A SALUTE TO OUR VETERANS
VIGNETTES OF THE "CAN DO" NAVY SEABEES 1942 TO 2007
BY IRENE J DUMAS

Permission for use on this site given by Sam Messer, the subject of this vignette.

Click on photo to see enhancements

Lewis Samuel (Sam) Messer II                                         United States Navy
CBMU 301(Seabees)                                                       Vietnam
               02/1966 -11/1969                                             Siege of Khe Sanh TET ‘68

Lewis (Sam) Messer was born in Gardner, Kansas, on 18 October 1946, the son of Helen Irene (Pierson) and Lewis Samuel Messer, Sam’s father served during World War Two in the Aleutian Islands and Adak, Alaska, also one uncle served, and made the Normandy landing and died ten days later, and another who was wounded at the Battle of the Bulge. Sam lived in Olathe, Kansas since he was 3 days old, and grew up and attended schools there along with his two brothers, Robert and Lynn. After graduating from high school he attended college.

In February 1966, Sam enlisted in the US Navy. After passing his physical and written exams, he was sworn in and transported to the US Naval Training Center, San Diego, California, for basic training. After completing 120 days training, Sam was assigned to Naval Construction Regiment 31 at Port Hueneme, CA. He then attended “A” school for Equipment Operators, upon graduation he was assigned to Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 301 (Seabee).

In June 1967, Sam received orders for Dong Ha, in the Republic of Vietnam. While in Vietnam he had many jobs; he served as an Equipment Operator and worked to rebuild and repair air strips, worked in the rock quarry, poured cement for artillery pads for 105 and 155 mm cannons, dug bunkers and trenches, and hauled rock for the Khe Sanh airstrip. He operated TD 25 bulldozers, graders, 2 ½ ton multi-fuel dump trucks, 5 ton dump trucks, scrapers, cherry pickers, rough terrain fork lifts, and also drove their asphalt truck pouring asphalt at night onto the roads at Dong Ha to keep the dust down. He also stood guard duty and radio watch. When Sam transferred to Khe Sanh, Vietnam, he did much of the same work.

Sam was at Khe Sanh from August 1967 to late March 1968. During the TET Offensive beginning in 21 January of 1968, Seabees fought in direct support of the Marine Corps and Army. In the true tradition of the Seabees, Sam was smack in the middle of the epic struggle for Khe Sahn, and describes the experience in his own words:

We were surrounded by approximately 20,000 to 40,000 North Vietnamese Regular Army troops for approximately 77 days with no way out.

We took incoming sniper fire and mortars, rockets, and 152 mm arty from Laos, every day from Jan 21st 1968 to April 1968. On Jan. 21st 1968 the NVA hit us with hundreds of rounds and hit our ammo dump, blowing up almost all of our ammo. Eighteen men died that first day and depending on who you ask we had 245 to 445 killed during the siege on the base and on the surrounding hills, 881 south, 861, 861A, and the rock quarry with the famous 1/9 Marines the walking dead. Every day we had holes in the airstrip to repair to keep it open for bullets and beans to supply us. The NVA had the airstrip zeroed in so we worked as fast as we could and usually under cover of the fog that hung low over the base till 11 A.M. to noon most every day.

In May 1968 he was taken to the Army Burn Hospital in Yokosuka, Japan; a month later he was taken to Great Lakes Naval Hospital and in September that year, he was assigned to Little Creek, Virginia, the home to ACB #2, (Amphibious Construction Battalion #2), the Seabee base where he stayed until discharged on Thanksgiving Day 1969.

For his action during the Vietnam War, Sam earned the Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation (Khe Sanh), and Naval Unit Commendation Ribbon Bar for their work at Khe Sanh during the Siege, Combat Action Ribbon, Vietnam Service Medal with 1960 service , Vietnam Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze stars. Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Medal, Civil Defense Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross Medal Color with Palm).

After the military Sam at first worked in construction as a hod carrier, and general Labor, then worked as an operating engineer, his final position was working at the postal service in 1973, until he took full VA disability retirement.

Sam lives in Kansas, married twice, and has two children, a son Jason L. Messer, by his first wife, and a daughter, Jennifer by his current wife Brenda L. Messer.

He keeps busy with activities, interests, and organizations. He is a life member of Khe Sanh Vets Association, Life member of DAV, Member of the Eagles Lodge, Olathe, Kansas. Sam has been involved in Local Youth Baseball since 1979, as a Manager, Coach and President of the 13 and over ages. He is now scheduling regular season games for approximately 228 teams locally. (The one thing he says he can do while lying down.)

Sam said that the high point of his life is the birth of his two children, watching them grow and become good people. He regrets those he left behind in Vietnam and those he can not find that he was Brothers with, and those who have died since Vietnam with cancer from Agent Orange. He also regrets that every year from Christmas till May 1st he relives the siege of Khe Sanh and those left without a good bye.

Sam has a web site on AOL with lots of photos. Visit it and sign his guestbook.

http://members.aol.com/messerball/index.html