Legendary Chinese Bandit Recon LRRP Team 1st Bn (ABN) 8th Cav

[Ken White]

Reading over your tracking and patrolling document, it mentions a lack of hygiene items and specifically sock/ extra clothes. Was cellulitis or foot problems an issue during patrolling? What was the average length of mission and load carried?

Interesting since it seems that much of what Ive ben taught is almost 180* different... Possibly environment related, jungle vs desert/mountains...

However, in a 1st Bde 101st Recon Platoon at the same time (1965-66 -- and not the 2/502 Inf Recondo Platoon, an amalgamation of that Battalion's Recon and Anti-Tank Platoons which was effectively a junior rifle company) -- extra clothes weighed too much, no one carried them, you'd get wet in the daily rains, the heat would quickly dry the rip stop and so there was little point in extras -- except for socks, most carried a pair in their helmet (to keep them dry) and one other extra pair in a plastic bag in the ruck -- some wore no socks; almost no one wore underwear, all it did was bind and chafe. 'Hygiene' in the military sense was mostly ignored, most guys carried only a razor, a bar of soap and a toothbrush (used with the Salt packet from C Rations ILO toothpaste). Cellulitis and foot problems occurred but mostly in new guys, the old guys had developed calluses and tougher skin. Recon, long and short range, missions were performed by three to six man teams and lasted from two to seven - ten days, rarely longer. Stealth was the method and contact was avoided (calling in air or Arty from a distance was not avoided...). Resupply was by helicopter or from caches. Loads averaged about 40-45 pounds (though I for one went light and rarely carried more than 30-35 pounds). If there was not going to be a resupply, most missions were five days max.

Most of the differences are indeed environmentally related but there also generational / expectation / societal / risk tolerance differences. It was a different war in a different place and a different time.

FWIW I was also at Troung Long in Jun 66 when the 1/1 Cav came in and got us out of a mess -- everyone there got a DUC (what Conners calls a PUC which the DUC became later in 1966)); 1-8, 2-7 and 3-7 Cav, 1/1 Cav, 2-327 from 1/101. That 1-8 Recon Platoon was just a part of the conglomeration that all got DUCs.