Tracking Our History

The concluding part of Grunts to Tankers. You will also find individual podcasts with Hank Fuller, Jay Heffernan, and Pete Ritch. Pete is not included in this roundtable discussion only because Pete passed before this episode was created.NOTE TO FOLLOWERS: These three episodes are revised editions of the original podcasts with the same titles. At the ripe old age of 76 I make a mistake. My apologies to all those that may now be more confused.All music is licensed and used by permission.

This is the first of a 3 Part podcast including Hank Fuller, Bob Skeels, and Jay Heffernan. There are four tank Officers that entered Vietnam at about the same time. It was said that General Davis was trying out the idea that to be the best tank officers, you had to first "pound ground".Music is used by permission of the copyright holders.All podcasts are copyrighted.©️Tracking Our History is trademarked.®️

The continuing saga of Lts. Fuller, Heffernan, and Skeels as they learn the details of war as grunts and then take that valuable knowledge with them into tank operations.All music is used by permission.All podcasts are copyrighted

On May 18, 1968, the PAVN (NVA) decided to give to Ho Chi Minh a birthday present. Learn about the surprise "Uncle Ho" got instead. All music is used with copyright permission of the author/owner.

This is a public service announcement to all Marine Track vehicle veterans. if ou have not done a podcast or if you have done a podcast and you would like to do another- contact me

Mark Creighton, a 2141 Tank Mechanic from Alpha Company, 1969, is writing a very poignant book on Veterans' Suicide. Mark was replaced by Steve Dowdell the fateful night of July 28, 1969. This was the operation in which Captain Wunsch, Corpsman Colton, and Steve were KIA. While the book is in progress, you can read some on Mark's website forgottenfiles.net. This episode carries an "explicit" warning do to the topic. The very first minutes carry the people to call if you or someone you know is thinking about suicide.All the music is used by legally obtained copyright permission.

Every United States Marine stands on the shoulders of those Marines who came before us. It is our proud legacy. In this episode you will learn of the "giants" known as the Montford Point Marines. Ambassador Theodore Rosevelt Britton. Jr. Is one of those Marines. He, along with a little over 14,000 Black Marines integrated the United States Marine Corps in 1942. Listen as Ambassador Britton shares his story, his life, and his experiences as one of the first Black Marines. You will be mesmerized by the brilliance of the 100 year old Marine who helped make the Marine Corps the elite fighting force that continues today.

This episode is one of seven episodes that can be listened to individually or all at once. Grunts to Tankers (3 parts), John Heffernan, Pete Ritch, Hank Fuller, and Bob Skeels are a matched set. Together, they are a group of grunt platoon commanders who made their mark on Mutters Ridge. These men fought on Mutters Ridge at the same time as Karl Marlantes and Ollie North, and though less known were as good if not better than Marlantes or North. Just listen to their stories and you will agree.The music is used under a license purchased by the USMCVTA from the copyright holders.

Episode 60 is a study in one tanker. A Canadian by birth, an American by choice, and a Marine by character, Burt was one of a kind. Burt was the choice of tankers "up north" to go into the field with. Hard as nails but the tank commander many of us trained under. He certainly taught your moderator how to survive in Vietnam. Listen as Lt. Jim Coan, Roger "Blues" Unland, and yours truly, Tree, speak to the character, stamina, and steely outlook of Sgt. Bert Trevail. As usual, all music is purchased and licensed under contracts with the appropriate license authority.

This was originally a video designed to encourage members of the United States Marine Corps Vietnam Tankers Association to participate in any number of ways to share their unique stories with the rest of the world. It originally debuted at the VTA Reunion in St. Louis. If you are a member of the VTA and have not contributed to your own legacy, please do so as quickly as you can. If you have contributed, consider the other possibilities.If you are a member of the listening audience, a subscriber or a follower of the podcasts, you are in for a treat. Almost every picture and certainly all the stories save one, are from Vietnam. Some of the Marines pictured in the video are now guarding Heaven's gates. If you should see one of these Marines, or any Marine, or any veteran, you will be appreciated if you say "Thank you". PLEASE NOTE: as indicated at the end of the video, all copyrighted material was licensed by the USMCVTA legally by our organization. Contact the Podcast mentor for further details on the licensing process.