Camp Holloway Discussion Forum Archive 05 - 02/12/06 to 01/21/10

Don "Croc 6" Martin Letter

Received a real nice note from Don Martin tonight, really to all of us, and am copying it below with his permission. Deletions marked by ### are mine.

Bob K--

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Thanks, Bob. Love your letters and what you do for all of us, continuing the keeping of the morale high. Very important, and mine was, is and will remain high.

### The CEs and door gunners are equally as much a part of our being alive and well today as the IPs who trained others and me in gunnery, tactics and more. The CEs and door gunners trusted us, encouraged us, set the example of courage under fire, taught us, hung out there on those "monkey straps" with their M-60s on bungee cords, marked the targets with smoke, told us which way to break, and fired the initial bursts on the enemy. Then they continued to hang out there assessing what the hell was up, telling the pilots where the bad guys and good guys were so we didn't shoot the wrong people, and telling us what was up with inbound and outbound slicks, zoomies / fast-movers, artillery, arc-lights, etc. Those eyes and ears in the UH-1C (no doors on the back / standing out on the skids!) were an edge the Cobras never had (and I know, as I flew them later on in my career).

Due to many (most) of them extending time after time, they became the real experts in helicopter war-fighting, not to mention maintenance of the weapons and the aircraft themselves. Never has so much LSA/T been used with so much success on mini-guns in the history of mankind. I used to worry about waste, but quickly learned that the more elephant ### you poured in, on and down those guns, the more they "purred" death for the enemy. ### I get goose bumps just thinking about how good Smith's and Lammers' mini-guns fired, and Rodgers (SP5 on the ground / gunnery maintenance) was truly an expert with every pin, screw, thread, barrel and link. Those guys were gun magicians!

Had it not been for guys like Dolbejeff, Popjoy, Lammers, Smith, Rodgers, Carbajal, Hunter, Schmoll, Thompkins and others, I would be one crispy critter as of long, long ago. What a team we had!

WOs Bob Payne and Byron (Bud)Brown (A/Cs / PICs / IPs) taught me the post-flight school stuff about controlling the aircraft, guns, ammo of various kinds, working with the ground forces, knowing what was smart and not-so-smart to try / do, tactics, and taught me to learn quickly, be proficient, have confidence in myself and my fire team(s) / platoon, but the CEs and door gunners taught me what teamwork and kick-ass survivability is all about. Their raw courage and pre- and post-flight smiles were awe inspiring.

I was making about $600.00 per month in those days, and that was with flight, combat and separation pay, as an O-3 over nine years of service! Therefore, I would guess the Dolbejeffs and Rodgers were making about $220.00 - $250.00, if that! Hell, a new private now makes more than I did as a major! I guess we lived on courage and cheap Class VI whisky! Crown Royal was about $3.50 a bottle back then, and Ballentine beer in the club (in a rusty can which smelled like a Vietnamese sewer, was about 15 cents! . . . eventually, the club at Camp Holloway gave it away!)

Those CEs and door gunners and maintenance people, both guns and aircraft, were and are magnificent men.

I salute you and everyone who did what you did, Bob!

Feel free to share this with any of our officers and Soldiers of the old 119th AHC, the Gators and Crocs.

There was no finer team, in my opinion, ever, at least not in the types of missions (SOG, etc., etc.) we performed together.

We were also blessed with fine commanders, LTC Lukert, LTC Chambers and Major Joe Campbell, to name just three.

Finally, the guys we supported on the ground, SF, 4th ID, 173d Airborne and others, were top-notch, and I have never stopped appreciating them and the terribly difficult missions they took on day in, day out. Their performance was magnificent. Most of the names have escaped me now, but some were Dallas Longstreath, Bob Flores, P. J. McIntyre, "Snake," "Squirrel," "Mad Dog" Schriver, Fred Zabitosky (MOH), a battalion commander in the 3d Bde, 4th ID, call-sign, "Ranger," and the CSM of the same brigade at Dak To. Those were men's men, leaders, heroes, and we were blessed to have been able to support them.

### You ### had sent Jayne (Hewitt) Baldwin a couple of coins a while back, and she is eternally grateful.

May her brother, Raleigh, and Raymond Chase rest in peace, in honored glory, forever. In His Holy Name. Amen!

God bless you and yours, Bob, and Happy Thanksgiving.

Above the Best!

Don
former Croc Six

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I have Don's email address if anyone needs it.

Bob K--

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Don "Croc 6" Martin Letter
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