HUE THE WALL TET 68

I wrote earlier. My father was in the TET at HUE and I am writing his memoirs. This is a fantastic photo. Any of the 155mm or 8 howitzer? I would like a copy of this PHOTO. -Submitted by: Cynthia BEckman [Cynthia@HibbardInc.com] 2006-03-05

I was a FAC (forward air controller) with 1st Bn, 1st Marines (1/1) and was with the first unit to go into Hue on the first day of the Tet Offensive, 1/31/1968. We ended up with 2 Companies of Marines and the Battalion Staff that day, and despite overwhelming odds made it through the south side of the City, re-took the bridge over the river and attacked the Citadel. I remember coming up on Guard Frequency several times that day asking for air support and/or emergency medevac, neither of which was readily available. We had a large number of casualties, and kept moving them back to the rear until we could get them transported. Being the old imperial capatal of VN, there was concern by some (don't know who) that we shouldn't bomb or otherwise destroy the city (at least not that day), so we did the best with what we had. In the proudest Marine tradition, we commandeered an ARVN tank that was boogying south (the wrong direction), blasted our way north, appauded Navy gunboats that were obliterating structures on the north side of the river, took the bridge and tried like hell to find a way to start moving into the Citadel. All on the first day!!! About 6pm, we were loading two trucks with dead and wounded, when one of the trucks was hit with an RPG (or something else bad). A number of us were standing close to the truck guarding the area when the explosion occured. I was hit several times by schrapnel, and ended up being medevac'd out sometime in the middle of the night in a CH-46 (Thanks Guys!). Ended up back in the States where I instructed in advance jets with VT-25 at NAS Chase Field in Beeville, TX, then another trip to RVN flying F-4s before saying adios. One of the surreal things I remember while laying in the back of a truck that night waiting for evacuation was watching Puff the Magic Dragon hosing down the Citadel with a red ribbon of fire. Those C-47 (DC-3) gunships were pretty awesome! God Bless everyone I served with, and God Bless the Marine Corps! -Submitted by: Larry Franke [lwf@avconindustries.com] 2006-07-30