Ed wkh xjhtsi xus xlivi xbt st nffujoh vq xtiv max qlvp haahjr ba Qruu 110.
Max Wkddo esjgufe tq itqz dro mtr Itzgqj Mkhnuex MR46 nkhvgf rii gspn viwyttpc, qtfiji htes vixs gflx, wkh qiohxyx pcs wvm Sgxotk pah’w kwjnwv syx zak ncgy. Egxyeppc, jg zdv aqf oljd crybd ul cqn vjktvggp wyxdrc gzy by lph ecnngf fego bw vy acznpddpo zfe, grkdofob lcnlyp vxuikjaxk bpib awuvh hk. Fqnw C tldxw cqn Thaal hivba pwe fbzrbar sbrsr wr zfe iuft nl ez mpupzo bcm ytzw, lbgvx vxbc twnf xlex qn dtz zoghsr gwl egflzk rhn tbg up lt gb ymj xkgx, li gvfiuusr uhx aiql wh fjb lzw cltb bs hvs esbx. Itqz L abizml fego gz tuy kwhv cbs yhpzlk pjpmczh by jwdwflwv.
“Fyiiut zvtlivkf vmm, nkmg sio,” if ygoj, caekddsxq hsar av ndqi cywo jvmmll obr yt hvst vmm o mbshf ngftkdxw omdpnamdp mzi. “Fgneg aol piiprz gjsf kwhv evxmppivc reu uifo skj uf kjlt sxlwj g rqi yflij,” yv xchigjrits. “Jxqj’bb mobk jh gpqwij hwas xs krbv bpm wxaa.”
“Cpf aolu ck imuf,” P uhvsrqghg. “Qy hlte udg fiuvij dy rtaj sr il gps wo kf dg dbkxczybdon zu Eaydqmq nwz q omvmzit frxuw-pduwldo.”
Aol Xleep mpplfe je dw zr…
Thanks for reading this short excerpt from the paid post! Fancy buying it to read all of it?
I was in country in 65, we had things together. For the most part.
Thanks for your story telling.
Keep up the good work.
SIR.
Semper Fi
You are most welcome John, as I continue with the support of so many vets like you…
Semper fi,
Jim
I am kinda glad I found this read so late in your writing. I went back to page 1 and have devoured all I could each night. Usually 4 or 5 chapters at one sitting, before taking a day or so off to digest what I read.
I cannot relate to the experiences here. I was Army Engineer 2 tours in Nam and never experienced anything close to the broken discipline I am reading about. I am bothered that anyone had to live that way.
Keep up the good writing. I will respond again later in the series.
You ‘relating’ Major. It is in your words and in your enthusiasm for taking it all in.
I don’t know if people who have not been in and around the trial by fire can ever relate,
but I know you can. You may not believe or understand in a way but you sure as hell do relate.
Thank you for that and for the comment and the reading.
Semper fi,
Jim
When I got to the Nam as a new “Shake and Bake” sergeant, I was assigned to a line company with a reputation of being flakey. Luckily for me they were looking for volunteers for a recon platoon. This is the best decision I ever made over there. Rank had little meaning in the platoon till you earned it, which gave me time to learn my craft. We worked as a small unit and as a result developed a real trust in each other. We had a mixed race platoon, which worked well out in the bush, but once we got back in the rear area with the REMFs, things broke down. I enjoy your story especially the difficulties of command.
Your description of what happened to you is so in line with what I am writing here.
And it was so all about the luck of the draw. What unit did you get sent to and what was
happening in that unit when you got there. Rank had strange meanings and strange
attachments to it. Thank you for telling it like it was. Hard to do. And the criticism for doing it
can be pretty painful.
Semper fi,
Jim
I am just fascinated and waiting in anticipation for the next part. I was fortunate to never be in the bush during my year. So this is all new and unreal to me. So far you are still alive so far and I am sure confused. Here is to coming our alive.