FSB LZ Russell tour/trip to Fire Support Base LZ Russell
On 21st September 2019, we were a group of 6 people including myself (Tam Le) and 3 Marine veterans Bob Haseman, Ron Martz, Tom Irwin and Bob's son Brian Haseman, Ron's son Chris Martz made a trekking trip to the top of Firebase Russell (Fire Support Base Russell, FSB Russell, LZ Russell) located in western Quang Tri province, Vietnam to commemorate the date of accidental explosion of the base and to pay homage to those who lost their lives there.
Before this trip, I myself had made several exploratory trips to LZ russell to make sure that timing, weather, terrain, ... were favourable for our trip. The trekking to Fire Support Base Russell requires hiking the first 4km of fording about 8 streams, some thigh-high, from the Bru village to the base of FSB Rusell. The climb to Russell was steep, muddy, and slick requiring ropes to get us up and down in some places. It took us at least 2 hours to make the climb with the aid of some Bru tribesman.
We made this trip on this special day of 21 Sep 2019 also to remember about this missing of a Lance Corporal Jimmy Jackson at LZ Russell 50 years ago on 21 Sep 1969. Jimmy Jackson was posthumously promoted to Gunnery Sergeant. Please read more about Jimmy Jackson case in the following links:
Vietnam mystery: Why did Cpl. Jimmy Jackson vanish?
The Marine who vanished without a trace in Vietnam
FSB LZ Russell tour/trip to Fire Support Base LZ Russell
This picture taken on an exploratory trip that I had made several days before the trip on 21 Sep 2019. I had to make 3 times exploratory just to make sure that our trip to Russell on 21 Sep 2019 would have been a success. My 1st trip was made just to get to know about the Russell. The 2nd trip was made to examine how difficult the terrain there and to inform the group about the challenges they would met in order to anticipate the difficulties. And my last 3rd trip was made on the very last day 19 Sep 2019 just to check about the weather and its effects hindering on our trip to Russell. My tour organization was reviewed by Bob on TripAdvisor here.
We started our trip from Saigon Dong Ha hotel and it took us around 1 hour to arrive at the Bru village in Dakrong district. After hopping off the bus and greeting with villagers, we gathered, prepared and departed our hiking up to FSB Russell.
The first part of this trek was an easy part which is pretty flat terrain and low altitude although it was quite wet and muddy some parts due to the torrential rain several days before. In this picture is Ron Martz who was a former reporter at Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) and served in US Marine Corps during Vietnam war.
FSB LZ Russell tour/trip to Fire Support Base LZ Russell
The acacia trees were being planted for a new life cycle. These are the common source of income for local Bru people living in this area. The acacia trees will be chopped down every 5 to 7 years for wood. The woods will be grinded into powder for export and then made into MDF furnitures. However, sometimes they can be chopped down as young as 3 year old when the owner wants to sell them for money.
Along the way to Lz Russell, we had made several rest stops for drinking water, taking photos and relaxing our muscles.
The surrounding hills are all used for planting acacia trees and tapioca trees
FSB LZ Russell tour/trip to Fire Support Base LZ Russell
On the way hiking up to upper Lz Russell, I met Kenny Heins, one of the board member of LZ Russell Association, at lower Lz Russell. Kenny Heins was one of the Marine who fought at the battle of FSB Russell on 25th Feb 1969 when sappers from 27th NVA Regiment attacked this Fire Support Base. On the same day of 25th Feb 1969, another firebase named Neville or Hill 1103, about 10 clicks from Russell was also attacked by some 200 NVA sappers of 246 Regiment. These 2 battles of the same day was covered in this article. Kenny Heins was a big guy and he had to make it up to Russell the day before (20th Sep 2019) and slept up here overnight. It was an arduous trip as he needed the assistance of 1 medical staff, 1 tour guide and 4 Bru men helping him up and down the hill.
Our journey is primarily symbolic; we want to remember the Americans and the Vietnamese who died on Russell with a simple ceremony on the 50th anniversary of the base's closing. We are going there out of respect for those who died here, especially for Portugal Silveira who was submitted by Bob to receive The Navy and Marine Corps medal - the highest non-combat medal for his valor of trying to stop the accidental premature explosion at Firebase Russell. Please read this article about Bob's recalling those memories at Firebase Russell. And the 2nd but the most important person is Jimmy Jackson who was thought to buried and left in one of the bunkers up here at LZ Russell after an accidental explosion. Please read this article by Ron Martz about 'The Strange Disapperance of Lance Cpl. James W. Jackson Jr' . There were more who died here including 2 Vietnamese Kit Carson scouts in the same explosion on 21 Sep 1969 and some other Vietnamese Bru people died on this hill as they were searching for scrap metals left after the war.
Please read more about Bob's experience in Vietnam war' DMZ battlefield in this article: Helenans Who Served: Marine Lt. Bob Haseman led infantry platoon in Vietnam
We brought a bunch of flower up to Firebase Russell in remembering those who lost their lives here, both KIA and MIA.
Here is the list of 29 Marines killed in action at LZ Russell on 25 Feb 1969:
- LCpl Kenneth R. Gilliam, Lexington, KY
- LCpl Norman W. Kellum, Corpus Christi, TX
- LCpl Donald R. Lewis, Maysville, KY
- LCpl Larry W. Liss, Oroville, CA
- LCpl Gerald Przybylinski, Buchanan, MI
- LCpl Larry J. Sikorski, Fairmount, ND
- PFC Marion W. Lyons, Brentwood, AR
- PFC James D. Peschel, Boulder, CO
- PFC David L. Rutgers, Marshalltown, IA
- HM2 Kenneth Davis, Zanesville, OH
- 2ndLt William H. Hunt, Merritt Island, FL
- Cpl Tommy N. Miller, Bethalto, IL
- LCpl James D. Logan, Flint, MI
- LCpl Bruce A. Saunders, Roanoke, VA
- PFC Robert A. Coffey, Greensburg, KY
- PFC Michael L. Jenkins, Covington, VA
- PFC Randolph R. Ramsey, Williamsfield, OH
- PFC Allen M. Sharp, Covington, KY
- HN Donald K. Walsh, East Lyme, CT
- PFC Robert H. Brogan, Cincinnati, OH
- PFC Odell Dickens, Whitakers, NC
- PFC Douglas B. Forsberg, Minneapolis, MN
- PFC Juan Gaston, New York, NY
- PFC Robert A. McCarthy, Alden, NY
- PFC Norman R. Surprenant, Plainfield, CT
- PFC Robert H. Trail, Baltimore, MD
- PFC James E. Tucker, Miami, FL
- PFC George W. Weldy, Amarillo, TX
- Pvt Michael A. Harvey, Milwaukee, WI
Above are the deaths from the 25th Feb 1969 NVA' sapper attack. The tragedy at Russell still continued with the deaths of another 3 Marines (Grover Bowen, Jimmy Jackson, Portugal Silveira) and 2 Bru scouts on 21st Sep 1969 accidental explosion. Two days later on 23 Sep 1969, Lt. Thomas Caruso died while searching for the two Bru scouts. Fore more information about this tragedy, please read Bob's book: THE SUN SETS ON VIETNAM - THE FIREBASE WAR (revised version).
On Russell, life still continued with vegetation and insects.
Bob, Brian, Tom, myself and 2 other Bru boys had made it to upper hilltop of LZ Russell first and we had some free time whilst waiting for Ron, Chris and another Bru tribesman. Only when having reached the mountaintop that can you appreciate the beautiful views of this place. The landscapes seemed surreal as we were on 7th heaven. I had been usually joking with my customers that 7th heaven is a happy ending for a human life which has a steady growth from 1 to 7. They are 1 wife, 2 children, 3 floors (house), 4 wheels (car), 5 continents (travel to 5 continents of our planet), 6 panels (rest in peace in a coffin or grave with 6 sides) and finally 7th heaven (when we can go to paradise after death). And at that moment of standing on Russell, I found it I was not far from 7th heaven.
In Bob's book THE SUN SETS ON VIETNAM: THE FIREBASE WAR, chapter #3 CAN'T SWIM, revised edition, Bob mentioned about the beauty of this area during his daytime recon patrol:
As I reflected on past events, sitting on that mountaintop and looking out on the jungles of Quang Tri Province, I realized that my assigned AO was a beautiful place... In America, this scenic place could be a national park. I felt lucky to have avoided serving in a populated area with civilians...
Bob's A.O. is now part of Bac Huong Hoa Nature Reserve (or Khu Bảo tồn Thiên nhiên Bắc Hướng Hóa in Vietnamese)
We had to rely on the support of some Bru guys as porters. In this picture are 2 Bru boys working as porters of carrying water, foods, ropes, ...
FSB LZ Russell tour/trip to Fire Support Base LZ Russell
There was a piece of news from Helena, Montana reporting about Bob's return to FSB LZ Russell Vietnam. You can watch and hear about Bob's tour of duty experience in Vietnam where he served at LZ Russell in Quang Tri province.
Helena Veteran shares experience of returning to Vietnam
Firebase Russell is located about 7km northwest of Rockpile, 4km from the DMZ, 21km west of Cam Lo, 33km west of Dong Ha, 20km east of Laos, 18km north-northeast of Khe Sanh combat base. According to Bob's book "THE SUN SETS ON VIETNAM: THE FIREBASE WAR" - revised edition, in chapter 10 "EXPLODING FIRE SUPPORT BASE RUSSELL": Firebase Russell has 'The perimeter enclosed about two acres of land with the main LZ on the flat top of the hill and another LZ on level ground near the southern boundary of the base. An 81 mortar section (4th Section H&S Co., 3/4) and a battery of 105mm howitzers (H Battery 3/12) provided fire support for Marine activity in the area."
Bob picked up a spoon which he thought was left here since 1969. In the other Bob's hand is a wooden stick used to support our balance on our trek and helped us make it to the hilltop of Russell.
These are Bob's 2 dog tags that Bob still keeps it until today as souvenirs reminding him about Vietnam, about his youth and about his experience as a Marine lieutenant. Anyone who is interested in Vietnam war, especially combat experience about the war on the DMZ should read his book 'THE SUN SETS ON VIETNAM: THE FIREBASE WAR' - revised edition. For me, only after reading Bob's book's Chapter 6 MOVIES ON THE BEACH narrating about his experience at Cua Viet beach, an R&R place in Quang Tri province
"We returned from patrol looking forward to the nighttime movie on the beach. With beers in hand we watched some action movie like The Sands of Iwo Jima. During the movie, as mortar explosions appeared on the screen, we heard a pop nearby that was decidedly more realistic. Someone yelled, "Incoming" and we rushed to our bunkers just before the explosions hit the beach. Rocket and mortar fire occurred regularly at Cua Viet but that time there were injuries. The timing with the movie seemed unreal; was it a VC inside job? Did the sloppiness created from our perception of safety make Cua Viet Beach a more dangerous place than Hill 950? That was not likely but every rocket had the capability to kill and death often came without warning even on R&R bases."
that did a idea glaring in my mind "WHY IS THIS BOOK NOT MADE INTO A MOVIE'' like Sands of Iwo Jima , a 2nd one named Sands of Cua Viet or Sands of the DMZ or Sands of Quang Tri. A war movie that is not about who wins or loses in a war but rather than a movie about reconciliation of 2 countries, 2 former enemies. As U.S. president Richard Nixon said in the documentary Vietnam War by Ken Burns, Lynn Novic Episode 7: The Veneer of Civilization at 1:37'46''. It's about the peace that we should seek to win.
The peace we seek to win is not victory over any other people but the peace that comes with healings in its wings, with compassion for those who have suffered, with understanding for those who have opposed it, with the opportunity for all the peoples of this earth to choose their own destiny.
As I've watched many movies about Vietnam war like: Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket, Platoon, We Were Soldiers, Good Morning Vietnam, Born On The Forth of July, Deer Hunters, Casualties of War, ... but none of them have mentioned clearly and detailed about combat experience on the DMZ as it is described in Bob's book. That's why I'm very much hoping this kind of movie will someday be made into movie based on Bob's true story and also based on Robert Mc Namara's lesson #1 Empathize with your enemy from the documentary The Fog Of War.
On this trip, Bob did not forget to bring his father's 2 dog tags along as a gesture of remembering about him. Bob's father was veteran of World War II who used to fight at the Battle of the Bulge, a.k.a The Ardennes Counteroffensive.
Bob and Brian were having some relaxing time for taking pictures whilst we were waiting for Tom, Ron and Chris. According to an article on 9KXLH-Helena, for Haseman, being able to share a milestone with his son was something to cherish through the generations, "But, really walking to Russell, was the best experience with my son because he could really experience the terrain, the jungle."
Bob and Tom (in yellow T-shirt) was having a chat while waiting for the rest of our group. Tom was a bunkmate of Jimmy Jackson at a bootcamp at Parris Island, S.C., the legendary “boot camp” for the U.S. Marine Corps. In Bob's book page 110:
Tom Irwin had been Jimmy Jackson's bunkmate at boot camp. When they arrived in Vietnam, they were assigned different units but his friendship with Jackson drew him to Russell.
Upon hearing about our trip to Russell, Tom was very eager to join our group to make it to the hilltop as a way of memorial for his deceased friend. Please read Memorial Day 2014: If you forget my death, then I died in vain.
Photos of Firebase Russell used to pinpoint Jimmy Jackson's bunker in which he was thought to have been left.
This is a photo of FSB Russell taken during the last search mission done by DPAA team to conduct the search for Jimmy Jackson.
One of our task on this trip was also recording the coordinates of the location of the bunker where LCpl Jimmy Jackson died on 21 Sep 1969. With the coordinates, Bob and Ron hope to urge US government to go on the mission of searching for Jimmy remains. In this photo, Brian was reading the coordinates for Bob to write them down.
Group posing for a photo. We had done half of the trip quite perfectly.
We had a toast of beers after the job had been done. A toast for closing those bad incidents that happened here 50 years ago. Bob wrote about his memories with beers on Russell (page 112):
After we arrived on the upper LZ we toasted the fallen Marines with the warm beer my son carried to the top. When we fought in 1969, helicopters brought us warm beer every few days so we had a memory there.
This is a leftover from the war and the battles atop Russell. According to Bob, this is a M72 LAW anti-tank weapon. On Wipipedia, it says 'The M72 LAW (Light Anti-Tank Weapon, also referred to as the Light Anti-Armor Weapon or LAW as well as LAWS: Light Anti-Armor Weapons System) is a portable one-shot 66-mm unguided anti-tank weapon.'
FSB LZ Russell tour/trip to Fire Support Base LZ Russell
With Ron Martz who's very keen on bringing Jimmy home to fulfill his promise to Jimmy's mother. Ron had created a Facebook page named Bring Jimmy Home to update every information about Jimmy case. Ron has been pursuing evidence of Jimmy Jackson's disappearance for more than 30 years up to now although his age and health are now apparent the hurdles for him. Ron is also the co-author of the book named "Solitary Survivor: The first American POW in Southeast Asia".
As I used to work for Quang Tri Radio Television (QRTV) back in 2010 and now still keeping contact with some of the reporters of QRTV, especially reporter Thanh Bac - my former colleague when we were working as Translator for QRTV. Upon hearing about my trip with a group of US Marines returning to battlefield in Quang Tri province, Thanh Bac was very interested in covering this news. Following are 2 pieces of news report that Mr Thanh Bac made and had been aired and published on QRTV and Quang Tri newspaper (Bao Quang Tri).
Hành trình tìm kiếm Jimmy (A journey searching for Jimmy)
If you can't watch the video on Quang Tri Television website, please watch this video on Quang Tri Television's Youtube channel here.
Not only Mr Thanh Bac from QRTV were interested in covering this trip but also Mr Brad Lendon from CNN did want to join our group to Russell with his crews to cover the news. I had the honor to guide Mr Lendon on a trip to My Lai several days before my trip to Russell and had told him about the interesting stories of Russel. Once having heard of this Russell story, he was very much looking forward to Russell trip. However, at the last minutes, Brad Lendon had to drop out because he couldn't arrange some procedures. Nonetheless, he still wanted to cover the news by interviewing Ron one day after we had done the trip.
A panorama picture taken by my iPhone 8 showing the surreal gorgeous view from the top of Russell. I fully agree with Bob comments in his book's THE SUN SETS ON VIETNAM: THE FIREBASE WAR (revised edition)- chapter 10: EXPLODING FIRE SUPPORT BASE RUSSELL, page 112 that:
It occurred to me while taking in the beautiful view that if remnants of Jimmy's DNA are never found, he at least, is likely to repose on the tranquil green slope of Russell overlooking the mountains ... Not a bad place
Just like Bob's comments, if Jimmy's DNA are never found, I think that US government can ask Vietnam government to build a memorial here for Jimmy (and for all who died here, including Vietnamese NVA soldiers and Bru scouts) to rest in peace in this beautiful mount forever, just like many gods chose mountaintop for their permanent abode. This memorial will be a symbol of cooperation, normalization and reconciliation between the 2 countries.
We started walking down from Russell after about 2 hours staying at the top remembering those KIAs, taking pictures, having some beer, chillaxing. The hike back down was still challenging for us since the soil was wet, slippery, muddy and very steep near the top. We had to used several ropes for getting back down most of the time.
Fording about 8 streams from Russell base back to the bus was very strenuous for us as we were all very tired after a long and difficult hiking down from the top of Russell to the foot of Russell.
On the way hiking back, Tom was so exhausted and unable to walk himself so Brian, I and a Bru boy had to carry him along downhill to the bus. Maybe this is the last time Bob, Ron and Tom could make it back to Vietnam and this trip may have brought about a good closure for their chapter of Vietnam and a beginning of a new chapter of bridging a good and friendly relationship between Vietnam and U.S. In Bob's book's THE SUN SETS ON VIETNAM: THE FIREBASE WAR (revised edition), chapter # 12 WELCOME HOME, there is a paragraph:
"I never thought I needed any help closing the Vietnam chapter of my life, but writing these stories brought back old memories, and a stranger's kind words convinced me I was mistaken. On a 2014 vacation to Williamsburg, Virginia, I approached an African American man about my age who was wearing a cap with "Vietnam Veteran" embossed above the brim. I asked where he'd served, and told him where I'd been. After our brief conversation, I waved goodbye, and his parting words to me were, "Welcome home." It's been 46 years since Vietnam, and I've had strangers thank me for my service, but his choice of words warmed me and felt good to hear. He may have needed to hear the same sentiment; after all, he was the one wearing the Vietnam cap. If he ever reads this story, he should know that I appreciated his words and they won't be forgotten."
after reading this paragraph, I just want to say to Bob, Ron and Tom (or any Vietnam veteran) another words, instead of 'Welcome home', they are 'WELCOME BACK' one day if it's possible as here in Quang Tri, in Dong Ha, in the DMZ and in Vietnam is still their youth, their memories, their experience and their friends waiting for them to come back to learn from each other, to build a good future for our 2 countries bilateral relationship.
One of my customer, a US Army veteran named Bill Walsh, reviewed his trip after the tour with me, and I hope Bob, Ron, Tom will have the same sentiment like this:
"And now, having done the tour, I am having feelings I didn't expect to have. I had thought just seeing the old places would be fun, but I now realize how important it was for me to actually go to those places and see how the people there have rebuilt their lives and communities. I know in my heart that is the best part of having your tour. I can see the war is truly over for the Vietnamese people, and so it is in my heart."
Finally, I'd like to bring up this 2 sentences from a Vietnamese poem to remind Bob, Ron, Tom and also Brian, Chris about Vietnam, about Quang Tri, about Dong Ha, about the DMZ and about Russell. The poem says:
When we stay, the land/soil is just the land/soil
But when we leave, the land/soil will become memories
To conclude this post, I'd like to bring up an image shown at the last part of Ken Burns and Lynn Novic 10-episode documentary VIETNAM WAR - an image that interestingly portrays almost exactly the landscape near Firebase Russell and Bob's book title THE SUN SETS ON VIETNAM - THE FIREBASE WAR (revised edition).
Some most popular tours offered by VINA DMZ TRAVEL
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Phong Nha - DMZ Vinh Moc tunnel - Hue (1D)
Hue - DMZ Vinh Moc tunnel - Phong Nha Cave - Dong Hoi (1D)
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Hue - Hue city tour - Hoi An (1D)
Da Nang - DMZ Vinh Moc tunnel - Da Nang (1D)
Hoi An - Son My memorial (My Lai massacre site) - Hoi An (1D)
