Poetry by Gifted MRFA Member
Larry Dunn
RMCM(SS)(NAC), USN (Ret.)
Larry’s Bio:
Larry’s first tour in Vietnam was in 1968-69 as RMC(SS) stationed at An Thoi on Phu Quoc Island. He worked at the Coastal Surveillance Center and with Coastal Group 42 (Junk Force). He ran ambush ops with the junks, in Duong Dong, Rach Gia and Ha Tien. During the last 2 months of this tour he was sent to the USS Hunterdon County (LST-838), working on the Ham Luong River supporting PBRs. During this tour he received the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, Combat Action Ribbon, three PUCs, two NUCs.
He returned to the states and went through a long (35 week) Vietnamese language school at Ft. Bliss, Texas. He then went back in-country as RMCS(SS) from Jan 72 until they shipped everyone out in March 1973 on the last flight out. He worked as an Advisor to the Vietnamese Naval Communications Section. He cleared out all the outlying communication sites and turned everything over to the VNN. He was Communications Officer for COMNAVFORV until everything was turned over to USDAO. During this tour he received the Navy Achievement Medal, VNN Staff Service Honor Medal 2nd Class and the VNN Technical Service Medal plus another NUC for CNFV.
The first poem he ever wrote was for Jim Bryant and other PBR sailors in RivDiv591 while on the Hunterdon County. He doesn’t remember a word of it and neither does Jim.