Wednesday, 1 Mar ’67 

Today, I was a “sparrow hawk.” A relief of a sort. It seems that things may be getting worse. Platoons are being hit and hit hard. Scuttlebutt has it that last night, 143 people recorded as KIA and WIA. That is bad. 

I think our trip to Chanook #2 has been postponed because of it. I am with Fox Company and all of the other FO’s from Fox are out in the field where the action is. Some how, Stanley and I lucked out for a while. Thank God. The air is still cool and rain is eminent. 

The ground is all mud. 

Safe Conduct Passes I picked up along the trail during Chinook #2

        Face                Reverse
  
                                   (This one even has a serial number)

 
        Face                Reverse
  
Saturday, 4 Mar ’67

I bought 3 tape recorders Thursday and finally got two of them in the mail this morning. $5.89 airmails each. I also sent Linda one of those dresses. My letters from Momma come quite regularly.

Linda’s do too; regularly about once a week. I just don’t understand it. If I were as jealous as Linda was at one time, I could get quite worried with all the letters she writes about Wimpy and the other men at the office. She seems to be enjoying herself (just so they don’t try to enjoy her) and maybe it’ll keep her mind off of my being gone so long.

I still haven’t gone out into the field. I’ve been on two “roughriders” and I have been a “sparrow-hawk” for two days, full time and two days part time. I am quite anxious to get out into the field.

I had to get another smallpox vaccination yesterday.

Monday, 20 Mar ’67

The following will be a resume` of my first PPB in the field with Golf Company

Sunday, 5 Mar '67

I served 1030 Mass in the 2/9 Chapel. At 1130, Cpl. West and I boarded the truck with the “Grunts” (Slang term for Field Marines - Rifleman - [Ground Pounders] whose mission it is, afoot, to seek out and destroy the enemy) and rode to CAC-5, about 5 miles away. By 1330 we began walking west. We walked about 4,000 meters in a drizzling rain and set up camp around 0630.

I then called in my first fire mission.

Just as we began making our tent, the rain picked up. It was not a downpour; more saturating and penetrating than soaking.

We built our tent out of two ponchos and got in, out of the rain.

My first day out, I had my PRC/25 (25 lbs.) 2 BA386’s (batteries) (6 lbs.), my rifle (11 lbs.) 6 meals (12 lbs.) my helmet (5 lbs.) and a few other various items. I got to sleep around 2030.

We woke around 0800, ate and read books. We were told we would spend the night there again. Around 1630 word came to pack up. Just as we did, it began to rain again. We walked 6000 meters back to CAC-5. We were to go on patrol with Marines there.

Patrol cancelled. Given orders by “6” (Captain) to go back to field. 1830 then and getting dark. P.F.’s (Popular Forces) (NEAQUINS) holding ambushes. No communication… We spent the night in CAC-5, on floor, dry.

Tuesday, 7 Mar '67

Got up around 0700. Ate C ’s (C-Rations: meals prepared and placed in green tin cans around 1945 for WWII Soldiers and Marines). Walked about 7,000 meters back into field. Built hooch (House / protection from the weather). Drizzling rain. I had a cold by now. Called fire mission. No fire zone. Lieutenant said, “Oh yeah?” Mortars. Up!” Ha!

Wednesday, 8 Mar '67

Reveille. Ate chow. Got resupplied. 6 meals. Sundries, fruit, smokes, hamburgers. Ate real well. Then we walked up to Old French bunkers and back to night pad; about 6,000 meters all total. We settled in. Lieutenant made troops shave; let them fire weapons. I called artillery – hit the rack.

Thursday, 9 Mar '67

Waken up at 0700. Walked in rain all way back to C.P. about 9,000 meters. (5 miles)

Upon return, discovered that Golf Company only one of 2/9 not gone to Chanook. We packed.

Cpl. West and L/Cpl. Koho stole somehow mysteriously acquired two cases of c-rations for us to eat - L/Cpl. Koho had gotten a “care package” from his hometown. …cheese, cream corn, cookies, sardines, etc.

Friday, 10 Mar '67

At 0500, we woke and I put on my helmet and radio, my 2 full canteens, 4 magazines [ammunition] with 15 rounds each, 1 rifle, 1 battery, 9 meals, and accessories.

I boarded a truck and by 1130, I was at Chanook. By 1430 we had headed for field.

We marched 8000 meters ‘till 1900 – dead tired. I never knew the human body could endure so much.

We crossed a river knee deep, waded through thickets of brush that had to be cut, to be impregnated.

We sat in an ambush so had to remain silent, and had to “hide” to smoke cigarettes. C-rations had to be eaten cold. Sleep by 2200.

Saturday, 11 Mar '67

Got up and camouflaged tent because we were to use same ambush sight this night. Just lay around all day. Sleep around 2000.

Sunday, 12 Mar '67
[My 21st birthday]

Got up at 0600. Word passed to pack up. We walked all day. Around 1000 we stopped at river to get water. I had first encounter with leeches.

At 1130 we met with captain (6). We walked some more. We walked through jungle that reminded me of the Panama Canal Zone, before settling. More leeches and beaucoup mosquitoes.

We chowed down around 1800. We walked some more. Began walking through another bamboo jungle and it began getting dark. We had to maintain physical contact …actually had to “hold” onto man’s hand ahead.

Walked across rice paddies boot top deep and about 30 meters wide. I could feel the leeches swarming to me.

Around 2030 we were atop a small hill, but not at our destination. Our “6” said, “We’re getting nowhere. Bed down!”

It was pitch dark. Ferns knee and thigh high, like a second floor. Had to stomp down.

I’d been up 17 ½ hours. The human body can endure more than one thinks.
That is how I spent my 21st birthday.

Monday, 13 Mar '67

We got up at 0500. It was still dark outside. Packed up, caught hold of the hand of the Marine ahead, and took off.

When the sun came up and we broke for chow at 1130. (0500 to 1130.) I found 13 places on me where leeches had bitten me, including one place on my back and one on my tale.

Note: While marching, we get occasional 5-minute breaks, lasting anywhere from 2 – 8 minutes. They’re welcomed when given, but it usually means an opportunity for the leeches.

When we were yet with the “6”, we came to a village and swept it. “Leeches!” Later on, we crossed a rail bridge, 4 inches wide and 30 feet long, about 35 feet above water. After sweeping around, we came back and re-crossed the same bridge, but this time, we had a rope for a handrail. …Little easier.

We didn’t have more than 500 meters to go when we stopped “for five.” The last of the sun’s rays were dying and we thought sure we’d be able to see, to set in.

Then the word came over the radio. “Golf-2, two W.I.A.’s ” (Wounded In Action) 

Five minutes later, word changed. Had discovered one more W.I.A. and one of the original W.I.A.’s had died. L/Cpl. Koho!

Note: L/Cpl. Koho was on a 3-month extension. He had a week of “leave” coming to him, but he turned it down to go on the Operation. He was killed during the time he could have been on leave somewhere in the Far East.

Note-2 : Cpl. West is supposed to be with Echo Company. If he had gone to Khe Sehn with Echo, I would have gone with him there. (They had 15 W.I.A.’s and 23 K.I.A.’s.) Or I would have been Koho’s radio operator and would have been walking right behind him.


Then one of our men fell from that small bridge and had a suspected fractured pelvis.

By 1900, we began cutting and hacking our way up the mountain. By 2000, we had made the 400 meters. That’s about ¼ mile in one hour. I shall call this hill “Alpha”

We had been up and walking 15 hours – “Enduration!”

The “6” doesn’t believe in getting to night pad before night, but this is why Koho was killed. He tripped a booby trap in the dark.

Tuesday, 14 Mar '67

We lay around all morning. Our base camp was about 150 meters from a river.

At 1330, our re-supply helicopter was due in. At 1400 it still wasn’t there.

Around 1100 that morning, the man with the fractured pelvis was medivaced. The other three were medivaced the night before.

 

At 1630, the lieutenant said, “West! Want to go swimming?” So we grabbed our rifles, I my radio and off we went to the river, stripped off and dove in.
The river was wider than Public Landing [a popular swimming place of my childhood] and deeper, too. 

 

We were about 30 meters out when the re-supply chopper took off. …fired a few shots. We, in the water, didn’t know what was happening. We all broke the 30-meter-underwater record to shore.

I was first out. Lieutenant said, “Two men take rifles and look. So here I go, naked as a j-bird, running through the boondocks with my rifle. Turned out to only be the resupply helicopter.

Around 1730, went back to Hill “A” and got re-supplies…6 meals plus sundries. We ate and by 1930 (dark) we left for Hill “Bravo” about 2000 meters. Set in by 2100.

Got up at 0600. 3rd squad had spotted suspect VC Base Camp. I called in “artey ” (Artillery) fired Willy Peter (Phonetic Letter W. and P. for White Phosphorous; sometimes a rubber Water Proof bag is called a Willie Peter bag.) and 196 high explosive rounds.


At 1200, 10 men and I waded across the river and looked around. Found booby trapped L.A.W. and recently left [abandoned] fighting holes. No bodies… Only leeches.

After we got back across river, we stripped and went swimming. Around 1800 (still light) we moved 500 meters to Hill “Charlie.” Had to hack our way back through brush and vines 8 feet high. Set in before dark.

Thursday, 16 Mar

This day, I went over 1 year in the U.S.M.C.

At 1100, one squad remained on Hill “C.” One squad set out to blow a 500-lb. bomb spotted the day before. One squad set up on riverbank to cover Captain and men as they crossed river to search and sweep area we had been in previous day.

I called in 8 more rounds on previous mission [2 volleys-fired for effect.] One round landed in center of river. One man hit in hand by shrapnel. …Medivaced within an hour.

At 1800, moved out for Hill “Delta,” 2000 meters (approximately 1,500 meters to mile.) Each time we move, we are hacking and cutting our own trails. We walked through rice paddies and up Hill “D;” almost vertical for 100 meters. Once on top, “6” called and said, “Move 500 meters.”

We worked our way out by altering position reports, slightly.

Friday, 17 Mar-St. Patrick’s Day

At 1100, we packed up and started down trail in direction of Hill “Alpha” for re-supply. On way, found and blew booby trap. Saw spot where Koho died.

At Hill “Alpha” Mass was said by Fr. McDonnald (an Irish Priest, on St. Patrick’s Day, and I served my first field Mass.) I’ve served for Fr. McDonnald before.

We were re-supplied. I packed 12 meals on my back; about 25 lbs. [meal cans were generally slid down green military socks and tied to the outside of one’s backpack.] We then proceeded back along trail, past Hill “D” on to Hill “Echo.”

Found two more booby traps. Sat on Hill “E” until 2100 at which time we packed up and proceeded BACK down the trail past Hill “D” to Hill “A.”

We set up there for the night. I was so tired, I merely stretched out on ground and slept.

(P.S. of this day: When at Hill “Alpha,” earlier, for re-supply, had 30 minutes before leaving for “Echo.” I went to the river to fill canteens…looked so nice, I stripped off, grabbed canteens and dove in. Went to deep part and filled them, swam back in, put on clothes and went back up hill to area like nothing happened.)

I woke up this morning at 0600 (as a matter of fact, I had radio watch from 0200) and got to sleep at 2300-21 hours awake.

Saturday, 18 Mar

Left Hill “A” again at 1000 – walked approximately 1,500 meters. Swept a “friendly” village with fortified bunkers and punji pits. We then waded through rice paddy to Hill “Foxtrot”. Slept.

Sunday, 19 Mar '67

Patrol left for “Highway 1” to take men to point that were going in. Man
stepped on mine, making a total of 1 KIA and 6 WIAs for Golf Company.
One man had left because of bad feet.

I went to a stream and found a Viet Cong Helmet. I kept it as a souvenir.
 
At 1900, “6” called and said to move to village 500 meters away. 

We set up in the burned building.  The floor was too flat. I couldn’t sleep.

Monday, 20 Mar '67

Left village at 0700. Went to Highway 1 and stayed till 1400 when trucks picked us up. Got to area. Had 26 letters, 2 tapes and 3 packages there.

Tuesday, 21 Mar ’67

I got 2 more boxes today. One from Linda, and one from Uncle Utsey. Yesterday, I got two from Momma. I want have to go to the chow hall for a month.

“It ain’t so much the things we don’t know that gets us into trouble – It’s the things we know that ain’t so.”
Artemus Ward

“He is so far behind he thinks he is in the lead.”

“…so confused, he doesn’t know if he’s washing or hanging out.”

Thursday, 23 Mar ’67
Holy Thursday

I sat around (lay) all day under our little “lean to.” West went to Phu Bai and I guarded our gear. I didn’t even make it to Mass.

We are to build a bunker as soon as the Battery brings us some ammo boxes. Did some yesterday.

I have been getting a beer or two a day and eating assorted nuts from home with them.

Friday, 24 Mar ’67
Good Friday

I went to Good Friday services today. It was not a Mass, but I served for Communion. I also went to confession. Made a PX call. Cpl. West is not back yet - - 1500 - - I have lain in rack all-day and written letters. Ho Hum!

Saturday, 25 Mar ’67
Holy Saturday

Christmas was 3 months ago. Tomorrow, is Easter Sunday.

Last night, at 2130, we had a drill. Somebody yelled “Sparrow hawk, Up!” and we took off. I grabbed my rifle, my helmet and my radio.



We gathered in front of the C.P. tent and climbed on some “Otters” (tracked vehicles that go anywhere on land or water.) After a little running around, we dismounted and got into position. Just sat there.

By 2215, we were back in the area and in our racks. Today was another uneventful day in the rear. The only spine tingling thing that happened to me all day was a cold shower.

The shower consisted of four 55-gallon drums positioned above a wooden stall, into which water was usually poured in the morning and, hopefully warmed all day by the sun.
To the trained eye, these showers probably look very much like those at Phu Bai, because that is exactly where they were.

Sunday, 26 Mar ’67 – Easter Sunday

I went to 0900 Mass this morning.

Word has been passed that we leave for Hill 51 tomorrow…supposedly for 20 – 25 days.

Monday, 27 Mar ’67

I was helicoptered to Hill 51.

Tuesday, 28 Mar ’67

Golf 3 walked 1400 meters off of Hill 51 today. We burned an abandoned grass house. Saw movement on the ridgeline.

Wednesday, 29 Mar ’67

We walked 1000 meters more. Slept by a river. [That day] (A Marine) Killed the first Viet Cong in history with an M-16 (AR-15) Rifle.

 

Thursday, 30 Mar ’67

Walked back to Hill 51 - - tired.

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