161 days, 13 Nov/67, Mon.
Hi,
I skipped yesterday accidentally, but no great loss –
nothing at all. Today we also had the day off, but we spent it in the shade of
a hedgerow near Trang Bang. We rode all the way in the truck & jeeps; on
that road that’s quite a feat. We left the vehicles at a VN Ranger camp, and
walked about a click or two to our objective, and waited for an hour while the
ARVNs searched it. Than we went back. A long hard ride for nothing.
When I set up my gun, I saw a nice shady spot, and stepped
into it. It was a little cave in the bushes, but as soon as I hit the leaves
it, and all the shade, disappeared. The bushes, as high as my head, with leaves
the size of my hands, were sensitivity plants, like the miniatures in Mom
Singleton’s garden.
They are always abundant, covering the ground in some
places, but these were the biggest I’ve seen. Can you imagine stepping into a
large clump of bushes and having them all droop and fold up as soon as you
touch them? I didn’t recognize the plants when I started into them, and it
startled me at first when they folded up. I thought maybe I’d forgotten to use
my Ban.
Tomorrow we got to Ho Bo woods. Heard of it? It’s pretty
famous. A haven for VC (and hobos). The 2/27 and 1/27 have found several
weapons caches there, and also have been shot up pretty bad in there at times.
It’s a bad area from what I hear. We’ve never been there. Hope all we
see is hobos.
(optimistically, I
date this ahead)
165 days, 14 Nov/67. Tues.
Prayer does work! For some reason, the Go Bo woods picnic
was called off, and our day was leisure and relaxation. We are scheduled to go
out tonight which is wonderful; you should see the huge black cloud that’s
headed our way. It should be here about the time we leave. Guess I’ll play ball
till 7:30.
166 days, 15 Nov/67, Wed (200 days left in country!)
The plan last night was for us to go to an ARVN compound and
spend the night then at 4:00
that morning we were to walk about 4 clicks to our objective and then go back
to Bao Trai. It poured solid for a half hour before we left, but let up while
we drove to the compound, about 2/3 of the way to Duc Hoa. As soon as we got
inside the building it opened up again. That’s called cooperation. We slept on
a concrete floor, like sardines in a can, but at least we were dry. Really
comfortable, if you like sleeping on concrete with 50 other bodies and 1,743,
795 mosquitoes.
We got up at four, and began our walk (moon was out by now).
All went smoothly until we approached the hedgerow, which was our objective. We
came upon a house about 200 meters outside the complex, and surprised 4 VC, who
were asleep there. There were supposed to be 10 in the hedgerow – the 4 in the
house were unexpected.
Two of them ran, but were cut down by a whole platoon’s fire
power. All those tracers going to one spot. It was spectacular, but not too
effective. Out of all those rounds, each VC was only hit once, but both were
dead. The other two were captured along with all four weapons.
Shortly afterwards, we received about 10-15 rounds of fire
from the hedgerow, which put every body buried in rice water, with rounds
whizzing overhead. We fired back and it quit and we moved up only to get a
couple more rounds. Then we stopped and called in white phosphorous rounds
(flares) form the ARVN artillery behind our tent in Bao Trai.
The flares revealed nothing so the gunships were called and
they raked the area with everything they had – mini-gun, ‘60s, M-74 grenades, and
rockets. They didn’t kill anything but destroyed a couple houses and sank two
sampans.
We checked the area but at daybreak, found only evidence of
VC, and came back in. for a while we thought we had really tied into something
big. I’m glad we didn’t. We captured the agent. After the shooting, he ran form
the hedgerow and the ARVNs fired a couple of rounds near him. He yelled Chieu
Hoi, and put up his hands. They tied him up and marched him back in with the
other 2 prisoners.
The agents are actually with the VC. All the ARVNs know him
and everything. If he’s our there they capture him in just about the same way
they did today, just to make things look good.
We slept all day today. Tonight I recorded one side of a
reel of tape. I bought a portable recorder for $10. The tapes can be sent free.
The quality’s off and I don’t speak too well, but it’s different. I can record
descriptions of my slides and you all can have talkies.
They were shooting artillery for awhile tonight, but even
though I was outside, the tape didn’t pick it up; maybe I’ll get it tomorrow
night when I do side two.
167 days, 16 Nov/67, Thurs.
Morning – sleep
Afternoon – relax
Evening – loaded on the trucks to go on a mission, but once
again, at the last minute it was called off, and we were a reactionary force
for the S-2 platoon until 11:00 (as reaction force we just act a s usual only
if the S-2 run into something we would have to go out and help).
I recorded side two of the tape, and will send it tomorrow.
My parents don’t have a player, so you’ll have to play it on yours. I forget if
I mentioned this before – I recorded on the slowest speed (3 ¼ ips). I thing I
mentioned this on the tape, but how would you know without playing the tape?
168 days, 17 Nov/67, Fri (last day on the machine gun!!!)
Yep, we went out today at 9:30 and stayed till about 3:00, out near Trang Bang again. When we got back in I
handed my gun over to a really new guy (been in country 14 days). He said he
wanted a machine gun! It almost sounds a shame to give such an important weapon
to such a new man, but what was I when they gave me mine? He says
He’s had special training with it at Fort Polk, La.
In AIT.
We had a man wounded today. Remember I mentioned how the
gunners on the choppers rake the hedgerows with fire as they bring in troops?
We were sweeping towards our scheduled PX (pick-up zone) as a load of ARVNs
were being dropped near by on another mission. As the ships left, the gunships
spotted us in the hedgerows along the river – a known hiding place for VC. Of
course they had no way of knowing that we were friendly forces – all they saw
was a group of people hidden in the trees. From about 800 feet it’s hard to
tell; they’re not going to get any closer of if there is VC below, they’ll get
shot out of the sky.
Well, they saw us and didn’t realize it was us, and as
customary they let fly with their M-60s before we could give some kind of
signal or get out into the open so they could see who we were.
Now I know how the VC feel when they see the gunships come.
I swear, it rains lead. Trees and twigs crumble – I don’t see how they only hit
one man in the leg (didn’t break the skin, just cracked the shin bone). I mean,
I’ve had bullets go by me pretty close, but . . . And there was no place to hide from these;
they were coming from the air. What an awesome sight to se those big insects
bearing down on you – no place to hide – shooting aerial M-60s. I was smothered
with twigs from the trees, but somehow wasn’t hit.
Lt. Straub quickly made radio contact and threw a smoke
grenade to mark our position, and prevented a second pass over by the choppers,
which no doubt would have been with mini-guns (two on each of two ships – each
gun 6,000 rounds per minute!!) and M-79s and rockets. We could have been wiped
out!
We couldn’t fire back at them or they really would have laid
it on; we couldn’t run out into the open – that’s really a give-away – I’ve
seen the ships swoop down on running VC to within about 3 feet of them and cut
them down with the mini-gun (one time I saw them hit one with the skid
underneath the ship, moving at about 50 mph). The best thing we could do is
just lay low and throw smoke and hope they go away.
If we’d been clearly in the open, right at first, they never
would have fired, but they have strict orders to shoot without question
anything the least suspicious in an area where they drop troops – that’s the way
it has to be and a chance we always take whenever we’re out.
I think I’ll carry an American flag out next time, and wave
it at every chopper that goes over. I don’t see how the VC can stand against
one of those gunships – it was like a nightmare; and they didn’t use their big
stuff.
Send a flag,
Bob
169 days, 18 Nov/67, Sat.
Hi,
It was cold this morning (about 75-9=80) and I slept nearly
till noon. This afternoon I taught some of the guys how
to play euchre, and we spent the afternoon playing cards. Lt. Straub bought a
refrigerator and stocked it with beer and soda, so now we have cold drinks all
day instead of having to wait for the club to open.
Another new man – a mechanic. He brought with him a stereo
tape recorder and a TV. I guess we’re all set for entertainment in the green
hutch.
170 days, 14 Nov/67, Sun.
Helped chop down bamboo and palm trees, clearing land for a
new ARVN compound. We were “volunteers” to show our “interest in the ARVNs and
to shoe our goodwill and to help the people of S. Vietnam”.
We’re literally fighting their war for them,, what else do they want?
I had a very educational evening. There was a play in Bao
Trai which everyone in the compound was allowed to go to, and stay past the 9:00 p.m. curfew.
I don’t really know what it was about – it was a comedy
(everybody laughed) being all in Vietnamese. I never saw a place so packed with
people – literally on the rafters of the building. Something like this must
happen only once a year, the way they were jammed in. I had to hold tow little
kids on my lap all night.
It was, I guess, a typical oriental play, with the
plink-plunk music, and Samurai warriors, ogres, princesses, and heroes. The
acting was quite good, even though I couldn’t understand the dialogue. It was
really interesting and quite professional in backgrounds, sound effects,
lighting, etc.
I’ll never forgive myself for not bringing the camera and
the electronic flash, which I could have borrowed. I thought we were going to a
party. Instead it turned out to be this play; had I known it was a play, I
would have taken the camera for sure. I missed many colorful (beautiful)
costumes, and once-in-a-lifetime pictures.
171 days, 20 Nov/67, Mon.
I borrowed a set of civies to go to the “party” last night,
and it felt so good to wear decent clothes for a the first time in nearly – 12
days short of – six months, that I went ahead and bought the whole deal for $8.
Really nice; a perma-press shirt, a pair of perma-press pants, a perma-press
belt, and a pair of perma-press tennis shoes (low cut). They feel so good.
That’s the only thing exciting that happened today.
172 days, 21 Nov/67, Tues.
Remember a few days ago, when the guy got hit by the
gunships? The bullet, although it knocked him down, didn’t break the skin, but
it did break the ankle bone. He goes to Japan for 4 months of
recuperation, and then he goes home!!!! He’s only been in country 33
days, as of today, and only been on 4 CRIP missions. Friends and neighbors,
that’s what we in war call a million dollar wound!
Bad news today. CRIP moves to Trang Bang “permanently” next
Tuesday. It’ll be the same people, the same operation, and the same mission as
before, just a different base camp.
Why bad news? Let me cont the ways. 1) We’ll live in tents
at first, then maybe build hutches later. 2) We’ll be living in field
conditions – sandbags and mud. 3) No water for showers, etc., no electricity,
no shade – we’ll be out in the open. 4) No club, TV, or movies, or basketball.
5) Food will come from the US Artillery compound nearby. No more steaks, or
waiters in the mess hall. 6) For a week or so, we’ll be doing nothing but
filling sandbags and other hard work.
Those are the changes in living conditions – the serious
problem. The big objection is the area
surrounding Trang Bang. It’s full of VC. All the outposts, etc., get
mortared almost regularly. Mines blow up, people get shot; it’s a dangerous
place.
They say we’ve pacified the Bao Trai area, so there is no
need for us anymore – time to move. Well, I say when I can’t sit on our bunker
line and watch – and even record a taped letter – because Cu Chi base camp gets
120 rounds of mortar fire, the are is not pacified. Even if it is, when we
move, they’ll come right back (the VC) and we’ll have to come to the Bao Trai
area from Trang Bang, just as we do the opposite now.
Why move fro a safe, comfortable place to a place we could
easily commute to before, especially when we’ll be subjected to mortar and
ground attack (they’re going to have the 106s, and the two .50 caliber machine
guns on our perimeter, plus maybe a couple of 81 mm mortar tubes). We’re nearly
guaranteed contact on our missions.
We’re supposed to go fro a week trial, then if it doesn’t
work . . . who knows? Bao Trai again? I
hope. It all depends on the ARVNs. If they want to stay, we stay. If they don’t
lie it (their families are all in Bao Trai) we’ll move again.
Oh, well, more later, as I find out more. But it does bother
me considerably.
Slightly nervous,
Bob
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