Vietnam Thoughts: Pete Manuguerra

Hometown: Medina, Ohio

Vietnam Service Dates: April 9, 1969 - May 17, 1970

MOS: 11-B Light Weapons Infantry

Units Served:

1) Company A 1/35th Inf, 4th Infantry Div

2) Headquarters Company 1/'35th Inf

3) B 3/12 Inf, 4th Infantry Div

I found this on my office computer trying to clean up some computer junk and thought you might get a kick out of this old picture (it's me) from May 1969 at a Firebase called LZ Rock Quarry near Pleiku in the central highlands ...

I was basically still an FNG, so they gave me the M79 grenade launcher to hump & carry ... the gun was light, but ammo with vest was real heavy.  The picture was taken the day after our firebase got hit pretty hard the night before and our platoon leader, Lt. Gentinne, was killed.  Our medic was wounded pretty bad but he survived.

I was especially moved by three events this year:  providing a firsthand account regarding Lt. Gentinne being KIA'd at the Rock Quarry, attending the Ken Henniger Memorial Tribute, and of course the presentation at the Reunion in Pittsburgh that honors our fallen heroes ...

On November 21, 1969, at what remained of the Oasis Fire Base, I remember and honor Curtis Frantz, Robert Worthen and Charles Howze, who were killed due to a faulty 4.2 mortar round. In addition, Donald Boyles' KIA was related to this incident since he led a convoy from Camp Enari to the Oasis to potentially pick up the wounded. The convoy was ambushed on its return trip to Camp Enari killing Warrant Officer Boyles. I remember this day quite well after so many years. I still think about my buddy, Roosevelt Lawrence, who was on that convoy and, if my memory is correct, he was awarded the Silver Star.

I learned from all of my Cacti buddies, just how important it is to never forget. I am also thankful that I was one of the lucky ones to survive the experience of Vietnam.  Lets all not forget about our current military units who are fighting the war on terror. I have met some of these young men at the 35^th Infantry Regiment reunions, and they are true warriors and special indeed.  

Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving.

Pete

[Thank you, Pete, and Welcome Home. ~CJ]

“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do. And by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale

A Military Salute

At my age, I thought I had seen just about everything.  Then the other day, I came across this video and it surprised the heck out of me.  It's just not something I would have expected to see.  It's a military salute done by Gene Simmons [Kiss] and it's wonderful.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  God Bless America!

Kiss' Military Salute
by Gene Simmons

p.s.  I'm patiently watching my emails for some news from you vets ... thank you!

“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do. And by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale

God is Busy

A dear friend sent me this and I thought it was so good that I wanted to share it with you.  It kinda speaks for itself, don't you agree?

God is Busy

Subject:  If you don't know GOD, don't make stupid remarks!

A United States Marine was attending some college courses between his military assignments. He had completed missions in both Iraq and Afghanistan .  In one of the courses, he had a professor who was an avowed atheist and a member of the ACLU ...

One day the professor shocked the class when he came in.  He looked  up at the ceiling and flatly stated, "God, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly fifteen minutes." The lecture room fell silent, so silent you could hear a pin drop.

Ten minutes went by and the professor cleared his throat and proclaimed, "Here I am, God. I'm still waiting."  Then, when it got down to the last couple of minutes, the Marine got up out of his chair, walked up to the professor, and cold-cocked him, knocking him totally off the platform. The professor was out cold.

The Marine slowly walked back to his seat and sat there, silently. The other students were shocked and stunned, and they sat there looking on in silence. The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken.  Then he looked at the Marine and asked him,"What the heck is the matter with you? Why did you do that?'"

The Marine calmly replied, "God was too busy today protecting American soldiers who are protecting your right to say stupid stuff and act like an idiot. So, He sent me."


God Bless America!


“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do. And by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale

A Military Wife

Yesterday, I posted this on my other blog, CJ's Writer Thoughts.  In thinking about it this morning, I thought I would post it here today as well.  I think you'll understand why.

Before I get too busy and forget, I wanted to tell you I'll be gone over the weekend, so I won't be posting on my blogs until after my return. Robert and I are heading south to Jacksonville, North Carolina, to visit my youngest daughter and her family. It's been fourteen long months and I'm so homesick for them I can't stand it. 

I've written about this little gal on here before. Her husband is a Marine forced recon sniper, and he's now on the downhill side of having 20-years in. He's routinely away, three tours already in both Iraq and Afghanistan, training missions, floats, etc., and out of necessity, she's become quite adept at raising three children, paying the bills and running the household in his absence. Her two oldest, both boys, are autistic, which makes things even harder for her.

If ever there was such a thing as 'the perfect military wife', my daughter is one. She's a petite, outgoing, witty, take-charge (even pushy, when she has to be) sort of lady, who swears like a longshoreman, which at times makes me cringe, but hey, she spends her time shopping at Camp LeJeune, is married to a Marine, and she's continually battling with the military for whatever help she can get for her two autistic sons, so I usually cut her some slack in that department.

I can't remember a time when she wasn't dependable and take-charge.  Even as a child, she was inwardly driven. I remember one summer when we lived in Indiana and our back yard butted up to the 8th hole of a golf course. We had made plans to take the three girls to Disneyland for a week during summer vacation. My ex at the time, a banker, told them they would have to work and save up to have spending money to take with them. The two older girls babysat and did various yard jobs around the neighborhood to earn money.

Not quite old enough to babysit yet, my youngest daughter decided to go the entrepreneur route and sell cans of soda from her red wagon right at the 8th hole on the golf course. Keep in mind, this was almost thirty years ago, during safer times. Anyway, she withdrew some money from her savings and we headed to the grocery store. She bought two cases of soda at a cost of twenty cents a can and then sold them for fifty cents each to grateful golfers as they arrived at the 8th hole. (Of course, I watched her like a hawk from my picture window). When she ran out of soda, we repeated our trip to the grocery. She made over $200 that summer, selling soda to the golfers.

I remember we had a great time at Disneyworld, and all three girls learned something valuable that summer. The value of hard work has followed them through their lives and I'm proud of all of them -- my youngest still has a good head for business, except what Uncle Sam pays doesn't really give her much chance to put those skills to good use ... I know I can't wait to get down there, and it's nice to know she's chomping at the bit like I am (smiling).  I'll be sure and give them all a big hug from you, too. 


“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do. And by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale

Paul Thompson

I don't know much about this Vietnam vet -- he's a brand new friend on Facebook. What I've read here is what I know about him, but he's nice, he's a vet, and he served -- that's good enough for me.  He's earned my respect. Welcome Home, Paul Thompson ... thank you.

("tough enough to wear pink and then some ...")

COWBOY
by Paul Thompson

The old cowboy sits in the far back of the room listening to the gal with the big Gibson singing Patsy Cline. He's thinking about his days as a teenage Recon Marine in the jungles in Viet Nam, life was cheap there and he took so many, about his year in solitary as a POW in Cambodia and two more lives that gave him escape, about his return to the VA hospital and the country he served where he became an outcast for his answer to a call to duty, about all the loving hearts that he broke because he yet knew no better and could then give no more ...

The cowboy’s gone, his whisky's neat untouched, sits alone at his table thinking, listening, “I walk for miles along the highway, well, that’s just my way of saying, I love you” ...
just a beat-up old cowboy that does a bit of project management and writes poems and short stories, mostly western.

I teach from time to time -- U S Naval Academy, UNM-Los Alamos, Oxford, CO Tech U. I'm just "that guy in the three-piece suits and pointy-toed boots", and alone in this life -- can't seem to find a quality cowgirl that will have me.

PJT


“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do. And by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale

To Friendship

When I found this in my mailbox, it made me laugh and it made me feel good because it came from a very good friend.  Naturally, I thought about all of you.  I hope it brings a smile and brightens your day. ~CJ

Friendship ~ None of that Sissy Shit!

Are you tired of those sissy 'friendship' poems that always sound good, but never actually come close to reality?  Well, here is a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship.  You will see no cute little smiley faces here ~ just the stone cold truth of our great and growing  friendship.

1. When you're sad ~ I'll help you get drunk and plot revenge against the sorry bastard who made you sad.

2. When you're blue ~ I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.

3. When you smile ~ I will know you are thinking of something ornery that I would probably want to be involved in.

4. When you're scared ~ I will rag on you about it every chance I get until you're NOT.

5. When you're worried ~ I'll tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining.

6. When you're confused ~ I will talk slowly and try to use only little words.

7. When you're sick ~ Stay the hell away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.

8. When you fall ~ I will laugh at your clumsy ass, but I'll help you up.

9. This is my oath ~ I pledge it to the end. 'Why?' you may ask ~ because you are my friend.

Friendship is like peeing your pants, everyone can see it, but only you can feel the true warmth.

Send this to 10 of your closest friends (me, too) ... then get depressed because you can only think of 4.

“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do. And by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale