John (Skip) Dickinson- US Marine Corps

Those who have served in war want people to know: “For those who fought for it, freedom has a taste the protected will never know.”

In 1968 Skip (John) Dickinson volunteered for the draft and chose the Marine Corp and felt honored to serve. After boot camp, each Marine is assigned an MOS # (MilitaryOccupation Specialty #). Skip was assigned #0311 which is the “Rifleman in Combat” MOS or “a Grunt”. Service in a combat zone for six months earns you a Combat Action Ribbon. Skip was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marines Division at Dong Ha.

Squads are named letters from A to G. There are 14 Marines in each squad, there are 4 squads in a platoon and 7 platoons in a company. Skip’s Company was Alpha and he was in A Squad.

The Company of 264 grunts were the security for each FSB (Fire Support Base). The FSBs were run from a command center (Vandegrift Combat Base Stud). In Skip Dickinson’s words: “The FSB was as mobile as a camper trailer. In hours we and the base could be set up in another theatre of operation.”

Dickinson was on five FSBs, McClintock, Tarawa, Erskine, Sheppard and Hawk. They were located high in the mountains in triple canopy jungle just below the demilitarized zone (DMZ) to the North and Laos to the West. There were three mountains and they overlooked the city of Khe Sanh (a city with a history of bloody battles) and Route 9, a supply route which they were charged with

protecting. Route 9 stretched from the South China Sea to Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Daily they lived in fox holes performing patrols, ambushes and manning a nightly listening post and a daily observation post to protect the FSB from intrusion by Viet Cong. They never had the complete roster of 14 grunts in their squad. On patrol they had to creep their way through jungle, never knowing who or what was waiting in ambush. In this deep jungle territory with extreme heat, bugs, snakes and moisture there was no way out or in, other than by helicopter. Dickinson is thankful to be alive and uninjured after many close calls and witnessing many injuries and deaths.

When President Nixon, by executive order, ended the war, Dickinson was still there and became the first Grunt to leave the soil of Vietnam.

Returning home after discharge in 1970 was difficult for Dickinson and all Vietnam veterans. When he arrived home by bus to Virginia, MN on a cold snowy day dressed in summer Marine Corps Greens and his sea bag on his shoulder he had to walk to his grandparents house in Williams Edition. Not a single car stopped to offer him a ride. After a rude welcome by WW II and Korean War veterans at the American Legion In Virginia, he vowed to never frequent a veterans establishment ever again.

Eventually, Skip made a lifelong friend, Vietnam vet, Ron Coon. They were able to share experiences and build recovery. Ron had had harrowing experiences in the Army where he was assigned as a LLRP. LLRPs were comprised of only three or four men who were sent out on reconnaissance missions seeking information about enemy positions. There were stories to tell that could not be shared with others who did not have the experience.

Playing rhythm guitar with Ron Coon during the 1980s benefited both these veterans, Their original jug band of nine was called “The Jook Savages” . Another therapeutic pass time for Dickinson was his life long habit of writing in his journal. Skip has been writing an auto-biography named “Survivor” since about 1980. A few years ago he had a friend help him edit the book and had a copy printed for himself. He has shared that book with many.

Ron Coon was active in the Cook VFW Post 1757 and encouraged Skip to visit and participate. Skip hasn’t regretted joining his friend and making new friends. He knows The Honor Guard is the right thing to do when he stands at attention by that flag and it flutters in the breeze and another service member is given the final respect and honor they deserve.

Thank you for your service, John (Skip) Dickinson!

Thank you for your service, Ron Coon!

Survivor

by: John ‘Skip’ Dickinson, Corporal