Bob Kraft
aka “Cheese”
June ‘68 – Jun ‘69


When I came to Alpha Co. in June ’68 I was assigned to 1st Platoon as a Rifleman, eventually I found out
that I was one of the very few who were "qualified" on the 90 mm Re-coiless, so that became my
“new best friend”. A short time later I became the 1st Platoon RTO for SSG Kenneth Kruse and
then Lt. Brad Burgraff... and then on to Company RTO for Capt. David Walsh.

My father once said, “Going to Vietnam will be the experience of your life…
 if you make it through it, you’ll never forget”. He was right, looking back almost 35 years,
I know I’m truly one of the lucky one’s.


Bob Kraft aka "Cheese" - Aug 68

   Cousin John Hartnagle (with GOERS) & Bob Kraft - Aug '68

   Bill Lawbaugh - Aug 68

    Bob Kraft with the 90 MM - Somehow I was one of the very few in the company who was qualified to shoot this thing.
Back then I wasn't sure how I got qualified, but now I can give it a pretty good guess. - Sep 68


    Bob Kraft - Lt Burgraff's RTO in Jan '69

    Bob Kraft - My defensive position was right under that barrel. Not bad until they had
 a fire mission in the early morning hours with no warning. - Dec 68


    Me & Larry Cross - We quickly found out that the flag made a good target for Charlie - Jan '69

    Bob Kraft - Finally some real food - A Christmas arrival in Jan '69 Late but GREAT!!!

    Bob Kraft and the dud mortar round that hit our CP bunker  at LZ Charlie Brown - Mar 69

  Bob Kraft going to the beach at LZ Charlie Brown. - Mar 69

  Bob Kraft guarding the hootch - May 69

 Bob Kraft in Qui Nhon heading back from the Hospital to Chu Lai - 19 Mar '69

Bob Kraft RTO as we wrapped up the mission. - Jan 69

  Bob Kraft "Stirring the pot" … what an adventure!! May '69

Cpt Walsh - Break time.  Apr '69

 Cpt Walsh - Not sure what I was doing, but he caught me.  Feb '69

Cpt Walsh met the Mayor of Sa Huynh (just outside LZ Charlie Brown) Mar '69

Cpt Walsh at a night defensive position - Jan 69

Cpt Walsh outside the CP Feb 69

Dick Kiene Feb 69

 Dude Miller & Chuck Veatch - Feb 69

Dude Miller & Ken Smith in the CP - Feb 69

Sgt Hector Rivera - Jan 69

Jerry York - Celebrating Christmas - Dec 68


 Ken Smith, Dude Miller, Bill Lawbaugh on sand bag detail. - Feb 69

Larry Cross - Break time - Apr 69

Larry Cross - Night position  - Jan 69

 Lt Brad Burgraff & the French Minister - Sep 68

 Lt Brad Burgraff, Bob Kraft &  UNK - Nov 68

 Lt. Jack Kurtzman demonstrating hand to hand combat - Jan 69

 Lt. William Ross,  Arty FO on Charlie Brown - Feb 69

 Lt Steve Meyering - Apr 69

 Lt. William Ross,  Arty FO Christmas - Dec 68

Lt. William Ross, UNK, Cpt David Walsh - Jan 69

Sgt Merle Hall (I think) - Nov 68

Paul LaFountain - Dec 68

Sgt Earl White (I think) and Bob Kraft on Charlie Brown - Feb 69

 Sgt Hector Rivera, Bob Kraft, Larry Cross, Bill Lawbaugh (standing) Sgt Earl White (sitting) Sep 68

SSG Grover Lee - Dec 68

SSG Phan Van Tien & Verne Campbell - Jun 69

SSG Phan Van Tien on Charlie Brown - Feb 69

UNK & Bob Kraft -Sand bag detail… never knew we had that many bags - Feb 69

 Jessie Vickers (sp?), Jan 69 - Looks like the same background as the one with Hector Rivera.

 Unk, Paul LaFountain, Dickie, UNK - Sep 68

  (L to R) Larry (Doc) Holliday, Dennis Anderson, Dick Kiene, either a fire mission or ordering
a pizza CP at Charlie Brown - Mar 69


 Barge full of JP4 parked in front of our bunker at Charlie Brown - Feb 69

  Bringinging in the water - Dec 68

VC coming out of his hole - Feb 69

 Lost a UH1 - May 69

 Another shot of that UH1 - May 69

Taking that lost UH1 home - May 69

Suspected VC supply location (BEFORE) - Feb 69

Suspected VC supply location (AFTER) - Feb 69

View from our bunker on Charlie Brown - Feb 69

Security on the beach at Charlie Brown - Feb 69

  Nice looking beach, but loaded with tunnels, so many that we called in some heavy equipment - May 69

 Combat Engineer Vehicle - dec 68

VC coming out of his hole  (another picture of the same one) - Feb 69

C123 with outboard tanks at DucPho - Jul 68

Highway 1 - May 69

 Vietnam Airways, besides the airplane all I remember is buying (from the locals) the
largest sardines I've ever seen for a buck a can… I know, focus on the important stuff. - Dec 68

Gary Galbreath, UNK and a bunch on break - Jan 1969

Robert Harris with the 81's, possibly at LZ Dragon - Feb 69

Chuck Veatch & Larry Cross - Remember the "wall paper - Fun, Travel, Adventure",
just don't recall where we were -Jan or Feb 69


Chuck Veatch, Dude Miller, Ken Smith, Captain Walsh on LZ Charlie Brown
"Gilligans Island" in the background - Feb 69



 

Alpha Company



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