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Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - 4:02 PM
THIS MOUNTAIN WAS APPROXIMATELY 15 CLICKS SOUTH WEST
OF MY BASE CAMP DAU TIENG. DAU TIENG WAS A SMALL
FIRE BASE THAT PROVIDED FIRE MISSIONS FOR THE
TROOPS AT THE TOP AND THE BOTTOM OF THE
MOUNTAIN. THE ENEMY OWNED THE MIDDLE OF THE
MOUNTAIN. THIS MOUNTAIN IS NOW A BEAUTIFUL TOURIST
ATTRACTION PRESENT DAY.
SOUNDS KIND OF CRAZY AFTER 58,000 OF MY BROTHERS
DIED MAKING IT SO. GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS FOREVER.
SIGNED: HUGH R. TAYLOR 1ST SFG\ABN,10TH SFG\ABN,
& 588TH COMBAT ENG BATTALION VIETNAM 1968.
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Black Virgin Mountain. battles around the bottom of the mountain
I would like to know more about the battles around the bottom of the mountain?? Please if you were with a infantry unit that did battles around the bottom
E-mail me. and tell me your stories... rezonemn@yahoo.com
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Black virgin mountain
I was stationed with the 196th 21st C company as I remember.. Would of arrived shortly after spending Christmas at Long Ben after entering country. I remember operation Grand Junction but can't remember if that was my first operation? What I remember most was, after a chopper crashed up on the side of the mountain, we were assigned the task of going up to recover the bodies. The crash had happened much closer to the top but there were not enough guys up there to recover the bodies. So, away we went! We all knew without doubt that if we survived this, we would never forget the experience. The idea of getting to the spot without Charlie getting on our case never occurred to us and we n
Knew for sure if we made it there, they would be waiting for us. What we found was that the climb up that mountain of Brandt boulders was the toughest job that was ever to be given to us! We finally did make it to the site of the crash without seeing any enemy but it was so late in the day that we were going to have to spend the night there.. Sleeping on rocks a few hours and standing guard the rest of the night, we somehow finally seen the sun come up. After much work, the bodies were recovered and put in body bags to be extracted by a chopper.. For some reason, I seem to remember very strong winds the bodies could not be extracted so we had to carry the bodies back down the side of that mountain! Trying to come down the side of that mountain with three bodies in bags that had been burned so bad was no easy task... Seems to me it took about 4 men on each body and the rest were spread out in-between them to provide as much protection as possible. Everyone was dealing with total exhaustion and yet we had to go on so we wouldn't have to spend another night out there.. Finally, as day was coming to an end, we reached the bottom and the cherish victims were extracted by a chopper. In the two days on the mountain, we never saw one Charlie or fired one shot! Although we were VERY happy to be down, we all knew we had dodged a very big bullet! I remember those two days more than any other two days in spent in Vietnam..
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The Mountain
Gary Divis, I also went to the mountain 2 weeks after May 13 I was also with the 121st sig I painted THE BIG RED ONE on the rock outside the hooch. not to say how many sand bags we filled. I remember talking to the mail clerck who servived the attack. I can"t say i remember you but that was many moons ago.
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Quarry by 362nd Light Equipment Co
In 1970 as a 1st Lt, I ran a quarry to provide material for the construction of Highway One. I provided rock material for the Rock crushers, road, asphalt Plant and, concrete plant. We were always getting fired at from unknown positions in the midsection of the mountain. I thought it to be the strangest thing to control the top and bottom and not the middle sections. I understand it could not be bombed or destroyed because it was some sort of religious shrine. I almost died out there one evening. I had been assigned to the asphalt plant for a couple of weeks and before I reported to my Co apon returning I wanted to check on my men at Nui Ba Dinh. It was a winding road off of Highway One to the mountain and many areas of the road had growth concealing it. As I proceeded down the road a young vietnamese boy kept jumping in front of my jeep to prevent me from gong to the mountain that day. I always gave him candy and food for his family so I could not figure out why he was acting this way. He finally convinced me to listen to him by jumping in the jeep and clinging to me tightly. Had I gone another 50 yards I would have been ambushed and killed along with my driver. My men had already left after coming under heavy fire and the only thing going on out there was charlie waiting in ambush. I owe that boy my life and I made sure he was well taken catre of.
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Night at the temple Summer 1969
We had a heavy team of 8 walk to the temple to pull surveillance on the Cou Dai temple. No problem getting there. Was awe struck by the beauty and the destruction from previous battles there. There were drums of CS powered all around. We sleep half in the temple and half out for guard duty. Next day we found the NVA and VC walking about like we were not there.
How do we get out? If we walk up to the top, we’re great targets. If we walk down it’s most likely booby trapped. We called in Hueys but they could not land due to the steep terrain. They secured 100 foot ropes to the cargo rings in the floor with two rangers inside. The ropes were thrown out and we latched in using stabo rigs and D rings.
4 of us hooked up. The chopper couldn’t maneuver like it should. It went straight up and laterally so not to throw us around. The chopper took 15 rounds and disabled the hydraulics. Now the chopper could not land. 3 of us and myself were still hanging underneath from the ropes. We were swing around and turning upside down, some hanging from their knees.
As we approached Tay Ninh base camp the chopper slowed to 30 MPH forward speed and 30 MPH down speed. As we hit the rice paddy, our guys in the chopper slashed the ropes. A medivac chopper came in to pick up the pieces but we were fine because the rice paddy was dry like talcum powder.
The chopper went in to make an airplane landing, the skids pulling waves of sparks from the metal corrugate.
Lucky to be alive but that is my experience with the Black Virgin.
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BLACK VIRGIN MOUNTAIN-TAY NINH-1969
WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE THAT WAS IN MY COMPANY AT THE TOP OR BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAIN IN 1969. IS THERE A WEBSITE FOR THE 587 SIGNAL COMPANY??? THERE SHOULD BE,WE KICKED SOME VC ASS. MY E-MAIL ADDRESS IS: rstrout1@roadrunner.com I HOPE TO HEAR FROM SOMEONE WHO KNOW ME.
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Nui Ba Dinh
I was with the first units that went up on top in Oct of 1967. 194th M.P. Co, 1st Signal Brigade attached to 125th Signal, 25th Infantry Division. Was up there from Oct to Jan of '68, went down for about a month and got sent back up in mid Feb. I was there til the 23rd of May, 10 days after we got over run. Use to have alot of slides and photos taken on top, but some REMF sgt stole them from me. Just wanted to straigthen something out about that night. The intiial explosions that night, the 13th, were satchel charges the VC or NVA threw at me near my bunker #2. Motors followed from the gully below bunker 17. I listen to them torture Cousins who was in bunker #3. Anyone there that night, please contact me here. I'm looking for Tommy Duffy. He was my hootchmate that night. I will check back for response.
Love, Respect & Brotherhood
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Nui Ba Dinh
Spent almost my entire tour from just after the attack in '68 to May '69 on the lovely lady... at least she was during the daytime. I was part of a small group of 4 troops from the 1st Inf 121 Sig Batt. assigned to the mountain to run a radio relay station. One of the funniest times up there was when a drunken chopper pilot decided that he wanted to drop in for a beer. problem was that it was the rainy season and we were completely socked in the clouds. He told us just to throw some flares, he would find the landing pad..... and he did. I found this site as I was looking up the spelling for a VA form that I have to fill out. Can't believe that they turned it into a tourist attaction... although if the pagoda and some of the stone carving survived, it would make for some interesting speculation on what went on. In fact, I wonder if the rock I carved my name in and the Big Red One are still there? Lots of stories... some good, some bad - but all rememberable.....If you get current day pictures of the place....post them.
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Nui Ba Den '71-'72
I was with the 535th Signal Co. on the top from around Nov to Feb. Anyone there at that time.
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Interesting veiw of war 1971 & 72
There was 13 American, with Arvin guarding us, I spent my 23rd birthday there in July of 71, we had quite a veiw. The wooley pets were aways hitting the sides. Ounce they caught the grass on fire, it started blowing some of mines on perimiter. We had gunships, F4's, Cobras, and other, planes working out on side of mountian most of time. Also spent New Year.there, 71-72 I also spent a week trying to get radio there in Oct 71, the mountain was clouded in, and when that broke the wind was high, chopper couldn't land, trying to land in wind very interesting. Altogether spent about 2 months there, have a lot of memeries of place, for me none to bad. If anyone was there that time please contact, through this blog I will check, time to time.
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13 MAY 1968 MASSACRE ON NUI BA DINH, BLACK VIRGIN MOUNTAIN
I HAVE A BLOG DESCRIBING THE 13 MAY 1968 MASSACRE ON THIS MOUNTAIN. GO TO: http://katzenmeier.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/the-nui-ba-den-massacre/
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NUI BA DINH
In November of 1967 our platoon (25th MP Co) escorted a convoy around Nui Ba Dinh to the Old French Fort. We drew sporadic rifle fire and returned same off and on during the entire trip. We never saw the enemy due to the dense jungle/forest around us. I am not sure what the mission was or the reason for going to the Old French Fort. Possibly to resupply troops who flushed out the enemy at the base of the mountain. Some troops were ferried in on hueys. We were there for several days then convoyed out to Tay Ninh. Most of the time, our leaders never informed us of the reason for the mission. I think that the VC knew more about our mission then the average soldier. Sometimes we never knew exactly where we were. Some obscure village or remote area on a grid map, but that was it. It sure would have been nice if we were told what the purpose of our mission was, but that was seldom the case. Probably one of the reasons we left Vietnam to finish their own war!
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NUI BA DINH, BLACK VIRGIN MOUNTAIN
I SPENT A MONTH ON TOP OF NUI BA DINH, THE MONTH AFTER IT WAS OVERRUN. I WILL HAVE A VIDEO ON YOUTUBE SOON, WITH PHOTOS OF THE BLACK VIRGIN. CHECK OUT MY BLOG ABOUT THE AMBUSH AT AP NHI, WHICH WAS IN THIS AREA. GO TO:http://katzenmeier.wordpress.com/
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The Black lady
I was on her in 1968,18th of August when we were overrun, lucky to be here. Yes, I have pictures of this and a Bronze star that wouldn"t buy me a coffee! I say the lady has changed and so have I. Was missing in action up there because when I was ordered to take commmand of a bunker that was blown up they pulled the wire behind me and just forgot to releave me. It was a terrible night alone. Have alot to tell. Was with the 587th signal co(support} from Tay nin base camp just to fill sand bags around the equipment when all hell broke loose. I live in Ohio. address is 1696 S. Jeannie Dr. Marblehead, ohio 43440 Also had many wives but not at the same time, HAHA! I think all wives should come with a manual.
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BLACK VIRGIN MOUNTAIN ( NUI BA DINH )
WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE THAT WAS NEAR THE MOUNTAIN AND SOME OF YOUR STORIES OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS MOUNTAIN. I WAS STATIONED AT A SMALL
FIRE BASE ABOUT 15 CLICKS NORTHEAST OF THE BLACK VIRGIN MOUNTAIN. OUR FIRE BASE SUPPORTED THE TROOPS THAT WERE BASED AT THE TOP AND THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAIN. I HAD SOME BEAUTIFUL PICTURES FLYING OVER THE MOUNTAIN IN A HUEY BUT MY DUMB ASS SECOND WIFE THREW THEM AWAY. OH! WELL ALOT OF VETS CAN RELATE TO HAVING SEVERAL MARRIAGES THAT DIDN'T WORK, A COMMON THING AMONGST VETS. I HEAR THE BLACK VIRGIN MOUNTAIN IS A TOURIST ATTRACTION NOW. FUNNY
THING HOW THAT WORKS OUT AFTER A WAR THAT TOOK SO MANY OF MY BROTHERS AWAY. I SURE HOPE TO HEAR SOME COMMENTS FROM ANYONE WHO CAN RELATE TO ANY OF THESE SUBJECTS I HAVE MENTIONED HERE. ANYONE CAN COMMENT ON THIS IF HE OR SHE HAS ANY FACTUAL KNOWLEDGE OF THESE AREAS OF CONVERSATION. AGAIN I HOPE TO HEAR FROM SOMEONE.
THANKS TO MY BROTHERS FOR THEIR SERVICE: HUGH R. TAYLOR 1ST SFG\ABN, 10TH SFG\ABN, 588TH COMBAT ENG BATT. 1968 RVN
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