Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
5:08 | MP Bruce Hojnacki was at a base near the DMZ. He rode convoy security and overnighted at various fire bases. At one, he was staring out from a bunker talking to a Marine when he saw something that astounded him. (Caution: strong language.)
Keywords : Bruce Hojnacki Vietnam Military Police (MP) Vandegrift Combat Base North Vietnamese flag North Vietnamese Army (NVA) Gary Jones Lonnie Millerman Dana Brese beer
He was one of five brothers but Bruce Hojnacki was the only one to get drafted. He was going to school in the nascent field of data processing and he put that on hold to serve his country. As he left for basic training, his father gave him some sage advice.
When he got on the bus in Bowling Green, Bruce Hojnacki was put in charge by the soldier there. Why me? At the next stop, the Army draftees were lined up and a Marine sergeant came down the line. Guess what happened if he tapped you on the shoulder.
After basic training, Bruce Hojnacki found out he was going to be an MP. The advanced training for the military police was right there at Fort Gordon, where he had his basic. Then, like most draftees at the time, he got orders for Vietnam.
It was strange, arriving in Vietnam and beginning your movement through Saigon and you have no weapon. Bruce Hojnacki got over it and moved steadily northward toward his assignment with the 504th MP Battalion.
It was only twenty miles or so from the DMZ. The province of Quang Tri was where newly arrived MP Bruce Hojnacki landed once he got to Vietnam. Among his duties were raiding the local houses of ill repute and manning the guard bunkers at the Marine base.
When Bruce Hojnacki came across a deserted Montagnard village, he found an eight foot spear and a crossbow. He found out he could take them home with him but he had to make a modification to the spear.
MP Bruce Hojnacki was up near the DMZ and his primary duty was convoy security. At first, he rode in open jeeps but those were replaced with the much better V-100 Commando, an armored amphibious vehicle.
Everyone in Vietnam was marking off days on a calendar. When Bruce Hojnacki got to thirty days left in country he started to get a little antsy. He made it out but, when he got home, he had to deal with a situation that many a returning soldier has faced.
Bruce Hojnacki had one overriding thought during his tour in Vietnam. Without a war going on, this would be a beautiful vacation spot. He's a little less sure if he would actually return, though.
