Vietnam 1st Battalion
James Morales
D Company 1971
My name is James Morales I served with Delta Company. I also served with 3rd/22nd 25th Infantry Walking Regulars, Charlie Company.
I came in country November 16, 1970. We landed at Cam Ranh Bay. I can still remember the plane had fresh air, when they open the door the hot air hit us. I can’t remember how long we were at Cam Ranh Bay, it was maybe two days. I found out most of the group that came in were assigned the 25th Infantry Division, the “Tropic Lightning Division”.
I was assigned to 3rd Brigade of the 22nd Infantry “The Walking Regulars” 3rd Platoon. We were sent to join the unit at Cu Chi, but the 25th had pulled out of Cu Chi. They were now working out of Long Binh Camp, Fresno Jones, our forward Base was Leopard Main. Our AO was Cu Chi Province, Xuan Loc, Ho Bo Woods, Bo Loi Woods, Nui Ba Den the “Black Virgin Mountain” and the Michelin Rubber Plantation.
When the 25th was pull out and sent home in March, I was sent up to the 101st. I joined the 1st of the 327th being assigned to Delta Company. There I met Sergeant Wayne Smith who was in the 25th. We had the same AO, he was with Mech and I was with Infantry.
Thanks to this site we are still in contact to this day. We were at Bastogne, Birmingham, Veghel, Tomahawk and Camp Eagle. While at Camp Eagle I went to Sniper School, then went back and joined my unit. At that time the Brass wanted a sniper with each company.
I went to the Valley with my unit. Later that month we were taken on CA to a mountain top near the Laos border in support of the A.R.V.N. move into Laos. On November 13, 1971 I was pick up and taken back to Camp Eagle. I cannot remember what fire base I was on. I do remember I had a big lump in my throat when the chopped lifted off. It was not because I was going home, it was for my friends I left behind.
