173rd airborn, tunnel rat, small SKYSOLDIER CLEARING A TUNNEL,

I WAS GLAD I WAS A BIG FRAMED TALL GUY, these guys had kahones of steel to go in these tunnels

the 173rd airborne was one of the first if not the first unit in Vietnam, serving from late 1964/early1965 until late 1972

I was with them in country during 70/71 and back again in 72 when we rotated back to the states and the unit was deactivated and two battalions of the 503rd were rolled into the 101st, as there last airborne battalion

I stayed at ft. Campbell until my ETS, was one of the NCO's that was on the 101st airborne divisions Expert infantry badge testing cadre as well as an instructor in the airmobile school

on my first tour as a pfc , General Abrams MACV commander was using the 173rd as a rapid response unit in support as needed since the 173rd was recouping from a heavy battle losses before I arrived

and I got in on a small part of the Cambodian action, where a cav hunter killer team had found rock island east, and the subsequent action to clear the stock piles that were found in the area

I have a 20 gauge b model fox that was found in that stock pile ,that had everything from muzzle loaders to artillery pieces and trucks,

the little fox was broken down put in my back pack and humped out