Jerry Lomax (center) and Mike 3/5 Marines  

Jerry Lomax, Mike 3/5  I am a proud Confederate Southerner from Tennessee, who can shoot straight and hit what I aim at. I could hit a tank turret from 900  yards. I went to boot camp at Parris Island beginning in Aug. 1967, Platoon 1032. I carried a 3.5 rocket launcher which is basically a bazooka from the Korean War. 

  I was with 'Medevac Mike 3/5', 1stMarDiv beginning the first of February 1968. As a matter of fact, as soon as I got in-country, they loaded us on trucks, and they told  us we were headed for Hue. For some reason, we turned around on the way, and returned close to Haivan Pass. I think 3/5 was to guard this area, and Highway 1 around Lanco and Truoi Bridge.  

I especially remember on one dark, night hump, I was very green and got half of Mike Company, maybe even the whole battalion, lost in the boonies by going the wrong way at a split in the trail. It was really hot and muggy, and my glasses fogged up. Nobody called me a dumbass, even though the short-timers really wanted to. They just told me I've got to be more careful. From then on, many called me Climax. Why? I was afraid to ask.

(click pictures to enlarge)

 
Truoi River Bridge along Highway 1
 Thua Thien Province between Danang, Phu Bai and Hue, early May 68
Top: Ronnie Williams. 
2nd Row: Left, Sam Cole, killed from gunshot wounds a week later, (??) from a weapon's squad.
Bottom: (?), Willie Riviera, Correa, and (?).

Jerry Lomax and Ronnie Williams at Truoi River Bridge, May 1, 1968

Highway 1 is to the left of the picture. Ronnie was the M-60 guy and Jerry has the 3.5 rocket launcher. In the middle background is Hai Van Pass; in the background right is where Mike Company got hit hard a week later.

Sam Cole (KIA), Jerry Lomax, Willie Riviera

I was wounded (gunshot) in the upper left arm on May 9, 1968 (at 1000). The bullet took out most of my muscle, and as I and others were medevaced, the helicopter crashed (after being hit twice). After this, I spent some time in the hospital in Okinawa, I think it was Camp Kue. Gosh at the stories to tell from February 1 through the end of my tour in March 1969. I spent 7 months recuperating and working in Okinawa, and when I was sent back.

  Roman Catholic Church along Highway 1, March, 1968

I'm in the middle, Ronnie Williams (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) is to the right, and Willie Rivera (Patterson, N.J) is to the left. Willie had a bullet graze his eyelid on May 9, 1968, (talk about lucky). 

Crashed chopper picture courtesy of "Doc" Everett Wood

While we were getting medivaced, the first time it was tried, we were shot down from about 100' in the air. The helicopter flipped on it's side, and I fell directly on top of Willie's leg. His leg was broken, and he never had to go back to Vietnam. I'll never forget the last time I saw him. The corpsmen in Danang put him on a litter, and he had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth and he was smiling like some guy going to Valhalla. He knew he was through. He reminded me, not of Bogart in Casablanca, but like William Bendix in "Guadalcanal Diary". He winked at me and thanked me for it all. Willie, if you're out there, let me know. 

   
Ronnie Williams (right)

Ronnie was wounded toward the end of May, 1968, in some other operation they sent Mike on. (I was recuperating at Camp Kue Hospital in Okinawa). Some gook threw a grenade at him. He got a collapsed lung and was sent home. Ronnie, if you're out there, give me a hollar.

"Sage" an M-79 guy holding a "trophy" 

A gung ho Marine who loved getting into scrapes.  Near Hai Van Pass in Thua Thien Province on May 3, 1968 at an old French railroad station at the Pass overlooking the South China Sea.  "Sage" was shot in the arm 6 days later, bullet hit the bone and he was in a lot of pain.

I ended up as Battalion Legal Clerk at Headquarters with 1/5 at An Hoa (real lucky; I was on the chopper heading back to the bush when they called out my name). Even though I was attached to 1/5 from Christmas till March, 'Medevac Mike' was my home outfit; always has been and always will be. I was kind of the "Radar" at An Hoa, as well as typing up KIA letters to be sent to their families.~Jerry Lomax

Always making time for the kids

Jerry and Beth's son, Jon December 2001

Jon in Kandahar December 2002

Jerry and Beth Lomax
3/5 Reunion 2002

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Operation HOUSTON
Operation HOUSTON II
Doc Bowman Memorial
Sam Cole Memorial

Mike 3/5 Website

(Background by Redeye)