Rick Golbeck defending Hill 49

Rick Golbeck, Mike 3/5 I was one of the originals of Mike Company. I remember when we outposted! We mustered as an outfit, and trained briefly at Camp Margarita. We outposted from Long Beach on 1 March, 1966, on the USS Renville (APA227), stopped briefly in Hawaii, then went to Okinawa for a dose of the toughest training any outfit could get! Then to the Philippines for jungle survival training. We all remember Alongapo! That's where Bolen tried to marry Main Gate Lucy!

 I was in first squad, first fire team, first platoon. Cpl. Banavez was my squad leader, he was K.I.A. on the first day of HASTINGS.  Then Cpl.Travis Barlow became fire team leader. It was me, Barlow, Danner, and Romball in the GAFF!

Sgt. Ross was our squad leader. I was the company tunnel rat and point man. I remember our C.O. Capt. Pettengill, our platoon commander Lt. J.D. Murray, Plt. Sgt. B.T. Turner, Corpsmen Youngblood and Janiak, P.F.C. Ford, Toal, Cote (with his .38), York, Hubbel, Sundin, Lett, T.P. Johnson, Eddins, LaNore, Sgt. Royce, and so many more! 

  
( click to enlarge)

Rick's picture of the original Mike 3/5 1st Platoon, taken in Okinawa. Rick is in the second row, third from the left.

I remember L.P.H.-5, USS Princeton, and our first squadron of the old 34's. We pulled operations DECKHOUSE I and II, and NATHAN HALE with that squadron, and then got the 46's, or chinooks, for HASTINGS. We went off Special Landing Force, and were on Hill 49 outside of Chu-Lai for awhile. 

 Do any of you guys remember that week or ten day outing we took into the hills west of Chu-Lai where we were given dehydrated rations for the whole operation? I still remember that our bunker on Hill 49 was voted best in the company by Capt. Pettengill! Hell, it was the best bunker ever built by Marines in Nam! I'll bet it still stands today! 

Left: The Romball, Golbeck, Danner, Barlow Bunker! (1st Prize)
Right: Bolen and Romball (notice all the beer cans)

 

View from the Prize-Winning Bunker

 I was transferred to M/3/1 in Sept.'66, got wounded by a nasty punji stake in Nov. '66, and was sent back to the Rock on 1 Dec. '66. I stayed there, and was put in Armed Forces Police until I rotated on 1 April '67. 

I went to Lejeune, and was put in M.P.'s, and took two Caribbean cruises, Carib 2-67, and Carib 1-68, with the 6th Marines. It was real slack duty! 

I was discharged 9-17-68. I've been diagnosed with severe P.T.S.D., and I live with my wife, Shirley, and two sons Ricky and Aaron up in the wilds of North Central Minnesota. I live on a V.A. pension. 

What I wouldn't do to see or hear from any or all Marines of Mike 3/5, the bravest and baddest men I've ever had the privilege of knowing! If anyone could give me an update on what happened to any of the aforementioned names, or what the outfit did after I left in 9-66, please let me know.

Semper Fi!~Rick Golbeck

Remembering Operation Nathan Hale

Mike 3/5 Website

50th B-Day

Shirley Golbeck and sons Ricky and Aaron

  

Shirley, Aaron and Ricky

 

Happy Fisherman

Shirley's Big Catch

Rick and his best buds, Duke and Reggie

On July 4, 2001, Shirley Golbeck passed away.
She will always be honored and remembered by those whose hearts she touched.

In Memory of Shirley Golbeck

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