If memory serves me, my first actual enemy engagement while flying Ed's Trail did not occur until sometime in late Feb of 69. We were working early morning across the river southeast of Dong Tam when we observed from a distance a considerable number of people in the vicinity of a single, somewhat large hooch that was located out over the water in some type of backwater area off a main stream. The hootch was up on stilts and was connected to dry land some 10 meters away by an elevated bamboo ramp. This ramp also continued around the hootch and out into the inlet for another 10 meters serving as a dock for sampans. More curious than suspect, we eased over at tree top level for a better look-see. We had closed on the Hootch to within say 50 yards when all at once, what only moments before had been a serene picture, erupted into a Chinese Fire Drill of pandemonium of running bodies from within the hootch out onto all the ramp ways. Initially, we were both momentarily so caught off guard and with all sorts of people running all sorts of ways it was difficult to assess the situation, particularly with regard to their being friendlies or other. This debate quickly ended however with the distinct sound of AK gunfire, which spurred Ed then me down into the fracas. When the smoke cleared an infantry platoon was flown in. They reported several VC KIA and that the hootch appeared to have a local CatHouse for the VC Cadre. Later while we were hovering over the hootch, the soldiers on the sweep drug two very tall and well-endowed women corpse out from within the hootch and reported that from all appearances they were Chinese. One might say that we literally caught Charlie with his pants down that day.