Rod
Johnson, India 3/5 I
arrived at Da Nang on Oct. 29, 1967. The next day I was sent to the
India 3/5 Section Leader (T. J. Torrington was killed the night of "The
Alamo,").* My first job was ammo man, which
lasted till December.
In
December '67, I became A-Gunner which lasted until T. J. was killed,
then I became Section Leader of Guns, and held that position until I
rotated on Nov. 9, 1968.
I was awarded two Purple Hearts. The first I received on June 17, 1968
(while on Operation MAMELUKE THRUST) when I was hit by shrapnel from
an RPG Rocket. The second was received on June 18, 1968 when I was hit
by shrapnel from a chi-com grenade.
I was on the following Operations: AUBURN, HOUSTON, HOUSTON II, ALLEN
BROOK, MAMELUKE THRUST, HOUSTON IV, MAMELUKE THRUST (26 Jul 68-28 Aug
68), SUSSEX BAY, MAMELUKE THRUST (9 Sept 68-6 Oct 68), MAUI PEAK,
HENDERSON HILL, and several unnamed ops.
One of my very vivid memories is being on a CH-46 that took heavy fire
from a 12.7 and small arms fire, and somehow we made it back across
the river before the chopper made a semi-crash landing (Joe Klinger
was wounded on the same flight) flight. God was with us that day. Semper
Fi & "Get Some!" ~Cpl.
Rodney S. Johnson (Bones)
