January 9, 1967, we arrived at the Oakland Naval Terminal where we boarded the USS General John Pope for a 22-day voyage across the Pacific to Vietnam.

On or about that date, I came back to Happy Happy Herrington to resume my illustrious fish year.

Would like to know more about the "we" that got on that troop ship.

Thank you for answering the call.

Hey Nav, In early 1966, the 9th Infantry Division was reactivated at Fort Riley, Kansas. The newly reactivated division received approximately 15,000 draftees straight from the reception centers, still in civilian clothes. They went through basic training, advanced individual training, basic and advanced unit training and final combat readiness testing, all within the division. It was the first time since WWII that had been done.

I reported for active duty at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, on April 28, 1966. I had graduated A&M in January and was commissioned a 2nd LT in Field Artillery. At Fort Sill, I went through Field Artillery Officers Basic Training and then went to Fort Benning, GA, to Airborne School. I reported to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Field Artillery, 9th Infantry Division August 1, 1966, and was assigned to A Battery as a Forward Observer.

On January 7th, 1967, the 2nd Brigade of the 9th ID, boarded a troop train for the trip from Fort Riley to Oakland Naval Terminal where we boarded the USS General John Pope. There were approximately 5,000 soldiers, including three Infantry battalions, our Artillery battalion and assorted support units. We were the last of the three brigades of the 9th ID to deploy to Vietnam.

The trip across the Pacific was supposed to take 21 days, with a 12-hour stop-over in Okinawa. However about 24 hours out of Okinawa, one young man was being escorted to the brig for drunkenness when he broke away from the MPs and jumped overboard. Despite spending 24 hours in the area searching for him, he was never found. He is listed as MIA.

With the exception of that tragedy, the trip across the Pacific was boring and uneventful. The troops were crammed into large bays with bunks stacked five or six high. We junior officers had it a lot better. There were 15 of us in a room about 15'x15' with bunks stacked only three high. Although the seas were pretty calm the entire voyage, many were seasick, some for the entire voyage.

When we finally arrived in Vietnam, we spent a couple of days at Bear Cat base camp before heading to the field on a brief orientation operation that proved uneventful. On that operation I was assigned as Forward Observer for an armored cavalry troop. Half-way through I was recalled to battalion and reassigned as Executive Officer of B Battery.

Troop transport built in New Jersey in1943. Scrapped in Brownsville, Texas 2010



And my uncle *****ed about flying over there and back in 1970-71.

Good picture. Thanks. I have one that is allegedly the Pope sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge, and a couple that I took from the ship as we sailed under the GGB. Unfortunately, I'm not premium, so I can't post them.

If you're interested in Vietnam War history, a good book is "They Marched into Sunlight" by David Maranis. And, of course, "We Were Soldiers Once and Young" by Hal Moore and Joseph Galaway.

Thank you for sharing, Trench.

In June of 1967 my dad opened a letter containing my fish year grades and counted up my grade points. 3. In my defense we had a 3 point system back then. He handed the car keys and told me to go to the local post office and find a guy in green on the 2nd floor and ask him about the Warrant Officer flight program. I did and by October 1968 I was starting a year flying gunships here: https://www.281st.com
Finally managed to return to A&M in January 1971 and found out paying for school yourself results in much better grades.

USS General John Pope sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge on January 9, 1967.




A really young and naive 2nd LT on the way to Vietnam.

Checked my other photos and found this one with airborne wings. Others without. Looks like it was sort of hit or miss on those while I was over there.