Earl Lee Barnes,(Red)

MOS:
12B20

E-Mail:
southtexasred@aol.com

Served:
Feb 1969 Thu Sept 1969

Address:
113 Cheryl Court
Hendersonville, Tn 37075-2201

Phone:

Comments:
Combat Engineer when I transferred to the 104th, I had
spent 12 months with the 919th Engineer Company, 11th
Armored Cav Reg Base Camp Xuan Loc. When I arrived
at Chu Chi my platoon Sgt ask me what a demo spec
doing in a trucking outfit???? I told him I can drive a
truck.
104th Eng Co
Chu Chi
Long Binh


I spent 12 months with the 919th Engr Co. 11th Armoured
Cav Reg. I extended for 6 mo to get out of the field
because my company clerk told me if I extend my tour for
6 months I could pick the outfit so like a dummy I
extended for the 104th Engr Co (DT) in a safe secure place
called Long Binh where they had hooch maids etc etc.
Most of the men I trained with at FT Leonard Wood Mo,(
combat Engr A.I.T. ) were sent to the 104th........but guess
what????? My company clerk told me my extension was
approved so I jumped for joy and headed toward my
hooch and my company clerk ask where you going??????
I said to pack my bag...thats whence notified me I had to
Finnish my year with the 919th first!!!!! Always read the
fine print first..........Oh by the way I finished my year then
when I went to the Co area in Long Binh there were no
one there! I then went to the 20th Engr brigade
headquarters and found out that they had moved to Chu
Chi !!!
So much for safe places to be..I was there 3 days when we
received over 200 mortars and rockets and we were over
run by a mess of gooks (VC) We all thought that some of
the guards on the perimeter were caught asleep and were
killed..but it was only after the war was over we found out
that the US Army was the only outfit that could go out in
the middle of nowhere and build a base camp for the 25th
Inf Div right on top of a Viet Cong under ground city. I
spent my 6mo and before I shipped out we moved back to
Long Binh where we would get some new commercial
dump trucks along with our 5 ton dumps.I left in Oct or
Nov 1969 and went
to the states. I have a few photos that after
I get a chance to scan them I'll try to post them. I went
before the board and made SP5
(E-5)while in Chu Che. If anyone remembers me I think I
was the only red head there. You have a great website here
so keep up the great work.

M14, M79, M60