| Echo Company 2/7
Vietnam Veterans Chapter
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Two-Seven Tooter
Message Board
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 New Chapter Members |
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WELCOME!!
John F. Harley!!
SSgt. John F. Harley is one hell of a Marine. He served in Vietnam with E/2/7 1968-69.
WELCOME!!
Richard J. Dreyer!!
CPL. Dreyer is one outstanding Marine who served with E 2/7 1ST Marine Division during the Vietnam War and now resides in Morris Plains, NJ
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| Upcoming Events
CAMP PENDLETON ANNIVERSARY
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Please share the " Scoop" contained in this Newsletter!!
The 2010 Anniversary Celebration will be conducted in Oceanside California and Camp Pendleton during 1-5 February 2010.
This could be the BEST Anniversary yet, with great accommodations, food and tours. Mark your calendar.
We look forward to seeing you in Oceanside in February. Updates in coming Tooters.
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| Famous Quotes |
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"Now I recall the Recon Marines ragged, filthy cammie shirted young men in green paint who move silent like the fog with deadly purpose in their eyes. Swift, Silent, Deadly... I smile."
Gunnery Sergeant Correll, USMC, Retired
"This is our test - our Guadalcanal, our Chosin Reservoir, our Hue City. Fight with a happy heart and keep faith in
your comrades and your unit. Stay alert, take it all in stride, remain sturdy, and share your courage with each other and the world. You are going to write history, my fine young Sailors and Marines, so write it well."
J.N. Mattis, Major General, US Marines, Iraq, 2006
"They (Marines) have given us our only real fight."
Commanding Officer of the British Army, War of 1812
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Echo Company 2/7
Battle Monument
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88 Fallen Hero's of E 2/7
Keep those donations coming!!
You can pledge a one time amount or a little every month. This is our golden opportunity to provide a lasting legacy to our fallen comrades.
 We now have received over $19,000 in donations.
Semper Fi,
The Monument Committee
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Here is a web link with itinerary and complete information about the return to Vietnam tour planned for 9-22 May 2010.The deadline for applications and payment for the 2/7 return to Vietnam trip is February 23, 2010.
Vietnam Battlefield Tours
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| Marine Corps Trivia |
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Why do Marines & Sailors call restrooms "Heads"?
Why do Marines call individual field equipment "782 Gear"?
In formation with Navy units, why are Marines "on the right side of the line"?
Compliments of R.L. (Bill) Cody
LtCol USMC (Retired)
A GREAT Web Site
Sharing stuff was once cumbersome. Even with a meeting to look at scrapbooks, or exchanging a few photos in the mail, the details were still difficult to convey. Now with the Internet we have instant worldwide communication and a whole new dimension for sharing information.
Compliments of: Robert L. Rohrer
USMC 1551264 1956 - 1962
Have a web site, photos, or interesting story you wish to share?
Submit it here:
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U.S. Casualties from the Vietnam War
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Vietnam War:
KIA by Military Service Branch
Air Force: 2,584
Army: 38,209
Coast Guard: 7
Marine Corps: 14,838
Navy: 2,555
Total 58,193
The National Archives
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| 7th Marines In Vietnam 1965-1970 |
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We look forward to keeping you informed. Semper Fidelis!
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| "Ready for Anything
Counting on Nothing"
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01 December 2009 |
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Above: ONTOS attached to E 2/7 June, 1966
Ontos means "the thing" in Greek. As applied to the Marine's armored vehicle, it could mean "the rare thing". This armored vehicle made significant contributions to the success of Marine infantry operations in Vietnam, but less is known about the vehicle than any other armored vehicle produced by the US military. Even among military vehicle collectors, the name Ontos often draws blank expressions.
The reasons may stem from the fact that the Ontos was produced in small numbers. Only 176 vehicles are known to have been in the Marine Corps at the start of the Vietnam War. Another factor is the Marine Corps quickly disposed of the surplus vehicles; removing much of the hulls and gun mounts. With so few examples of surviving Ontos making it into the hands of museums and collectors, its story didn't get told. There are more surviving WWI tanks today than Ontos.
ONTOS on patrol with E/27 July 1966 - Enlarge >
Overview
The Ontos was a relatively light weight tracked armored fighting vehicle that was designed in the early 1950's to destroy the main battle tanks of this era using the firepower from its six 106mm recoilless rifles. Three crew members were crammed into a compartment slightly higher than 4'. It served the US Marines from 1956 until the bulk of them were dismembered in 1970.
The first test would be against the Dominican rebels in April of 1965. The second test was in the environment of Vietnam. The Ontos carried the beehive round that sent out a hundred darts per firing to clean out a jungle of its enemy. There was no other weapon that could clear a jungle for a depth of a ¼ mile like the 106mm recoilless rifle using the beehive round. Artillery shells and bombs effectiveness was cut to the area of a direct hit. In Vietnam, the Ontos's deployment was often a knee jerk decision by Battalion Commanders. They were used mostly as perimeter defense with some convoy duty.
What happened to the Ontos?
The Marines deactivated the Ontos from Vietnam in May 1969. A few of the Ontos were left in Vietnam and turned over to an Army Light Infantry Brigade near Tam KY. The Army ran them until they ran out of replacement parts. They then made them into fixed bunkers. The remainder of the machines in Vietnam were loaded into ships in May of 1969 for return to the US. The crews were reassigned to various Marine Infantry Battalions.
The last Ontos garrison was stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. It continued to operate until 1980 by which time it had one operational vehicle. Two others were used for parts.
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| Marine Toys For Tots Foundation |
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| Vietnam War Booby Traps |
Vietnam - A Different Type of War
A booby trap is an antipersonnel device, such as a landmine or grenade, placed in a building or in a noncombat area that has a psychological draw for enemy soldiers. The term comes from the implication such a trap will be set off by a foolish person (a booby). The first use of the term is from the 1850s, when it was first used to describe practical jokes that are set off by their victim.
A booby trap is distinguished from a land mine by the fact that it is an improvised weapon, perhaps made from an artillery shell, or a grenade, or a quantity of high explosives, whereas a land mine is manufactured for its specific purpose.
During the Vietnam War, even motorcycles were rigged with explosives by the Viet Cong and abandoned. US soldiers would be tempted to ride the motorcycle and thus trigger the explosives. As well, Viet Cong soldiers would rig Rubber Band Grenades and place them in huts that US Marines would likely search. Another popular booby trap is the Grenade in a Can trap. This involves a primed grenade in a container and a string attached, sometimes with the grenade's fuse mechanism modified to give a much shorter delay than the four to seven seconds typical with grenade fuses. The Viet Cong soldiers primarily used these on doors and attached them to tripwires on jungle paths. The Viet Cong also used far simpler, but also effective, low technology booby traps in the form of punji sticks hidden in pits.
CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE
LAND MINES
Landmines caused thirty-three percent of all total American casualties in the Vietnam War and caused thirty-four percent of all American causalities during the Gulf War. In the Vietnam War, fifty-five percent of landmine victims died before receiving medical assistance, twenty-eight percent of mine survivors lost one or both limbs after amputations, and seventy-five percent of amputees require blood transfusions. The U.S. State Department estimates that landmines kill or injure one civilian worldwide every twenty-two minutes-totaling nearly twenty-six thousand victims per year.
 Mines & Booby Traps Used in the Vietnam War 
During the Vietnam War, over 75,000 were severely disabled. 23,214 were 100% disabled. 5,283 lost limbs. 1,081 sustained multiple amputations. Amputation or crippling wounds to the lower extremities were 300% higher than in WWII and 70% higher than Korea. Multiple amputations occurred at the rate of 18.4% compared to 5.7% in WWII. Source: James Madison University
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| The Betel Nut Smile |
Marines serving in the Vietnam countryside quickly noticed the "betel nut smile". The momasons would be along the road selling soda, beer, trinkets, watching us as we passed by. Smiling at us with with those bright red lips, blackened teeth and gums. Sickening, we thought. Why did the momasons chew this stuff called "betel nut" anyway? It was the same from one village to the next. Momasons chewing betel nut. Marines in Vietnam would see this time and time again. Maybe it was a cultural thing, or did they chew this for medicinal purposes?
What to Know
Betel Nut is chewed for their effects of a mild stimulant, causing a mild hot sensation in the body and slightly heightened alertness, although the effects vary from person to person.
Betel nut can be chewed alone, but is often chewed in combination with other ingredients (called a "quid"),
The "betel nut" plays an important role in Vietnamese culture.
In Vietnamese there is a saying that "the betel begins the conversation", referring to the practice of people chewing betel in formal occasions or "to break the ice" in awkward situational conversations. The betel leaves and areca nuts are used ceremonially in traditional Vietnamese weddings. Based on a folk tale about the origins of these plants, the groom traditionally offer the bride's parents betel leaves and areca nuts (among other things) in exchange for the bride. The betel and areca nut are praised as an ideal combination to the point that have become important symbols of the ideal married couple bound together in love. Therefore in Vietnamese the phrase "matters of betel and areca" (chuyện trầu cau) is synonymous with marriage.
Regular betel chewing causes the teeth and gums to be stained orange/red, a color that was formerly considered attractive in  certain cultures. In Vietnamese poetry the slightly red-stained lips of a young woman chewing areca nut and betel are considered a mark of beauty. It is believed that regular chewing reduces the incidence of cavities, and toothpastes were once produced containing betel extracts. However, the increase in mouth ulcers and gum deterioration caused by areca nut and betel chewing may outweigh any positive effects.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) regards the chewing of betel and areca nut to be a known human carcinogen. The media has reported that regular chewers of betel leaf and areca nut have a higher risk of damaging their gums and acquiring cancer of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus and stomach. The Legend of the Betel Nut
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| The Vietnam War Veterans |
All Vietnam War veterans who served honorably are heroes. Period.
And this truism should have been saliently evident in the 1960s and 1970s; but, sadly, many citizens in this country looked at these great heroes as symbols of a war that they were against. So, instead of receiving a heroes welcome when these superstars returned to America, they were mistreated, vilified, and scorned. The horrible way these heroes were treated remains one of the most disgraceful and disgusting parts of American history.
And both the war and this mistreatment have caused innumerable problems for many of our hero Vietnam veterans. Some have died by suicide. Others have suffered from PTSD, and a myriad of other serious problems.
Marines have great respect and love for our Vietnam veteran brothers. Marines in our chapter are highly honored and privileged to know many of them. Vietnam War veterans are very special people. They have endured incredible pain, and the misdirected scorn of a nation, yet they are among the most patriotic people in America. Our Vietnam Veterans are amazing people. We owe them a lot.
First and foremost, we owe them respect...they have earned it.
Respect for serving in one of the most difficult wars in our history, and doing so honorably. Respect for returning home and not
being treated as heroes. Respect for their sacrifices. We owe them honor...they have earned it.
These heroes must be honored forever. They have earned the highest level of honor that America can bestow upon them.
Semper Fi,
Echo Company 2/7 Vietnam Veterans Chapter
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