|
Viet
Nam Veteran
Here is a
candid look at Thomas Kalajian's
Viet Nam experience during a very troubling time in our country's history.
Thomas Kalajian's responsibilities in
the U.S. Army Signal Corps included the Transportation Coordinator for I
Corps quadrant, as the only enlisted position in Section S-4, headquartered
in Nha Trang, Viet Nam.
After the 6 month regular course,
he was awarded advanced multiplex radio equipment repair training in Ft.
Monmouth, NJ and earned the rank of Specialist Fourth Class (SP-4) upon
gradation with honors from the advanced radio training school. His
Military Occupational Specialty was 32E20, Fixed Plant Radio Equipment Repair.
Thomas Kalajian scored the highest in his class in Morse code and was among
the highest in his GT score, which later qualified him for membership in
American Mensa, Ltd.
Thomas Kalajian was awarded the Viet
Nam campaign ribbon and qualified for the Sharpshooter medal on the M-16
automatic rifle, the highest level of accuracy attainable in the military.
|
View
from Thomas Kalajian's desk in S-4, the Transportation Coordinator for I Corps Quadrant
of Viet Nam
headquartered in
Nha Trang, Viet Nam circa 1968 Seated at the far left back is Cpt. Thomas Tyvand, the CO
of
the unit. Thomas Kalajian served exclusively with commissioned officers and warrant
officers.
View
of Thomas Kalajian's living quarters in hooch in Nha Trang, Viet Nam. Fan was
required to cool
stereo
equipment in order to remain operational. His foot locker is shown in front
of the open cabinet.
His
weapon is stored in the locker next to the door for quick access. The base
at Nha Trang
underwent
enemy fire from rockets and mortars regularly. Thomas Kalajian has retained the
Teac tape
deck
shown in the cabinet as a memento of his tour of duty. The red lights on the
recorder indicate it
is
operating in "record" mode of the programming available to GIs from local and military
broadcast
stations.
The tape recorder was also used to send taped messages to family members back to
the U.S.
on
small 3" tapes, some of which are shown to the left of the tuner/amplifier in the
stereo cabinet.
View
from the back of a "deuce and a half" (two and a half ton capacity truck) leaving
the camp where
Thomas Kalajian was stationed in Nha Trang. In the background are the "hooches" in
which GIs lived.
Sand
bags are shown fortifying the area. Temperatures reached over 110 degrees
during monsoon
season
where the humidity was nearly 100 percent.
Regular
patrols were mounted for pest control and disease abatement measures, especially
during
monsoon,
where heat and humidity were unbearable and conducive to disease.
| 
Thomas
Kalajian, BS, CRTP, AVA, ABAR