Secretary, 2/4 Association, 2868 New Berlin Road, Jacksonville, FL 32226-1722
Hi fellow Bastards,
Hi… I was a member of Echo 2/4 in Vietnam for about 5 weeks (Sept 28 – Nov 3, 1969)…or until unit was withdrawn…I went on to 2/26 near Lang Co for 4 months (then they pulled out) and then moved on to 2/7 at both LZ Ross and LZ Baldy- leaving Nam on Sept 17, 1970.
I don’t remember anyone from Echo…I was the only new guy who made it, and being too tired and scared (as we were on an extended tour of mountains and valleys…lol). I think of Echo fondly though. The squad and platoon seemed to have Marines there a minimum of 8+ mos. in country and most had purple hearts…You might say I was the platoon’s pack animal..carrying everybody’s everything (or so it seemed)…basically, I did whatever I was told. By the time I left Echo I had gained a lot of survival knowledge which somehow allowed me to survive a whole tour being sniped at, shelled, mortared, ambushed, and booby trapped up the gazoo… My later tasks went way beyond the standard 0311 and 0331 MOSs I had. I did have a secondary 9940 MOS (Vietnamese language)…became a liaison with an ARVN unit to coordinate air and artillery strikes(so I had map, radio skills, and F.O added to my growing MOS list. The I became a battalion S-2 Scout-was attached out to companies (find the enemy, find and/or mark booby traps, did a kind of super point with a Kit Carson scout partner…set up listening devices…and night killer teams, long range LPs and a host of special missions) I never slept.
Anyway, I’d appreciate it if you’d steer me to other Marines who might have been there in early October-November 1969. What do you suggest? By the way I turned 21 in Vietnam with Echo.
Thank you,
Bill Rittenhouse
Contact Bill Rittenhouse with any further info
I emailed Bill Rittenhouse. I was serving as a squad leader in 3rd plt. Echo 2/4 in the time frame he asked about. Thanks.
I was on amble bunker detail to clean up the bunker with private Gibson, private florist and one other marine. I was so tall I went outside because there’s no room in the amble bunker ordinary will be passed through to me through the window. I was looking in and I asked private Gibson What was that? He says I don’t know but don’t look good. We kept on moving ammo ammo was by the door and we couldn’t get the door open so I pulled them through the window guy Gibson out another marine went up to tell the Lieutenant that the ammo buck is getting ready to blow. Next thing I know I was transferred to LT Ross. My name is Chris 226 Marines.