Grenadier: Gene Vasquez, M/3/7 Marines, Vietnam

Eugene "Geno" Vasquez went to Vietnam in 1967. Assigned to Mike Co. 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, he met up with his unit as they were being relocated to the Dai Loc district to help in the defense of the Da Nang rocket belt. The 7th Marines were strung out along Charlie Ridge to their north between Dodge City and The Arizona territory with the mission of aggressively patrolling the rice-rich rural areas seeking to locate and interdict enemy units and rocket teams from attacking the local villages as well as Da Nang. Assigned to 3rd plt. of M/3/7, Gene's base camp located on Hill 52 was the westernmost marine unit in I Corps, and their time from spring 1967 up until Tet Jan. 1968 was spent isolated in that area patrolling constantly. Gene Vasquez was assigned the M-16 rifle which he despised and when he was offered the job of Grenadier he jumped at the opportunity. The grenadier carried the M-79 grenade launcher and was instrumental in supporting rifle squads in contact during the Vietnam War. The time Gene spent in Vietnam, approx 10 months was almost always aggressively patrolling the same valley and mountains, and many if not most of the casualties suffered by Gene's squad were from the always present boobytraps which killed or maimed a substantial number of Marine casualties of 3/7 during 1967. The constant patrolling took a mental toll as the unknowns of enemy ambushes and boobytraps required a constant state of alertness. Gene would not complete the 13-month tour before his number was called on Christmas Eve 1967.

[@misawaboy7154]

This video of Geno Vasquez is the most touching memorial to the Vietnam Vets I've heard. Take care and thanks so much for your service. Welcome home, Geno Vasquez.

[@MarkTrocchio]

Sir 1st I want to say welcome home. Semper Fi Sir. I served long after you 82-86 3Rd Mar Div. But I can see so many of the similarities so many things don’t change. What a great story outstanding job describing everything. God bless the Vasquez respectfully Mark Trocchio.

[@dimezrecon]

Thank you, Mr. Geno.

[@outpostraven]

Thanks for producing these unknown stories!

[@craigstarling4704]

Thank you for your Service, Sir.

[@bertcandela9250]

Thank for your service. 🦅🌎⚓️🇺🇸

[@bruceadams9542]

Thank you Sir for your service.💪, Great detailed interesting story. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@DanPence]

Danny Pence , I was there in M 3/7 1st squad the same time as Gino was in country.

[@acommonvirtue]

Mr. Pence, please send me a message, I’d really enjoy speaking with you. I’m trying to collect as much info, pictures and documentation as possible to provide a detailed accounting of Mike co. From 67-68

[@bradr2142]

You sir are great American warrior. Loved listening to your stories. Ordinary people don't know what it's like to dance with the spirits. Welcome home I wish you lived in my neighborhood I'd buy ya cup of black water. No cream no sugar.

[@cooltools007]

What a band of brothers and true lifelong friends, with the clap or not lol, I’ve watched so much stuff in the subject and of course many touching stories and moments but this channel absolutely screams what the marine brotherhood is all about, so many years later, loyalty, true loyalty cannot be bought and isn’t really found in nicer situations, it normally comes from hard times and adversity and the will to be able to want that for everyone else, or to be able to take care of each person that may become injured or loose their life, these guys when they served for every western person in the world essentially, where just teenagers or in their early twenties in most cases, and they stood up, very special and all should be eternally grateful, because I am thank you all 👍🫡

[@SParker85]

@cooltools007 I completely agree with you! Adversity and deprivation in the face of danger provides a perspective on life the vast majority of citizens in modern western societies will never be able to comprehend. These experiences foster the deepest understanding of and apprehension for the modern conveniences others expect. They have a perspective others can’t relate to. Freedom really does have a flavor the protected will never know.

[@cooltools007]

@@SParker85 most definitely, I really appreciate your comments, I lernt very young really that loyalty is everything in a friendship, relationship, or adverse situation, or military unit and battle, you then become a collective that brings strength to the ones who may be weaker mentally or conscious or lacking in a certain area, none of us are the best at everything or have tested ourselves in all the different ways that life , relationships battle or training can do, those who are by your side at the worst possible times, usually are the same, and it’s something that will weed out selfish people, social climbers, and instead of moving alone all the time, you have that group that will pretty much do anything to help you move forward,. Anyone who has experienced war or battle with life and death situations. Know that nothing really matters and it shuffles life in such a way that certain things are much more important, than others, and it is about getting that out, that’s why most politicians don’t really have a true understanding of this and you see that it’s a one upmanship, sort of thing and a false, community with different political groups in the west in general, I’m in the uk and I know the same is happening in the USA, we have to be around our various groups and be loyal to our fellow man and that is it really thanks