John Heritage's Story

John Heritage's Story

John Heritage's story:

I'm sure glad I found your site. My duty with C 5/4 began in June 1969 when

I reported at Nancy after I processed in at Red Devil. At Red Devil I got my

first taste of the latrine barrels burning detail.

I was initially assigned to Gun 5 as a gunner. I believe my chief at the time was

SGT Hill. We relocated to LZ Angel a short time later. We stayed at Angel for about two

weeks then moved to C-2 where we took over the 3rd Marines. I took over as

gun chief of Gun 5 after SGT hill left. I can not recall the names of the

crew at this time. When BN maintenance pulled my pack on C-25, we had to

shoot manual for two months. The gunner on Gun 1 got promoted to E-6

consequently I was moved to the gunner position on base piece Gun 3. SSG

Joe Barnes was the chief at the time and later PFC James Boblett from

California, CPL Holt from Tenn, SP4 Fish, and PFC Lockett joined the crew.

I can not recall the other crew members' names.

We were very close to the guys on Gun 6, SSG Robinson's gun. His gunner,

SGT Eldon Redfish was a full blooded Sioux from South Dakota.

I got in contact with him last spring after 35 years of trying.

He is now the finance officer of his entire tribe.

I would like to get in contact with the rest of the crew some day.

In May I attended a reunion for the DMZ FA units held at Branson and sponsored

by the 74th FA which was based at Camp Carroll.

I was only rep there from 5/4 FA or 5th Mech. I volunteered to try to get guys from

5th Mech to attend the next reunion which is in the planning stages at this time.

I sure would like to get one going for Charlie Btry 5/4.

How do you guys feel about that?

The following is a list of assignments I had up until retirement:

July 70-July 71: Ft Sill, Chief of Firing Btry Branch

July 71-July 74: A Btry, 2/3rd FA, Schwienfurt , Germany

July 74-Sep 75: Ft. Sill, C Btry, 1/18th FA, 3 Corp Arty

Sep 75-Feb 78: Ft. Sill, C Btry, 2nd Trng BN (Drill Status)

Feb 78-Oct 79: C, Btry, 18th FA, Augsburg, Germany

Oct 79-Mar 83: Sr. ROTC instructor assigned to Ft. Bragg with duty at Penn

State (NICE)

Mar 83-Oct 85: Svc & A Btry, 1/18th FA, Augsburg, Germany

Oct 85-Oct 86: Ft. Sam Houston, US Army Garrison

Oct 86-July 88: Ft. Carson, SVC Btry, 2/29th FA

July 88-Jan 89: Ft. Bliss, Sergeants' Major Academy

Jan 89-May 89: 17th FA BDE, Operations SGM, Augsburg, Germany

May 89-Dec 91: 3/5th FA BN, Nuremberg, Germany

Dec 91-Jan 96: Ft, Sill, FA School Snow Hall and 214th FA BDE

January 1, 1996: Retirement

CSM John Heritage (USA Ret.)