LRRP / RAIDER / RECONDO SCHOOL DIPLOMAS NEEDED !!!!

[Brasso]

John, I would just like to get a copy of the 101st Recondo but if it's a hassle getting it out of the frame, don't bother with it. But if you do get it out of the frame then scan it and email me a copy that would be great, Also if you added in how long the school was and what unit you were in when you went through would be great, Here's the link to our page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/82ndX...74430522588397 Thanks John

[Purple]

Here's a copy of my BDQ Diploma from 1970:

Interesting certificate.


Soetaert.jpg Fake BDQ.jpg

http://www.military-certificates.com...nger_Badge.htm

The General who signed the certificate claimed to have been issued in 1970 had retired in 1965...

In 1965, Đôn retired and was elected to the Senate in 1967 after topping the elections. He later served as the defense minister, until 29 April 1975, leaving for the United States one day before the fall of Saigon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tran_Van_Don

That certificate found its way to Fort Ord 16 months later?

Assigned to 1/27th Infantry as a Platoon Sgt. Made E-6 in November, 1967. Transferred to the Division LRRP in February, 1968.
Assigned to the 3rd Mobile Strike Force Command (B-36) in May, 68. Assigned to Ft Ord in Feb, 1969

http://www.armyparatrooper.org/dropz...hp/5585-sfmike

FWIW - every such certificate/diploma I ever saw awarded was in the language of the host nation and accompanied by an official translation, and certificates from the ARVN Ranger Training Center had the Training Center SSI on them (see below certificate for SGT Giang issued in 1966) - not a Ranger combat brigade SSI.

ARVN RgrTngCtr.jpg ARVN Rnger Tng Diploma.jpg

And so it goes...

Purple

[JoBa]

[QUOTE=Brasso;392930]John, I would just like to get a copy of the 101st Recondo but if it's a hassle getting it out of the frame, don't bother with it. But if you do get it out of the frame then scan it and email me a copy that would be great, Also if you added in how long the school was and what unit you were in when you went through would be great, Here's the link to our page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/82ndX...74430522588397 Thanks John[/QUOTE]


I will be more than happy to send you a copy of it. I had posted that my class was three weeks, because that is how I remember it after 49 years. I had found a web site that Sgt. England from the school had set up and maintained that gave the history of it. It had said that the school was two weeks long, which I found odd, I would have sworn it was a three week course. Then later I found a mention in England's thread that it was indeed a three week course.

This is the reason I was careful to let y'all know the date I went through it. I was hopping someone could confirm it for me.

I do know this. My company commander volunteered me for the school. He called me in his office and said I would be headed there the following week. In those days, everyone was not exactly scrambling to be bad asses like they are today. For me, it was a genuine "Oh Shit" moment. From what I had heard, to make it through the school, all you had to do was have a set of balls and the strength to muscle your way through the course. This proved not t be the case, there was also a goodly academic portion of it. I was an FO, so I had long since mastered map reading both in the class and on the field. (There is a very big difference between the two) So, since they only issued us about two hours sleep a night, when they were feeling kindly toward us, I used classroom time to practice sleeping with my eyes open.

When I was told I was going to the school, I remember going through the medical physical quietly praying to G-d that they would find something minor wrong, like a hole in my heart or some such thing which would disqualify me, no such luck.

Anyway as I remember it, a few days into the third week, they booted my dumb ass out because I did not know how to give a patrol order. I had slept through that part of the training. To me, that was just fucking wonderful, I couldn't have been happier. Now I could get back to my life, sleep eight hours, and eat normal. I was especially happy because I had heard some real bad things about that last week.

I was surprised to learn that my Company Commander did not share my joy with the whole thing. He volunteered me for the very next class, which started in just about a week. He assigned two Sergeants, both Recondo graduates to drill the heck out of me on the academic portion of the school. When I arrived back, I am sure I knew more than the cadre about every little stinking detail of conducting a patrol and everything else.

I got to the third week, what fun. I am especially fond of the POW compound experience. I did not scream, I did not talk, they did not get shit out of me. After our capture, on the way there, in the back of a Duce n a half, with a burlap bag over our heads, I was able to untie my bindings under the seat. The trucks started slowing down on an uphill climb, and I went over the back. The burlap bags did not inhibit vision worth a shit. My hands were still tied together, my M-14 was still slung across my shoulders, and the bag was still over my head.

I ran until I could not breath at all, and found a dried out stream and jumped down in it. I was working feverishly on the knots when couple of leg jerks or whatever they were, started yelling that they had found me. Off I went to the POW compound. I think they were a little afraid of me because I had butt stroked one of my captors as we came off the choppers.

Anyway, they did a number on me with the electricity, I was the last ones to savor those moments. Then the big rescue raid, but I couldn't walk. My leg wouldn't work. It took about ten or twenty minutes of being supported by another guy to where I could walk again. There was three of us heading across country, covered in that slime form the "sewage tank" and stinking like a rotting mess hall dumpster, when we came across a blacktop road, a civilian road. It was probably about two or three in the morning. We started hitchhiking and a guy form the 101st picked us up. We laid low going through the gate, he took us right to our home company barracks. I showered, put on clean fatigues, and got a ride back to the school. The school was over, I had made it through, but I did not think I had passed.

It was raining and we were waiting under the stairs to be called up to find out if we graduated. One guy after another came back down the stairs without a diploma, they had failed. When I got called the guy, I can't recall if he was enlisted or an officer, asked me why I looked so down. I told him I did not want to have to go through this course another time. He said not to worry. He told me they hardly ever let anyone go through twice, let alone three times, it doesn't happen.

Then he said congratulations, you came in third in your class, and handed me that diploma. To say I was a happy camper would be an extreme understatement.

In my mind about 145 guys started the class, but it might have been just 45, I honestly can not remember. Only about nine or ten of us received diplomas .

The web site Sgt English maintained is now gone. It was great, and was loaded with photos and stories. I only saved one photo that I will send to you that was on that site. It never occurred to me that it would disappear for good. I wish I had copied every bit of it.

I'm hoping some of you guys can confirm the time frames for me.

Sorry this was so long, but I'm old, old guys like to tell their stories, live with it.

-John

[JoBa]

I think I should add for your guys info. I have suffered more than a few minor brain concussions. My memory is not what it once was. I will do all I can to relate things as honestly as I can with you, however, I do ask that you bear with me and especially that you straighten me out if my recollection of events are not as they should be.

We used to have a saying when I was serving; "You can shit the public, but you can not shit the troops."

I will abide by that to the best of my ability.

-John

[JoBa]

John, I would just like to get a copy of the 101st Recondo but if it's a hassle getting it out of the frame, don't bother with it. But if you do get it out of the frame then scan it and email me a copy that would be great, Also if you added in how long the school was and what unit you were in when you went through would be great, Here's the link to our page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/82ndX...74430522588397 Thanks John

OK, I got it done. My scanner would not quite do the whole thing, but all pertinent info is there.

I am not much of a computer person, so if anyone knows how to turn it horizontal, I'd appreciate that.

If you want a better shot of it, I'd be glad to take it down to the print shop and have it done. I'm retired now, I have plenty of time.

-John

[Mortarman11c]

SPC Tentpeg is a badass.......

[Purple]

Anybody heard from sfmike lately?

Purple

[IEDmagnet]

Anybody heard from sfmike lately?

Purple

I think he lost his compass, or the map you posted the other day struck him funny.

[sfmike]

I'm still here!

[Ops NCO]

Interesting certificate.


Soetaert.jpg Fake BDQ.jpg

http://www.military-certificates.com...nger_Badge.htm

The General who signed the certificate claimed to have been issued in 1970 had retired in 1965...



That certificate found its way to Fort Ord 16 months later?



FWIW - every such certificate/diploma I ever saw awarded was in the language of the host nation and accompanied by an official translation, and certificates from the ARVN Ranger Training Center had the Training Center SSI on them (see below certificate for SGT Giang issued in 1966) - not a Ranger combat brigade SSI.

ARVN RgrTngCtr.jpg ARVN Rnger Tng Diploma.jpg

And so it goes...

Purple

Just saw this. Sfmike - Your thoughts on Purple's questions?

[yrualeg]

And the Silence is deafening.....

[Ops NCO]

Just saw this. Sfmike - Your thoughts on Purple's questions?

And the Silence is deafening.....

sfmike - I know you've been on the site since these questions were raised, and you were an active participant in this thread until then, too. We would appreciate a response.

[CAL]

sfmike - I know you've been on the site since these questions were raised, and you were an active participant in this thread until then, too. We would appreciate a response.

Tick tock Mofo.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[RH]

Tick tock Mofo.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

Sfcmike, you have a lot riding on your actions right now.

As you can tell...we are all waiting.

You have the attention of the ENTIRE SITE STAFF.

[yrualeg]

I think time is about to run out on our Cinderella Story here. You stopped by on the 8th