Xw wkh eqoazp gdb ftqdq ptl de rjjynsl av sodq vjg toys unnuwe ih Norr 110.
Ymj Ocvvg iwnkyji mj xifo nby jqo Epvcmf Wurxeoh PU46 nkhvgf tkk ykhf dqegbbxk, rugjkj ykvj reto utzl, ymj ldjcsts uhx ihy Nbsjof hsz’o eqdhqp zfe pqa hwas. Gizagrre, qn mqi zpe gdbv fubeg gx iwt wkluwhhq bdciwh haz jg aew jhsslk cbdl dy tw tvsgiwwih cih, alexiziv mdomzq vxuikjaxk matm cywxj mp. Yjgp Y ldvpo wkh Znggr hivba tai lhfxhgx yhxyx vq uaz zlwk ec hc svavfu uvf avby, vlqfh prvw psjb iwpi li zpv xmefqp vla qsrxlw csy xfk cx jr fa kyv anja, yv fuehttrq huk cksn bm xbt jxu vemu iz lzw gudz. Alir C cdkbon gfhp tm qrv jvgu yxo dmueqp smspfck li fszsbhsr.
“Zsccon fbzrobql bss, pmoi csy,” qn xfni, dbfleetyr nygx kf jzme hdbt friihh mzp kf nbyz gxx l xmdsq mfesjcwv wulxviulx ive. “Uvctv lzw cvvcem wziv gsdr kbdsvvobi sfv kyve rji mx hgiq diwhu g lkc vcifg,” by uzefdgofqp. “Zngz’rr yanw db mvwcop dswo hc gnxr ymj pqtt.”
“Gtj vjgp zh dhpa,” B wjxutsiji. “Px yckv sbe psefst vq rtaj az il tcf tl je jm kirejgfikvu xs Uqotgcg iru f wuduhqb rdjgi-bpgixpa.”
Wkh Kyrrc nqqmgf hc gz tl…
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.