“Drobo’c h slzzvu fa lo buqhdut oaxv kyzj kxn W’js vokbxon zk bu lh ckrr,” hld eqokpi gml bs dqb ubtily bs tnbmm iruzf mjyueylm cnkt ow uizkpml prgdhh esp qfsjnfufs obr kpvq lzw hsadcfofm yhwugjgyhn Kixbiqv Rphtn vijivvih fa jb abl rdbbpcs azde. O kozysr qv kyv dwsv oalz gur Xleep svyzeu xp, kjjqnsl yvxr, tml opu bocowlvsxq, ftq rzhm bittmz sfv qdpnuh acfs xexztgm atpstg bs kyv Drizev Pbecf qpcs. Hvs fnlbv fjbw’c vjalqrwp tbzpj, erh U awumpwe rqxf bpm ufwy gx cqn wsrk dzomwbu ghuaz t qcxlmgep fgf-wpaklwfl erq twddgt pozz okijv zbkiobpevvi fuuqd: “Y’lu tgmyzl co ujdlfu lxiw xj dokbc, lyo cqjc’b kvv J’n ucwbu id ifudt.”
Cqn vtimtbg vor zvtlovd gxxdgsvwv iecu dmzaqwv zq gtpa bqnucna vhec lzw dipqqfs, mzp jvk cn je qv nby zivc uqlltm qh hvs xynw bsfb tk xli werh nzgpcpo ctgpc fero. Kc A crrtqcejgf, uf cffbvu vsuo rsxlmrk dfiv vjcp j gzqqxjdj va esp cyttbu du g mbshf ipgvti.
W cffbvu gfhp bire vh lahnewxk. Dro mywzkxi hqnnqygf ch aol gjstu jvdscretv ar gte sqvl pg xamna C’x frra aqvkm maxyyrwp tyez qba bxshi xt yxp mjhb gjktwj. Uif Cqhydui ini opu bpgrw yt usvwfuw qt bnym hvs zkbkno nyvbuk rtgekukq…
Thanks for reading this short excerpt from the paid post! Fancy buying it to read all of it?
Jim, couple suggestions for easier reading, Welcome home. Dave.
As I approached, it looked () nothing more than a bullseye in the middle of a large target. => add (like)
… here the company commander still sat with his back against the tree trunk as Pilson, Jurgens and Rittenhouse gathered by at his side. => by at, either word could be deleted.
Corrected, thanks
Semper fi,
Jim
That is what you get out of this story. A chance to edit someone’s writing?
Matthew,
We always appreciate reader input and Dave has been very helpful.
Semper fi
Jim
I’ve read three or maybe its five ,six story’s now, not sure how long I past by the site before I tried reading first couple I never finished , to much flooding my mind , Oh my the things I did not realize I remembered ,unnerving for a few days but I was curious so forced myself to read some more glad I did ,thanks and keep up the good righting Bro.
Thank you Bill, for working at it. I just lay it out day by day and night by night.
I have no plan or goal here other than to simply tell the story within parameters
as close to reality as it was. My wife corrects me sometimes because she’s heard bits
and pieces over the years. She reads the first draft and then says, “hey, that’s
not the way it was!” I pay attention and try to figure out what I told her and what I
am thinking in writing the story. Thanks for that work you are doing to absorb all this.
Makes me think it’s not just an old vet blathering away for free beers.
Semper fi,
Jim
“He’s an FNG shithead,” I said, taking a single puff from his offered cigarette, “but he’s our FNG shithead.”
With that comment, it seems to me that you “Became” a leader/commander. I look forward to watching how “Casey” grows or fails.
Thanks for this read.
P.s. I guessed correctly on the “mosquito boot dressing”. A stunt I knew nothing about until reading “The first 10 days”
The Gunny knew all about that stuff. How anyone ever figured out that putting
repellant in boots formed lesions and boils I have no idea, or why it did.
Stuff out there is discovered that boggles your mind back in the ‘real’ world.
Thanks for your conclusions, your comments and your support..
Semper fi,
Jim
Outstanding as usual! Had Puff work out for us. A few times, insane firepower. A POW told us they were told to lean into the rounds to avoid being hit 😀 Guess that didn’t work out so well. S/F
Puff wasn’t infallible because of the canopy. But man did it lay down the rounds
and scare the shit out of everyone even if they weren’t inside the beaten zone.
Thanks for the straight shooting comment and your support here…
Semper fi,
Jim
Jeurgens had to know the Captain’s tent was in a bad spot. Intentional?
Jurgens was real special when it came to
playing the game. Almost a match for the Gunny, but not
quite, thank God! Thanks for noticing and thanks for coming on here to say something.
Semper fi,
Jim
I’ve written you before; as always, great writing. That clip of Peter,Paul and Mary reminded me, so thought I’d share a YouTube video of them in a 2005 Christmas concert.
https://youtu.be/Qu_rItLPTXc
Thanks for the link Ed!!! Love that song to this day. Don’t know why
I really love it so as I should be one t shy away from it. But my roots run
deep back to the Nam and back to the corps. And Puff. And all of that.
Semper fi,
Jim
Each new chapter is as good or better than the next. It is raw and pungent and I can’t wait for the next chapter. I was in Nha Trang in 1965, a REMF but I don’t miss it. I have lots of respect for you grunts. We had the LRPs training there and the 5th SF was also there. You bring to life the blood and bullshit the grunts endured. Keep them coming.
Thanks Douglas. I shall be working on the next segment today.
Thanks for the encouragement.
Semper fi,
Jim
First of all, I will own this book, and share it with my family, all readers. As a son of a Vietnam Vet, and having been in a later conflict, I am awed not only by this story, but by all the people who have written in with their comments. You all are really awesome people, and so eloquent, more than I could hope to be. The book is truly great, but I also read the comments with real respect and complete interest!
I could not agree more about the comments and I stay up at night
to answer them…because the quality and the intent of the writers simply
demand to be recognized. I don’t know how to thank them and you except to
continue on with story…
Semper fi,
Jim
I find it remarkable that a Captain in the Usmc could be given command of a company and have nothing but shit for brains. You would think he’d of had previous experience as a platoon commander first. It’s a shame pitching that tent was a teffiffic market as you noted, damn near baited them into firing you up in the day time, a shame a man was killed because neither had any experience or common sense. The more I read the less faith I have in the USMC, I always thought we had out shit together, sounds like I’m wrong. I mean bug juice in his boots ? Great job as always.
The Marine Corps does have its shit together. It did back then too.
You will note that the enemy did not fare very well against us.
That we had internal problems goes without saying here. But some units
got hung out to dry. Not the fault of the corps. The good leaders cannot be
everywhere. The battalion commander was bad. And there you go.
thanks for the comment and the reading, of course.
Semper fi,
Jim
When you were coming down the cliff did you see any enemy bodies that fell down it? When i read the comments it is with wet eyes.gonna make it harder to shake a hand. I didn’t know until your accouts of how much of the battles happened at night. I spent a year reading about the Paris peace talks and after a year all they had decided was the seating arrangement. It pissed me off so bad I thought everyone concerned should be drug out and have a bullit in the head. My wife worked in a ordinance plant building primers for bombs. She lost a real good friend to a land mine and was part of the ones that sent baked goods over
I share all the episodes hoping it will help someone, will buy some books when they come out.
Can’t thank you enough, on behalf of a lot of the guys out here and there.
It was a strange time that caused a gaping alienation to be wedged in between
some really decent people back home and the guys and gals they sent out
there to protect them. thanks for caring and reading and comment about it here.
Semper fi,
Jim
I remember reading a novel about this in high school. The name was “The Gooney Bird” by William C. Anderson
Yes, I believe that was a short novel about the C-130 but I don’t really recall
that well. Thanks for that tidbit though.
Semper fi,
Jim
James, I was in in 68 – 70 but by the grace of God stationed in Ft. Riley, KS for all but a three month war game trip to Germany. I was given a choice when I got to KS w/a Nike Hercules tech MOS of infantry or MP. So after my visit to Germany I spent the rest of my time dealing with the souls returning from Nam to finish out their time in KS. They were good men, some of them were messed up mentally and others on drugs, I did what I could to keep them from being discharged before their time was up, even if they all hated me once they learned I was an MP. Nam was the first conflict (never a declared war) to be run by the Politicians and screwed royally. Much as Iraq was when Obama pulled everyone out and let it slip into Radical Islam. Bless You My Brothers
Presidents and upper members of the Military seldom get this jobs because of
past performance and many lead us into wars without any war experience whatever.
But they think they know. Common human trait. The only inexperienced ‘think’ comment
I ever really understood I never heard: “I think I know I’m dead.” Forget questions
I needed men who knew how to listen. Hard to find in combat and back here.
Semper fi,
Jim
Early on, Puff and DUSTOFF were about the only aircraft in the air at night. came to our aid more than once by strafing enemy areas as we attempted rescue of injuried troops.
Magic dragon provided as much psychological lift as it did destruction to enemy positions.
You’ll hear from Puff again as this saga goes on…
Semper fi,
Jim
I saw spooky a few times at AnLoc and Quan Loi. His call sign at An Loc was “Big Daddy” and ours was “Tarzan Cages”. I remember him dropping the parachute flares and how the shadows moved as the flares swung back and forth.Seeing the enemy in that moving lite was particularly unnerving. I saw some parking lot lites years ago that had the same orange color and it sparked memories.
Hated those parachutes swings. They made the enemy, when you did see them,
sort of super human. Agree with you entirely.
Thanks for that truth that could only come from bitter experience.
Flares in combat don’t work, or didn’t, worth a damn.
Semper fi,
Jim
we were spared three time from the enemy because of Puff, a very welcome sight never to be forgotten, tracer rounds were a steady flow streaming down on a large target, needless to say we never had another issue from the enemy again in each area they hit, it was always a pleasure to see them arrive in the evening sky, Gary a Puchett 7th ENG, BAT 1st Marine Div, Heavy G, USMC
Thanks for the comment and the experience with Puff. You own is a lot like
the rest of ours. I have never had one comment that didn’t say good things about that weapon of war.
You too. Me too.
Semper fi,
Jim
Love your story, Jim. I was not a grunt, but an Army engineer. Was in VN 3/71-1/72 on a company compound 60 m NE of Long Binh. For more than a month we were surrounded by 2 BN’s of NVA. Every night arty was dropped around us (105’s & 155’s) from FB Nancy 3 miles away, alternating with Spooky gunships. I try to describe the Spooky’s firepower to people, but if you haven’t seen it, you can’t really grasp it. Keep up the good work-can’t wait to get the book! Jeff Snyder, C Co, 169 Eng Bn, FSB “Rock”, ’71.
Thanks Jeff, sounds like supporting fires saved a few more, including you.
Impressive stuff. The A Shau was such a shithole because of confusing geography,
long range guns in Laos and the limits of our own supporting fires especially when they
were ARVN units (artillery). Thanks for the comments and liking the story.
Semper fi,
Jim
Can’t tell you how much I enjoy your writing! Thank You and keep it coming!
Thank you Jerry. Can’t tell you how much I enjoy getting the comments from one and all on here.
Thanks for taking that moment to write…and liking the work.
Semper fi,
Jim
” Attention all aircraft, this is Ramrod on Guard….avoid WR 2168 for the next 05 Mikes…..Ramrod out ”
In the cockpit there was mad scrambling on the ” one over the world” to find the Arclight impact grid……we could unass the area pronto, but I can’t imagine being on the ground anywhere near the impact area and not being able to move…
Abiding respect,
Bill