The real life in combat support

Here is a follow up on the previous week’s story about support troops behind each combat soldier.

In my case, as being in the 1st Infantry Division, initially, my main job was to obtain food and distribute it to the battalions and then the companies. All I did was get the food for the Division, then other personnel distributed it.

Later on when combat got heavier, I was sent out to French rubber plantations to support helicopters refueling. Thus by doing this, doing a lot of flying around, I was subject to numerous near misses from rifle bullets. Fortunately for me, they all missed.

The reason we were shot at and some were killed, was that we operated in hostile (enemy) territory, going around by Jeep and helicopters. But I wasn’t the only one who was subject to this, there were many troops in our truck company who were shot at all the time, delivering food and fuel.  Yet we were listed as combat support but that — in an infantry division — was way different than someone sitting behind a desk. Heck, I didn’t even have a desk.

As an officer, I was issued a .45-caliber pistol, but after the first time I was shot at, I said “to heck with this, and got myself a rifle to carry as well.

Sometimes when I went to Saigon, with a steel pot on my head, rifle, pistol and ammo, people would look at me strangely, as they were basically in safe haven, but guys like me weren’t as we had to travel hostile roads to get there. Upcoming, going to Vietnam, 1985.

Roger Gregory is a Vietnam veteran, serving in the 1st Infantry Division, and is business owner in Priest River.