AB8AU / AB8AZ

Return State Side

“D” Battery - 1^st Battalion - 73^rd Artillery

Ft Hood Texas 1969

My Vietnam Tour Ended

My Vietnam tour ended on November 26^th, 1968, after13 months. A normal tour in Vietnam was for 12 months; however I extended one extra month so my 45 day leave between assignments would fall over the Xmas holidays. Since I enlisted into the army, my total obligation was for three years of service, so I had one year plus to go. Before I shipped back state side, I received both Sergeant E5 stripes and the following “Certificate of Achievement” for my MARS services and participation:

Department of Defense, Certificate of Achievement

For outstanding service and participation in the Military Affiliated Radio System in Vietnam during the period of November 1967 to November 1968.

Awarded to: SP4 Thomas A. Boza

Signed By: General Creighton W. Abrams, United States Army Commanding

(This is the 4 Star General who has the Abrams tank named after him)

Date: 11 November 1968

Mouse click on any picture to enlarge

My Replacements

In the first part of 1969 the 9^th Infantry Division vacated Bearcat and consolidated all division operations at Dong Tam. The Army MARS callsign AB8AZ was transferred to the 9^th Infantry Division 25^th Signal Battalion MARS station located in Tan An. From this point forward Dong Tam utilized the callsign: AB8AU

The AB8AU MARS station building at Dong Tam was partially destroyed when the Dong Tam ammo depot exploded after being hit by mortars. AB8AU was then relocated to the army side of Dong Tam.

AB8AU Dong Tam operators during 1969:

SP4 Ron E Kingsbury

SP4 Steve Hall

SP4 Terry M North

SP4 Ralph D Miller

For pictures during this time period, go to: AB8AU Dong Tam 1969

1st Armored Division (Old Ironsides)

My next duty assignment following Vietnam and my 45 day leave was with the 1st Armored Division located at Fort Hood Texas as a radio teletype operator (MOS = 05C40). I was assigned to “D” Battery 1^st Battalion 73^rd Artillery, which was a self-propelled 155mm howitzer M109A1 armored tank unit. The M109A1 was knows as the “Paladin.”

The 155 mm M284 cannon which is fitted with an M182 gun mount, has a range of 24 km using unassisted rounds or 30 km using assisted rounds. The crew remains in the vehicle throughout the mission.

While at Ft Hood Texas I played war games out in the Texas prairie. This was quite a contrast from actually being in a war the prior year.

I drove a M35A2 2-1/2 ton 6x6 wheel drive diesel truck with a RTTY (Radio Teletype) S280C/G communications shelter (radio shack) mounted in the truck bed. The shelter had R390A receivers, BC-10 transmitters, model 33ASR teletype equipment, TH-5A/TG RTTY frequency shift interface, crypto gear and a V-302F Oscilloscope with X/Y tuning capability for RTTY. Antennas were loaded spring-mounted 8 foot long whips affixed to the side-top of the shelter and wire dipole antennas affixed to a 30 foot pushup mast. Behind the truck I towed a trailer which contained two 10 KW gasoline generators.

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M109A1 with M182

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M35A2 with S280C/G

My main objective was to supply radio communications back to Ft Hood command for the 155mm armored mobile artillery battery while in the field. I sat inside the radio communications shelter while the artillery battery did target practice.

Then on December 22^nd, 1969, I got an early out (after 2 years, 10 months of service) and was honorably discharged from the US Army at the rank of Sergeant E-5. I was awarded the National Defense Service Metal, the Vietnam Service Medal with four Bronze Service Stars and the Vietnam Campaign Medal.

My Visit to Washington DC, 2004

Vietnam and WW-II Memorials

Others Today - 2005

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John Dearing, KUØI

Description: http://www.ne7x.com/pixs/VietNam/yoshi_today.jpg

Yoshihiko Taniguchi

Description: http://www.ne7x.com/pixs/VietNam/GaryEdwards2005.jpg

Gary Edwards

Today the following two individuals are the current holders of the historic
9^th Infantry Division MARS Vietnam callsigns:

AB8AU

Jerome E Burger

748 Connie DR

Lake, MI 48632

USA

Expires: 31 Dec 2011

AB8AZ

Darrell A Hogston

2650 W M20

New Era, MI 49446

USA

Expires: 27 Mar 2020

These individuals were not 9^th Infantry Division MARS Vietnam operators

In Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed my Vietnam MARS web pages; it was fun for me pulling them all together. Being a MARS operator I experienced seeing many a smile and happy face once a phone call was completed. I am very proud in the fact I was part of the MARS system while in Vietnam and that I was able to provide a little touch of home for our troops.

If you made a MARS call home while you were in Vietnam I would like to hear about your experience, even if it was via a different MARS station. Fell free to also email me any comments, suggestions or just to say hello!

To all Vietnam veterans, thank you for your service and “Welcome Home!”

73s, Thomas...