting bumped to the bottom of the list for not passing inspection, I decided to cut off my mustache, get my hair cut shorter, and get my uniform pressed. I didn't want to get bumped when my name was called. We were kind of vulnerable at the center as we didn't have any rifles or any kind of weapons. We were at the mercy of the guards around the compound, and that wasn't reassuring, depending on someone you didn't even know to keep you alive. The days were long and the nights were much longer as the Viet Cong were mortaring the compound almost all night. We would have to get in the bunkers to stay alive. After a couple of nights I just slept in the bunker, I was tired of getting up and down all night. There were more soldiers killed at the 90th replacement center than you could imagine. Finally, on 08 June 1969, my name was called, and I was scheduled to leave on the morning of 09 June 1969. I was so happy and relieved I was beside myself. We were escorted to Binh Hoa Air Base by Army MP's. We had to go through the villages one more time and that was the only bad part, but we made it. When we got to the airport and saw that big airplane sitting at the terminal waiting for us to board, that was one BEAUTIFUL site. It's hard to describe how I was feeling at the time and what was running through my mind. I just wanted t o get on that plane and get out of that country and back to the USA!!!!!! When we loaded onto the plane, you can only imagine the excitement on that plane and when we finally got off the ground and the pilot said we are air born. The plane erupted with cheers, hats flying all over the place, guys grabbing the stewardess, and just having the biggest party we had enjoyed in over a year. What a moment, it was wild for a while, but that was alright, nobody minded. Twenty-seven hours later, we landed at Travis Air Force Base. I went from there to Oakland Army Terminal to get discharged. After that, I flew home t o Pensacola, FL. What a homecoming. My whole family was there, and the girl I would marry two months later. The first thing I did when I got off the plane was get on my knees and kiss the ground. I made that promise to myself back in Vietnam when it looked like I would I would never make it back home. That was one promise I was going to keep and I did. After that, I don't remember much as everone was trying to get to me at the same time. It was all good, and we had a great time. We went home and I had one of the best meals I had in over a year. I was so overwhelmed, I just cried. Well, that's my story in short, as I don't care to go into details as to what went on while I was in Vietnam but sometime it's just not possible. I fight with it all the time, I win some and I loose some. That's just part of my life. War is hell on earth, but just the price that some of us had to pay for the freedom that we so richly enjoy in the United States of America. I served my country with pride and would do it again if called upon. God didn't promise us a bed of roses, just that he would be there for us and help us through it all. But it's up to each one of us as to what we do with our life. God Bless all and I hope you enjoyed looking at my photos. |
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| Buddy And Connie Hall - 2008 |
| Hope you have enjoyed looking at my photos. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments. E-Mill Buddy Hall |
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| Full Speed Ahead |
| Soldier Boy - The Shirelles 1962 |
| Read The February 15th, 1969 Ship 'N Shore Newsletter Sent In By Buddy - Interesting Article About The 402nd |
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| Camp Camelot With Location Of 402nd Buildings |
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