For most of us from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Infantry, our first exposure to the local populace and the war zone was our first trip from LZ Bronco to FSB Hill 4-11. That trip was usually made in the back of a "deuce and a half" truck along with other supplies and equipment being transported via a convoy to our comrades at the forward fire support base. Along the way we saw destroyed buildings, the locals working in the fields, an occasional VC KIA lying along the road, and finally, the infamous red dirt road from Quang Ngai to "The Hill." That part of the road to FSB Hill 4-11 was frequently mined, which caused the deaths of many of our friends and fellow soldiers.
Your tour guide for "The Road to FSB Hill 4-11" is Dave Eckberg who was the S-5 and Medical Platoon Leader for the 3rd Battalion, 1st Infantry from August, 1970 to August, 1971.
Photograph by Dave Eckberg
Just north of Duc Pho, the convoy passed a destroyed church which was on the east side of the road. Many refugees huddled among the ruins of the church for protection from the elements.
Photograph by Dave Eckberg
Frequently, a convoy was delayed for hours because a bridge had been damaged or destroyed during the previous night by the VC.
Photograph by Dave Eckberg
Along the way, we got to see the local citizens. Here are a couple of women carrying food to market with their "chogy sticks."
Photograph by Dave Eckberg
The most popular form of transportation in Vietnam, other than motor scooters, was the Lambretta, which is a small vehicle used as a bus. About a dozen Vietnamese could get into one of them.
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