Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
5:08 | It was at Bear Cat Base that Ralph Colin was issued his rifle and received his orientation on booby traps, malaria tablets and the dangers related to the local women. His unit was working with the Riverine force, who transported them to their operations on Tango boats.
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It was quick. Ralph Colin received his basic training and then his infantry training at Fort Ord. A short leave to visit home and then he was gone to Vietnam. The first thing he noticed was the oppressive heat. And then the smell.
During his first firefight, as Viet Cong tracers streaked over his head, Ralph Colin remembered something a sergeant said to him back at Fort Ord. It rang true at that moment. There was a lot to learn. How to slog through deep mud. How to spot booby traps. And, most importantly, who not to trust.
Ralph Colin had been doing a good job, maybe too good, he thought. They made him point man so he was leading the way. He was working it jointly with a partner on the day they found a booby trap the hard way.
Soon as he had recovered from his wounds, Ralph Colin was back at point. Fortunately, the first few outings resulted in no firefights. His unit had gone from riding in Tango Boats to riding in helicopters. Even though you had to hang on for dear life, the best spot to ride was right by the door.
Ralph Colin knew what was coming when he saw the marking round hit the mud right next to his squad. They all started running as he frantically called in to try and stop the friendly artillery barrage. But he couldn't relay his position because the enemy was surely listening in. That's when he became a Code Talker.
President Nixon had started the draw down so Ralph Colin could start thinking about going home. First they housed him for a few weeks on a troop ship in the Delta, which beat life in the bush by a lot. Then they flew him to Hawaii, where he spent his last couple of months in the Army. Then it was home to family.
The longer you were there, the more you learned. As a squad leader in Vietnam, Ralph Colin was responsible for his men and when a new guy wasn't going along with the program, it took some strong words to set him straight.
