I forgot to decipher the RPG: Rocket Propelled Grenade. Sorry.
NKR On Apr 6, 12:37 pm, Thavary Ung <[email protected]> wrote: > Also RPG and...On Tue, Apr 6, 2010 at 12:13 PM, Thavary Ung > <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hello Lok Neay Krudth, > > Please send some more if you have the(fighting with Vietcon story or Khmer > > Navy Story" > > Thank you in advance. > > > Thavry > > > On Tue, Apr 6, 2010 at 1:30 AM, Neay K'rudth <[email protected]> wrote: > > >> Thank you all my Youngsters you all are great. > > >> Hello Perom: > > >> You look so familiar, did you go to Lycee Sisowath? > >> I sense that you are associated with the Khmer Republic Navy, what a > >> great bunch. You all kept your stuff together well. We, the straight > >> leg soldiers are not so well connected, for some reasons or another. I > >> guess many of us who managed to escape are morally crushed and felt > >> utterly defeated. > > >> Anyway, the good thing is that the Khmer Navy had a tradition as far > >> back as Funan. I read somewhere about the colonial French while trying > >> to negotiate the transfer of Chantabun (a former Khmer province right > >> across the border from Koh Kong) back to Khmer Kingdom from the Siem > >> in the late 1800, ran into a strange but comical phenomenon. The > >> French asked all the Khmer people in Chantabun to register for Khmer > >> citizenship with the colonial administration. What happened was the > >> next day 90% of the sailors in the Siem navy were gone, only to be > >> found lined up in the front of the French Consulate to get a Khmer > >> Citizenship ID card. This greatly embarrassed the hell out of the Siem > >> King, that the whole Siem government went bezerk and begged the French > >> to stop the process immediately! Cheer, the Khmer Navy had really gone > >> places! > > >> And this one is from Neay Krud'th personally to our brothers the Khmer > >> Sailors: > > >> A Khmer Republic Army position south of Takmauv, on the east side of > >> Tonle Bassac river was surrounded for nearly a month and a half. > >> Ground intervention attempts could not breech the seize and reach the > >> distress unit. The unit ran low on food, ammo, and sustained a big > >> stack of KIA and wounded casualties. > > >> The two-star boss-man upstream, asked and receiced a squadron of our > >> Navy boys from up river, showing up with one slick RPB (the one with > >> the tandem M50 at the bow, and 2 M60 and a 60 mm mortar at the stern), > >> a cargo transport engin with a 40mm Anti-aircraft sitting vulnerably > >> on the top deck (wide open). And, oh I loved this one, and I named it > >> the real "McCoy". It sits real low close to the water line, it had a > >> recoiless 106mm inside the lower turret at the bow, and an M20 on the > >> upper turret. Neay Krud'th was given the mission to get on the command > >> boat (the McCoy) and assist the squadron commander in crossing the > >> enemy blockade, beach the cargo transport, and retrieve the wounded, > >> last but not least to hang around as long as possible to protect the > >> troop while they take a bath and resupply their drinking water after a > >> month and a half without bath and nearly died of thirst while living > >> on the edge of this beautiful river because they were practically > >> pinned down by all kinds of fires 24/7. > >> At about 1 PM we sailed down the river, Neay Krud'th was to be on the > >> bad McCoy (it had heavy armor, big gun and low profile) with the > >> Commander (another young lieutenant, an Ensign is that how you all > >> call him?). Overhead were the Red Eagles (AVNK helicopter gunships) > >> were helping us neutralize the first river bend. None of us navy or > >> otherwise liked curved road or river bends. The airstrike was over in > >> a few minute before we even can count 1.. 2.. 3.. get set and..go... > >> The little RPB was sent ahead of us to guide us around sand bars, and > >> to act as a bait for enemy fire. The river was so low in the dry > >> season, we were at a very disadvantage to say the least. Neay Krud'th > >> and the commander were standing inside the mid-section observation > >> cupola just upper and lower the gun turret sharing the ship ladder. > > >> We blasted our way with everything we had as we move around the bend. > >> Thank God KR did not pick on the RPB first, instead they waited for > >> the McCoy to come up across the crosshair of their Chinese 75mm > >> recoilless armor piercing rifle. We tried to shield and keep the > >> transport covered on our portside, it had too much explosive onboard, > >> one round of RPG and it will be decimated. It seemed like ages when we > >> reached the opposite bank from the friendly position. KR seemed to be > >> kind of lame, we only received light fire this time. As we prepare for > >> the final assault and beach the transport by applying a real heavy > >> dose of arsenal on the perimeter of our friendly position, the 40mm > >> DCA on top of the transport asked for a time-out, his gun kept on > >> jamming, and he was going to test fire it until it really run like the > >> real DCA (a couple hundred rounds per minute or something like that). > >> He kept messing with it, the gun was aimed on one particular spot > >> south of the friendly position. Its sputtered off and on for about 15 > >> minute while we float around like ducks. Then we received our first > >> round of the 75mm recoilless on the starboard side of the McCoy, but > >> luckily it hit the water and exploded about 25 feet from the boat. > >> However, the fragments went flying, ricocheted, hitting stack of ammo > >> boxes that they hanged around the turret, and hit Neay Krud'th on the > >> left side of the face, gave him visions of every stars in the galaxy. > >> I heard the commander yelped and turned around saw him fell down from > >> my right side of the ship ladder straight to the bottom deck with a > >> big thud. Then the M60 gunner in the upper turret above my head and to > >> my rear yelped "lieutenant I’m hit", I turned around again, red blood > >> splashed down from his hand on to my turret and on my back. > >> In the absence of the rightful commander, while on the observation > >> turret, I had to take charge (sorry guys not to offend anyone, I mean > >> not in a sense of running the boat tactical formation and maneuvering > >> and such, but in the "return-fire" part of the battle). > > >> Just at that moment I could see KR popped out from every nooks and > >> cranny along the bank, the reason was that the 40mm gunner on the top > >> of the transport had been consistent on keeping his aim on the same > >> spot over and over, until KR were convinced that their fighting > >> positions were compromised and needed to get the hell out. They were > >> so panicky that they dropped everything they carried on the water's > >> edge, and run for their life, so terrified that they forget to run up > >> the bank and away, but instead ran along the water's edge like herds > >> of water buffalos. I yelled to the 106 gunner below, 10 O'clock!..... > >> 10 O'clock...., fast! Every piece of arsenal on the starboard of the > >> three boats went off like 4th of July. "Thou shall neither kill nor > >> cause to be killed" - Buddha forgive me! I've never intended to shoot > >> at anyone with a 106mm direct-shot, indescribable.... The rounds > >> completely wiped every commotion or movement on the bank. One round > >> hit something like a paper factory. Tons of confetti went up in the > >> air like NY Time Square tinker day parade. > >> While the big gun was cleaning up the rich target on 10 O'clock, > >> somehow the corner of my left eye caught something moving in the > >> horizon (amazing of how sharp we all were when we were young and > >> wild). Sure enough, one smart and courageous KR dude was climbing the > >> side wall of a shot up wooden house with an RPG slung behind his back > >> ( the roof of the house would provide the best position for him to > >> blow us out of the water. I yelled again to the gunner below, 8 > >> O'clock fast! The 106 turret swung and locked at 8 O'clock like a > >> charm, the gun crew must have looked straight through the gun barrel > >> to aim. When the round met the wall of that red roof house the poor > >> dude was gone with the smoke, again a direct shot of a 106mm, and > >> overkill. > > >> In a unison all three vessels including the transport swung left 9 > >> O'clock with the McCoy on its starboard and the RPB on the portside, > >> went full speed, and finally beached right at the Kampong behind our > >> stranded friends. Cheers went wild like in a football game. What a > >> relief to watch our friends took turn to take a dip in the river, and > >> unload the supply up the bank, and load the bodies of their dead > >> comrades and the wounded onto the transport. > > >> I took the time to check on the lieutenant and the wounded gunner at > >> the bottom deck. The lieutenant somehow received a shrapnel on his > >> right foot but it was not serious, but the gunner gash on his left arm > >> was definitely serious. Bothe were patched up and flat on the > >> stretcher. The medic onboard was attending to both of them. As for > >> Neay Krud'th he somehow escape the shrapnel but got knocked senseless > >> and while trying to regain his footing on the ship ladder inside the > >> turret, accidentally step on a fire extinguisher and the darn thing > >> discharged foam all over his lower body. The freezing cold chemical > >> nearly froze my balls off. Didn't feel a thing until it was almost > >> over. > > >> We gathered the squadron at sundown, a turned back upstream to > >> Takhmauv, feeling solemnly for a good day worth of soldiering, > >> exhausted but satisfied. I was wrong about the shrapnel. When I took > >> of the flack jacket and hung it to the seat of the waiting Jeep, I > >> discovered a 2 inches long piece of steel stuck to the left shoulder > >> area of the jacket, it burned about 1/4 inch into the thickness of the > >> polyethylene protective mesh. My helmet had a tiny piece of steel > >> lodged between the steel surface and the camouflage cloth cover. > > >> The boss came-by and greeted all of us, and took care of our friends > >> on the stretchers. We were treated with a big feast that evening. > > >> It's good to be alive and still able to reminisce the good old day! > >> Meantime we shall continue to remember all of our heroic brothers as > >> long as we live. We were still too young when these horrible events > >> seized upon us, and lead us away from our intended destination. Some > >> may think that we were either TOO BRAVE or TOO STUPID. But for better > >> or for worse, we gave all we had, and not regretting any moment of it. > > >> Neay Krud'th would like to express admiration and respect, and would > >> like to salute the passing and living brothers of the Khmer Republic > >> Navy! > > >> NKR > > >> On Apr 3, 12:18 am, "sacravatoons" <[email protected]> > >> wrote: > >> > Dear Ream Chbabng Neay Krud'th, > > >> > Firstly I would like to take my hat off to salute you from my heart as : > > >> > " Tea-hean Mpey Buon Mong " > >> > The 24hrs Soldiers > > >> > Without you and others Khmer soldiers ,Cambodia would be captured in 3 > >> months time as Vietcong had promised to Xihanouk.And also thanks to our > >> Korn > >> brothers & sisters Khmer Kampuchea Krom who were coming in Cambodia to > >> fight > >> & protect against the aggressor Vietcong & Yuon-Hanoi. > >> > Your patriosm to fight those Tmill are still in the heart of Khmer > >> Republicans untill today. > > >> > Pls share more your experiences during the War 1970-1975. > > >> > Cheers, > >> > Ung Bun Heang > > >> > Dear Youngsters: > > >> > > You all brought up a nostalgia which I could not resist: > > >> > > I am one of the survivor hippies of the era, which started in 1962 > >> > > when I entered 6 grade in Lycee Sisowath, when the Beatles came out > >> > > with "I Saw You Standing There", and the Rollingstones came out with > >> > > "I Can Get No Satisfaction", and the long haired hippie named Scott > >> > > McKenzie was singing " If you're going to San Francisco.... Be sure to > >> > > wear a flower in you're hair......". Oh, the Animals were singing "The > >> > > House of the Rising Sun". > > >> > > Neay Krud'th was playing drum for the original band "Seila", and on to > >> > > play drum for the Boys (the Khmero-Anglais H.S. kids behind our > >> > > school), then went on to play professionally for the Khmer National > >> > > Radio and TV Band in the Rock'n Roll section of the band with young > >> > > and sexy Var-So-Vy as the singer. Our usual hang out location was on > >> > > Rue Pastor between Lycee Sisowath and Khmero-Anglais, or Phsa Chah > >> > > were the old Majestic movie house was, were we use to congregate to > >> > > watch all the beautiful and wealthy girls go shopping, and when time > >> > > to eat there were tons of good old authentic chinese of all varieties > >> > > you can order from, goat noodle soup anyone? > > >> > > 1970 the war came and our funs and laughters ended. Neay Krud'th was > >> > > shipped out to war fighting VC and KR south side of the City such as > >> > > Saang, Koki Thom, Neak Lueung etc, as a young/green/scary platoon > >> > > leader, leading untrained, inexperienced troops into firefights with > >> > > VC, NVA, and the latter part KR. > > >> > > One fateful night, KR attacked in the middle of the night, raining > >> > > RPG's on our defense post to dislodge us from the wooden bridge we > >> > > were tasked to hold at all cost. What funny was that one of the troop > >> > > was listening to the US Army radio, and as he was rushing to man his > >> > > machine gun, his transistor radio fell to the ground inside his > >> > > trench, and the volume for some freakish reason got louder. I was > >> > > manning the mortar, and talked to the gunship overhead, but the radio > >> > > kept belching out " Bridge Over Trouble Water" by Simmon and Art > >> > > Garfunkel, then "Let It Be" by Paul McCartney, we couldn't do a thing > >> > > about it so we just enjoyed it, and what a party we had! I could not > >> > > tell what other song came on after that because was my ears were > >> > > bleeding and clogged up from the continuous blast of my mortar tube. > >> > > My eyes tears up everytime I hear the song plays on the radio here in > >> > > the US. > > >> > > Yes definitely, we salute the memories our brothers whose idea of > >> > > freedom and fun are always something worth dying for. > > >> > > I am so impressed with you youngsters for your passion in seing the > >> > > homeland move past these pains and sufferings toward happiness, > >> > > freedom, peace, prosperity, and security. > > >> > > May the spirits our our ancestors assist us in this endeavor. > > >> > > MAKE PEACE NOT WAR! (if we can avoid it) > > >> > > MKR > > >> > > On Apr 2, 1:26 am, "sacravatoons" <[email protected]> > >> > > wrote: > >> > >> My dedications to Khmer-Hippies who died in cold blood during > >> > >> KhmerRouge's era > >> > >> Cheers, > >> > >> Ung Bun Heang > > >> > >> Psychedelic rock-n-roll, long hair, and bell bottom pants were some > >> of> the other "trademarks" > >> > >> > of the hippie culture...or shall i say subculture. I remember my > >> older > >> > >> > brother who was a > >> > >> > big time hippie...he literally worshipped Jimi Hendrix and Carlos > >> > >> > Santana. Ahhhh those days. There were > >> > >> > some happy times until the Year Zero!!! > > >> > >> > You are right, Lok Bong Sacrava, they were harmless to the public > >> as > >> > >> > far as I can remember. Furthermore, their fashions, values, and > >> > >> > practice, rapidly influenced popular music, television, film, > >> > >> > literature, and the arts, and especially the promotion of > >> > >> > multiculturalism particularly in the US of A. Even though their > >> > >> > culture and values spread out like wild fire to the 'old' worlds > >> such > >> > >> > as Cambodia, there was quite a resistance from traditionalists. > >> > >> > Speaking from experience, my parents never approved of or accepted > >> my > >> > >> > older brother's idea of hippie-ism. > > >> > >> > -Bora > > >> > >> Hippie's Slogan 500.jpg > >> > >> 140KViewDownload > > >> > > -- > >> > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > >> Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) -www.cambodia.org" group. > >> > > This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language. > >> > > Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia. > > >> > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > >> > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >> [email protected] > >> > > For more options, visit this group athttp:// > >> groups.google.com/group/camdisc > >> > > Learn more -http://www.cambodia.org > > >> > > To unsubscribe, reply using "remove me" as the subject. > > >> > Khmer Republic Soldier 450.jpg > >> > 144KViewDownload- Hide quoted text - > > >> > - Show quoted text - > > >> -- > >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > >> "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) -www.cambodia.org" group. > >> This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language. > >> Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia. > > >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >> [email protected] > >> For more options, visit this group at > >>http://groups.google.com/group/camdisc > >> Learn more -http://www.cambodia.org -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language. Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/camdisc Learn more - http://www.cambodia.org
