Taken on a 3 day sweep around Hill 22 in February 1969. David Kass facing the camera. Directly behind him is Taylor who carried the 3.5" Rocket Launcher.
This little river reminds me of the first, of hundreds I suppose, of these little rivers that I would ford while in Vietnam. We left Hill 22 on the morning of March 17 or 16, 1969. After some time we came to this river, or one much the same, and forded it. As we crossed, the man in front of me took off his helmet and scooped up a helmet full of this muddy, filthy water and walked along sipping out of it. I thought this was the grossest thing I'd seen in a long time, couldn't imagine anyone doing something like that. A couple of hours later, it was much, much hotter and "my ass was kicked" as we liked to put it. I distinctly remember my tounge being dry and swollen. The next creek we crossed I got myself a helmet full of that delicious water for myself.
A problem with this method of drinking was when you put the helmet back on. The water left in it would mix with the salty sweat in your hair and wash down and into your eyes. |
