I was extremely sorry to hear of the passing of Sam Wall as reported by Paul Penno from Eagle Hawk in the Anzac Day 2002 comments.
Sam not only survived the 1968 TET Offensive, but also shared a fairly entertaining, harrowing and also traumatic experience with me in Long Binh.
Sam and I were allocated the task of returning the US Army mobile sleeping vehicle on loan to Brigadier Hughes and Colonel Dunstan from the US Army Command in Long Binh.
We were to link up with a US convoy at Baria, which was returning to Long Binh from Vung Tau. Sam driving the truck and myself driving a Landrover. The Yanks were horrified that neither of us had a passenger to ride as shotgun, nor did we have the vests and steel helmets that they were equipped with.
The trip to Long Binh was uneventful, though we were constantly watched over by a Jeep mounted with a heavy calibre machine gun. I guess they thought we needed some back up. Upon arrival at Long Binh we were billeted with the Yank transport group and shown a bed, which neither of us used.
The minute we dropped our equipment, a beer was thrust into our hands and the roller-coaster ride of being on exhibition and passed from barrack room to barrack room started. Every one wanted to meet and talk to the Aussies. We spoke into an amazing number of tape recorder microphones to Bobby Jo and Mary Lee, etc, etc back home in the old U S of A. We were introduced as real live Aussies and the recipient of tapes were advised we spoke American (English) but were told to listen carefully to see if we could be understood.
The night continued with many beers and a lot of back slapping, Sam and I decided that seeing as the return convoy was departing at 0700hours and it was currently 0330hours, we would take our leave from our hosts and get a spot in the convoy close to the front to escape the dust from the heavy trucks.
Unfortunately, not knowing the procedures, we were allowed out of one control area but refused access to the control area for the form up. We were forced to park some metres from the two guard towers in no mans land with the Yank machine guns trained on us for over two hours. Every time we started to nod off they would cock their weapons, bringing us to immediate wakefulness. At one stage we thought we would be smart and with the next wake up message, we both cocked our M16s as a show of "we don't care, try it". We were very quickly advised to place our weapons in the back area of the vehicle, which we did.
Come 0600 hours and we were allowed to proceed with a wave and a big grin from the guards. They had obviously enjoyed our discomfort and anxiety over the previous couple of hours. We had actually parked on the verge of a main road near the main transport base entry, where little people in dark clothing kept scuttling past or near us. We were waiting for the odd grenade to be lobbed in on us.
We both shaved and cleaned up during the trip back to Nui Dat, swapping driver responsibility whilst on the move, once again to the enjoyment of the local population on the road side and the Yank drivers in the convoy. Upon leaving the convoy at Baria a majority of the drivers sounded their horns as a farewell.
If I could, I would sound those horns again for Sam.
Clarrie Hair
HQ1ATF Transport, Nui Dat
(8 April 1968 - 9 April 1969)
Footnote:
Samuel George "Sam" Wall died suddenly on 15 January 2002, as the result of an allergic reaction to a bee sting! Sam was an active Legatee and Treasurer of the Loxton District RSL club, (Riverina area of South Australian).
He is survived by his wife Marlene, and their three children, Hayden, Fiona and Jason, and their respective families.
Sam served with HQ 1 ATF, (HQ Company Transport Platoon) from 11 December 1967 to 10 December 1968.
Lest We Forget
