Story From Donald Jones, donald.jones@comcast.net
OK, here is a story about the construction of the barracks at Phu Hiep. As those of you who were there know, the entire compound was constructed by the company with a little supervisory help. We mixed cement, poured slabs and put on roofs. And as you probably guessed this is a roof story. As you remember or can see from the pictures of the compound in the Phu Hiep section, the roofing material was corrugated galvanized iron sheets. These were nailed to the rafters. Just take the nail and a big hammer and nail that sucker right through the sheet and into the wood. This worked well for most of the roof until we got a batch of sheets that were of a different thickness, and I'm not talking thinner. Well as you would expect, the nails would just bend or fly away, but they were not going through that iron. The solution was to drill holes and then nail the sheets down, but drills and generators to run them were in high demand, so one side of the barracks never got its roof nailed down. Now I can honestly say that I knew of this problem and tried to get someone to listen, but this was the Army remember. No one listens to the private. So it wasn't such a big deal. The roof was heavy and the winds were light, so not to worry. Anyway I was with the group that was swapped with people from the 244th and headed South to Can Tho before the monsoon rains really got going. But I had to laugh when I heard that the roof of the observer barracks had been blown off in a monsoon storm. If I had still been there I would have probably said something and been blamed for the whole affair.
From: Rudy Calpo
Date: Wednesday, September 27, 2000 11:34 AM
Subject: Vietnam Tour - One Story
Subject: Vietnam Tour - One Story 225th Aviation Company Phu Hiep South Vietnam, RVN GUARD DUTY - JULY 21, 1967 It was customary for everyone in a given company to perform guard duty on a rotation basis. This task includes three people to stay on a guard tower which surround our complex. The duty includes starting at 8pm till 6 am.the next morning. We had about six total towers. We usually had a choice of who would "man" each tower. Since we were all good friends, Heinz Tapio, John D'amico and I decided to pull guard duty together. Each tower had a M-60 machine gun, individual M-16 automatic rifle, telephone radio, and/or personal firearms. Since we all flew as Observers, we each had our own issued .38 revolver. It was left to each tower to decide on the preferred shift. The tower itself was 5 ft. square which made it virtually impossible to rest or sleep. Especially the thought of a possible attack made everyone apprehensive. So, we all decided to stay awake all night and keep each other company. Sometime during the night, we heard scratching sounds coming from the base of our guard tower which made us look at each other with total fear. We manage to lean over the tower to determine the source of the sound. Fearing the worst, we had all our firearms ready. The sound was still obvious but we couldn't see a damn thing. Finally, someone had enough courage to use a flashlight. It was rats trying to climb up our tower. Again, we looked at each other, more so with elation and relief, and pulled out our .38 revolver. We were that close in blasting those rats to hell. FATAL MISSION That following morning after guard duty, everyone was allowed 24 hours off prior to any flying or other duties. We all went back to our hooch (sleeping quarters) to catch up on our sleep. Not knowing until I woke up that afternoon, our Intellegence Operations had receive a report at mid-day of Viet Cong activities in a particular location. Somehow, Heinz was informed of the situation. Either voluntarily or by assignment, Heinz flew that mission with a pilot, Capt. Graves. Late that afternoon, their ETA (estimated time of arrival) was past overdue. We had planned a big celebration that evening. Before nightfall, we decided to fly some of our planes out in search including a helicopter support unit located close-by. Flying through their intended flight path, a helicopter found their plane, scattered in a dense forest. Both pilots were assumed dead - Missing In Action. They were flying at treetop level and something happened. Either shot down by enemy fire or accident. The results are the same. That day was my twenty first birthday - July 22. I have celebrated since, more in thoughts, in memory of Heinz Tapio. He was Twenty years old. In a trip to Washington, DC, my daughter brought back a pencil rubbing of his inscription - HEINZ A. TAPIO. His name is also inscribed in my hometown Vietnam Memorial by the State Capitol, Sacramento, CA. Heinz Tapio and I spent our last week of vacation together prior to going to Vietnam. I met his family, took off in a van and went beach hopping along So. Cal. from Malibu to San Onofre. Him, surfing to his hearts content, and me soaking up sun, watching him, and drinking beer. We lived on nineteen-cent tacos listening to the Rolling Stones and the Mamas and the Pappas.