Command and advisory channels they assigned four Landing Craft in support of the battalions mission. Johnston was on hand to watch the lcms pull out. Manned by Navy Personnel the craft would transport the equipment by river and by canal to the construction site. The battalion paralleled the river on foot to clear the area of viet cong. Walking with them were johnston and the Battalion Commander. They cleared villages and searched huts along the populated route to the site of the post. Johnston and his counter part found all adult males had left confirming their belief that most of the population were viet cong. At another hut, a last moment escape by vc was indicated by food still being cooked. Despite all precautions, an ambush resulted in the wounding of two men. On the river, the navy was having its own taste of the viet cong, receiving harassing fire from the thick jungle. In return, they opened up with their 20 millimeter cannon. As soon as the battalion arrived at the site of the
Firewood for cooking and drinking water. It was a scene of domestic tranquility against a backdrop of anticipated violence. With the post fully completed in ten days, the battalion headed back to the village. The viet cong, unsympathetic as always, hit them with an ambush. It was quickly met with small arms and mortar fire. The commander directed the action. More First Battalion casualties were added to the price of the sdc post. Captured vc prisoners showed another side to the balance sheet. Now they could complete the final leg of their journey back. A few days later, captain johnston received orders for reassignment to the United States. His good friend was with him on his last mission. There was a heart warming Mutual Respect between adviser and counter part and between officers and men. At least one advisory technique had burned itself into johnstons subconscious. These were indeed his troops. It was time for him to return to the United States and for lieutenant clement to replace
Fire in the captain wanting to save the crops. Johnston won his point and they burned fields of fire on both sides of the canal. The following day another battalion soldier was wounded by sniper fire at 1150 hours, a significant time since it was ten minutes before virtually all troops took a two hour siesta. Johnston radioed a request for a u. S. Piloted helicopter. He received a regretful refusal. Only when arvin refuse admission could u. S. Pilots be sent. Three hours later, an arvin helicopter landed. The wounded man lost his right eye and was paralyzed on the right side. Johnston, deeply involved, helped load him on the helicopter. With the sdc post almost completed the battalion assisted in the construction of a watchtower. It became stuck in the soft mud. Johnston and his counter part hurried to the scene. Having experience with track vehicles, johnston felt he had the solution but is kept it to himself to allow the captain to direct operations. The commanders methods were suita
Because the demonstration range was located outside the compound and trainees were subject to sniper fire they kept loaded weapons in hand. The lecture phase was conducted by lieutenant johnston recommended him for this tuesday because he spoke some english and they could communicate directly. The u. S. Adviser had given him english instruction as well as an intensive course in the use of the mine. St. Louis throughout his tour of advisor, johnston had become aware of double checking the translation of his words especially since he had discovered that instructors and interpreters injected their own feelings on the subject instead of translating literally. During the first few classes on the claymore, johnston set the mine in the ground and prepared it for detonation. Realizing the important of teaching by demonstration, he showed no reluctance about getting his hands dirty. However he realized it would be wrong to continue to do the work himself and he would have to persuade one of the
Yeah, 2 a day. I think i got 2. 25 after i was promoted to run the drill. On your very first job, you learned how to work with your hands, didnt you . Well, that wasnt quite the whole story. I worked in with my hands when i was a boy. Time was the agony of walking, going from mine to mine, looking for a job. I take it, then, that you during that period, you were able to lay aside a little money for future activities . Well i certainly laid enough money aside to get down to San Francisco and look for a better job. Well mr. Hoover, how did you happen to get into professional engineering after those underground mining days experience . Well, i developed a great friend of dr. Brenner here at stanford. He was one of those men who always boosted youngsters along. He introduced me to the leading engineer in San Francisco, mr. Lewis janner. Mr. Janner gave me a temporary appointment. He had an application for an engineer to go to australia. There i went on my first 10,000 job. Subsequently do