THE Original and Official "Angry Skipper " Web Site!

Angry Skipper Was Part Of The 1st Brigade" The All The Way Brigade"

"Angry Skipper" ..was the radio call sign for Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry (Airborne), 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) in the Republic of Vietnam from 1967 to 1970 (But we adopted it for all the years)..65-72. Our platoon radio call signs were: 1st Platoon "White Skull",... 2nd Platoon "Rifle Range",... 3rd Platoon "Wild Cat" and 4th Platoon "Lethal Weapons" and Our Battalion was known as "Stone Mountain"

A man with glasses and beard sitting in front of a computer.

The History of "Angry Skipper"

Michael "Mouse" McGhie Dec. 17th, 1947 - May 20th, 2011

Mouse Passed away on May 20th at the Columbus, Georgia Reunion.

Mouse was doing what he loved to do, which was to attend or host a reunion, and he and I were hosting this one together. It did turn out to be one of the best ones, thanks to Mouse. Mouse started this website in 1996, and has turned out to be one of the best. Because of his website, many Veterans have been reunited. If not for Mouse, I would not have found all the veterans whom I served with. I have made so many friends because of this site. Mouse was a gracious man and spent a lot of his time helping Veterans get their benefits from the V.A.

"Mouse" rest in peace, brother.

The "Angry Skipper" Journal

Recently, a high school student sent me an e-mail message asking for information about the Vietnam War. She wanted to know about the drug use, about women and children being killed, and she wanted to know what I felt were the worst things about the war.

I'll tell you what I wrote to her:

Hello everyone.
I hope all of you are doing great these days. OK, do yawl know what time of year it is??
Reunion time!! YES, we are going to have the Ky REUNION this year, even if there are only Larry, Top Gun, and I show up for it. I have heard from some & Top Gun & Larry have too.
So, if you have been closed up in the house for four months going BATSHIT Crazy, then come on Dow or up whatever to get there. Most of you have been to it already, so you know the routine.
We will be staying at the Fishtail Lodge Fishtail Lodge.
14275 Hwy 79 North
Buchanan, TN 38222
Phone (731) 642-7113 for emergency only.
Top Gun Phone (270) 978-1075
Do not call the motel for reservations. The rooms will be taken care of. Just tell me if you want a room by yourself or share a room or in a cabin. The rooms will be $60.00 a night. One or two To a room. The cabins are different because of the rooms they have.
The food costs around $70.00 for Wednesday to Saturday night. That is three meals a day & all you can eat all day long.
The reunion starts on Tuesday the 18th to the 23rd. Some people show up on Tuesday the 18th. & That is ok too.
What you need to send me is your NAME, what day you will arrive & leave. Do you want a single room & you will share?
Do you want to stay in a cabin with others?
Are you bringing your wife, girlfriend, or just a friend?
If you have been locked up in the house with your wife, then come on by & stay awhile.
If you're a vet or served in the service, you are welcome.
For more info about the reunion, let me know. Smiley= [email protected].
Phone & text (678) 340-6512. Looking forward to seeing everyone to having a great time.
Come on down.
Smiley

There was a lot of drug use in the Vietnam War. Statistics show that about 56% of the G.I.'s in Vietnam used drugs at least once. There were a number of guys in my unit who smoked marijuana (myself included) when we were on fire support bases or in the rear, but never in the field, never in combat. It was overlooked by many commanding officers who knew it was a way for us to relieve the stress of warfare (as was alcohol). However, the amount of drug use in Vietnam was comparably the same as that in the U.S. for the same age groups. Hard drugs did not appear noticeably until the early 70's and were mostly used by rear personnel, not combat soldiers.

As for civilian casualties, well, all wars have had them for civilians, and Vietnam was no different. There were isolated cases of atrocities against Vietnamese civilians, but no more than any other war (and perhaps even less because of the heavy media coverage of the war).

What were the worst things about the war? Knowing you could be killed at any time, seeing other G.I.s dead or dying, walking miles every day through thick jungle or steep mountain terrain in hot, humid weather with 80 to 90 pounds of equipment on your back, being so thirsty you drink water out of a bomb crater or rice paddy, sometimes having to strain the bugs out by pouring the water through one of your socks and living with millions of pesky insects and reptiles (some deadly). Every Day, every minute, every second, you are always predator and prey. You're even consciously alert in your sleep. You wear the same clothes for months at a time, and you bathe when you cross a river, you check for leaches every morning and every night, and listen for the sounds that can kill you. The popping of a grenade handle, the click of an AK 47 selector switch, a machinegun bolt being charged, a distant mortar tube "Dupe-Dupe-Dupe", wondering where the rounds will land while you're lying in a nest of ants. I guess you could sum it all up by saying the worst thing about the war was being in the INFANTRY.

I will print some excerpts from the Company log to give you an idea of what it was like day to day during my tour of Vietnam (I arrived in the Country on June 6th, 1968). I will also print stories that coincide with the log entries from the guys who were there. If you are a student and would like information about the Vietnam War, you can e-mail me.

A blue and silver chain with an open wrench in the center.

Tommy "Smiley" Harris

This is living out of a foxhole. Terry Shoopman prepares a c-ration meal.

There is another G.I. on the left side of Terry about five feet away. Our camouflaged clothing and helmets helped us blend into the jungle scenery.

"ANGRY SKIPPER HONOR ROLL"

"SOME GAVE ALL"

Vietnam

Delta Company 2/8 Cav Was an Infantry Company in the 1st Air Cavalry Division. We all were 11B. In April 1968, when I arrived, Vietnam was not a good place to be.

One thing is for sure: WE WERE INFANTRY "BEFORE INFANTRY WAS COOL."

A man sitting in the grass with his arms crossed.

A man sitting in an office chair next to a helicopter.

"Tommy Harris "Smiley" Web Master"

" I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU." Thank You For Stopping By

If You Served With The 1/8 Cav, 2/8 Cav, 3/8 Cav, & 6/8 Cavalry.

The 8th Cavalry Regiment Would like To Hear From You. The 8th Cavalry Regiment ASSN Is A Great Organization To Belong To.

At The Division Reunion, The 8th Cav. Will Normally Have An Hospitality Room. Drop By And Say Hello To All The Brothers. The Dues Are Only $15 A Year. The Life Membership is even Cheaper When Your My Age.