1st Lt. Ross E Bailey

After Basic School, in December of ’65, I was assigned to Field Artillery Officers Basic Course (FOPBC) in Ft. Sill, graduating in April of ’66.  I arrived in Da Nang in mid-May and was assigned to Apha Battery, 1st Bn, 12th Marines.  As the only FAOBC trained junior office in the battery, rather than the usual first assignment as a forward observer, I was assigned as Fire Direction Officer. Within a month of arrival, the battery was moved To Hill 65, about 10 kilometers outside of Da Nang, where we built our gun emplacements to support operations in the Da Nang  area of operations.  In November of ’66, the battery was order to Con Tien,  just south of the DMZ, to support operations there.  In December, I was reassigned to Delta Battery, 2/11, then in Chu Lai, and assigned as battery XO (I had just made 1st Lt.).  In February, ’67, the CO was transferred and I was the CO’s position until I rotated home in June for a stint at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island.

Commands and locations:

Commanding Officer, Delta Battery, 2nd Batallion, 11th Marines,

Chu Lai, Viet Nam, February ’67 to June ‘67

As the only FAOBC (Field Artillery Officer Basic Course) trained junior office in the battery, rather than the usual first assignment as a forward observer, I was assigned as Fire Direction Officer.