This story begins on a firebase. Although the enemy was always "out there" somewhere, the firebase was generally a safe place. Generally, but not always. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit clintmorey.substack.com
Now it was time for me to move on to my next stage of training. I was moved over to Pre-Op to learn as much as I could in that setting. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit clintmorey.substack.com
Following my experiences in the Division Psychiatrist’s Office and a hospital ward, my next assignment was to work in the emergency room — the ER — at the 91st Evacuation Hospital. It was a challenging yet fascinating assignment This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit clintmorey.substack.com
From the stark contrast of my new, lusurious living quarters to the unexpected challenges of nocturnal jungle bugs, each moment was a step into the exciting unknown as I tried to learn what was needed to become a medic. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit clintmorey.substack.com
Sitting in the captain’s office, I was surprised how calm and relaxed I was. I knew the captain wasn’t going to tell me I would be given conscientious objector status. In the paperwork I filled out I made a point of saying I was not a conscientious objector. Which meant something else would happen to me. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit clintmorey.substack.com...
PODCAST “Don’t Play With Things That Go Boom” www.clintmorey.substack.com Click on the audio player above to hear the podcast or read the transcript below. Episode 18 “Not An Option” transcript The Decision I made the decision. Killing innocent civilians intentionally, even in a time of war, was murder. Murder was not an option for a Christian. The problem was … what do I do next? Do I write a letter? Do I sit down and refuse to do my job? Do I try to hide? I figured I needed to tell the guy in ...
In this deeply personal episode, I recount some of the harsh realities and ethical dilemmas I faced during the Vietnam War. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit clintmorey.substack.com
In today’s episode, I want to share a memory of an event I experienced in Vietnam — a dinner with some newly made friends. I was working in the Fire Direction Control Center on a remote mountain firebase in Vietnam. We shared the hill with some American infantry units and even a South Vietnamese artillery unit. The Visitor One day, a Vietnamese soldier stepped into our bunker. I don’t remember that ever happening before, but I tried to be friendly and find out what he wanted. His English wasn’t ...
Click on the player above to listen to the podcast or read the transcript below. Episode 15 “The General and the Plotting Pins” As I mentioned in a previous episode, one of the distinctive elements of the Fire Control Center was all the antennas on top of our bunker. We had to be in radio contact with a number of groups — infantry units in the field, other artillery units who could support us if we came under attack, headquarters, helicopters flying to our firebase, and many more. We knew knew a...
Life on a firebase was interesting. Sometimes we had really nice views of the beautiful countryside of Vietnam. And we knew we were reasonably safe because we had concertina wire around our entire hill and soldiers from the infantry pulling guard duty for us. So we didn’t really think that much about sappers and mortar attacks. When we arrived on a new firebase, it seldom took us long to develop a simple routine for our daily lives. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this wit...
Mary Ann was a small military facility on a hill in a remote part of South Vietnam. I don’t know who gave it the name Mary Ann, but it was a firebase that supported infantry troops on the ground in nearby areas. During my time in Vietnam, I served on several firebases with the 3/82 Artillery — Mary Ann, Crest, Baldy, Casey Jones, and Deja Vu. At least those were the names we gave them. The Army often referred to them as an LZ (Landing Zone) or just a number (something like Hill 191). This is a p...
I was on my way. Loaded into a Huey helicopter, I was flown to a nearby Fire Support Base called Hawk Hill. I thought this was going to be my new home but I was wrong. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit clintmorey.substack.com
Finally. After two months of Basic Training, a brief stint on Temporary Duty, two months of Fire Direction Control School, a month of leave, and a few extra days at Fort Lewis retaking all my shots … Finally I arrived by plane at Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit clintmorey.substack.com...
Click on the audio player above to hear the podcast or read the transcript below. First of all, I need to apologize to those of you who listened to the end of the previous episode. I said this episode would be called “I’m Leaving on a Jet Plane.” You know, the 1969 hit song by Peter, Paul and Mary. Well, I changed my mind. I’m going to use the same song but I’m going to use the line following “I’m leaving on a jet plane.” So, this is … Episode 10: Don’t Know When I’ll Be Back Again. After a litt...
Click the audio player above or read the transcript below. Finally, I was on my way to Advanced Individual Training (AIT). When I arrived at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, I was directed to the barracks that would be my home for the next two months. And even though it was a barracks, it had a nice feel to it. The area where I was assigned had more space than I had back at Fort Polk and it had lockers that served as a wall separating me from the bunk next to me. Not a foot locker, mind you. An actual locke...
Click the play button above or read the transcript below. Episode 8: What to do with a security risk Life on an Army base as a security risk was not all that stressful. I was assigned to a barracks where other people on TDY were staying. I was given a bed, unpacked my stuff, and settled in. This was now my home. There were no drill sergeants. No one yelling at us. No military formations and marching. Our routine was fairly simple. We got up, took a shower, went and had a leisurely breakfast in t...
Click the button above to listen to the podcast or read the transcript below. Click the play button above or read the transcript below. Episode 07 - Today You Are a Soldier … sort of. The time had finally come. We had completed all of our training sessions and passed all the required tests. Finally we were going to move on from our designation as “recruits” and become “soldiers” — real soldiers. There were just a couple of things that had to happen first. GIVE IT BACK Before we could leave what ...
Click on the audio player above or read the transcript below. Don’t play with things that go boom. Lessons from my days in olive drab by Clint Morey, Specialist 4th Class, retired. Well … not actually retired … it’s more like I didn’t re-up. Episode 6: “Machine Guns & Hand Grenades” The Army still had more weapons that we had to learn how to use. But we didn’t have to master them They just wanted to expose us to them. The M60 Machine Gun This may sound a little weird in today’s world but I h...
Click on the audio player above or read the transcript below. Don’t play with things that go boom. Lessons from my days in olive drab by Clint Morey, Specialist 4th Class, retired. Well … not actually retired … it’s more like I didn’t re-up. Episode 5: “The Sweetest Tasting Liquid in the World” Now that the Army had us looking like soldiers, they had another job. And I have to admit, this job was a little more difficult than teaching us how to salute and march. The Army had to teach us to become...
Click on the audio player at the top of this page or read the transcript below. “Don't play with things that go boom: lessons from my days in olive drab” by Clint Morey, Specialist 4th class retired. Well, not actually retired. It's more like I didn't re-up. Episode 4: “I don't know, but I've been told …” Now when the army said they didn't have room for us at Fort Ord, I actually wondered what we would be doing, but I shouldn't have worried. The Army had a plan. The Army always had a plan. Now t...
Click on the audio player above to listen to the podcast or read the transcript below. Episode 3: May I borrow your pee? Please. I had an image in my mind of what my first day in the Army would be like. I imagined a drill instructor screaming at me and my fellow recruits as we got off the bus at some Army base. I’d seen that in the movies, so I was ready for my first day in the Army. I could handle it. There was only one problem. That isn’t quite what happened. MY LAST MORNING AS A CIVILIAN I wo...
TRANSCRIPT Episode two. “Bell bottoms? You can't be serious.” Once upon a time, long, long ago, in a faraway land there was this thing that everyone dreaded. It was called ... THE DRAFT. Okay, maybe that’s a little over dramatic. But many people today don’t realize the draft was something all young men of my era faced. When the Vietnam War began most people in America would have had trouble even finding Vietnam on a map. But as the war went on year after year everyone in the country became aware...
Click on the audio player above to hear the podcast or read the transcript below. Transcript Episode 1 “Baby Boomers Wanted” Growing up I used to think of myself as just a common, regular, ordinary guy. But as I got older I found out I was something special … very, very special. So special in fact that demographers – whatever they were – came up with a name to describe me. They called me a baby boomer. Now that meant I was one of those kids born shortly after World War II. There were a little ov...
Episode 0 - Introduction to the podcast I’m moving my podcast “Don’t Play With Things That Go Boom” to this Substack account and hope you find it enjoyable. For those of you who have listened to the podcast on Anchor or one of the podcasts hosts (Apple, Spotify, etc.) I apologize for being a little less than regular on releasing episodes. I will try to be better in the future. I’m going to start back at the beginning of the podcast which means this is Episode 0 - the Introduction. Click on the p...
