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From: Ken R. Nordlie - HHC 164th CAG
Date: 12/24/2002
Time: 12:32:51 AM
Remote Name: 216.250.176.177
I spent Aug 71 to Jly 72 at Can Tho and lived in the 2nd or 3rd EM barracks just past the officers quarters along the road next to the canal just before you reached the POW camp. I remember a few rocket attacks but few if any mortars - usually just 2 or 3 rockets at a time. One rocket landed just outside our barracks in the road and either was a dud or didn't have much explosive power. I remember looking at the tail fins lying in the road. We eventually came to ignore the attacks and just continued drinking beer and playing cards. One night after a brief rocket attack that we didn't pay any attention to, a drunker major or colonel drove by, jumped out, ran screaming into our barracks and began reaming out Sgt Doug Phelps, a really great guy liked by all of us. The officer was enraged that we hadn't all hustled into the bunker during the short attack. He continued threatening Sgt Phelps until Doug wound up for a swing at the officer. We held Doug back and convinced Doug to go report to the CO, which he did with the officer screaming at him all the way to the company office. All of us EMs stood firm and vouched for Sgt Phelps not being responsible for our ignoring the incoming. The drunken officer was eventually reassigned to some god-forsaken fire base. Chalk one up for the EMs.