I joined the Marine Corps Reserve in Oct 1964 in Seattle, Washington with two friends and was not to enter into the corps until March of 65, but I could not wait. I had an itch  to get to Vietnam and do my duty.      I arrived at MCRD San Diego the night of Dec. 4,1964 and that is when the fun began at Staging Bn, the Yellow foot prints and the shock of the D.I.’s.       After my 12 weeks of pure terror I graduated and went home on leave rather than going to ITR because at the time there was a major Operation going on at Camp Pendleton (Operation Silver Lance) Upon my return from my leave I went to Pendleton to 1st ITR and did my four weeks. Not as bad as Boot Camp, but still rough for me.      I was given orders to K-3-5 1st Marine Division Margarita (33 area) at Pendleton where I was assigned to be an 0331(M-60 Machine Gunner).  It was a new unit being formed for duty in Nam. It had only a few NCO’s  and Staff and we filled up the unit from Boot Camp as Platoons graduated.  We trained together from March when I arrived until we shipped out by ship (USS Mitchell) from San Diego July I believe.  The whole Bn. went to Vietnam by ship.  We stopped in Hawaii, Japan, then hit Camp Hanson, Okinawa where we changed our units colors to B-1-3 3rd Marine Div.  We went to Raid School, Northern Training Center, learned to repel, devoted a lot of time getting familiar with our weapons.  We stayed in Okinawa until Sept,  when we boarded another ship the USS Mcgoffin and headed to Vietnam.      When arriving in Nam we trucked out old highway 1 to replace the B-1-3 unit that had been there prior to us.  We then set up our positions getting ready for the next 13 months.  We had a pretty hot area, and ran ambushes every night, or we stood hole watch if not out on ambush.  A lot of the time we were at 100% alert.  I’m not going to go into detail, we all had our own war.      I was wounded on the 5th of April 1966 during Operation Orange. After my returning from the hospital I was sent to D-1-3 along with about 25 others .  Our Company from Sept 65 to Sept 66  went on five Operations while in Vietnam,  Mallard, Macon, Orange, Hawthorne, and Hastings.  Both B & D-1-3 ended up at Khe Sanh early 1967      After my tour of duty I again took a ship back to Okinawa and to my best recollection spent about a month there, were again I ended up going through N.T.C. then got aboard another ship and headed home.     Arrived San Diego around in  Nov and went to Pendleton where I was sent to H-2-27 did not go home on leave since I had no family in the US.  My father was Army and was in Germany with family at time.     Stayed with H-2-27 for three months when I had my MOS changed to 0161 Postal Clerk because of my wounds.  Stayed at Main Side Post-Office where I worked directory, the cage, sorted mail, and finally became truck driver where I delivered mail to all the units.  Was promoted to Cpl then went to NCO school.  Received orders to go back to Nam, however my brother just arrived in Vietnam and I did not have to go. I received orders around Dec. 1968 for MCRD San Diego were I was a Postal Clerk.  I was promoted to Sgt a month after I arrived at MCRD.   I was discharged in Nov 1969 after my enlistment was up.  I served 5 years as a proud United States Marine.      After my discharge from the corps I ended up at Bay Pines V.A. Hospital( St. Petersburg, Florida) for about 6 months.  The reason for that pleasure was a complete breakdown.  My discharge summary stated I was suffering from Combat Fatigue.          After a short time I got a Job pumping gas which lasted about 6 months.  I then became a baker at a Dunkin Donuts.  At the same time my wife and I ran a cleaning business.  after 10 years of doing this I had to quite because of my worsening heath.            January 1985 I was given 100% disability from the V.A.  for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Social Security Disability.  I was made permanent and total a few years later.   Emmett W. Queen 2044597