LIKE MOST EVERYONE ELSE DURING THAT TIME I WENT, NOT BECAUSE I WAS
PARTICULARLY PATRIOTIC OR WISHED TO STEM THE SPREAD OF COMMUNISM, BUT BECAUSE
IT WAS WHAT ALL YOUNG MEN WERE "SUPPOSED" TO DO. JUST LIKE YOUR BROTHERS
OR FATHERS OR UNCLES OR GRANDFATHERS HAD DONE. I FEELTHAT MOST OF THE YOUNG
BOYS WHO WENT TO VIET NAM WERE LIKE ME. THEY WENT BECAUSE IT WAS JUST SOMETHING
YOU HAD TO DO. VERY FEW PEOPLE WANTED TO BE CALLED A DRAFT DODGER OR COWARD.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND VERY FEW WANTED TO FIGHT IN A WAR EITHER ANYWAY ON
18 MAR 1968 I REPORTED TO OUR LOCAL POST OFFICE, ALONG WITH ABOUT TWENTY-FIVE
OTHER LUCKY SOULS, FOR A BUS RIDE TO THE INDUCTION CENTER. WHICH IN OUR
CASE WAS LOCATED IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. ARRIVING AT THE CENTER WE WERE
GIVEN ANOTHER PHYSICAL TO ENSURE WE WERE STILL HEALTHY AND AROUND NINE
OCLOCK THAT VERY NIGHT WERE SWORN INTO THE U. S. ARMY.
LATE THAT NIGHT WE WERE PLACED ON A BUS AND TRANSPORTED TO FORT CAMPBELL,
KY. WHERE WE WERE TO TAKE BASIC TRAINING. BEFORE STARTING BASIC WE SPENT
TWO OR THREE DAYS TAKING TEST TO DETERMINE WHERE THE ARMY COULD USE US
BEST. LATER ON IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THIS WAS JUST A WASTE OF TIME. FOLLOWING
THIS TESTING PERIOD WE WERE SENT TO OUR BASIC TRAINING COMPANY (B/3/1)
AND STARTED LEARNING HOW TO BE A SOLDIER. THE TRAINING WAS MENTALLY AND
PHYSICALLY DEMANDING, BUT MOST OF US ADAPTED QUICKLY TO ARMY LIFE AND MADE
IT THROUGH WITHOUT ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS. LOOKING BACK NOW I THINK IT WAS
AN AMAZING FEAT FOR ARMY DRILL INSTRUCTORS TO TAKE TWO HUNDRED YOUNG MEN
OF ALL SHAPES, SIZES, TYPES, NATIONALITIES AND INTELLIGENCE LEVELS AND
TURN THEM INTO SOLDIERS IN A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THEY TAUGHT
US HOW TO DRESS, WALK, EAT, SLEEP, TALK AND ACT LIKE A SOLDIER IN ONLY
EIGHT WEEKS. IT SEEMED THAT ALMOST EVERY PERSON IN OUR BASIC TRAINING COMPANY
WAS SENT TO INFANTRY AIT. THE ONLY EXCEPTION BEING THE RAS (REGULAR ARMY
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AFTER GRADUATING FROM BASIC TRAINING WE WERE SENT TO FORT POLK, LOUISIANNA
FOR INFANTRY AIT. FORT POLK IS LOCATED IN SOUTHERN LOUISIANNA WAS AT THAT
TIME WAS KNOWN AS "TIGERLAND". I NEVER SAW A SINGLE TIGER WHILE THERE,
BUT I DID SEE A LOT OF SAND, PINE TREES, PIGMY RATTLERS, AND "HOT&
HUMID" WEATHER. BEING AT FORT POLK IN THE SUMMER IS AN EXPERIENCE NO ONE
WILL EVER FORGET. WE SOON THOUGHT THAT ITS NAME SHOULD BE CHANGED TO "HELLLAND".
WE SPENT NINE GRUELING WEEKS LEARNING THE ART OF BEING AN INFANTRY GRUNT.
THIS TRAINING INCLUDED HOW TO MARCH SEVENTEEN MILES WITH A FULL PACK AND
HOW TO FIRE EVERY WEAPON USED BY AN INFANTRY SOLDIER. THEY TAUGHT US HOW
TO KILL AND HOPEFULLY HOW TO KEEP FROM BEING KILLED. THE DRILL INSTRUCTORS
TRIED TO PREPARE US BOTH MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY TO GO TO WAR. I THINK
THEY TRIED TO ERASE THE FEAR OF DEATH FROM OUR MINDS BY REPEATEDLY TELLING
US THE MAJORITY OF US WOULDNT RETURN FROM VIETNAM ALIVE. WE HEARD THIS
STATEMENT MADE SEVERAL TIMES DAILY DURING OUR TRAINING. UPON FINISHING
AIT TWO OPPORTUNITIES CAME ALONG FOR ME. ONE WAS TO GO TO NON-COMMISSIONED
OFFFICERS SCHOOL AT FORT BENNING, GA. AND THE OTHER THE ARMOR SCHOOL AT
FORT KNOX, KY. I CHOSE THE NCO SCHOOL. AFTER GRADUATING AIT WE RECEIVED
OUR PROMOTIONS TO PFC E-3 AND OUR ORDERS TO FORT BENNING.
FOLLOWING A TWENTY-ONE DAY LEAVE, MY FIRST SINCE ENTERING THE ARMY, I REPORTED TO FORT BENNINGS INFANTRY NCO SCHOOL ON 2 AUG.1968. UPON ARRIVING EVERYONE RECEIVED AN IMMEDIATE PROMOTION TO CORPORAL E-4. FROM WHAT WE WERE TOLD THE NCO SCHOOL AT BENNING WAS STARTED BECAUSE SO MANY E-5S WERE GETTING KILLED IN VIETNAM THE ARMY COULDNT KEEP THE SLOTS FILLED. SO THEY DECIDED TO SPEED THINGS UP AND TRAIN QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS TO IMMEDIATELY BECOME A SARGENT. MY REASONS FOR CHOOSING THE NCO SCHOOL INSTEAD OF THE ARMOUR SCHOOL WERE TWO-FOLD. FIRST I FIGURED THE MORE TRAINING I RECEIVED THE BETTER CHANCE I HAD OF STAYING ALIVE ONCE I DID ARRIVE IN VIETNAM. SECONDLY AND PROBABLY THE MAIN REASON THE LONGER MY GOING WAS DELAYED THE GREATER CHANCE THE WAR WOULD BE OVER. OF COURSE I HAD BEEN THINKING IT WOULD SOON BE OVER EVER SINCE I WAS IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. AS I FOUND OUT LATER MY THINKING WAS QUITE WRONG AND IT WOULD TAKE ANOTHER SEVEN YEARS FOR IT TO END. DURING THE NCO SCHOOL WE WERE TAUGHT BASICALLY THE SAME THINGS AS WE HAD BEEN IN INFANTRY AIT EXCEPT IN MORE ADVANCED FORM. WE WERE TAUGHT TO LEAD A FIRE TEAM, WHICH IS THE PRIMARY JOB FOR AN INFANTRY SGT. E-5. AFTER TWELVE LONG WEEKS OF TRAINING BOTH NIGHT AND DAY WE WERE GRADUATED AND PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF SGT. THIS ALMOST OVERNIGHT PROMOTION TO E-5 CAUSED SOME PROBLEMS FOR US. SOME OF THE OTHER ENLISTED PERSONNEL WHO WERE MAKING A CAREER OF THE ARMY NICKNAMED US SHAKE AND BAKES BECAUSE WE HAD ATTAINED OUR RANK SO QUICKLY. A LOT OF THEM HAD SPENT SEVERAL YEARS IN THE ARMY AND WE HELD THE SAME OR HIGHER RANK THAN THEY DID. I GUESS THEY WERE PARTLY JUSTIFIED IN THEIR FEELINGS BECAUSE WHO WANTS TO SPEND SIX OR EIGHT YEARS WORKING TOWARD PROMOTIONS AND SEE SOMEONE ELSE SPEND ONLY NINE MONTHS TO ACHIEVE THE SAME RANK. IT WAS JUST A SITUATION WE ALL HAD TO LIVE WITH. THE WAY I LOOKED AT IT NO MATTER IF YOU WERE A "SHAKE AND BAKE" OR A "LIFER" WE WERE ALL IN THE SAME ARMY. ILL BET IF THE TRUTH WERE KNOWN THOSE SAME "LIFERS" WHO OBJECTED SO LOUDLY ABOUT OUR SPEEDY PROMOTIONS WERE GLAD THAT WE WERE THE ONES, INSTEAD OF THEM, GOING TO VIET NAM TO FILL THOSE E-5 SLOTS THAT BECAME EMPTY SO OFTEN.
AFTER FINISHING NCO SCHOOL WE WERE ASSIGNED BACK TO FORT POLK FOR ANOTHER NINE WEEKS OF "ON JOB TRAINING"(OJT) WITH ANOTHER AIT COMPANY. WE WENT THROUGH ANOTHER NINE WEEKS OF TRAINING IN A LEADERSHIP CAPACITY. IT WAS OUR JOB TO AID IN THE TRAINING OF ANOTHER AIT COMPANY JUST LIKE OURS HAD BEEN A SHORT TWELVE WEEKS BEFORE. TWO SARGENTS WERE ASSIGNED TO EACH PLATOON. WE WERE DIFFERENT THAN REGULAR DRILL INSTRUCTORS IN THAT WE SPENT TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY WITH THESE TRAINEES. WE LIVED, ATE, SLEPT, AND MARCHED RIGHT ALONG BESIDE SIDE THEM.
WE TRIED TO TEACH THEM EVERYTHING WE COULD TO HELP KEEP THEM ALIVE. SINCE THEN I HAVE OFTEN WONDERED HOW MANY OF THOSE PARTICULAR YOUNG MEN FAILED TO MAKE IT HOME FROM VIETNAM UNHARMED.
FOLLOWING WHAT SEEMED LIKE A TEN MINUTE, BUT WAS ACTUALLY A THREE-WEEK
LEAVE I REPORTED TO OAKLAND FOR PROCESSING. A COUPLE DAYS LATER I FOUND
MYSELF ON A PLANE WITH ABOUT TWO HUNDRED OTHER GUYS ON MY WAY TO VIETNAM.
AFTER A STOP IN JAPAN WE ARRIVED IN VIET NAM ON 17 FEB. 1969 AT 7:00 A.M.
THE ONE THING I REMEMBER THE MOST ABOUT OUR ARRIVAL AT BEN HOA AIR BASE
IS THE PEOPLE WAITING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE TO COME BACK TO THE
"WORLD". SOME WERE JEERING AND POKING FUN AT US FNGS, BUT MOST WERE SILENT
AND JUST STARING AT US WITH WHAT ALMOST SEEMED LIKE PITY REFLECTING IN
THEIR EYES. THEIR CLOTHES WERE WORN AND FADED. IM SURE THEY WERE HAPPY
TO BE GOING HOME BUT THEIR SOLEMN FACES DIDNT SHOW IT. I GUESS IF YOU
HAD TO DESCRIBE WITH ONE WORD HOW THEY LOOKED "EXHAUSTED" WOULD BE THE
BEST DESCRIPTION. THERE WAS NO DOUBT THESE WERE THE SOLDIERS WHO HAD EXPERIENCED
REAL COMBAT. ON THAT DAY I WAS POSITIVE THAT I WOULD NEVER LIVE TO BE ACROSS
THAT FENCE AND ON MY WAY HOME. MY INSTRUCTORS HAD DONE A THOROUGH JOB OF
BRAINWASHING ME INTO BELIEVING I WAS GOING TO DIE SOMEWHERE IN THE JUNGLES
OR RICE PATTIES OF VIETNAM. IN MY MIND I HAD ACCEPTED THIS AND BELIEVED
IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THEIR PREDICTIONS CAME TRUE.
LEAVING BEN HOA ON BUSES WE WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE 9OTH REPLACEMENT
COMPANY FOR OUR "IN COUNTRY ORIENTATION". ABOUT ALL I REMEMBER OF THIS
WAS BRUSHING MY TEETH WITH SOME MAJIC FORMULA THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT
TOOTH DECAY. AFTER SPENDING A COUPLE DAYS THERE I WAS SENT TO THE NINTH
INFANTRY DIVISION, LOCATED AT DONG TAM, WHICH WAS IN THE MEKONG DELTA.
ARRIVING AT THE NINTH DIVISION BASE CAMP I WAS ISSUED MY NECESSARY INFANTRY
EQUIPMENT SUCH AS AN M-16 RIFLE. THE NEXT TWO WEEKS WE SPENT ADAPTING TO
THE CLIMATE AND WAITING FOR OUR UNIT ASSIGNMENTS.
LIKE EVERY OTHER 11B40 THAT WAS ASSIGNED TO THE NINTH INFANTRY DIVISION
I FULLY EXPECTED TO BE SENT TO A REGULAR GRUNT UNIT. WHEN MY ORDERS CAME
DOWN TO D TROOP 3/5 AIR CAV I ASSUMED IT WAS AN INFANTRY UNIT. HOWEVER
AFTER ASKING AROUND I DISCOVERED IT WAS SOME TYPE OF HELICOPTER UNIT. I
COULDNT FIGURE OUT WHY A HELICOPTER UNIT WOULD NEED AN INFANTRY E-5. NOT
UNTIL REACHING THE TROOP HEADQUARTERS DID I FIND OUT THAT D TROOP HAD AN
AERO RIFLE PLATOON. LOOKING BACK TODAY I FEEL THAT BEING ASSIGNED TO D
TROOP WAS THE LUCKIEST THING THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ME. I WILL NEVER
KNOW FOR SURE, BUT I STRONGLY FEEL BEING ASSIGNED TO THIS PLATOON INSTEAD
OF A REGULAR GRUNT UNIT PROBABLY SAVED MY LIFE. I GUESS YOU COULD CALL
IT THE LUCK OF THE DRAW.
IT HAS BEEN ALMOST THIRTY YEARS SINCE I WAS IN VIET NAM AND TIME
HAS DIMMED THE MEMORY CONSIDERABLY. JUST A FEW DAYS AGO I WAS CONTACTED
BY ONE OF THE OTHER DOUGHBOYS WITH WHOM I SPENT FOUR MONTHS IN THE SAME
PLATOON AND I CANT EVEN PLACE HIS FACE. THAT IS WHAT THE SPAN OF THIRTY
YEARS WILL DO TO YOUR MEMORY. ON THE OTHER HAND THERE ARE CERTAIN MEMORIES
THAT WILL NEVER FADE AND CERTAIN STORIES THAT WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.
THE FOLLOWING STORIES OR TALES CALL THEM WHAT YOU WISH, ARE SOME RECOLLECTIONS
OF MY YEAR AS A DOUGHBOY.
THE "DOUGHBOYS", AS THIS PLATOON WAS KNOWN, WAS USED AS A RECON PLATOON
AND TO SECURE DOWNED AIRCRAFT. OUR RECON MISSIONS WERE CARRIED OUT WITH
A FORCE OF USUSALLY EIGHTEEN OR TWENTY MEN BEING INSERTED BY OUR OWN HELICOPTERS.
A LOT OF OUR INSERTIONS WERE FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONFIRMING KILLS OR CHECKING
OUT VILLAGES OR BUNKERS THE LOCHS HAD DISCOVERED. WHENEVER AN AIRCRAFT
WAS SHOT DOWN WE WERE USED TO SECURE THE SITE FOR REMOVAL. THE DOUGHBOYS
WERE DIVIDED INTO FOUR FIRE TEAMS AND ONLY TWO FIRE TEAMS COULD BE INSERTED
AT ONE TME. THIS MEANT THAT TWO TEAMS WERE ON STAND-BY AND TWO TEAMS WERE
ON DUTY EACH TWENTY FOUR HOUR PERIOD. A SECTION OF THE DONG TAMS PERIMETER
SECURITY WAS ASSIGNED TO DELTA TROOP AND THE DOUGHBOYS WERE PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE
FOR GUARD DUTY ON THIS SECTION. IM PRETTY SURE ALLTHE ENLISTED MEN IN
DELTA TROOP SHARED IN THESE GUARD DUTIES. LOOKING BACK I FEELWE WERE A
LUCKY BUNCH OF SOLDIERS. EVERY TIME WE WERE PLACED ON THE GROUND WE HAD
THE AERIAL SUPPORT OF TWO LOCHS, TWO COBRAS, THE C&C CHOPPER, AND THE
THREE SLICKS THAT PUT US IN CIRCLING OVERHEAD READY FOR IMMEDIATE EXTRACTION
SHOULD THINGS GET HOT. VERY FEW EIGHTEEN MEN FORCES IN VIET NAM HAD THIS
MUCH AIR SUPPORT AND I THINK IT SAVED OUR BUTTS MORE THAN ONCE SIMPLY AS
A DETERRANT. VERY FEW ENEMY SOLDIERS WANTED TO TANGLE WITH A LOCH OR COBRA
AND MOST OF THE ONES THAT DID USUALLY CAME OUT ON THE LOSING END.
I WAS STILL IN VIETNAM WHEN I FIGURED OUT JUST HOW THE ARMY CHOSE ITS HELICOPTER PILOTS AND WHICH PILOT FLEW WHAT. FIRST OF ALL I AM SURE THAT IT WAS A PREREQUISITE RIGHT UP FRONT THAT ALL PILOTS HAD TO BE TOUCHED IN THE HEAD. THE YOUNG MEN WHO WENT TO FLIGHT SCHOOL AND WERE JUST PLAIN CRAZY WERE ASSIGNED TO FLYING SLICKS. THOSE THAT WERE A LITTLE BEYOND CRAZY WERE GIVEN COBRAS TO FLY AND THOSE THAT WERE CERTIFIED LUNATICS WERE GIVEN THE LOCHS. THERE WERE PROBABLY OTHER QUALIFICATIONS AS WELL BUT THESE HAD TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT. ALTHOUGH OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEN DIDNT SOCIALIZE MUCH TOGETHER, EVEN IN VIETNAM , I DID COME TO KNOW A FEW PERSONALLY AND THEY MET THESE REQUIREMENTS EASILY. THEY WERE ALL CRAZY AS HELL!
ALL JOKING ASIDE I NEVER MET A GROUP OF MEN LIKE THEM. I FIND IT HARD TO PUT WORDS ON THIS PAPER TO DESCRIBE THOSE PILOTS. MOST OF THEM WERE VERY YOUNG LIKE MYSELF AND ONLY IN THEIR EARLY TWENTIES. THEY WERE SOME OF THE BRAVEST YOUNG MEN I HAVE EVER KNOWN. ANYTIME THE SLICKS INSERTED US INTO A LZ WE NEVER QUESTIONED WHETHER THEY WOULD GET US OUT IF THINGS GOT HOT. WHEN YOU CALLED FOR AN EXTRACTION THEY WERE THERE COME HELL OR HIGH WATER. THE COBRA PILOTS WERE ALSO TRUE PROFESSIONALS WHO MADE THEIR DIFFICULT AND HIGHLY DANGEROUS JOB LOOK EASY. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD WANT TO GO TO WORK EVERY DAY WITH HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF EXPLOSIVES STRAPPED TO THE SIDE OF THEIR CAR. THAT IS BASICALLY WHAT THE COBRA PILOTS DID. LAST BUT NOT LEAST LETS LOOK AT THE LOCH PILOTS WHOM I DESCRIBED ABOVE AS LUNATICS. WHAT WOULD YOU CALL SOMEONE WHO FLEW A SMALL BUBBLE FRONTED HELICOPTER AT TREE TOP LEVEL TRYING TO GET SOMEONE TO SHOOT AT YOU. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEIR JOB WAS AND IF A DAY WENT BY WHERE THEY DIDNT AT LEAST GET SHOT AT, IT WAS CONSIDERED A BAD DAY. IT WAS A GREAT DAY IF THEY WERE SHOT DOWN WITHOUT ANY INJURIES. BRAVERY HELL I STILL SAY THEY WERE LUNATICS BUT MAN THEY COULD FLY THOSE CHOPPERS. IF THEY CAUGHT CHARLIE OUT IN THE OPEN HE HAD A BAD DAY. I SALUTE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU GUYS AND YOUR CREWS YOU WERE UNBELIEVABLE AND WITHOUT A DOUBT THE BEST!
I HEARD LOTS OF STORIES ABOUT THOSE PILOTS AND CREWS. I NEVER KNEW FOR SURE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE TRUE. I MYSELF ALWAYS FIGURED THERE HAD TO BE SOME TRUTH IN THEM. ILL MENTION A COUPLE AND SEE IF ANYONE CAN CONFIRM THAT THEY REALLY HAPPENED.
THE FIRST MISSION I PARTICIPATED IN AS A DOUGHBOY PROVED TO BE UNEVENTFUL.
WE WERE SENT IN TO CHECK OUT A SMALL VILLAGE WHERE THE V.C. WAS SUSPECTED
TO BE HIDING. WE WERE INSERTED INTO AN LZ CLOSE BY AND PROCEEDED TO THE
VILLAGE WHERE WE FOUND NO ONE BUT OLD MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN. AFTER A
THROUGH SEARCH OF THE VILLIAGE WE MOVED TO ANOTHER LZ, POPPED SMOKE, AND
THE SLICKS CAME IN AND TOOK US OUT. NOT A SHOT WAS FIRED THE ENTIRE MISSION.
I SUPPOSE THE ONLY REASON I REMEMBER IT AT ALL IS BECAUSE IT WAS MY FIRST
COMBAT INSERTION. WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL CLASSES WHILE IN TRAINING ON HOW
TO EXIT AND BOARD HELICOPTERS PROPERLY AND QUICKLY. THEY LEFT OUT THE PART
ABOUT HOW TO KEEP YOUR KNEES FROM KNOCKING BECAUSE MINE WERE SHAKING SO
BAD I WAS AFRAID I WOULDNT BE ABLE TO GET OFF THE HELICOPTü
THE FIRST AMERICAN SOLDIER I SAW WHO HAD BEEN KILLED WAS SOMEONE
UNKNOWN PERSONALLY BY ME. HE WAS A COBRA PILOT FROM ANOTHER AVIATION COMPANY.
HE AND HIS PARTNER HAD REFUELED AND RE-ARMED AT DONG TAM AND UPON LEAVING
THE AIR FIELD THEIR AIRCRAFT CRASHED A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE PERIMETER.
WE WERE INSERTED TO SECURE THE SHIP AND HELP THE SURVIVORS. ONE OF THE
PILOTS HAD ALREADY BEEN MEDIVACED BY THE TIME WE ARRIVED, BUT THE OTHER
WAS THERE. WE CARRIED HIS BODY OUT OF THE WOODS TO A WAITING CHOPPER. I
DON'T THINK THERE WAS ENOUGH OF THE AIRCRAFT LEFT TO REMOVE. HOW THE OTHER
PILOT WAS STILL ALIVE WAS A MYSTERY TO ALL OF US. WHEN A FULLY ARMED COBRA
CRASHES AND THE ARMAMENT EXPLODES THERE ISNT MUCH LEFT TO HAUL BACK TO
BASE. I REMEMBER THINKING AT THE TIME HOW ODD IT SEEMED FOR THE FIRST PERSON
I SAW WHO HAD DIED IN VIETNAM TO BE SOMEONE WHOSE NAME I DIDNT EVEN KNOW.
I CAN EASILY REMEMBER SEEING MY FIRST DEAD ENEMY SOLDIER. WE HAD BEEN INSERTED TO CONFIRM SOME SUSPECTED KILLS THE LOCHS HAD MADE. MOVING ALONG SIDE A WOODLINE WE DISCOVERED TWO ENEMY DEAD ALONG THE EDGE OF THE TREES. THEY WERE DRESSED IN WHAT WE CALLED BLACK PAJAMAS AND SANDALS MADE OF TIRE TREADS. SOME OF THE GUYS SEARCHED THEM AND I REMEMBER THINKING THAT WHEN THEY MOVED THEM THEY SHOOK LIKE A BOWL OF JELLO. FOR THESE TWO THE WAR WAS DEFINITELY OVER. NO WEAPONS WERE BESIDE THEM AND THAT TOLD US MORE V.C. WERE AROUND. WE PROCEEDED ALONG THE WOODLINE A FEW HUNDRED YARDS AND SUDDENLY ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE. THE LOCHS HAD BEEN WORKING THE TREE LINES SURROUNDING OUR POSITION WHILE WE WERE MOVING. SUDDENLY THEY RECEIVED HEAVY FIRE FROM THE TREES ABOUT TWO HUNDRED YARDS FROM OUR POSITION AND ONE OF THE LOCHS WAS SHOT DOWN. IT HIT THE GROUND LIKE A ROCK AND ROLLED LIKE A BALL. NOTHING WAS LEFT BUT THE GLASS BALL IN FRONT. AMAZINGLY NEITHER THE PILOT OR DOORGUNNER SUSTAINED ANY SERIOUS INJURIES IN THE CRASH AND THE OTHER LOCH IMMEDIATELY EXTRACTED THE CREW FROM THE CRASH SITE. SOON AFTER THE LOCH CREW WAS REMOVED THE COBRAS BEGAN WORKING THE WOODLINE. I CANT REMEMBER IF THIS WAS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE OF WATCHING A COBRA DO ITS THING OR NOT, BUT IT IS ONE I WILL NEVER FORGET. THE COBRAS STARTED THEIR GUN RUNS AT WHAT LOOKED TO BE AN ALTITUDE OF AROUND 600 OR 800 FEET. AT THIS HEIGHT THEY STARTED PUNCHING OFF ROCKETS AND IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY THEY WERE FIRED IN PAIRS. THEN AFTER FIRING TWO OR THREE ROCKETS THEY OPENED UP WITH THE 40MM NOSE CANNON. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST LET LOOSE WITH THE MINI GUNS AT VERY LOW ALTITUDE. I COULD HAVE THESE LAST TWO REVERSED I AM NOT SURE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE MINI GUN THEN THE 40MM. THEY WOULD THEN PULL UP AND CIRCLE AROUND AND START THE WHOLE PROCEDURE AGAIN. WHILE THE FIRST COBRA WAS CIRCLING THE SECOND MADE HIS RUN. AFTER SEVERAL PASSES LIKE THIS THE WOOD LINE WAS A SHAMBLES. HARDLY A TREE WAS LEFT STANDING AND NOT A LEAF REMAINED ON THE FEW THAT WERE. FIRES WERE BURNING EVERYWHERE. FROM OUR LOCATION IT LOOKED TO ME LIKE TOTAL DESTRUCTION THAT NOTHING COULD HAVE SURVIVED. THEN UNBELIEVEABLY TWO OR THREE V.C. JUMPED UP OUT OF THE SMOKE AND STARTED BEATING A HASTY RETREAT. NEEDLESS TO SAY THEY DIDNT MAKE IT VERY FAR. SHORTLY AFTER THIS WE PULLED BACK TO AN LZ AND WERE LIFTED OUT.
ANOTHER MISSION THAT I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER BEGAN WITH OUR INSERTION
TO CONFIRM ANOTHER SUSPECTED LOCH KILL. THIS INSERTION WAS INTO A VERY
SMALL LZ WITH WOODLINES ON EVERY SIDE. AFTER LEAVING THE CHOPPERS WE STARTED
MOVING TOWARD THE LOCATION OF THE SUSPECTED KILLS. A VERY HEAVY AREA OF
WOODS ABOUT ONE HUNDRED YARDS TO OUR FRONT. AS WE APPROACHED THE WOODS
A LONE ENENMY SOLDIER JUMPED UP AND DISAPPEARED DEEPER INTO THE TREES.
OUR ACTING PLATOON SGT. THAT DAY WAS AN E-5 WHO HAD COMPLETED HIS FIRST
TOUR AND EXTENDED FOR A SECOND SIX-MONTH TOUR. HIS NAME WAS KENNETH VAN
HOOK AND HIS EXPERIENCE PROBABLY SAVED OUR LIVES THAT DAY. LT. RANDY KING
WAS OUR PLATOON LEADER. ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY I WAS CARRYING THE PRC 25
RADIO AND HEARD ALL THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN VAN HOOK AND LT. KING AS
WELL AS THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LT. KING AND THE C&C OVERHEAD. AFTER
PENETRATING THE WOODLINE ABOUT TWENTY-FIVE YARDS VAN HOOK TOLD THE LT.
THAT THINGS DIDNT LOOK RIGHT. THE LOCHS SUSPECTED THEY HAD SIX OR EIGHT
KILLS BUT WE FOUND NO BODIES. VAN HOOK EXPLAINED TO THE LT. IF THE KILLS
WERE TRUE THEN THE BODIES HAD BEEN CARRIED DEEPER INTO THE WOODS AND IT
PROBABLY WOULD HAVE TAKEN TWO SOLDIERS TO CARRY ONE BODY. THIS MEANT SEVERAL
V.C. WERE PROBABLY HIDING DEEPER IN THE WOODS. AT ABOUT THIS TIME ANOTHER
LONE V.C. JUMPED UP AND DISAPPEARED INTO THE TREES. THAT CONVINCED VAN
HOOK THAT THEY WERE JUST SUCKERING US IN AND HE VOICED THIS OPINION TO
THE LT. AFTER CONFERRING WITH THE C&C LT. KING SAID THE CAPTAIN WANTED
US TO PENETRATE A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THE WOODLINE. THIS UPSET VAN HOOK
GREATLY BUT FOLLOWING ORDERS WE WENT INTO THE WOODLINE ABOUT TWENTY-FIVE
YARDS FARTHER. AT THIS LOCATION WE DISCOVERED A HUGE BUNKER THAT WAS NEWLY
CONSTRUCTED. UPON SEARCHING THE BUNKER IT \WAS DETERMINED TO BE A FIELD
HOSPITAL. WE FOUND NUMEROUS MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT IN AND AROUND
THE BUNKER. WHILE SEARCHING A PACK I FOUND A LIGHTER WITH THE NUMERALS
555 STAMPED ON IT ALONG WITH SEVERAL PACKS OF RUBY QUEEN CIGARETTES. I
STILL HAVE THAT LIGHTER TODAY. VAN HOOK TOLD THE LT. THAT WE NEEDED TO
GET THE "HELL" OUT OF THERE BECAUSE WE WERE GETTING IN OVER OUR HEADS.
REMEMBER WE WERE ONLY A FORCE OF EIGHTEEN OR TWENTY MEN. AFTER CONFERRING
WITH THE C&C SHIP ONCE AGAIN THE LT. INFORMED US THAT THE CAPTAIN WANTED
US TO GO A SHORT DISTANCE FARTHER IN. THIS IS WHEN VAN HOOK CAME APART.
HE NOT SO POLITELY TOLD THE LT. "THAT HE WASNT GETTING HIS ASS SHOT OFF
FOR NO GLORY MINDED SOB IN A HELICOPTER A THOUSAND FEET ABOVE OUR HEADS".
SINCE THE LT. RESPECTED VAN HOOKS EXPERIENCE HE FINALLY CONVINCED THE
CAPTAIN THAT WE NEEDED TO PULL BACK. GATHERING UP WHAT PAPERS WE COULD
FIND FOR INTELLIGENCE PURPOSES WE RETREATED BACK TO THE SAME LZ WHERE WE
WERE INSERTED. THE SLICKS CAME IN TO PICK US UP AND THEN AN ODD OCCURRENCE
HAPPENED. INSTEAD OF FLYING OUT OVER THE WOODLINE LIKE THEY HAD AFTER OUR
INSERTION THE HELICOPTERS LIFTED UP TURNED AROUND AND WE WENT BACK OUT
THE WAY THEY CAME IN. AFTER QUESTIONING ONE OF THE DOORGUNNERS ABOUT THIS
WE LEARNED THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED HEAVY FIRE FROM THE WOODLINE AS THEY
HAD FLOWN OVER IT AFTER OUR INSERTION. I NEVER KNEW IF THE INFORMATION
WAS TRUE BUT REPORTS GOT BACK TO US LATER THAT AFTER OUR EXTRACTION A REGULAR
GRUNT UNIT WAS PUT INTO THE SAME LZ. TWO CHOPPERS WERE SHOT DOWN DURING
THEIR FIRST INSERTION AND SEVERAL GUYS WERE KILLED OR WOUNDED. AFTER A
TWO DAY BATTLE THE UNIT KILLED OVER TWO HUNDRED NVA REGULARS WHO WERE PART
OF A BATALLION SIZE FORCE OPERATING IN THAT AREA. ONLY A FEW YARDS PAST
THE BUNKER WHERE WE STOPPED THEY HAD A MACHINE GUN POSITION BUILT AND WERE
PROBABLY JUST WAITING FOR US TO COME INTO VIEW. CALL IT INSUBORDINATION
OR REFUSAL TO OBEY ORDERS OR WHATEVER YOU LIKE BUT TO THIS DAY I HONESTLY
BELIEVE VAN HOOKS REFUSAL TO GO ANY DEEPER INTO THAT WOODLINE SAVED ALL
OUR LIVES THAT DAY. BUT LIKE A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN VIET NAM
WE WILL NEVER KNOW FOR SURE WILL WE. I, MYSELF, AM SURE ENOUGH TO SAY THANK
YOU SGT. KENNETH VAN HOOK" WHEREVER YOU ARE."
INSTINCT PROBABLY SAVED OUR BUTTS ON ANOTHER OCCASION THAT REMAINS IN MY ME