Chance Meeting

[sgtroc]

The funniest thing happened to me the other day. I was having lunch at Fort Hamilton Army Base in Brooklyn, NY with my wife and my sister. We left the community club and I noticed that the old Museum at the Fort was opened again after being closed for over a year ago because of water damage from Hurricane Sandy last November. The guy behind the desk in the Museum asked me what unit I was with in Vietnam and I said the 1st and 50th Mech. He said he was with C Company from 5/1968 to 5/1969. I asked him his name and he said he was Ralph Lewis. Does anyone remember him? He told me a story about a lot of American money that was found in a cave or a bunker. I never heard that story, does anyone recall that incident? I don't post much on this site, I usually just read what you boat people talk about.

Good Health,

Bob O'Connor
A Co. 9/68 to 9/69

[pt9243]

I don't recall the exact time frame but I do remember hearing one of the companies found a large amount of American money in a cave. Seems some of the guys tried to abscond with a few bucks but were ordered to return it all. Can anyone confirm this incident? Pete

[rigo-ordaz]

Hey Pete. I think it was Bravo company that found the money

[jimhollowb]

The money was found in some caves near Phu MY in late July according to the Stars and Stripes, but i think it was near Phu Cat . The find was kept "quiet" by the guys that found it but rumors reached headquaters and if i remember correctly the battalion was put on lock down at Uplift . I remember everyone being confined to their hooch and being questioned individually by "G-2". The amount of money reported by headquarters was $150,000 but hearsay said the actual amount turned in was closer to $500,000 (apparently a counting error ?) . A few years later one of the finders sued the Govertment claiming he was entitled to the money as it was "war booty". There were several articles in the papers and even Time Magazine. I've lost my copies of the articles over the years and only have one from The Stars and Stripes. The outcome was there is no entitlement to found US funds in a war zone.

[Jim Sheppard]

Here's a copy of the newspaper article about the money:
http://www.ichiban1.org/pdf/MorrisonMoney.pdf

[sgtroc]

Jim,

Thanks for posting the article. I'm sure there are stories that guys have never heard about during our tours of duty. I've been hospitalized at the VA on and off since January. My liver cancer is in limbo at the moment but my cirrhosis is real bad. I keep losing my cognitive memory because of the build up of bad toxins going to my brain. It really sucks. I retired and this is what happens.

ROC

[rigo-ordaz]

Bob, I think we communicated sometime in the past. I don,t remember what about but I hope you get better

[Randy Smith]

Bob I think John Topper has pretty good info about the money and the resulting lawsuit concerning it. Not sure about the details but definitely remember the incident. And we had free mail opportunities too, I wonder how many $50s would fit in an envelope

ROC I hope your health improves dramatically.