Col. Chace,

I've been slow to send an E-mail to you but have checked out your website, talked via the Internet and telephone with Pinky and recently made additional contacts with former friends. The conversations with them have brought back both good and not so good memories. I recently sent one of those friends your E-mail & website information.

Mark Mullvihill, He was Waterboo in Vietnam just sent me an E-mail that he'd looked at your website and sent you an E-mail so I thought I'd do the same.

I was with H&S Co. when we left California and became part of BLT 1/5. We unloaded in Chu Lai then went to Marble Mountain. Cobis was company Sgt. when we first went over and I would have liked to have seen him before he died. My point being I can't procrastinate much more everyone is getting older.

Shortly after moving to Marble Mt. I was assigned a reactionary squad and ran patrols. I was called Rabbit and recall on May 5, 68 my squad assembled at the command center then went after the sappers as they were coming thru the trailer park. My memory isn't 100% but there was a Major who told me to take a prisoner. we had him practically surrounded.

He was w/o ammo and armed with concussion and regular grenades. As I tried to approach him he would throw a grenade. We were down by the beach and the sand wasn't even. He'd thrown about 5 grenades and was I believe out of grenades and pulled a knife. As I was approaching him someone gave the order to shoot him and one of the guys in the squad opened up on him. So we didn't get that prisoner. I believe it was Capt. Smith, not exactly sure how it worked recommended me for a medal and shortly after rotating back to ContUS I was told I had been awarded the bronze star w/ V. I just read Capt. Smith had died. I sent him a vague E-mail once because I wasn't sure if I had the right Capt. Smith.

Waterboo started an amtrac and ran wounded down the beach. He was one of many busy Marines at the time and the one that should have been awarded something for his duties above and beyond. I wonder if there is a place to find company rosters as the 30 plus years have dulled my memory of names and dates. It was an honor serving with you.

SEMPER FI
LEE Rabenort AKA: RABBIT
Oh, it was my squad and me that shot up the staff NCO club by the beach.

      REPLY TO LEE      

What a great e-mail to arrive ona cold and windy day in Florida...You brought back alot of memories..ones more pleasant than sad..I thank you for that!

I always feel sad when I think about Bill Cobis and the fact he is no longer with us. What a wonderful Marine and faithful friend he was to me..More so than any other Marine during my career. One of these days I've got to sit down and relate what a good Marine Cobis he was. We served together often on from PFC (I was a second Lt.) to Master Sergeant..some of his Marine ranks he did twice.

My most meaningful days with him were in Vietnam..when he Company Gunny for H&S. ManyMarines owe their life lives to him and the training he provided to them on their first patrols. There was no requirement that he provided that training..he did so because he felt he should do that.

When his tour was up in late May of 1967, he returned to the States but was back in RVN in June with a six month extension. When I asked why he did this, he replied that I needed to be looked after..and was back to see me through my tour.

There was never any more enterprising Marine in Vietnam..like the two ancient French canons he procured to be next to our flagpole in front of the CP. One thing you did not do with Cobis was ask how he got hold of something. Everyonce in a while he would come into my office and ask to take a AK47 off the wall. I never asked what he was going to do with it..

As far as I know, I was the only field commander to have a double bed. Some told me he got it off the Hospital Ship..but I never knew where it came from. He had his 7 Vietnanese carpenters build a frame for the bed.

I was sad when he died since I considered him immortal. You may remember when I was promoted to LT Col on the Mess Hall porch, that I asked Cobis to pin on one of my Sliver Leafs.

As for memories of May 5th 1968, I hope you read "In the Wire" at my web site: You will see we were both trying to take a prisoner. Both in the same area ..down on the beach.

The passing of Colonel Charlie Smith (then Major) was equally as tough on me. I described my feeling and memories also of him in my Web Site under Charlie Smith.

There are rosters of 3rd Amtrac personell available..I will see by this e-mail if anyone can get you one.

I had the honor of serving with you too...and with so many others..

I would like to share your e-mail with Marines and friends..who enjoy reading about Vietnam

God Bless..Semper Fi
Stub