 |
- OTHER SERVICES VOICES:
- MARINES
 - NAVY
- AIR FORCE
- ARMY
- COAST GUARD
- POLICE
|
An up close and personal interview with U.S. Coast Guard Veteran and Togetherweserved.com Member:
PO2 Arnold Taylor Lapham US Coast Guard (1966-1970)
WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE MILITARY?
 I joined the Coast Guard on 25 April 1966 at 22 years old.
The Marine Corps were in the same building at the Custom House in Boston where I joined. My first thoughts were to join the Marines but since the Coast Guard was in the same building I thought I would also check out the Coast Guard as well especially as an old Navy veteran told me to do so. The Coast Guard won because I figured I could do more for people by saving lives. Also it sounded a good option as I worked for the Treasury Department!!
BRIEFLY, WHAT WAS YOUR SERVICE CAREER PATH?
After boot camp at Cape May NJ, my first choice of assignment was Hawaii so naturally the Coast Guard sent me to Alaska.
At Base Seattle I was assigned to the CGC Balsam W62 out of Adak Alaska.
This was for only one year due to the semi isolated duty on the Buoy Tender out of Adak. We did make it above the Arctic Circle on the summer run to repair Aids To Navigation Lights. We also went across the international date line at the same time which entitlesd me to be a 'Polar Bear' after initiation.
 One year was enough of Alaska for me. I put in for duty on the Mississippi River around Louisiana. Another warm climate, so I got orders to report to the Coast Guard station at Frankfort, Michigan!! My most vivid memory of my 10 months there was the day 9 people drowned as a result of a freak storm that came out of nowhere. Both the 36 footer and the 40 footer were out on May Day calls in high seas also looking for missing people. We worked for 3 days straight without sleep and had to get help from Fisheries and Game and the Navy. We received a Letter of Commendation for our efforts from the CG Group Ludington OIC.
I had thoughts about volunteering for Squadron One because the CG needed Engineman. About one month after writing my letter for volunteering I received my orders for Alameda California. RON1 training. It turned out that 5 men at that small Life Boat Station had been sent to Squadron One Vietnam in a period of less than 2 years.
I was off for 6 weeks of training in California for the year ahead in Vietnam.
I didn't feel the training was that great and was disappointed in that 90% of the training was in the class room. At the Marine Base at Camp Pendleton it was more of a show and tell about the weapons we would be using. The only good training was SERE, 'Survival, Evasion, Resistance & Escape' Training.
The real training was the on the job training when you got on your boat. Coasties adapt very quickly to most situation fortunately.
 Finally, duty in a warm climate!! After arriving in Saigon I took a small aircraft ride to Vung Tou to get to my Unit. The pilot announced 'If we are shot down, you are on your own'. I thought to myself, welcome to Vietnam! All I have is a K Bar survival knife for a weapon and if we were to crash that was in my sea bag.
Upon arriving in Cat Lo before getting out of the jeep I looked down and saw Mike Tower, a Concord Carlisle HS graduate I ran track with. What were the chances of that meeting happening?
Later that day I was aboard the Point Grey. I was replacing EN2 Harry Taylor. We had a new Fireman as well. His name was Swizdor. LJG Doug Meservery also replaced the XO at that time. The Point Grey got underway that evening to spend 3-4 days on patrol.
The CG 82 footers were designed so that the engineering watch did not have to stay in the engine room and that helped for doing other duties on your watch. My first watch on the Point Grey when the boiler caught fire and I used CO2 to extinguish the fire after securing the electrical supply.
The next morning Swizdore and I shot the 50 caliber to see who would be the better shot. I won and Swizdore ended up loading the 81 mm mortar on the bow at GQ.
The days could be very long boarding boat after boat. Sometimes we would find suspects to detain. They would be hiding in the bilges or not have the proper paper work so they automatically became suspects.
One day GM2 Miller and I were pulling up a fish net and Miller was shot in the knee cap. We used to call these snipers from the beach as Sand Dune Sam. They were always taking pot shots at us.
One thing that puzzled me is why a lot of rivers and canals shores were brown with dead vegetation and no one knew why. A few years later I found out why. Agent Orange.
The training in California was more of a review of what life would be like in Vietnam and I feel that the real training came when we were on the boat. There are just some things that you can't learn in a class room or the field.
We had a new cook come aboard. The cook was responsible for the mid ship 50 caliber on the starboard side. His first time at GQ he froze at his gun position when we were taking fire from the beach. I yelled for the Gunner's Mate to relieve him. Later on he did manage to settle down and do his job but it was a bit unnerving at the time.
Back to the real world:
We did have 6 weeks training pre-Vietnam but when it was time to come home there was no training.
Welcome Home!! In San Francisco at the airport while waiting for a flight and wearing my uniform with the Vietnam campaign ribbons, a group of young people passed me and one called me a scum bag.
My mother and father worked during the day so I took it easy and enjoyed being home. I found myself carrying a 22 caliber Winchester when my parents were at work. It just felt better to have a rifle with me but shortly after I put it back in the closet as I got used to being back in the real world.
The local Chief of Police and his wife came to the house to go out to dinner with my parents. I was talking to the Chief and he was talking about his future son in law who was in the Army in Vietnam and the difficult times he had. I said yeah I know, I just got back from Vietnam. The Chiefs comment was 'Yeah, but you were just in the Coast Guard'.
My last few months was spent at Base Boston and Merrimack Station. It was nice I could go home at night when I didn't have duty.
DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN COMBAT OPERATIONS? IF SO, COULD YOU DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH WERE SIGNIFICANT TO YOU?
 Yes I did and these were numerous. At GQ we would support the Army and Marines with 81mm fire and also 81mm illumination. We would take the Navy Seals and Special Forces to the beach and support them. At night we would carry out operations under darkness and capture or destroy enemy targets. We also destroyed the enemy's fish nets whenever we could.
WHICH, OF THE VESSELS OR DUTY STATIONS YOU WERE ASSIGNED TO, DO YOU HAVE THE FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY?
CGC Point Grey C 82324 Squadron I Vietnam.
FROM YOUR ENTIRE SERVICE CAREER WHAT PARTICULAR MEMORY STANDS OUT?
 In the summer of 1969 while on patrol the skipper decided to go up river I believe was in Code name 6 a Delta. It seemed to be the most hostile place in Division 13. The tide was going out and the water was getting shallower when we hit a sand bar and got stuck high and dry. If that was not bad enough our Starboard side was parallel with a village about 75 yards off shore. We were already at GQ and I heard bullets wiz buy my head. Not waiting for the skipper I started firing at the beach and the skipper said to cease firing and more bullets went by me and I yelled to the skipper "FU" Then all 3 - 50 calibers started firing on the Starboard side. The skipper finally realized that we were under attack and then ordered "Willie Peter" (White Phosphorous) to be loaded in the 81 mm mortar.
My Chief Engineman went to check the engine room and the main engines were shut down but we needed a generator so the Bridge could communicate by radio. The sand and mud was getting into the sand filters and the chief had to keep switching back and forth filters as the filters were getting clogged with sand and mud and the generators would overheat.
The XO Doug Maservey ordered me to take out 6 San Pans and it only took a couple of minutes to sink them all with the 50 caliber. I don't know how many "KIA" there were.
When things were really getting hot when I saw a jet fighter come in and fly over the Viet Cong village and fire its machine guns. Then the jet fighter came around for another fly over and dropped Napalm. That was the end of the village and you could feel the heat from the Napalm.
It just goes to show you that when you over power the enemy they don't have a chance. In fact you ask any Vietnam Vet if they ever lost a battle and they will most likely tell you no. It was the US Government that lost the Vietnam War!
One of the scariest times I experienced in Vietnam was almost drowning when tangling up in a fish net on the port side screw. This was not uncommon and I always volunteered to cut and remove the fish nets as I had no fear to swim under the boat. This was done without goggles and the water was muddy so most of it was done by feel. Cutting a net under water is very difficult and the cook used to keep passing me sharp knives every time I came up for air. One time I got tangled up in the net and could not get out. I had accepted that this was probably it for me but thought if I just relaxed and took my time I might get out. It worked and I was able to surface. Fortunately the starboard screw was not tangled up and we made our way on the remaining screw to a Navy salvage ship where it took a Navy diver all day to remove the net.
WERE ANY OF THE MEDALS OR AWARDS YOU RECEIVED FOR VALOR? IF YES, COULD YOU DESCRIBE HOW THIS WAS EARNED?
 Navy Achievement Medal with Combat "V".
OF THE MEDALS, AWARDS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES OR DEVICES YOU RECEIVED, WHAT IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
All 13 Medals and ribbons. But the Navy marine Achievement Medal with Combat "V" means a lot.
I guess the XO Doug Maservy thought me worthy of the medal because I was good at hitting enemy targets with the 50 caliber.
Also My Chief EN, Fireman, and myself took pride in our engineroom and was spotless from the bilges to the overhead. Every time we came off patrol we would soogy the two main engines and the two generators. We really took pride of our engineroom and it ran well.
WHICH INDIVIDUAL PERSON FROM YOUR SERVICE STANDS OUT AS THE ONE WHO HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
LTJG Doug Maservey XO on Point Grey. He was a great leader in Vietnam and a good friend. It was Doug the gave the nick name for the Point Grey, "Gray Ghost". The Gray Ghost is a fishing lure!!
CAN YOU RECOUNT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM YOUR SERVICE THAT WAS FUNNY AT THE TIME AND STILL MAKES YOU LAUGH?
 When the South Vietnamese Poop hut over the river was blown up at Base CatLo!! I know who did it.
Also when I saw the American Flag flying over the South Vietnamese CatLo Base. That cause the Vietnamese to be really pissed off!!
WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER THE SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT JOB?
I am now a retired Corporate Buyer.
WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIPS?
 Coast Guard Combat Veterans.
VFW.
DAV.
Mobile Riverine Force Association.
Bearing Sea Patrol.
HOW HAS MILITARY SERVICE INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND CAREER?
I was very immature and the Coast Guard changed that - I became very secure about myself. The Coast Guard really lets you do your job and work as a team. Because the Coast Guard is small you must be a team player and overlap your duties to get the job done.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR THOSE THAT ARE STILL SERVING?
 You are doing the best thing for your country by serving.
IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU MAINTAIN A BOND WITH YOUR SERVICE AND THOSE YOU SERVED WITH?
Bill Landry, a former Commander in the Coast Guard, and lives in the Philippines invited me to join to record my Coast Guard experience.
Through Togetherweserved I look forward to making contact with other Coasties as I have done with those in the Coast Guard Combat Veterans Association.
|
|
|
Share this Voices Edition on:
 |
|
TWS VOICES
TWS Voices are the personal stories of men and women who served in the US Military and convey how serving their Country has made a positive impact on their lives. If you would like to participate in a future edition of Voices, or know someone who might be interested, please contact TWS Voices HERE.
This edition of CoastGuard Voices was supported by:
CoastGuard.Togetherweserved.com
For current and former serving Members of the US Coast Guard and US Coast Guard Reserve, TogetherWeServed is a unique, feature-rich resource enabling Coast Guardsmen to re-connect with lost Shipmates, share memories and tell their Coast Guard story.
To join CoastGuard.Togetherweserved.com, please click HERE.
|
|
I joined the Coast Guard on 25 April 1966 at 22 years old.
One year was enough of Alaska for me. I put in for duty on the Mississippi River around Louisiana. Another warm climate, so I got orders to report to the Coast Guard station at Frankfort, Michigan!! My most vivid memory of my 10 months there was the day 9 people drowned as a result of a freak storm that came out of nowhere. Both the 36 footer and the 40 footer were out on May Day calls in high seas also looking for missing people. We worked for 3 days straight without sleep and had to get help from Fisheries and Game and the Navy. We received a Letter of Commendation for our efforts from the CG Group Ludington OIC.
Finally, duty in a warm climate!! After arriving in Saigon I took a small aircraft ride to Vung Tou to get to my Unit. The pilot announced 'If we are shot down, you are on your own'. I thought to myself, welcome to Vietnam! All I have is a K Bar survival knife for a weapon and if we were to crash that was in my sea bag.
Yes I did and these were numerous. At GQ we would support the Army and Marines with 81mm fire and also 81mm illumination. We would take the Navy Seals and Special Forces to the beach and support them. At night we would carry out operations under darkness and capture or destroy enemy targets. We also destroyed the enemy's fish nets whenever we could.
In the summer of 1969 while on patrol the skipper decided to go up river I believe was in Code name 6 a Delta. It seemed to be the most hostile place in Division 13. The tide was going out and the water was getting shallower when we hit a sand bar and got stuck high and dry. If that was not bad enough our Starboard side was parallel with a village about 75 yards off shore. We were already at GQ and I heard bullets wiz buy my head. Not waiting for the skipper I started firing at the beach and the skipper said to cease firing and more bullets went by me and I yelled to the skipper "FU" Then all 3 - 50 calibers started firing on the Starboard side. The skipper finally realized that we were under attack and then ordered "Willie Peter" (White Phosphorous) to be loaded in the 81 mm mortar.
Navy Achievement Medal with Combat "V".
When the South Vietnamese Poop hut over the river was blown up at Base CatLo!! I know who did it.
Coast Guard Combat Veterans.
You are doing the best thing for your country by serving.
