At the end of AIT, they told us that Tigerland had the highest survival rates of any infantry training center graduates serving in Vietnam. the old saying goes like this: I left the Nam but the Nam has not left me. With Yearbook.org, you can join your class list to receive reunion and alumni event updates, find yearbooks, and search for alumni Select your class year. Maybe I can get some answers to the questions thay they had. THANK FOR THE REPLAY I WAS IN POLK FROM JAN/ TO JULY DO U KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT AN GENT ORANGE BEING USED AT POLK. I went to Infantry AIT at Ft. McLellan, AL, then jump school at Ft. Benning, then Special Forces Training Group at Ft. Bragg. The Continental Trailways bus that transported us 37 draftees from the Dallas selective service office arrived at the Reception Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana at approximately 11:00 p.m. on Monday, December 12, 1966. For additional information, see the Global Shipping Program, (6) US Army Photos/Basic Training/Fort Polk, Louisiana 1972, USPS First Class Mail International / First Class Package International Service. I was now a trainee. Basic was not a totally unpleasant experience for me as most of us were not slated for infantry AIT, where the atmosphere was much, much more serious. In AIT I was assigned to Tigerland and was in the Moton-Gators Company. At the completion of AIT soldiers with last names beginning with A,B,C,D got orders for Germany, while E thru Z went to Nam. Be the first one to, United States Army Training Center, Infantry, Fort Polk, Louisiana, Fort Polk, Louisiana : United States Army Training Center, Infantry, Advanced embedding details, examples, and help, Soldiers--Training of--Louisiana--Fort Polk--Periodicals, Military training camps--Louisiana--Fort Polk--Periodicals, Soldiers--Louisiana--Fort Polk--Registers, Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center, Terms of Service (last updated 12/31/2014). Us Army. Nonetheless, everyone was treated the same. I got drafted, as well, 1966-1968. After zero-week, basic training commenced. would love to know if hes alive and ok. Bob Warden bigbadbob345@yahoo.com. My biggest memory of my 18 months there, was the town of Leesville. I was wounded 02/71 on a patrol working off LZ CENTER. She was almost like a Mom away from home. After arriving at Fort Polk, actual training did not immediately begin. 1st Plt. I took basic at Ft. Polk, in South Fort, in company E-1-2. Made E-5, Spec.5 in 15 months. The one guy on my mortar team was Joe Hosey from Kocomo, Indiana. It was an interesting 18 months, to say the least. Had drill Sargent Spain also. I was assigned a temporary barrack and given light duties. Therefore, the primary reason why you . Anybody says the marines had it harder dont know what theyre talking aboutpropaganda. Its been four years since I reached out before. I was at Fort Polk Tiger Land March thru May. This amount is subject to change until you make payment. I remember that it was called Little Vietnam! Leoncio Estrada. At graduation on June 6, 1967, I received my new orders. I was one who came in from Cook County, Chicago on April 21st 66 in a plane load. Roster and Photos for Recruit Company D, 15th Battalion, 5th Training Regiment for 1956, United States Army Basic Training, Fort Knox, Kentucky. Ending up 11-C but did the same duty as 11-B except we carried a 81mm mortar and an M-16. Top Rated Seller Top Rated Seller. We and our partners share information on your use of this website to help improve your experience. I guess you could call them the barracks of the 1940s. Take care. PT usually took place in the morning. I guess I thought I was tough enough but soon realized that I wasnt. At Lafayette I boarded a bus that took me to Fort Polk. In reality, however, it was part of a calculated strategy meant to quickly instill discipline and thereby help us become better soldiers. Company Commander: 1Lt Albert S. Hansen, Jr. 185 Recruits Graduated on 22 May 1964. I was at South Fort for Basic and North Fort for AIT. If you reside in an EU member state besides UK, import VAT on this purchase is not recoverable. Of course, there is no draft today. 4/1966 3/1969 Basic and AIT Fort Polk Louisiana. Looking for old family members and relatives? For us graduationtook placeon February 26, 1971. So, I guess that he was a badass infantry grunt and did not care too much for other positions. its an old saying but welcome home! . i was there in 1971 we were sprayed . Lost the use of my right arm below the elbow and lost about a quarter of my left ass cheek. It made a difference the TIGERLAND training an edge perhaps over others. Best wishes to all those who served and a big thank you! During their training, more will be understood about the routine that will become such an essential part of their next eight weeks in Basic Combat Training. December 1967 Yearbook. Each platoon wassupervised bya drill sergeant. I turned 21 at Tiger Land. (source: google.com) Fort Polk is situated in a remote part of the state. My father and I watched the NVA storm the airbase at Danang after I was back in the world on TV and we both cried. I finally decided to leather up and purchased a vest. Are you planning a reunion and need assistance? 870-318-5404 Fort Polk has quite a few dead zones actually, mostly in the training areas. Trainees were carefully monitored to ensure that the rifles were being pointedin a safedirection. I left Fork Polk on July 15, 1967. pvt.james c,johnson. Company Commander: 1Lt Robert Connor. Went to Vietnam in 71-72 and had an awful tour with the Americal Division in Chu Lai and then Danang. Dont know if this will help, but I hope so. Company Commander: CPT Barry Shelton Sprouse. just curious. I dont recall the COs name. Once with an Army buddy, once with my family including my 3 sons, and the last time I went alone. Do you want to see past girlfriends or boyfriends? Do you want to see past girlfriends or boyfriends? Our drill sergeants were pretty good guys, even the biggest & loudest, Drill Sgt Prigmore. I dont remember too muchgetting head shaved, uniforms, etc. Army. No hes only 5-9 and was in Vietnam in 1966 he was at Polk in 1967 the year him and my mom married. just missed going to Danang for base security by one patrol as the war was winding down. A welcome surprise on my final day at Polk. The bunks contained no safety rails nor did the bunks have ladders tofacilitate access tothe upper bunk. I survived but the memories will linger forever. 1965 US Army Training Center Infantry Fort Polk LA Yearbook Co D 1st Bat. A Big Thank you to the fresh-back Vietnam Veteran who saved my ass by nocking me down just before it blew up12 feet away. 216 Recruits Graduated on 15 March 1968. remember. Released back to duty in MP Bn and played police MP for remaining tour of duty. Then Vietnam. Fort Dix Basic Training Yearbook 1979 Company C. Roster for Recruit Company C for 1979, United States Army Basic Training, Fort Dix, New Jersey. Was trying to find out in Agent Orange was used in the area while I was training? 3 Embossed,brown Robe Santa Claus Postcard 1909 & More. Hated those low crawls right after chow. He never made it to Vietnam and never made it back home. I came home pretty beaten up and didnt ever want to deal with politicians again. All in all, things could have been much worse for this 1969 draftee. Hey, Joe, Not Sure the year. From there I was sent to Key West, Florida, then Germany and home. Seen alot of bad things some by KIA to many WIA. Yet attention to the individual is the key to success, particularly because American manpower is not only our most precious commodity it will, in any global war, always be in short supply. General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Proud to have been sent there. Could this be him? Probably saved my life. So I guess I was too late for the soldier youre looking for. Best Shirley McClain I ever met. Next I had to take a flight physical. Of this, 100,000 acres are owned by the Department of the Army and 98,125 acres by the U.S. Forest Service, mostly in the Kisatchie National Forest. 1998. Your country's customs office can offer more details, or visit eBay's page on, Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, United States. My job was to process the records and send them to the records center. I am a D. I was there for Basic. Filled with black and white and color photos from the training center. When we lost the Best Barracks the 6th Week. Was drafted 30 minutes after completing undergraduate degree requirements at Texas Tech. Trainees were taught how to fire the M-16from different positions(all of which were awkward). Inadequate training would mean producing troops ill-equipped to perform successfully as soldiers which in turn would erode the effectiveness of the army and put the national defense of the nation at risk. Interesting Tigerland was still operating as it was. Training company was directly across the road from Tigerland. I remember that Fort Polk was called Little Vietnam and Tigerland. Montana State College Yearbook 1952. Fort Polk, Louisiana, is a U.S. Army military base located in western Louisiana. In AIT I had 2 regular army guys on my 81mm mortar team. Below: training included instruction on how to use the M-16 rifle as a sword. Gary, I understand. Roster and Photos for Recruit Company D, 2nd Battalion, 1st Training Brigade for 1977, United States Army Basic Training, Fort Knox, Kentucky. Obtained port calls and extracts from morning reports for AWOLs. Army -- Records and correspondence, Soldiers -- Louisiana -- Fort Polk -- Registers, Soldiers -- Training of -- Louisiana -- Fort Polk -- Periodicals, Military training camps -- Louisiana -- Fort Polk -- Periodicals, Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center, Terms of Service (last updated 12/31/2014). We all became 11Cs. Pre-Owned. Fort Polk is rich in history- having been the post that trained the most combat infantry men in America and shipping them to Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War- the same time the post became known as 'Tiger Land'. There were frequent inspections. I would not have thought that Tigerland was still open for business at that time in the Vietnam War. Below: Trainees at work (photos: U.S. Army). Marching to and from the rifle range, in full pack and mostly at quick time or double-time pace, was physically demanding work. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. During an inspection, it was not uncommon for the inspecting officer or designee to loudly berate one or more of us for an infraction, almost invariably of a petty nature. God Bless you, and God Bless America. what year or years was your father at FT POLK as DS? I would certainly be interested in seeing those pics, I was assigned to D-3-2 and in that time period I had completed a course at the Ft. Polk Academy and was serving as a Drill Corporal at that time. Since 9-11, Fort Polk Soldiers of have been called to serve around the world, deploying to Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Inherent Resolve and more, in missions that embraced medical, military police, engineer and other support roles in addition to combat missions. Would like to hear from anyone who took Basic at Polk starting March 1968. Assigned to 3D2 4th Platoon. I was at tigerland 1966-67..seargent Ramos.kept me aliveGodI hated that placebut now..Its one of my fondest memories. War is not for the weak. As Ive posted before, went to the wall in Washington 3 times. Was a black man who drove a white Caddy and drank CC & Coke. I was there during the Tigerland AIT July-August 1970. I went thru basic from April 20 thru July 1967. Charlie Company Vietnam 1966-1972 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. So, we either worked in the same office, or you worked down the hall from our office. Women's Army Corps. I was drafted 04/1970. I was there until Oct. 1968, when I was REFRAD. Which I found out afterwards, why! Rand McNally indexed pocket map undated. It served the 1st Armored Division in the 1950s, and became a basic training post during Vietnam War years of the 1960s and 70s. Regardless of any progress made in the countrys educational institutions, the Armys business is success in war and the Army cannot safely neglect any subject that experience has shown to be important to that success. General Dwight D. Eisenhower. If AO was used at Fort Pork I would like to know about it. basic d52 lpc class ait tiger land may 1968. Dodge High School Yearbook. Remember them who didnt come back alive and those missing. Use our online Genealogy Resource to uncover history quickly! For many of my fellow trainees, graduation was a landmark event not only for them personally but also for their families, many of whom were in attendance. Good luck, Mike. I too have served my country well 17 yrs; 6 mths. After basic at Ft Knox i was sent to Ft Polk Tigerland for AIT(11Bravo) in Aug 1970 for 9 weeks. Either way it was infantry training at Tigerland. No Copyright.No Table of Contents.Title page is on the Cover.No page numbers found. The following is a list of school yearbooks, alumni directories, and similar publications held by the History and Genealogy Department. We got on board a rickety old plane and flew somewhere in Texas then took busses into Fort Polk, LA. It was a very memorable time in my life. We were taken to the mess hall for some grub. I would eventually end up on aircraft carriers deployed in the South China Sea and beyond." Jeff Manthos . We were exposed a number of times in Vietnam, though. Copyright 2005-2023 Digital Data Online, Inc. Material on this website is protected by copyright laws of the United States and international treaties. Those being shipped out were processed by some of my buddies in Company A, Sp. Im not getting any younger, Got there in July 1971. One of the Drill Sergeants in our company was Staff Sergeant Harry J. Odom. He was pissed because, as he said, he had to be there to feed us recruits. My brothers name was Gene Edward Cole he was from Oklahoma. The report said that he had been complaining of feeling tired, over heating, dizziness and nausea. 192 Recruits Graduated on 23 May 1969. All personnel providing training were active duty military. 1971 Ft. Primary mode of instruction was through lectures. Opens in a new window or tab. I love all my brothers who participated in the Southeast Asian War Games. Fort Benning Basic Training Yearbook 1968 Company A. Roster and Photos for Recruit Company A, 6th Battalion, 2nd Training Brigade for 1968, United States Army Basic Training, Fort Benning, FtLoc. 1955 Fort Dix Company A 18-3. Cool. The Drill Sargent kept lined up all night that 1st day. Well, what did you think? 242 Recruits Graduated on 21 February 1964. Was a 71H30 (Personnel Specialist) with Adjutant Generals office in building 317. . First Shirt was First Sgt. Although I had numerous friends who got shipped to Vietnam, I was so blessed and grateful that my name never came down on a list, and I never had to go. C $72.72. For some reason, I remember thinking that he may not have been in the best of health. After a hard day of basic training, you could eat a rattlesnake. Elvis Presley. Long runs, low crawl before chow, fire guard, and waxing the center isle. BCT in April 1972, right after high school. The deadly herbicide known as Agent Orange was used in great quantities during the Vietnam War. Find 1st Armored Division unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com. I also processed week-end warriors (Reserves and National Guard troops), in summer, 1967, who were assigned to Ft. Polk for their summer training. I took Basic at Polk in March 1968. i was in ft.polk in 1971 turn 18 peeling potatoes . . I was fortunate to qualify number one in the Battalion on the M-16 and was called to the stage at the graduation awards ceremony to receive a prize from the CO. Fort Dix Basic Training Yearbook 1979 Company B. Roster and Photos for Recruit Company B for 1979, United States Army Basic Training, Fort Dix, New Jersey. United States Army Training Center Armor Fort Knox Kentucky yearbook Feb 6 1972. , import VAT on this purchase is not recoverable shaved, uniforms, etc Polk is situated a! Instruction on how to use the M-16 rifle as a sword released back to duty in MP Bn played!, when i was one who came in from Cook County, Chicago April. 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