Vietnam 2nd battalion
Jonathan (Jon) Protzman
B, H & H Companies 1967 – 1968
Not much of a bio on my army days, B 2/327 06-67 to 06-68. All I remember is SSGT Knight was Plt. Sgt. A black guy nicknamed Smokey trained me on point before he deros’ed, Hell I can’t even find Marty Protzman.
I left B Company 06-68 to HHC where I extended my tour for six months. Worked on TOC’S until ETS 12-68.
Went back twice more. Once with 173rd Airborne as a Infantryman, walked point; Then last trip was with F Company 50th Infantry in Da Nang. Gravy job of harbor security; That stood down transfered to F Troop 4th Air Calvary as a Blue Team Leader; Back to the states until ETS in 09-74.
I still can’t figure out how we were so close in the field and not many, myself included, have many, if any pictures, nor stayed in touch.
As you well know many used nicknames or handles given them and as close as I thought we were I know no names. Except Lester Haddix of Lexington, Kentucky was Buckshot, as we went on R&R together; Marty Protzman of course, as we have the same last name, but never kept in touch.
Hell, I’ve run into guys on my second tour with the 173rd that were in B Company with me on the first tour, meeting them in passing on R&R on the second tour, only to have a beer or two at the club and part ways again nor keeping in touch.
Went back three tours and am always confusing what happened when and who was, or wasn’t there with me.
Oh well some day I hope to figure it out. I thought it would be easy as I was going to try to locate guys from all units in Vietnam, but Hell I haven’t even put a dent in B 2/327 yet.
I’ve tried the Guest Books and maybe don’t fill them out completely, not listing e-mails; Addresses; Phone numbers; Dates and times; Units served with and etc.; Which is as well as not even signing it, but many including myself are not of the computer world, or find it hard at best.
First I found Reno; Then Darrel Ashley; Chico; Herb Martinez of HHC; and others through Guest Books and other Vets.
I’m still looking for a Medica I only knew as “Chopper” from Chicago, Ill. Said he was a truck driver before the war and won the Silver Star while I was on R&R or hospital when B Company walked into an NVA Regimental Headquarters and damn near got wiped out. Seems a company was C.A.’ed in to help and were getting shot off the choppers as they came in. Doc was calling in medivac’s, artillery fire and treating the wounded and yet I walked behind him every time I wasn’t on point or slack and talked to the back of his aide kit and rucksack many a mile.
Well gotta go earn some money. Thanks for the site.
Jonathan (Jon) A. Protzman
SP-4 E-4 RA17747651
B 2/327 06-67 TO 06-68
