The 81mm Mortar

I served with 2nd Bn., 9th Marines, 67-68, 4th Section, 81s. I started out as an ammo humper, humping three rounds and the inner ring from Hill 28 (Candy Top) to Hwy 1 at Gio Linh. I was squad leader, acting section leader when my section leader returned from R&R and gave me my flight date to rotate back to the world.

This picture was taken near the border of Laos, in the southern demilitarized zone, Nov '68. A helicopter had been shot down in the valley below and behind those pictured. After salvage had been conducted, we were called on to destroy the downed chopper with a fire mission. One of our jets had also been shot down, over the mountains, just out of view, to the top right of the picture. The pilot parachuted out and was rescued.

Pictured left to right (kneeling) Kenneth Wayne Harris (from Texas), Bob Parramore (Bob had been an M60 machine gunner), (sitting) Rob "Rebel" Campbell (my Gunner), standing (without shirt) Brian Hagemeister (after leaving the Corps, Brian was commissioned as an officer in the Army). Back row, left to right, Warren Atkinson, Greg Burchstead (Greg had been made an FO with Golf Co, in early 1968, he returned to the section after 6 or 7 months, as my counter part, he was Squad Leader of 8th Squad). Center of back row, Anthony Wudziz (my A-gunner), Tony had received a severe knee wound in an artillery and rocket attack while we were at Camp Carroll in early 1968. After returning to the squad, he limped over a large part of I Corps. Next to last is Bill Leonard (Gunner, 8th Squad, Bill was medivaced out with 105 degree temperature (malaria?). Back row, far right, Jack Nelson (Jack is a teacher). The photographer was one of the section, I only remember him by his last name, which was Winchester.

The round tubes in the foreground of the picture were the containers in which the mortar rounds were carried; they arrived, 3 rounds to a wooden box. The containers changed drastically during my tour. Due to the inclement weather (humidity/rain, etc) we had numerous short rounds and/or malfunctions due to moisture getting into the increment bags. When I first arrived in country, I believe we were using a very tough plastic container, which had a rubber O ring seal. A tough fiber aluminum wrap was added later. Next, a paper fiber container, with some type of wax impregnated fiber covering (which was great for making candles) was used. The last type of container used for the mortar rounds, which I remember, was the type seen in the picture, which, I believe was a paper fiber impregnated with a pitch like substance. When we got away from the plastic container, I don't recall another short round or hang fire, at not least in 4th Section. I have copyright to this picture, this picture is free to all, no one is to profit from the use of this picture.

The Mortar Section

Well , lets move on to some info I can provide:

"The 81mm Weapons Platoon is supposed to consist of a platoon headquarters & 4 mortar sections. A lieutenant platoon commander; a lieutenant assistant platoon commander: a platoon sergeant; a ammunition sergeant and communications personnel. Each mortar section has a section leader in charge of the two mortar squads of the section as well as observation, communications, ammunition supply personnel and a truck driver in section headquarters. The mortar squad is composed of 7 men, including the squad leader (Sergeant)"

The above is taken straight out of the Guide Book for Marines, revised, May 1, 1966.

While I was in-country, the section normally consisted of a section leader, who was anything between a sergeant and a gunnery sergeant, the ammo corporal, who was usually a corporal, and the squad leaders, who were usually a corporal or a lance corporal. The gunners were usually lance corporals and the four ammo humpers usually pfc's and pvt's.

It was rare for the whole platoon (4 sections) to be together. After we changed from ‘search and destroy’ missions to the more mobile posture, it was rare for even two sections to be together. Unlike Michael Stewart’s sections, my section was attached to all four of 2/9's line companys on various operations.

If you were TO, each of the four ammo humpers were designated to carry three rounds of HE M368 (9 lbs each), bursting radius of 30x20 yards, max range 4000 yards, charge 9 (if you were brave, dumb or had some rockets firing that were just out of range, you could add an increment or two from another round). I don't believe I even saw a round of HE medium, M43A1, except when I first got to Nam, but they had a range of 3300 yards and weighed 7 lbs. The illumination rounds had a range of 2300 yards and weighed 10.5lbs, and burned at 50,000 candle power for one minute. On Christmas Eve, 1967, 2/9 came in from the field to Camp Carroll, that’s the only time I ever saw any unauthorized fire missions - more illumination was shot up that night than the combined rest of my time I was in country. The WP Smoke, M57 (Willie P), white phosphorus round weighed 11.5 to 12.5 lbs and had a range of 2450 yards.

The squad leader carried the sight box with the M34A2 sight and the four aiming stakes. He shot the azimuth and he and the gunner laid in the gun on 2800 mils. The least senior ammo humper carried the inner base plate ring, 24 lbs. The next least senior humper carried the outer ring, 23 lbs. The A-gunner carried 1 round of HE and the tube, 28 lbs. The gunner carried the bipod, 40 lbs. Total weight of the gun (M29 81-MM mortar) was 115 lbs.

Officers

As info, I only remember us having an officer one time, when we were at C3 (Cam Lo Hill), February ‘68, he was a second lieutenant. Most of the time it was just my section or some times two sections together. The highest rank we had would have would be a gunny or a sergeant; usually it was just my section attached to one of the line companys. By the way, we were never TO; when I rotated, there were just six men in my section and we could only run one gun.

Also, in regards to only knowingly having an officer with 81s, while at Cam Lo Hill, January and February 1968; while this is true, this was a long time ago, and my memory is not what it used to be. While at base camps, such as Camp Carroll and Ca Lu, FDC (Fire Direction Center) was located in a bunker separate from the troops. Also, in larger areas, you had ‘officer country’, with the officers separate from enlisted personnel.

Although I would not put too much emphasis on not having officers, you should realize that while I was in Nam the mortar platoon sections were broken up between the line companies. Battalion size operations were not non-existent, but, in Vietnam, it was more common than not to have a company or two operating alone, or under the command of a different battalion or command group. An example would be Hotel Company 2/9 with a section of 81s in support of the 1st Amphibian Battalion, or Fox Company with a section of 81s attached to 3/1, who at the same time might have one or more of their line companies at different locations or attached to other units. As you can see, it would be impossible to have an 81s platoon officer with each section of mortars. A recommended read is EHISTORY'S (Online) "The Marines in Vietnam: The Defining Year, 1968". This is a free site and an excellent chronology of the war.

I have to agree with you that NCOs were and still are the backbone of the Corps and most, if not all officers, would agree with me on this. Of course, while attached to the line company, their officers would be in operational control of the 81s.

Operation of the Mortar

In regards to the 60s, they operated as an integral part of the line companies. Think of them as a grunt who also had a mortar. These guys could put rounds on target much quicker than 81s. They could put rounds on target by line of sight and when required, shoot Apache style (holding the tube on target without the use of a sight or bipods). I remember being embarrassed in a rare one on one competition between my squad and a sixties squad to put rounds on the crest of a mountain. I believe we were at LZ/FireBase Shilo, but I am not certain. We were beat hands down by the sixties gunner, who put his third round on target. In 81s, we got our firing instructions from the FDC who plotted the target from the grid coordinates furnished by the FO. They computed correct elevation and deflection for the gun and the increment charge(s) needed. This info was forwarded to the gun pit, where the squad leader would alert the squad to a fire mission and relay the gun settings to the gunner, who would set up the gun. The squad leader would advise the rest of the gun crew how many rounds were required and at what charge.

A good gunner and A-gunner would have the gun up (correct deflection and elevation) at the moment the squad leader finished calling out the information. The sixties were familiar firing line of sight, although they also fired on information forwarded to them by the FDC. When 81s were firing line of sight, you were in deep S---, probably firing charge zero and holding the tube straight up. 81s were commonly left set up at counter mortar, that is to say, set up on the coordinates of likely positions for enemy mortars to be set up. As we were normally in a free fire zone, at the instant we heard enemy tubes pop, we started feeding rounds down the tube(s) hoping for secondary explosions. Surprisingly, who ever picked out these prospective enemy mortar locations was very good, as we had a lot of success on counter mortars. This is where we earned our pay, when everyone else was diving in their holes, we were standing out there, doing our best to silence the Charlie on the other end.

I recall 81s being called the battalion commander's "vest pocket artillery". We normally were not used on patrols but humped the bush in company and battalion, and some platoon sized actions. In late May ‘68, I remember we humped out of Camp Big John, outside of Cau Viet, and humped all night. I wrote home in a letter that we humped 9 1/2 hours (and I never exaggerate). We humped through the night to rendezvous with 2 other battalions and encircled the NVA 320th near the DMZ where we nearly destroyed them in a four or five day battle. The heat during this time period was unreal. I remember people saying it reached 130 degrees (I never exaggerate).

As for the difference between the use of 81s between the Corps and the Army, I really don't know. My brother-in-law was with the 101st at the same time I was in Nam. I believe he was in 81s during his second tour. I remember him saying their base plate was set in concrete. I don't believe they humped their mortars like we did, but this is not first hand info.

Operations in the Field

The mortars were always carried by the mortar squad. The method by which personnel were transported varied; foot, chopper, truck convoy, amtrac, tank, LST and even C128 or C130. During the first half of 1968 we did a whole lot of humping the bush; we then began a more mobile posture, with a whole lot of chopper rides. There were locations where we were choppered to an LZ located right at the location where the guns would be set up. There were locations where we were trucked to a location, like Con Thien, where we might set up inside the perimeter for the night and then begin a 56 day operation of humping the bush, day after day of sweeping areas like the Market Place and Leather Neck Square.

During the operation, we would hump from position to position, sometimes staying a day in one spot, maybe two or three days in another; depending on whether or not we were able to make contact with the enemy and engaged him, and/or destroy his fortifications and munitions. I believe I noted this before; the normal load of ammo carried by a squad. Normally, the A-gunner carried one round, the ammo carriers three rounds each.

As information, there was hardly ever a norm in Vietnam, and we adapted to conditions. Once, when a chopper was unable to stabilize his hover, while trying to drop us off on top of a mountain during a monsoon, he had to land the chopper in a valley and unload half of our personnel to lighten the load for more maneuverability. To keep the main portion of the gun from being separated, the tube was inserted in the bipod, and I carried the tube and bipod together. This occurred during our mountain top fire base building days, I believe this was Sept ‘68 at LZ Pluto (Hill 748). The pilot made three more attempts to set his rear wheels down on the tip of the mountain. Each time he started to let the hydraulics down, we slid off the mountain. The mountain had been bombed and the soil was loose and muddy; the winds were blowing the chopper all over the place. The advance party had used C4 to blow the trees and the trees on the side of the knoll looked like sharp wooden spears sticking up ready to impale us. Each time we slid off the mountain, the pilot had to rev up the engines and just cleared the trees each time he peeled off to gain altitude and make another attempt at landing.

There I was, with a pack on my back, 7 canteens and a forty-five at my waist, an M16, ammo for same and a mortar tube and bipod over my shoulder. I was pinned up against the window on the right side of the CH46, staring straight out at the trees. Each time the chopper slid off the knoll I thought we were going to make a hell of a shish kebab. After the third unsuccessful pass, the pilot just held the hover long enough for us to get shoved out the back ramp. The grunts who were already there on the ground had secured themselves to the trees and caught us as we slid down the mountain. We'd probably still be sliding down that mountain if they'd missed. My point is, the firing components of the gun (tube, bipod) were together and had not been separated and could be utilized if needed.

Another time, we had choppered into Ca Lu out of Camp Carroll. We were supposed to be going into something heavy, because the gunner was carrying a round of HE, the A-gunner 3 rounds, and I believe, but I am not positive, the ammo humpers were carrying 4 rounds each. This was Spring ‘68. We humped out Route 9 towards Khe Sanh. You could also take one section of mortars and just take one gun, using the other squad to carry ammo. I believe it was not uncommon for members of the line companies to carry extra 60 mortar ammo, but I believe it would have been very unusual for them to carry 81mm ammo.

The only time I saw 0311s with 81 ammo was when they were throwing it out of a chopper at an LZ. You are correct about the high rate of fire of the 81's. While in the field, we were almost exclusively re-supplied via chopper. On rare occasions we did run out of ammo, but for the most part, logistics were right on with ammo re-supply. My first look at death was two marines killed by a short round from one of our guns. The bodies of those two marines lay at the LZ (Candy Top), I believe this was Hill 28, while we unloaded ammo from choppers and carried it past them to the guns. When I asked an old salt why they didn't chopper them right out, he said "They ain't in no hurry, and we need the ammo now."

Firing Positions

Concerning defensive firing positions and the security provided for our firing positions, once again I am going to refer to the norm, and as I stated before, there was no norm in Vietnam. Ideally we (The Good Guys) initiated the contact with the enemy and of course the unit(s) we were with would try to have a defensive perimeter in place to protect the mortars. In ideal conditions, we would move in three columns, 81's and headquarters in the center column, line troops in the outside columns, with patrols and scouts out. The terrain often made this impossible. If the enemy unexpectedly engaged us, everything was subject to change. Sometimes when we'd set up, we were part of the line (Perimeter). I don't remember ever moving without line elements providing security, but there were times when we were already set up in a position, when we were left to provide our own security. While I was at Camp LeJune, in 1969, a buddy of mine wrote me from Nam. He said things had changed after I'd rotated in Dec ‘68, that, they now had weapons platoon (M60 Machine Guns) that were specifically assigned to the 81's.