FSB Fontaine

Vietnam
06 Feb 71 11 May 71

Jim Garvin
www.jimgarvin.org

Tour of duty:
Aug. '70 - July '71
U.S. Army
1st Cav. 2nd/8th
Delta Co. Range 1

06 Feb 1970
Humping on
to FSB
Fontaine.
On the 8th
we got
called back
out on QRF.

Feb 1971
Artillery doesnt help
the upkeep of a VC or
NVA hooch. Part of a
bunker complex after
artillery strike.

Feb 1970
Butterflies
Waiting for a CA

Feb 1970
Yellow Flowers same field

Mar 1971
A view of Fontaine
from the Air

Mar 1971
Another view of
Fontaine from the air.

Mar 1970
This was one of the
homes in the
village where we
turned off of
Highway 1 onto a
dirt road leading to
FSB Fontaine. In
the back you can
see a guard tower
of the ARVN
compound located
across the
highway.
I was led to
believe that the
village housed
the dependents
of the ARVNs.

Mar 1970
Not long after moving
to Fontaine I was
assigned to be the Co,
Mail Clerk on Mace.
I'm riding a duce and
an half taking this
picture as we drove
through the
village. The jeeps with
mounted guns were
the lead and trailing
vehicles of the supply
convoy from Mace or
Bien Hoa each day,

The thatched hooches and the OX cart show the primitive

conditions in the countryside of South Vietnam

Mar 1970
FSB Fontaine, which
came after Silver,
was the first base to
be reached by road.
The Company
assigned to the fire
base had a new
detail. We sent a
squad out to sweep
the dirt road for
mines. This was a
small village at the
end of the road. We
waited here for the
daily convoy
bringing supplies and
the constant string of
replacements.
We rode back to the fire base with them. Once the mine sweepers either
didn't find a mine or it was placed while they waited at this village. When
the convoy headed down the road a trailer of clothes was blown up. There
were no casualties but a big mess of fatigues to clean up.

Mar 1971
The kids in the village at
the end of the road were
always anxious to see us
as we came off the
highway and onto the dirt
road heading to Fontaine.
This young man greeted
us with a salute.

01 Mar 1971
It was amazing what
could be transported by
ox cart. Look at the size
of that log.

01 Mar 1970
Yes this is an actual
dwelling in rural
Vietnam and relatively
typical for the area as
far as I know. We
didn't spend much
time in populated
areas, but came
through this village
often on the way to
Fontaine.

Mar 1971
This was practice but
it wouldn't be too
different if one of
companies got in
trouble. Our 105
artillery pieces were
always anxious to
help out. We never
went longer than 5
minutes from the time
we asked for cover
fire and when we had
rounds on the deck.
Artillery was only one
source of cover fire
available.

If we were close enough, the Navy's heavy 8 inch guns were better since their
computers could make better adjustments, but the 105 battery assigned to our Battalion
was ready and willing. The platform in the center of this photo is an aiming device. The
big bunker to the right is an ammo (ammunition) storage sight.

Mar 1971
This is a picture
of one of the six
105 artillery
howitzers
assigned to
2nd/8th Cav on
FSB Fontaine The
white pouches
were powder
charges.
(More charges
longer range.)
The sand bag box
on the right is the
ammo pit, The
box in front is an
aiming device.
Early in my tour after a long and difficult mission I went to a gun crew to
thank them. The response, with a large smile, was Call us any time. Its
boring on the fire base and when you call for a fire mission it gives us
something to do. It is what we trained for and we are glad to do it."

Apr 1971
Within a month of the
time I left the field, my
platoon was ambushed.
One of the men killed
would have gone home
the next log day, having
qualified for a hardship
discharge.
This is Bill Holtzclaw
with the Radio he had
been carrying at the
time of the ambush.
Several members of the
squad were wounded
bad enough to
medevac.

A question that would haunt me long after discharge was whether I could
have prevented the ambush if I had stayed in the field with my platoon.

25 April 1971 - Because of the activity related to the ambush, several men
won awards for valor and this was the awards ceremony on Fire Base
Fontaine. The man on the end is "Indian" (Gary Collins) a very good friend

Apr 1971
HU ACR Sheridan

Apr 1971
Fording the stream
near
Fontaine village.

May 1971
This is an aerial
view of what was
once Fire Base
Fontaine after we
pulled out.