CAPTAIN DOUG JOHNSON

I remember LTC Gerald Bobzien with considerable affection, but LTC Bruce Holbrook was a good guy to learn the "ropes of war" from.  l'll never forget one evening as we were eating at the Brigade mess. He became very agitated as you may recall he ALWAYS was on Monday - BIG Pill Day. He swore that it was about time for something to happen - and twenty minutes later there was that muzzle burst in "A" Btry. He just sensed it.

Vince (Maj Vincente DeJesus) had been Bn S-4 and HQ Service Battery Commander in the 6/9^th in Germany. As you read the newspapers, the war in Vietnam was having NO EFFECT on units in Germany! Yeah! I lost half my cannoneers and motor sergeant and cooks to Vietnam fill, and was in turn "filled" by new soldiers - not 13XYZ'z but 11C MORTAR guys!!! Then the LTC was called away and we had a Major as Bn Cdr for about a month until he was deployed and the mantle finally fell upon Vincente as the Senior Captain!!! He was still commanding when I left, but he beat me to ‘Nam by about a week.

I remember Lt Ed Thomas and vaguely Lt Dennis Munden (I think) and Lt Malcolm Spencer. Have some reasonable shots of CW1 Franklin and do remember them both (Franklin & Capt Carlton) being wounded.

Captain Casp and LTC Kimmel were both killed while I was on R&R (Nov 67) as best I recall.

I just found the guy's name I was FOing for – Lt Carl Stout. He had a Nurse Girlfriend (Mary) down near Bong Son or something like that. Anyway I filled in for him for a while.

I was fortunate enough to go back to the Artillery Officer Career Course at Sill which was largely a waste of time, but a break in an accepting, understanding atmosphere. Anyway, I went back for a second tour in Nam from Sill after spending a horrible assignment after graduation with the 4/28th FA (175mm) which spent most of its time doing Site Support - half of it at Ft Chaffee.

When I returned I was assigned as S-3, 2/19th FA, 1/5 Bde, 1/5 Cav Div until it stood down in 1971. 

Captain Doug Johnson