Bob French's Collection

Lieutenant Jack Benedick's RTO

2nd Platoon, C Company, 4th/47th Battalion, 2nd Brigade

April, 1967 - Ronnie Bryan and Bill Geier shortly after the 2nd Platoon arrived at Dong Tam. Several months after this photo was taken, during our huge battle of June 19th, Bill Geier was killed while tending to Ronnie's severe wound.  Bill had just bandaged Bob French, who was also severely hit. All three men were right next to me when Viet Cong snipers zeroed in on our position. A sniper's bullet blasted through the barrel of my M79 Grenade Launcher narrowly missing me (Bill Reynolds) and Lt. Jack, who was a few yards away was also hit.

Dong Tam - April, 1967. Marion "Butch" Eakins in front, Ronnie Bryan over his right shoulder, John Bradfield with his legs crossed, and Donald Jackson stepping into view.  Can't tell who that is smoking. Butch was killed in action on July 11, 1967, Ronnie was severely wounded on June 19th and John was hit by a booby trap blast on August 5th.

Lieutenant Jack Benedick on the radio. Yo, Lt. Jack, wonder why you were a "bullet magnet"? Look at that "shock" of blonde hair that you used to have - what a target!  Haha!

2nd Platoon's Mr. Congeniality, Bill Varsafsky.  Bill enjoyed Army life immensely! He especially liked all of the fun places we got to visit - The Rung Sat, the rice paddies, the swamps, the jungles and all of the nice people we met along the way.

Bob French (at left) and John Hunn, a 2nd Platoon replacement, relaxing between patrols.

"Big Red" Bob Ehlert from Minnesota entering our fine quarters at Camp Bearcat. That's Sergeant Gil Rodriguez just inside.

Sergeant Gil Rodriguez from Southern California and Ray Layman from Ohio.   Camp Bearcat - March, 1967.

Harold Exum nailing down the roof of our luxurious shaving facility while Curtis Irvin looks on - can't tell who the other soldier is.  This was shortly after we arrived at Camp Bearcat - February, 1967.

April, 1967 - Here's our wondeful living condidtions when we first arrived at Dong Tam; we had just built our base camp at Camp Bearcat then we had the pleasure of doing it all over again at Dong Tam. That's Butch Eakins shaving out of his helmet and there's Ronnie Bryan (from Missouri) reading a newspaper.