SGT. William Johnson
U.S. Marine Corps – Combat Engineer
11th Engineer Battalion
Khe Sahn, Coritien Vietnam
1966-1968
U.S. Marine Corps – Combat Engineer
11th Engineer Battalion
Khe Sahn, Coritien Vietnam
1966-1968
Bill Johnson was born in 1947 in the Connecticut town Manchester, where he and his two brothers and one sister were raised. Bill’s parents split up when he was young and he went to live with his father and grandmother. His grandmother was, “who actually kept the house together.” “As much as it was screwed up, we had freedom like Tom Sawyer. No one was supervising us. It was a pretty good time to be a kid.”
Bill’s first job was at the Regal Men’s Shop on Main Street in Manchester. Bill graduated from Manchester High School in 1965 as the United States was gearing up for the Vietnam War. His brother had already enlisted, and Bill followed him after graduation. His older brother, uncles and cousins all served in the Marine Corps. “It was family heritage.” Bill assumed he was going to be sent to Vietnam. His mother was worried sick. Just as his brother’s tour of duty ended, Bill’s was beginning.
In early 1966 Bill headed for boot camp at legendary Parris Island. “I’m glad I went in the Marine Corps. I don’t know if when I was at Parris Island, I was thinking I had done the right thing.” Bill talked about learning invaluable life skills. “You have to stand on your own two feet. You have to learn to be disciplined, follow orders. All the things that shape a man.” I asked Bill what it was like to be at Parris Island. He said the Drill Instructor in Full Metal Jacket was a good example of what it was like. “Those guys owned you. You wondered if you would ever get out of there.”
After boot camp Bill headed to Camp Geiger to learn to be a rifleman. Bill’s MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) was combat Engineer and after Camp Geiger he headed to Engineering School. “I pictured myself at a drafting table. It was entirely different than that. It was explosives instruction and construction. I learned basic construction skills.”
Bill’s secondary MOS was Atomic Demolition Munitions. He was a nuclear weapons emplacement technician, and his job was planting little atomic mines. Luckily, he never got involved with that. Bill was stationed on the island of Vieques, off the coast of Puerto Rico for six months. There he learned to build Quonset huts, runways, roads and water tanks among other things.
In October of ’67 Bill departed for Vietnam. When he got off the plane in Da Nang thought, “this isn’t so bad.” This changed when he got on a C-130 headed to meet his unit at Dong ho. The flight engineer advised the GI’s ‘When we get to Dong Ho, I want all of you guys off the plane quickly because we’re taking a lot of incoming up there.’
Bill jumped off the plane and hiked up a dusty hill to check in with the 11th Engineers. Bill’s first project was to build an outpost along the DMZ. They traveled through a river by Amtrac (amphibious tractor) which Bill recalls smelling like diesel fuel. He was there for two months building the outpost, stringing concertina wire and building runways. The engineers went outside of “the wire” to perform mine sweeps and boobytrap removal. Boobytrap removal was often blowing the mines in place. “That was the first taste of someone trying to kill me, because someone WAS trying to kill me….and that’s a funny feeling.” Bill described the enemy attacks as intermittent. After two months Bill was happy to get back to the safety and showers in the rear. For two months the GI’s bathed and washed their uniforms in puddles they found.
Bill recalled how the terrain changed as they moved from the coast of the South China Sea that was flat with little vegetation to increasing vegetation and hilly terrain as they moved west toward the jungles near Khe Sahn which was along the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). “Everywhere we went we were the first ones in.” Enemy attacks were frequent including rocket attacks.
The Siege of Khe Sahn took place in January of 1968. Khe Sahn was located on route 9 in South Vietnam just south of the DMZ near the Laotian border. For 77 days approximately 6,000 Marines held off 20,000 NVA. During the battle of Khe Sahn the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) blew up all of the bridges along Route 9 which cut off the Marines in Khe Sahn. “We had to go along and rebuild all of the bridges….most of the time under fire.” Bill and his unit were generally operating in uninhabited areas, and they had minimal interaction with the Vietnamese populace.
During his time in-country, Bill rose to the rank of platoon sergeant. With 15 days remaining in-country, Bill was a short timer and hoped for assignments that kept him out of harm’s way. In December of 1968 Bill’s tour concluded and he left Vietnam. After a brief stop in Okinawa Bill returned to the Marine Corps. Air Station in El Toro, California. In less than two weeks Bill went from rocket attacks and the jungles of Vietnam to the safety and creature comforts of everyday America. Bill had a tough time transitioning with such a short period for decompression and adjustment. He had a hard time becoming reaccustomed with simple things such as having cleaning forks and spoons, going to the refrigerator for something to eat and getting clean water from the kitchen water tap. He also had a hard time managing the emotions of everyone being so happy to see him while his buddies were still fighting in the jungles.
Bill returned to his old job at Regal Men’s Shop. He also entered Paier Art School in Hamden, CT which he credits with helping him get his life on track and find the joy in life. When he graduated, he opened his own business making signs. The signs were usually made of metal and hand lettered. He built an impressive customer base to include the local casinos, several local banks and other large accounts. After 16 years Bill sold that business and went to work for a business similar to his. After several years he left that company and started his own business again. In 2006 Bill developed agent orange related cancer and he closed the business.
Bill said the troops knew about the agent orange and knew it wasn’t good. They didn’t have a full appreciation for the long-term effects it could have. Years later they learned that some of the chemicals in agent orange were used to treat the ammo boxes to prevent rust and decay. “We were using empty ammo boxes to fill with sand and build bunkers.” Each night the men would sleep in an agent orange den.
In 1989 Bill returned to Vietnam on a two-week humanitarian mission with five other veterans. Although the U.S. did not have diplomatic relations with the government of Vietnam at the time, Bill and the veterans group went back to identify minefields that had not been cleared. Bill took advantage of his time and visited Saigon, Hue and da Nang. He also went to Hanoi, “and that was kinda freeky with the Hanoi Hilton and everything….” “It’s a beautiful country when you’re not looking over your shoulder.” Civilians might find it difficult to understand how returning to the place where you fought for your life and the lives of your buddies, and did all you could to kill y our enemy is in anyway helpful. However, it was pointed out to me that it is part of the healing process for the GI’s.
On this trip Bill met some of his former Vietnamese adversaries that mined the roads at night and the Americans blew them in place the next morning.
Today Bill lives in his hometown of Manchester, CT, has four children and three grandchildren. He plays the guitar and writes music. Bill, thank you for putting your life on the line so the rest of us didn’t have to. It says a lot about a person who can take part in a humanitarian mission to help his former enemy half a world away.
….Whoever shall read this prayer or hear it or keep it about themselves, shall never die a sudden death……neither shall they fall into the hands of the enemy; or shall be overpowered in battle.
Prayer to St. Joseph for Protection
Bill’s first job was at the Regal Men’s Shop on Main Street in Manchester. Bill graduated from Manchester High School in 1965 as the United States was gearing up for the Vietnam War. His brother had already enlisted, and Bill followed him after graduation. His older brother, uncles and cousins all served in the Marine Corps. “It was family heritage.” Bill assumed he was going to be sent to Vietnam. His mother was worried sick. Just as his brother’s tour of duty ended, Bill’s was beginning.
In early 1966 Bill headed for boot camp at legendary Parris Island. “I’m glad I went in the Marine Corps. I don’t know if when I was at Parris Island, I was thinking I had done the right thing.” Bill talked about learning invaluable life skills. “You have to stand on your own two feet. You have to learn to be disciplined, follow orders. All the things that shape a man.” I asked Bill what it was like to be at Parris Island. He said the Drill Instructor in Full Metal Jacket was a good example of what it was like. “Those guys owned you. You wondered if you would ever get out of there.”
After boot camp Bill headed to Camp Geiger to learn to be a rifleman. Bill’s MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) was combat Engineer and after Camp Geiger he headed to Engineering School. “I pictured myself at a drafting table. It was entirely different than that. It was explosives instruction and construction. I learned basic construction skills.”
Bill’s secondary MOS was Atomic Demolition Munitions. He was a nuclear weapons emplacement technician, and his job was planting little atomic mines. Luckily, he never got involved with that. Bill was stationed on the island of Vieques, off the coast of Puerto Rico for six months. There he learned to build Quonset huts, runways, roads and water tanks among other things.
In October of ’67 Bill departed for Vietnam. When he got off the plane in Da Nang thought, “this isn’t so bad.” This changed when he got on a C-130 headed to meet his unit at Dong ho. The flight engineer advised the GI’s ‘When we get to Dong Ho, I want all of you guys off the plane quickly because we’re taking a lot of incoming up there.’
Bill jumped off the plane and hiked up a dusty hill to check in with the 11th Engineers. Bill’s first project was to build an outpost along the DMZ. They traveled through a river by Amtrac (amphibious tractor) which Bill recalls smelling like diesel fuel. He was there for two months building the outpost, stringing concertina wire and building runways. The engineers went outside of “the wire” to perform mine sweeps and boobytrap removal. Boobytrap removal was often blowing the mines in place. “That was the first taste of someone trying to kill me, because someone WAS trying to kill me….and that’s a funny feeling.” Bill described the enemy attacks as intermittent. After two months Bill was happy to get back to the safety and showers in the rear. For two months the GI’s bathed and washed their uniforms in puddles they found.
Bill recalled how the terrain changed as they moved from the coast of the South China Sea that was flat with little vegetation to increasing vegetation and hilly terrain as they moved west toward the jungles near Khe Sahn which was along the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). “Everywhere we went we were the first ones in.” Enemy attacks were frequent including rocket attacks.
The Siege of Khe Sahn took place in January of 1968. Khe Sahn was located on route 9 in South Vietnam just south of the DMZ near the Laotian border. For 77 days approximately 6,000 Marines held off 20,000 NVA. During the battle of Khe Sahn the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) blew up all of the bridges along Route 9 which cut off the Marines in Khe Sahn. “We had to go along and rebuild all of the bridges….most of the time under fire.” Bill and his unit were generally operating in uninhabited areas, and they had minimal interaction with the Vietnamese populace.
During his time in-country, Bill rose to the rank of platoon sergeant. With 15 days remaining in-country, Bill was a short timer and hoped for assignments that kept him out of harm’s way. In December of 1968 Bill’s tour concluded and he left Vietnam. After a brief stop in Okinawa Bill returned to the Marine Corps. Air Station in El Toro, California. In less than two weeks Bill went from rocket attacks and the jungles of Vietnam to the safety and creature comforts of everyday America. Bill had a tough time transitioning with such a short period for decompression and adjustment. He had a hard time becoming reaccustomed with simple things such as having cleaning forks and spoons, going to the refrigerator for something to eat and getting clean water from the kitchen water tap. He also had a hard time managing the emotions of everyone being so happy to see him while his buddies were still fighting in the jungles.
Bill returned to his old job at Regal Men’s Shop. He also entered Paier Art School in Hamden, CT which he credits with helping him get his life on track and find the joy in life. When he graduated, he opened his own business making signs. The signs were usually made of metal and hand lettered. He built an impressive customer base to include the local casinos, several local banks and other large accounts. After 16 years Bill sold that business and went to work for a business similar to his. After several years he left that company and started his own business again. In 2006 Bill developed agent orange related cancer and he closed the business.
Bill said the troops knew about the agent orange and knew it wasn’t good. They didn’t have a full appreciation for the long-term effects it could have. Years later they learned that some of the chemicals in agent orange were used to treat the ammo boxes to prevent rust and decay. “We were using empty ammo boxes to fill with sand and build bunkers.” Each night the men would sleep in an agent orange den.
In 1989 Bill returned to Vietnam on a two-week humanitarian mission with five other veterans. Although the U.S. did not have diplomatic relations with the government of Vietnam at the time, Bill and the veterans group went back to identify minefields that had not been cleared. Bill took advantage of his time and visited Saigon, Hue and da Nang. He also went to Hanoi, “and that was kinda freeky with the Hanoi Hilton and everything….” “It’s a beautiful country when you’re not looking over your shoulder.” Civilians might find it difficult to understand how returning to the place where you fought for your life and the lives of your buddies, and did all you could to kill y our enemy is in anyway helpful. However, it was pointed out to me that it is part of the healing process for the GI’s.
On this trip Bill met some of his former Vietnamese adversaries that mined the roads at night and the Americans blew them in place the next morning.
Today Bill lives in his hometown of Manchester, CT, has four children and three grandchildren. He plays the guitar and writes music. Bill, thank you for putting your life on the line so the rest of us didn’t have to. It says a lot about a person who can take part in a humanitarian mission to help his former enemy half a world away.
….Whoever shall read this prayer or hear it or keep it about themselves, shall never die a sudden death……neither shall they fall into the hands of the enemy; or shall be overpowered in battle.
Prayer to St. Joseph for Protection