John
Morris
the outstanding people with whom I became associated, the officers especially. The 18th Brigade
was blessed not only with a good mission but with good people to achieve it. I have always had
great respect for the enlisted people, but in Vietnam I was particularly saddened that the soldiers
caught so much adverse criticism when they came home after they had survived some terrible
circumstances-the weather, climate, the environment, and, of course, the Vietcong and North
Vietnamese Army.
So Vietnam didn't add a totally new experience in the same sense that Legislative Liaison, Tulsa,
and Goose Bay had, but it did bring me up to speed on the military side and it restored my
understanding of the Army at an important time. I think it laid the foundation on which to shape
an improved Army and Army engineers.
Of all the things that happened, the one thing that will always be paramount in my memory is that
terrible helicopter event. The only reason General Shrader didn't go was because he was in the
middle of his orientation when General Abrams directed General Dillard to recon this road. I
assume the decision was to have Shrader continue his orientation. Otherwise, he'd have been on
that chopper too. If I'd been over there, we'd have had a very tough situation because the pilot,
for whom I had the greatest respect, had recommended they not fly it because of heavy fire the
previous day.
I probably would have sided with the pilot. Then General Dillard and I probably would have been
opposing each other. I also understand the pilot asked to go high, and General Dillard indicated
he had to go low to see what was down there. So where I would have fit into that if I'd stayed,
I don't know. Anyhow, that was a very painful event which has left an indelible mark. Tragically,
the recon was for naught in any case. A real waste.
In hindsight I consider Vietnam basically a utilization experience, which challenged my
leadership capabilities learned and developed over 25 years. I owed the troops and our mission
my best. To a lesser degree it was a learning milestone which would be valuable in follow-on
assignments. Of course, combat experience is important for a soldier's record. Did it make any
difference in my performance over the next ten years? I am not sure, but I sincerely hope my
presence was of some value to those with whom I served in the 18th Brigade. Certainly, their
value to me was immeasurable and proved irreplaceable from 1970to 1980.
Missouri River Division
Q:
In the summer of 1970 you left Vietnam and came back as division engineer of the Missouri
River Division [MRD]. When did you learn about that assignment?
A:
I first heard that I was going to the Missouri River Division while still in Vietnam. General Clarke
made a second visit in the spring of 1970 and indicated he was thinking about sending me to
Missouri River Division when I returned.
I had been promoted to brigadier general in August 1969 after waiting since March 1968. I would
report to MRD as a brigadier general. The Missouri River Division had been a dynamic
leadership-type activity for many, many years, particularly during General Pick's tour, the
Pick-Sloan plan, and the construction of the Missouri River projects. By 1970, the amount of
work had decreased, and my impression, while still in Vietnam, was that the Missouri River
Division wasn't very busy. However, to be assigned to a division was my personal ambition at
the time, and I was sure General Clarke had made the decision for good reasons, so I didn't
question it, even though I felt that I was not going to be as busy as I might have been in a different
division. That proved, incidentally, to be wrong. Thankfully or fortunately. On returning to the
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