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I landed in DaNang in mid March of 1967 and was sent to Phu Bai to join up with 3rd. Battalion, 26th Marines (3/26). They were out in the field so for two weeks I received my in country initiation by burning human excrement soaked with kerosene in half 55 gallon steel barrels. To this day I can remember distinctly that God awful smell. The year rolled on and I ended up a Squad Leader for 2nd Squad, 1st Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines and landed in Khe Sanh for the first time on June 3rd, 1967. I remember setting up on the northern outside perimeter for a while and building awesome bunkers from material "deployed" from other areas. It seemed that just as soon as we finished the bunkers we were deployed to Con Thien around September 6th, 1967.
We received mail for the first time in a while. While LCpl. Martin Crabtree, LCpl. Michael F. Cullen (2nd Squad's point man who was the "gunslinger" in Robert Pisor's The End Of The Line; page ten), Cpl. Bob Conniff, Pvt. Gary L. Joliet, LCpl. Chester W. Wilson, LCpl. Phillip Provenzano and the rest read their letters, I opened two packages I had received. My mom had sent a small Christmas tree she had made and my dad sent a half gallon milk jug full of scotch. Colonel Lownds had ordered steak dinners for all. We lived like kings for a few hours. December 26th we were sent to Hill 881 South. While on the hill I do recall Capt. Dabney's insistence to dig deeper trench lines. He would walk the trenches talking to us, encouraging us, but all the time telling us to dig deeper. At this time we, the grunts, knew only rumors of an enemy build up. And we didn't take them very seriously as we had humped all the adjoining hills and valleys and had come up empty. I believe it was January 18th, that I led a squad size patrol around the valley between Hills 881 South and North. This was the day after 2ndLt. Thomas D. Brindley had rushed to and evacuated the recon team that had been ambushed. It was one of the spookiest days of my life. For example, we were walking out of ten foot high elephant grass and crossed a small stream into a clearing at the base of 881 South. I always tried to move up and down my squad as we moved but in this instance I was the last one out of the grass. I heard foot steps behind me, two or three and then they stopped. We found camp fires that had been buried but, were still warm. It was so quiet in that valley when I radioed up my findings. We knelt down nd as we looked around our eyes would catch one another. We just knew we were being watched and I was sure we were going to get into it. Never did that day. The next day, January 19th, we took a platoon size patrol, led by 2ndLt. Harry F. Fromme, and second squad as point up Hill 881 North. Our mission was to locate the radio and shackle cards lost when the recon team had been ambushed on the 17th. When LCpl. Michael F. Cullen, my point man, who was approximately ten yards ahead of us he fired his first burst, the rest of second squad was ambushed from the right side. Pvt. Gary L. Joliet was in front of me and was hit three times. Although I have read that LCpl. Cullen was not hurt that day, I believe he was. If not then, then on the 20th. Everyone proved their worth that day and, under the cover of ar support and 81mm mortars, we withdrew ourselves and our wounded. When in a position where I could take a head count, I realized PFC. Leonard Lee Newton was not with us. We went back up the hill to locate him and unfortunately found that he had been killed. I pulled him back down the hill, picking up M-16s that had jammed along the way. The next day, the 20th, India Company left 881 South and started up 881 North. First platoon, again led by Lt. Fromme, went up a ridge line to the left. I believe Capt. Dabney and his radioman were with us at the time we were ambushed. In the opening volley a lot of us were wounded. I was wounded in the right shoulder and I crawled over to help Cpl. Bob Coniff who had been hit in the legs. At one point I honestly didn't think he and I were going to get off that hill. Eventually we were able to make it to an evacuation point organized by 2ndLt. Michael Howard Thomas. We were medically evacuated to the Khe Sanh Combat Base where my old company commander, now Major Matthew P. Caufield, helped me off the chopper and led me over to the Battalion Aid Station. From there I was sent to the hospital in DaNang where I was worked on and informed I was being sent to the USS Sanctuary. I had the hospital staff find Mike Cullen and Gary Joliet so I could see them before I left for the Sanctuary. Only two of the great guys in my squad. I forget how long I was on the ship before I received orders back to Hill 881 South. It was tough to get there. I took many flights on C-130s because as we tried to land the intensity of enemy mortar and rocket fire on the air strip forced the pilot to turn around and fly back to DaNang. Finally made it to the combat base on March 5th and was able to hitch a ride on a medevac chopper back to the hill on March 7th. I spent the rest of my time on the hill and eventually received my orders home. On March 28th, one day before my 20th birthday, I left 881 South for the combat base. It was a bittersweet departure. A lot of defining moments on that hill. Over the months I had become close to a company of Marines, most not even 20 years old, who I could trust explicitly to watch my back. A few of the old guys were still there but most had been wounded and were already home or in hospitals in Japan. We had been replaced by new transfers from the states.
Summary: 1. Kenneth S. Warner
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From
Con Thien India Company was sent to place called PK-17 on October 3rd to
regroup. By December 4th we were at Camp Evans and back at Khe Sanh
a short time later. I was on that week long hump to Laos returning
to the combat base on the 24th. 
Trying
to leave the combat base was not easy. Finally, on April 6th a C-130
landed near our trench line. 
