SCRAPBOOK 7

CHAVES FAMILY COLLECTION (Photos taken by Co. A KIA John C. Chaves) MIKE NOVAK (Co. A 1969-70) COLLECTION #3

CHAVES COLLECTION Susan Perry, niece of KIA John C. Chaves, sent several photographs taken by John during his tour of Viet Nam.

1. Unknown [Late '69 / early '70.]

© 2003 by the Chaves family.

2. Miles "Goose" McHugh (below) [Co. A, 1st platoon, 1969-70.]

© 2003 by the Chaves family.

3. Unknown (below)

© 2003 by the Chaves family.

A prime example of a 'sleeping bunker' at Fire Support Base Pershing (built in the Summer of '69). These bunkers typically had sleeping and living space for 8 to 12 men. [See the above photos for interior views.] The walls were constructed from dirt-filled 105mm artillery ammo boxes – note the box at this soldiers feet. The roof support was made from 'pierced steel planking,' covered with a waterproof tarp (or plastic sheet), and topped by several layers of sandbags. [Pierced steel planking was designed to be a rapidly assemblable airforce runway mat.] Sometimes sandbags were piled up the walls for additional protection. The hinged lid of the arty ammo box also served as a shutter to block out wind and rain.

4. John "Randy" Cornett [Co. A, 1st plt., 1969-70]

© Copyright 2003 by the Chaves' family.

Randy is filling 'an Australian Shower.'

5. Bob Hope Show

© 2003 by the Chaves family.

This photo of 'the Lightning Bowl' (in Cu Chi Base Camp) shows how it looked at Christmas 1969 – the Golddiggers are on stage. The Tropic Lightning crest tops the Christmas-tree-like bandshell. The performance was attended by other divisions' units attached to the 25th at the time – note the 1st Air Cav and 9th Infantry Division patches.

The photo taken by John shows how close to the stage the Second of the Twelfth were. We were at Stand Down and a new issue of 'boonie hats' had (FINALLY) been issued. [I arrived in May and did not get my Army issued boonie hat until the day before the show.]

Little Warriors

Baby Charlene and Jason Perry – 2002.

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NOVAK COLLECTION 3 MORE photos from Co. A's Mike Novak (taken in 1969).

Fred Howard (L) and Norm Fork (R)

© 2003 by Mike Novak

Machine gunner Howard stands with pointman Norman Fork in the Comany A, 1st platoon area south of the main gate at FSB Pershing. [You are looking in that direction.]

Co. A, (?3rd platoon?)

©2003 by Mike Novak

It is believed that this is the 3rd platoon at the September Stand Down. Most of the 3rd platoon were wounded or killed on 24 OCT 69.

Patrol Base Dees

© 2003 by Mike Novak

(L to R) "Shorty" with flag, Fred Howard, KIA Robert "Bob" LaCombe, and KIA Charles "Terry" Russell.

Site © 2003 by Bruce Holzhauer. The photographs on this and other of the Sarge's webpages are the intellectual property of their owners and may not be reproduced without prior approval.