xl97:
Thanks..I do have caps on the input and output...
Im at work currently.. and dont recall the values specifically.
Just throwing caps on this thing, willy-nilly, may not be enough. You selected what looks like a very finicky part.
What diagram should I be following.
If you look for the section that talks about the output capacitor, you will see the diagrams I'm referring to.
I'm not that great at datasheets always.. and this one seems to be even more awkward for me to read.
Well, then...I hate to say it, but you may have bit off more than you can chew, here. Or, it might be time for you to bite the bullet and suffer the drudge of actually learning how to read datasheets. Man, I remember how confusing datasheets were, back when I started in electronics. But, perseverance -- fueled by a burning desire to make it work -- pushed me past the period of confusion, into relative clarity (there are still things that throw me, but again...perseverance!). It's like learning a new language. It's hard at first, but gradually, it starts making sense. BUT, you are starting with a more difficult datasheet. You can either suck-it-up and push through the frustration and possibly get the reward of a giant leap forward, or you can abandon this for now, and find an easier part to play with. Like an LM323K:
Usually there is a simple wiring diagram to follow..
Yes, but this is no simple part!
this mas many (and what I though didnt apply to me needs/application)
Huh?!? Please proofread your posts!
p.s. what does it mean when a v regulator is 'oscillating'?
More proof you're out of your league with this one.
It has to do with something called "positive feedback" and goes beyond even my understanding, since I'm not really an "analog" guy. My strengths are digital and programming. But, if you know how to read a datasheet, and follow it's recommendations, and if you know a bit about PCB layout considerations, you can usually get by. At least on a "hobbyist" level.
This is probably over your head, but it gives you a taste of what's to come, should you make the effort to really learn this stuff:
BTW: I read that article on oscillators, and I learned something [that Negative Feedback is used to stabilize an oscillator--i.e. keep the amplifier at a gain of 1]! You see...there's always something more to learn! 
And to elaborate on the reason for understanding how an Oscillator works: a Voltage Regulator has an Amplifier in it. And, for reasons I don't fully understand, this amplifier can become an Oscillator -- basically when "Positive Feedback" inadvertently occurs [again, for reasons I don't fully understand -- also, a regulator needs Negative Feedback to function properly], and has to do with the magnitude of the output capacitance and the ESR of that capacitor. And, again for reasons I don't fully understand, LDO regulators are more sensitive to conditions that can produce oscillation. The part you are trying to use is an LDO! And not only that, but the fact that it is made to function at such high currents, apparently, makes it EVEN MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO OSCILLATION! So, this is very ANTI NOOB!