'F' Battery Stories

The 1/92nd Field Artillery
Association - Vietnam

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The 1/92nd Field Artillery in the DMZ


By Harry Harrington

In late fall of 1967 I was advised by Major Foust that I along with 4 or 5 members os "F" Battery were to be sent to the Demilitarized Zone of South Korea for additional training in assembly, disassembly of a nuclear warhead.

Unarmed, we were transported to the Air Base at Pleiku. The plane scheduld to transport us to Tan Son Nhut Airbase in South Viet Nam arrived and we were told to stand back from the plane as dead bodies were removed before we were to board. The acrid stench of the plane due to the the dead bodies was horrific. When we were to board the plane, I told the OIC that my troops would not be going on that plane and that we would wait for a plane that was not contaminated. That being done we arrived at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, meeting up with about 65 troops from other units for the mission.


We then had to change from our normal fatigues into ones given to us with no insignias and no identification of any kind as this was a top secret mission.

The next day we boaded a C130 plane for the seven hour flight to South Korea. We sat in very uncomfortable harness seats and for pit stops we had a latrine visible to all at the front of the plane. After landing we were transported to the Army Air Base just outside the DMZ.

For the next few days Major Foust who had arrived before us, presented our orientation. Finallly we entered the DMZ and one by one we would take turns walking at a measured pace from a small building approximateley 25 paces to the dummy warhead. We would assemble the dummy warhead and walk (not run as we could be blown up if we tripped or fell) back to the starting point. as the dummy emitted a slight noise, emulating an actual explosion.

That being done in a five day period of practice, we exited the DMZ via jeeps and returned to the nearby Army Base and spent 2 or 3 days with the troops there. The best part of that experience was a Farewell dinner in our honor being able to dance with "Round Eyes" - nurses, etc. Then Home Sweet Home back to Pleiku with many tales to share.


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