Phil Tolvin
199th Light Infantry Brigade
Redcatcher
<<<<>>>>
A Vietnam Vet
B 4/12, HHC 4/12, 67-68

"The mistakes made in Vietnam were not made by those that served,
but by those that did not serve."
Phil Tolvin

The World Trade Center Tragedy
View this page of my first hand experience of this most horrific event
in the annals of American History.

Click Here >>> The World Trade Center Tragedy

<<< New Page 6 >>>
28 Nov., 2002
Click on the link below to view and read the stories.
>>> Mostly Your Stories, Your Photos  <<<

This page will continuously be updated and added to, as I receive
additional material supplied by those that served in the 199th LIB.

... Captain Roberto Eaton ...

1 Sept., 2003
~~~~~~~~~~~
View these recently received photographs of Bravo Co. 4/12 Commanding Officer.
Captain Eaton was Commanding B Co. 4/12, in 67 - 68, and was instrumental in the success of Bravo Co.,
as well as that of the 4th Battalion, 12 Infantry, 199th Light Infantry Brigade.

Click here for photographs of Captain Eaton.

Then scroll down to the photos.

Remembering Albert Bohrer
Professionally known as Alex King
22 Dec. 2002
This tribute includes several E-Mail communications between Al and myself,
as he describes the firefight on 6 Dec. 1967. Al was a medic in B Co. 4/12, 67 - 68.
This, completing a trilogy of narratives on the subject of this action,
is found on Page 6

Al left us on 3 November, 2001.

News Flash!
24 Feb., 2001
Read an amazing development regarding Sergeant James A. Pius.
Scroll down to the Awards Ceremony on Page 2 Mostly You

Jim's Story
Recollections of Bravo Co.
4/12, 199th Light Infantry Brigade
Vietnam, 6 Dec. 1967
Jim's personal account of the fiercest enemy encounter with 199th LIB,
in its 5 year service in The Republic of South Vietnam.
Page 6 Your Photos, Your Stories

28 Nov., 2002

A Recollection of An Encounter With The Enemy
My personal account of the firefight launched from Firebase Nashua, on 6 Dec., 1967
Click on: Page 4 Mostly Stories

Here's One For the Books!
1 July, 2001
After 33 years of serving with him in the Nam,
I ran into Andy Hickey on the street in my neighborhood.
Read this brief story with photographs, on Page 2, Mostly You

Page 1 Mostly Me ,   Page 2 Mostly You ,   Page 3 Mostly Them ,
Page 4 Mostly Stories ,   Page 5 Vietnam Today, Dec., 1999
Page 6 Mostly Your Photos, Your Stories

Please be sure to visit all 6 pages, this is Page 1.

Click on:  Mostly You  for Page 2,   Mostly Them  for Page 3,   Mostly Stories  for Page 4,
Vietnam Today, Dec., 1999  for Page 5,   Mostly Your Photos, Your Stories  for Page 6 

This gallery of photographs is arranged to display The Lighter Side of
My Experience In Vietnam and to remember the faces of the brothers we served with, in a Time And Place Never To Be Forgotten.

We were young men sent to fight a war in a reality so far removed from reality, that even today it still seems like a dream, or should I say a nightmare.

We are the replacements to the 199th LIB.
It's mid Nov., 1967, Long Binh Post,
Republic of South Vietnam

Lt. to Rt.  #1 Edwards,  #2 Brownley,  #3 Maloney,  # 4 Angel,  #5 Robert Stewart, KIA, 1968. He could throw a hand grenade as far as one could throw a football. I'm not kidding.,  #6 Kevin Lowery, He became a NYC Police Officer,  #7 Bob Molnar

Late November 1967.
The VC made life more
difficult. They were like
cockroaches for US forces,
you kept stepping on them,
but more were always
hiding in the cracks.

All photos and material on this web site belong to, and are the property of Phil Tolvin. They may not be copied electronically or otherwise, or used without the express permission of Phil Tolvin. All rights reserved.

1st Row Lt to Rt --- #2 Maj Kelly;  #3 Lt Col Mastoris the Bn. Commander;  #4 Maj Kelly
2nd Row Lt to Rt --- #3 Cap't Smith, B Co;  #4 1st Lt. Billy Woodard, S-4;  #5 1st Lt. Wayne Smith, D Co.
3rd Row 7th from Lt --- Medal of Honor recipient, Cap't Angelo Liteky, a legend in his own right.
3rd Row Lt to Rt --- #4Cap't Tonsetic, C Co;  #11 Lt. Bruno Skodas
4th Row Lt to Rt --- #3 Lt. Eric Rydstrom; #9 Lt. Jay Benesh; 
4th Row Cont. Lt to Rt --- #11 Lt. Paul Lange, FO for B Co;  #13 Lt. Gary Steger
Additional information on Cap't Liteky, MOH recipient, can be found on the lower portion of page 4.
~~~~~~~
The Officers of the 4/12,  posing for a group shot.
They were a fine selection of compassionate and understanding leaders.
If I recall correctly, this photo was taken at the Fire Support Base Stephanie,
set up in the cemetery West of Saigon, sometime around July or August 1968. 

If you know the names of any of the officers in the photo, or have any additional information about them or the location,  you can contact me at my E-Mail address:  philt6135@aol.com

This is the late night shift at the local EM Club on Long Binh Post,
September through November 1968.
Most of us in these photos are short timers, drowning out the memories of a tough year.

Two additional photos of a similar nature, recently supplied by
George Holyoke, can be viewed on Page 6 Your Stories, Your Photos.

Myself,   George F. Fleiner II,   Charlie Hilderbrant,
and front row, Bill Schmidt expressing his thanks
to his local Draftboard, for giving him the
opportunity to see the world.

Another night out with the regular crew
and getting very short, it's just a matter of hours.
The fellow in the plaid shirt, his name is Sowers.
Please forgive the poetry, it's unintentional.

One of our replacements,
"Sunshine" Mike Williams with the shades.
He doesn't want to be recognized.

Lt. to Rt.  # 1?,  #2 Myself,  #3 Terry Hopwood from Michigan,
#4 Paul Frank,  #5 Dick Cunningham,  # 6 Shannon.
~~~~~~~
Can you tell who's boarding a Freedombird soon?
Answer: The one with the biggest smile, me.
If you recall the individuals with question marks,
E-Mail me, philt6135@aol.com

All photos and material on this web site belong to, and are the property of Phil Tolvin. They may not be copied electronically or otherwise, or used without the express permission of Phil Tolvin. All rights reserved.

Joel Greenberg,  and Myself
Two old veterans at the N.Y. Parade.
It was a long time coming, and ten years
in the making, but on 7 May, 1985 it was time for
us to march down the Canyon of Heroes....
Broadway.
Thank you New York.

Click here to see
THE NEW YORK VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL

Read a true story about Martin E. O Grady on Page 4 Mostly Stories

Bob, from California, stood
about  six  foot tall. He was
one  of  the  most  likable
guys  you  could  want  to
meet.  He  always  had  a
smile  for  you,  was  very
personable  and  always
ready  to  lend  a  hand. His
personality  could light up a
room. We trained together
in AIT, and flew over to
The Nam, to join with The
199th. Robert was assigned
to A Co 3/7. He was Killed
in Action while engaging a
hostile enemy force.
Heroes Never Stood Taller.

 
Robert
Stewart
KIA Thursday
16 May, 1968

Martin
O Grady
KIA Monday
8 Jan., 1968

   Marty and myself trained together
in Basic and AIT. In  AIT, we shared
the  same  double  bunk.  Every  AM
wakeup  I   would   have   to   say:
"Marty,  lets  get  moving,  lets  get
moving",  he   would   respond   with
literally  one eye  half open  and  the
other  shut   tight,  " I'm up,  I'm up"
This was our wake up routine in AIT.
   Marty  volunteered  for  the Armed
Forces  in  1967,  he  didn't  have  to
be  there. He  was  Killed  In  Action
while  serving  with  B Co.  3rd Bn.
60th  Inf.  9th Inf. Division, at  Long
An, on 8 Jan. 1968,  while  engaging
a  hostile enemy force.
A Hero To Stand With Heroes,
In Every Sense Of The Word.

This Web Site is dedicated to Robert Stewart, Martin O Grady and all those
young men and woman who gave without question of life and limb,
to serve a cause when called to respond to the needs of another man.
In Honor We Marched, and We March in Honor and Integrity, of a Time and Place
Never To Be Forgotten.

Page 1 Mostly Me ,   Page 2 Mostly You ,   Page 3 Mostly Them ,
Page 4 Mostly Stories ,   Page 5 Vietnam Today, Dec., 1999 
Page 6 Mostly Your Photos, Your Stories

Please be sure to visit all 6 pages, this is Page 1.

Click on :  Mostly You  for Page 2,   Mostly Them  for Page 3,   Mostly Stories  for Page 4,
Vietnam Today, Dec., 1999  for Page 5,   Mostly Your Photos, Your Stories  for Page 6

     I would like to thank Judy & Stan Cwiklinski, especially Judy, for her guidance and expertise in the use of AOL Press, the program used to assemble this web site. I knew Stan Cwiklinski from the 199th LIB, in Vietnam, where we both served at about the same time period. I found his web site recently, around Jan., 1999, and immediately recognized  the name and photo of him in Vietnam. I then contacted him through E-Mail, and bid him hello after 32 years. I asked if he remembered me, he said he thinks I look familiar but 32 years is a long time. I've been communicating with him and his wife Judy ever since.  
                                Please be sure to visit his excellent site:  Just Another Vietnam Vet

 Other Places to Visit

Just Another Vietnam Vet

REDCATCHER

Tom Hays 199th Web Site 

Gary Pierce Web Page

Pasqual Ramirez 199th Site

101st ABN Div.

Tyrone T. Dancy 199th Web Site

Bert Ovitt 199th Web Page

Wade-Burns VFW Post 7279

GUNNERS AUSTRALIA

Tom Daly's Vietnam Site

Vietnam War Records

I will add a link to your 199th LIB web site, or your Vietnam web site, if you let me know that it exists.
Please E-Mail me: philt6135@aol.com

Copyright: Philip Tolvin
First Published: 1 Apr., 1999
All Rights Reserved.

There were 6,855 visits to this page prior to the installation of this new counter,
on 1 Dec. 2002, which began the new count at 00001..