MED EVAC HOSPITAL
by Dan Waldo

It is sort of interesting that like any holiday, Tet happened every year; but when VN vets talk about Tet, it is Tet 1968 that they always recall. I only have one memory (of that night), but I'm sure other stories will bring back others. I hope my memory of two events were in fact the same day.


MOTOR POOL AREA OF COMPANY A, 70TH ENGINEERS AT THE 299TH COMPOUND, PLEIKU


We had made the decision that we would not sleep in our hutches (299th compound, as in An Khe, we had hutches and from then on only tents!) but we went down to the motor pool which was on the perimeter and slept (or not) in our bunkers. Then during the "fun and games" of the night we heard this explosion and raining of metal. The next morning we found out the VC hit the med evac hospital and the metal noise was the corrigated roofing flying around and landing. Seems the VC really wanted to hit the MACV Headquarters which was next to the hospital, but missed.

Sonny (Bales) and I drove over the next day to see what help they may need and found out that there was only one death. Instead of ducking for cover, a VC prisoner that was in the hospital decided to take advantage of the attack and take off. Instead, he got hit with shrapnel.

That's my only Tet memory. (Dan Waldo served "on and off" with Company A as XO and CO from August 1967 to February 1968)

     
PICTURED ABOVE
Left: Lt Dan Waldo (later, Captain) Right: Howard "Sonny" Bales, Waldo's jeep driver








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