Training (Firing Range)

For six months I was an instructor at the in-country combat tactics school located a the firing range. The range was located on the opposite side of the runway from flight operations and between RMKBRJ construction compound.

Sgt.'s Hudgell, Callender, Zavorka, Cater and me participated in its (range) construction and maintenance. The firing range was one of the best I have seen, even stateside. We had our own barracks, classroom and main office/museum. Did I mention that we had the convenience of water delivered by truck, outside shower consisting of an aircraft tip tank equipped with a shower head and an OUTHOUSE!

We taught Thai, Koreans, Vietnamese and naturally Air Force personnel in the familiarization of weapons and combat tactics. The students ranged from clerks to administrative officers.

Our instruction ranged from the operation and firing of M-16 rifles and hand grenades to field operations miles away from Tan Son Nhut. Field operations (enemy sweeps) occurred near the Hoc Man bridge on the road to Tay Ningh province. The U.S. Army & RVN forces manned the defensive positions surrounding the one important link across a vast delta.

Favorite recollections of mine are....about the time we woke in the middle of the night to discover giant rats in our kitchen trying to eat our food and ultimately trapping one and killing it with a flash light....about the rat that fell in the hole of our outhouse and I doused it with gas and set it afire....about crossing the river in the delta with all of our equipment....in coming rockets!