Our Wedding: November 11,1968

Private Loyde P. "Snake" Arender, USMC and his new bride, Sharon Kay Keen Arender, on their wedding night. The Beginning of A Journey where LOVE and RESPECT are the CORE. I thought I loved Kay "All that I Could" in 1968; however, I love her "10 Times as Much" in 2000.

U.S.Marine: Loyde P. Arender

This is Loyde's boot camp picture which was taken during training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego. Loyde was a member of Platoon 1035 which graduated on 04 September 1968. His Drill Instructors were: Gunnery Sergeant C.C. Dean, Staff Sergeant D.C. Puckett, and Sergeant J. Demumbrum. At least 2 Marines who were in Platoon 1035 were Killed-In-Action in Vietnam: Platoon Honorman and Blues Award: Ralph Terence Lomen (KIA: 07 June 1969) Donald Arthur Martin (KIA: 12 December 1969) Former members of Platoon 1035 (even the D.I.'s) may contact Loyde at: kaybran@webtv.net

PFC Loyde P. "Snake" Arender, 2454394, USMC

Enlisted: 28 June 1968 Discharged: 26 March 1971 Military Occupational Speciality (MOS: 0331) Machine Gunner / Infantry Combat Unit: Kilo Co 3rd BN 26th Marines Wounded-In-Action: 31 Jan 1969 28 February 1969 04 March 1969 17 April 1969 29 January 1970 For Those Who Fight For IT, LIFE Has A Meaning That The Protected Will Never Know

PFC "Snake" Arender: A-Gunner

This picture was taken aboard the USS Tripoli on or about 12 January 1969 when Snake was a member of Tony Cusumano's machine gun team. As you can see, Snake is armed with an M-16 rifle. On 31 January 1969, Tony was severely wounded in a minefield on the Batangan Peninsula, while participating in Operation Bold Mariner / Russell Beach. Tony died a few hours later on 01 February 1969. After Tony's death, Snake became an M-60 gunner.

Snake's wife, Kay and daughter, Annette on February 1, 1969.

This is the first picture that Snake received of his new daughter, Annette Arender, who was born in January 1969, while Snake was on the Batangan Peninsula during Operations Russell Beach and Bold Mariner.

WALKING BY FAITH

Wrapped in plastic, I carried this poem during my entire tour of duty in Vietnam. GOD walked with me across the Batangan Peninsula and guided my steps through an enemy minefield** on 31 January 1969, where Kilo 3/26 had over 20 Marines killed or seriously wounded. GOD walked with me through the rice paddies and fields of Dodge City in the Arizonia Territory near An Hoa, during Operation Taylor Common, where GOD helped us silence an NVA 12.7 mm anti-aircraft gun, which had Kilo Company 3/26 pinned down in an open field. GOD climbed with me up the mountains onto Charlie Ridge and patrolled with me down into the A Shau Valley. GOD guided my steps up Highway 1 across Namo Bridge through the villages of Ap Kim Lien, Ap Ki, and Ap Namo where I served with a CAP / CUPP Unit. GOD walked with me in many places in Vietnam and GOD is STILL Walking With Me, today. **In this minefield on 31 January 1969, both the Kilo 3/26 Company CO, Captain Fred Fox II and our 1st Platoon Commander, LT James "Jim" Bligh, were Wounded-In-Action (WIA).

Snake Arender: 10 February 1969

PFC Snake Arender on or about 10 February 1969 while on Operation Taylor Common. While "Dug-In" on the hill where this picture was taken, Snake "took time To Make" this Valentine's Card for Kay.

Valentine's Card for Kay (February 1969)

On an unknown hill somewhere in the Arizonia Territory of Vietnam on or about 10 February 1969, PFC Loyde P. "Snake" Arender, USMC, after cleaning his machine gun and 45 caliber pistol, wrote a letter to Kay, and realizing that it was just about Valentine's Day, made this card for his wife Kay. After over 31 years, Kay still has BOTH Snake and the card "laying around some place".

Captured 12.7mm NVA anti-aircraft gun on Hill 55

On 28 February 1969, during Operation Taylor Common in an "Open Field" in the Arizonia Territory near An Hoa, Kilo Company 3rd Battalion 26th Marine Regiment was ambushed by a superior number of NVA enemy forces who were armed with numerous weapons including this 12.7 mm anti-aircraft gun.

"Open Field" in Arizonia Territory

About a week before the ambush, PFC Loyde P. "Snake" Arender,USMC sits concealed in the grass as he "takes a break" in the "Open Field" in the Arizonia Territory near An Hoa where Kilo 3/26 was ambushed by NVA enemy forces on 28 February 1969.

Taking A Break on Hill 55

After the completion of Operation Taylor Common and an "un-named operation" on or about 25 March 1969, Kilo 3/26 and her sister companies India, Lima, and Mike 3/26 came to Hill 55 for about a week of much needed rest. It had supposedly "been months" since Hill 55 had received large 122mm enemy rockets; however, Kilo 3/26 had "just arrived" on Hill 55 when enemy rockets began to hit the perimeter. Many of the "Hardened 3/26 Bush Marines" sat in the Mess Hall and ate their hot chow, during the rocket attack, because we had not had a hot meal in almost two months. During our few days on Hill 55, I became introduced to a Marine who had a "small white feather" stuck in his Bush Hat. I was sitting at one end of a 4-hole toilet, reading a Sex-to-Sexy Comedy Magazine, when a Marine walks in and sits down at the other end of the toilet and picks up a Playboy Magazine. He mumbles,"I've seen this one". So I said,"Here you can have this one". I throw my magazine to him, as he throws his magazine to me. The magazine that he threw to me landed DIRECTLY in MY Lap. The magazine that I threw toward him fell into the 3rd hole of the toilet. He smiled, and sort of laughed, then looked at me and said, "Man, I hope you can shoot better than you can throw". I said, "All I got to do is GET CLOSE with grenades or my M-60". He said, "Well, I'm a sniper, so I got to be exact." Years later, I saw his picture on the front of a book: 93 Confirmed Kills: Carlos Hathcock

Charlie Ridge: Operation Oklahoma Hills

Operation Oklahoma Hills was conducted between 30 March 1969 to 10 May 1969 on Charlie Ridge which is located atop the mountains which are part of the A Shau Valley. On 17 April 1969, LT JOHN M. JOYCE was Killed-In-Action. The following poem is "In Remembrance of LT JOYCE": The jungle canopy was dense I could hardly see the sky The mountain terrain pure torture A Hell of a place To Die But here in these mountains A "Marine's Marine" would die While fighting beside his buddies In these mountains that Touch The Sky Written on 28 August 2000 by Loyde P. "Snake" Arender

USS Valley Forge (LPH-8) 20 May 1969

After the completion of Operation Oklahoma Hills, Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 3/26 "Went Afloat" for a few weeks aboard the USS Valley Forge as part of the Special Landing Force (SLF) Task Force Bravo which was part of the 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade (9th MAB). One thing that made the 26th Marine Regiment very unique was the fact that between 1966 to 1970, the 26th Marines served with or as a part of, or op-con to the following: 1st Marine Division 3rd Marine Division 5th Marine Division 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade Task Force Cooksey Task Force Yankee Task Force Bravo Special Landing Force (SLF) Battalion Landing Team (BLT) Combined Action Program (CAP) Combined Unit Pacification Program (CUPP) Why was the 26th Marine Regiment attached to so many different units? The answer is "Because the 26th Marines were Thrown Into Combat where-ever they were needed".

Bunkers near Hill 190

From June 1969 until September 1969, Kilo 3/26 served on and near Hill 190.

CAP / CUPP Unit service: November 15, 1969 to January 30, 1970

PFC Loyde P. "Snake" Arender, USMC in January 1970 while attached to a CAP / CUPP Unit near the villages of Ap Kim Lien, Ap Ki, and Ap Namo, northwest on DaNang off Highway 1 near Namo Bridge which spans the Song Cu De River.

Snake's Vietnam War Remembered "War Wall"

On a wall in the living room of their home, Snake and Kay have arranged a few items concerning the Vietnam War. At the center hangs "Snake's Shadow Box", along with his boot camp picture, a map of Vietnam, and his Bronze Star Medal with Combat V citation. However, they both agree that the "Most Touching" item in the display is the color print by Colonel Charles Waterhouse: "Strief is Over ... Battle Done" which has a young Marine who is knelling as he thanks GOD for "Delivering Him from the Hands of His Enemy". "GOD brought ME back to "The World" alive from Vietnam": Quote by Loyde P. "Snake" Arender

Snake's Shadow Box

A "Close-Up" of Snake's Shadow Box. "I went to Vietnam in 1968 to fight for my country but it only took about two weeks for me to realize that not all of My Country was supporting the war in Vietnam, so I spent the next 15 months fighting for two very worth-while causes: (1) My Buddies (2) My Butt" Quote by Loyde P. "Snake" Arender

Loyde Arender: Street Cop

Loyde P. Arender, a Street Cop, after a hard night shift in 1985.

Senior Patrolman Loyde Arender

Arender in 1995 prior to retirement.

Snake, Derek, and Annette

This picture shows Snake in May 2000 with his grandson, Derek Hilton Arender (Age 6) and Snake's "Little Girl" Annette (Age 31) at Derek's Graduation. Time Flies When You're Having Fun ..... But IT surely "Stood Still" in Vietnam.

Thumbs Up ... Mission Accomplished

Snake's grandson, Future Marine Derek Hilton Arender (Age 6) gives the "Thumbs Up ... Mission Accomplished" sign. Look Out, World !!

See SNAKE'S PAGE: By Debbe Reynolds on the USMC Combat Wife website

http://www.combatwife.net/

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