HMM-164 RECON INSERT, JANUARY 19, 1968

[more from Chuck Nowotny] If you magnify the first photo below, a couple of times (2X) you can clearly see the Marines positions. I plut white Xs under some of them. I recall there was a NVA in pith helmet on the left of the photo and a bunker somewhere in the middle upper where I put yellow Xs. They, the NVA were close, very close and later one of the little fellers and I had an exchange of sorts but memory plus time does add and at times subtract various points of actuality or clarity it seems. View the first image below and try to identify Marines or NVA in the photo. Then view the marked photo here: http://www.popasmoke.com/images/3087b.jpg -Submitted by: Wally Beddoe [webmaster@popasmoke.com] 2006-03-05

Ist force from Jan 67 to sept 68, 1st Force was attached to Recon Bn, Remember Hager, Novotney, but we called him Nick was a Sgt, We had a bad ass patrol in elephant valley Corpsman was shot up real Bad, members included Ross Gainey, a guy named Chilton and Novtney was a Comm Man, radios blown, up, but Sgt Novotney rewired them, we was with out Comm for serveral Hours and they sent a OV looking for us, The bad guys surrrounded us, but the USMC choppers got our ass,es out of there after some very intense hours, can't remember the date, 3 or 4 were wounded was going to walk out because of no comm. Gainey climbed a tree and shot my penflare and a OV spotted it, and the USMC choopers came and got our asses out. -Submitted by: roger zinkhon [raz1333@yahoo.com] 2006-06-24

The original information was in error. After forty some years I now know this to be Quizmaster, 1st Btn, Recon (rein) 4th Plt. Company C 25 Jan, 1968. Insert at YD789054 or 789055, 1.Lt. Phelps Team Leader (WIA) 2.L/Cpl Ortego (WIA) 3.L/Cpl Rizzo 4.Cpl Rininger .Radio man. (WIA) 5.H.N. Mortenson 6.L/Cpl Wooding 7.L/Cpl Lay (KIA) On the Wall, Lay is listed as a Pfc. 8.L/Cpl Hastert 9.Pfc McKnight 10.Pfc Buhler -Submitted by: Chuck Nowotny [cnowotny@msn.com] 2012-01-01

On December th 2012 I finally after 44 years of trying, contacted the sister and 93 year old Father of Roger Minett Lay USMC KIA. I gave them ALL of my photos of Rogers last patrol and an account plus the video taken by Harry Lynch of VMO-3. They were very much appreciative and thankful. -Submitted by: chuck Nowotny [cnowotny@msn.com] 2012-01-08