It seems that there were two basic defensive fighting bunkers used by the 1st Division in Vietnam. The "DePue Fighting Position," and "The Hay Hole." Both bunkers were named after the General that favored them and was the Division Commander at the time of there use. All I ever knew was the "Hay Hole," but I do not recall knowing that was what it was called. It was just a bunker to me. They must have started using the Hay Hole at the same time I joined Bravo 2/28. Fred Hill mentioned the DePue Fighting Position in his notes on Operation Billings. What follows is a discussion I had with Doc Berry while he was educating me on the two types of bunkers.
Dave Berry's Comments: General Depuy preceeded General Hay as 77. I think the Depuy fighting position was the type of bunker that we were building when I first got there. They had side and overhead cover but were open to the front. The Hay hole had side, overhead, front and back cover with just a doorway and firing ports open. They were also supposed to have grenade sumps at the front of the firing ports to stop grenades from rolling in. The grenade sumps didn't always happen. They were usually sited in a staggered line so that they had overlapping fields of fire.
The disadvantages of the Depuy position, that I can think of: You were more vulnerable to incoming fire or shrapnel. They weren't as structurally strong and were more likely to collapse if hit by a mortar round.
The advantages, to my mind were: It didn't take all night to dig in a position, so we got more rest. You had a clearer field of fire and could see what was going on to the entire front. You weren't as vulnerable to the threat of having the perimeter breached by knocking out one bunker. You didn't have to kiss off your hearing if you fired inside of one. More than 2 people could fire from the position.
Like I said. I really hated digging in all night and then going on patrol. It left us in a perpetual Twilight Zone of fatigue. And, although I appreciated the security when we had incoming mortar rounds, I was really paranoid about fighting from one of those bunkers. There was a very real danger that Charlie could break through and come around and drop a grenade or satchel charge in through your back door. I really didn't like not being able to see to my front at all times.
On the other hand, I came close to being a casualty my first night in the field with 2/2nd. I was on guard duty at the aid station forward, which was an interior position, and was scanning my front, clueless to what I should be seeing. All of a sudden, there was a strange noise and an explosion to my front. The blast knocked me backwards in the hole. There was a lot of outgoing fire from the perimeter and then eventually it all died down. Needless to say, I was scared shitless. It turned out that it was a lone RPG that Charlie fired into the perimeter, hoping to get lucky. In the morning, they found shrapnel embedded in the sandbags around where my head had been. It is definitely better to be lucky than smart.
John McCoy's Comments: Apparently the "Hay Hole" was the only bunker used while I was in country. That is the only type I dug. Maybe not knowing about another type left me unable to compare all of the advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, the amount of time it took to dig the bunker was only related to the hardness of the soil in my mind, and not compared to a different bunker style. I personally liked the "Hay Hole" and saw the advantages of having firing ports at 45 degrees out of the front corners, especially when the NDP was always set up in a cirlce. This guaranteed interlocking fire, as long as the ammunition held out. With the other style bunker, it was theoretically possible to have interlocking fire, but highly unlikely. Interlocking fire with the DePuy bunker might be focused in only one area, leaving other areas vulnerable. Doc is right about hearing, though. Mine suffered greatly. I couldn't even hear a phone ring when I got home. I still can't hear some phones ring. When it was time for me to get out of the Army, I requested a hearing test. The Specialist 4 that gave me the hearing test read a magazine while I was taking the test. He could only determine if I passed or failed by watching me raise my left or right had and at what point I raised my hand. He never looked up at me once. I guess the pictures in a certain "mens magazine" were more interesting to him. He passed me with flying colors. After I got out, a civilian doctor determined I had nerve damage to my ear. I probably got that way from firing the machine gun from with in the Hay Hole. But I credit the Hay Hole as the reason you do not read my name on the wall. I will take the hearing loss. Besides, it has some advantages. I can always tell my wife I did not hear her, and get away with it.
Dennis, who served with Alpha Company, 1/28, from Nov.67 to Nov. 68, says: The Hay Hole was good in theory. There was actually two perimeters of bunkers. The inner one covered the outer one. Interlocking fire. I didn't like the fact that I couldn't see straight forward and the fact that someone behind me was covering my backside. Every bunker had to be manned for it to work.
Do you have any thoughts on the type of bunkers that we used? We would like to hear them! Send an email to John McCoy and we will include them here.