Who Am I?

Mike Stanphill
Arrived RVN: December 7, 1969
Left RVN: November 11, 1970
Company: B Company

Email: mkstanphil@hotmail.com

Mike Stanphill

Who Am I
Who am I

Mike Stanphill

I arrived in VN on Dec, 7, 1969. Some of the 11 Bravos that came in were pulled out to do guard duty. I was assigned to a small gate with a Sergeant that was short he said he had 10 days left on his tour. I was there with him 8 days then on to 25th Inf. Div. in Cu Chi.

I was with Triple Deuce from Dec. 18, 1969 to Nov. 7, 1970. I was assigned to Bravo Company 1st platoon and stayed there my whole time in the field. I carried the M60 most of the time. I used to get to blow things up. The 105, 155, and 8” artillery rounds I didn’t mind but I didn’t like walking up on mortar rounds for some reason. I blew the hedge rolls around new FBs (can’t remember the names). When we found tunnels, we blew them after the tunnel rats checked them out, sometimes before.

I was wounded in the ambush on June 2, 1970, when Dave Cambell and Mike Rasmusson were killed. I went back to the field on the 23rd of June. In mid August Top King came out to the field looking for someone who could type to fill in until a new clerk showed up. He asked everyone but it seemed that only sergeants knew how. I had typing in high school so I was sent to the rear. Turned out I couldn’t get my left arm that wounded on June 2nd to work on a manual typewriter. Top King found me an electric one somewhere. I finished my tour in the rear as clerk, mail room and whatever Top King wanted me to do.

Personal Report of Ambush

The Ambush of June 2, 1970, I was there, Mike Stanphill, (to add to Ben Barretts Report).

I was a member of the 1 st. platoon that was hit June 2. Ben gave a time frame that I don’t remember. This is what I remember:

My platoon encountered small arms fire earlier that day and Dick (can’t remember his last name) got hit in the foot by a round that went through a tree. He went home from it. Not much else happened until that night for my platoon. The AP was made up from different squads from our platoon. Mike Rasmusson was up front with his 60 and I had the rear 60.

After our platoon separated from the others, we went about 50 yards and 2 men that were behind me stopped. I thought I heard a VC say something. I was passing information forward and the platoon stopped. It was so dark in there you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. Dave, Ras (Mike Rasmusson), the RTO, and the LT came back to see what was going on. They headed back to locate the 2 men and they must have seen or heard something.

There was M16 fire and then there was a flash about 6-8 feet from me. I remember going through the air. I hit a tree because that’s where my glasses, hat, watch and all the 60 ammo I had on me were found. I don’t know how long I was out of it. My 60 strap was around my right arm and I tried to get my 60 up to fire but my left arm was numb and wouldn’t work.

It wasn’t long when Doc Cook came to me, he was trying to find and check on everyone. He had me move with him near others while he continued looking for Ras and Dave. Doc came back to check on me again and tighten up my boot to stop my foot from bleeding. My arm was still numb at this point and wasn’t bleeding. When Doc left me that time he found Ras about 3-4 feet from us but he still hadn’t found Dave. Doc told me the other platoons were coming to us.

Someone fired a flare up and the other platoons came in. I moved again to the middle with the LT and the other wounded. While waiting for first light, Doc took care of us before a dust off came in. Someone brought me my glasses and other stuff and told me where he picked them up before I got on the dust off.

I was in the rear until June 23, then back to the field. The VA fixed my arm in Dec. 1975 because of the internal damage that was done from shrapnel.

Mike Stanphill 1ST. Platoon