I stayed in my clustered hooch into the dark hours, whiling away the time it would take for the NVA to begin their own H&I fires. The concept of H&I (harassing and interdicting fire) created back at Fort Sill, had been used in Vietnam for years without any proven success. Another questionable strategy involved making totally random artillery drops. Since friendly units set up in supposedly known locations every night, the idea was that artillery could be dropped on paths, roads and intersections, limiting the enemy’s night operations and keeping them off balance, or from moving comfortably anywhere. But there had never been any results of such fire doing anything other than making sure no allied forces moved very far in the dark at all.
I also wanted to see if, even given the fear of snakes everyone seemed to share, Jurgens would send out a team to finally eliminate the lone officer problem standing in the unit’s way. I thought about the snakes, of which I’d seen none. It defied logic to believe that a specialized band of Vietnamese troops caught, and then strategically released, violently poisonous snakes, but rumors in combat raged everywhere about everything. The Bamboo Vipers that struck the two men earlier in the day were called “two-step” snakes. Anyone struck would supposedly get only two steps before falling over dead. The fact that both Marines bitten had been loaded onto a medevac Huey seemed to have blown right by the gossiping members of my scout team. After reviewing all the body bags that had been flown out during my short stay in country, I figured the snake dangers might be a bit overblown compared to other, more deadly threats. But I was still left to wonder what other poisonous snakes inhabited the hills or the dreaded valley ahead.
Two letters to send home. I clutched my pocket. What if the resupply chopper in the morning didn’t come in? How many letters would I get backed up? I hadn’t thought to date them. I pulled the envelopes out and then turned on my one-eyed flashlight. Using my black government (cheap) ballpoint pen, I carefully put dates on the back of the envelopes so my wife would know which order they’d been written. I wondered if they went on the same chopper whether that meant they’d arrive on the same day at her door.
Jim,I SERVED WITH 2/5 IN 69-70 You bring back a lot of memories some good some bad . Each of us fight our demon’s in our own way , I hope by you writing your story that it helps you fight yours. It sound like you had a hard time when you came home . I enjoy your writings and wish you the best and hope all is well now.
Thank you Jim. There were a whole lot of us running through the place in that 67 to 70 time when things were going nuts.
68 and 69 were probably the worst for our casualties but I’ve never done the research.
Thanks for the kind words and reading the story.
Semper fi,
Jim
Wow Jim, your stories are like the exposure therapy I’m taking right now for crap that happened in 69-70. Takes you right back to the terror and lets you down a little easier on the other side. Keep it up.
Thanks Bryan. Kind words that help me keep on going. Really appreciate any help I can be.
Semper fi,
Jim
I appreciate that you write without trying to soften the story. I was in country from Oct ’66 to 1 Mar ’68, on 23 named ops from Quang Ngai to the Qua Viet River where I was hit by mortar fire. I find myself so tense after reading each episode that I have to use deep breathing exercises to relax.
Semper Fi,
Ron.
Gosh Ron, you sound like me!
I had to stop a few minutes ago to get myself straight.
I had dived in and man I was there again.
I want to write it not live it and I find the two
are hard to keep apart.
I know why I drank and took drugs until I figured out how to handle being
alive with this.
Now I am okay, but may family worries that I will dive in and not come back this time.
I will keep at it though mostly because of what all the other guys are saying and because so many can’t write it.
Semper fi,
Jim
Similar incidents are the reason I never completed 2 books,truth may have broad and personal reprocussions, I don’t produce fiction. I appreciate your candor and ability to project your experiences. I can feel your sincerity, and it reminds me of some of my Lt’s that I served with and lost in the nov 67 – nov 68 as a Grunt Doc – G 2/7 in AO DaNang Rocket Belt from An Hoa, Elephant Valley, Hai Van and Phu Bai; then “Afloat” with BLT 2/7 from USS Tripoli. My outlines are from the dated letters sent to family, would have to have some gaps between what I omit, and the now unprotected narrative that I did not wish to burden the worries of loved ones at that time. Time since then with GI Bill helped with return to a degree, and 28 yrs in Army Nurse Corps following the 4 yrs with Navy/ MC enlistment. The Gulf experience was an entirely different gig. Edit this or trash it, but I’m admitting that I will be reading your writings to allay a peace that takes away the vacuum of questioning some of my own observations. Thanks James
Thank you for that long meaningful comment.
If you ever want to share your material then you know where I am.
The patina of truth flows through my work because I am reassembling something that really happened and that resonates.
Unfortunately, it also means that there will be a lot of outrage and anger.
I finally simply said “so be it” to myself.
Either I tell it or it dies with me, finally, since it is like a living thing.
I know you know.
Once you go through that, if you live
then it lives inside you until you die.
I understand the nuance of every word you wrote in that comment and I am proud to have been with you in my way’
over there.
Semper fi,
Jim
Semper Fi Jim, we had 13 marines and a corpsman in Indian country. 10 click or so south of Chu Lai cap 1-3-5 first cag.
we fought mostly local vc,
though we killed a NVA captain with a Remington .45 on him.
Way different than a line company.
We lived in the village, did our best to get the popular forces up to speed.
They were carrying bars, garands, carbines mostly. Found a pf asleep on post one night, took his rifle let him sleep.
Next morning during rifle inspection he couldn’t explain where his rifle was.
That afternoon a chopper came a took him away.
Never had a problem with pf’s…sleeping on post after that
Were you guys a CAG? Civil Affairs Group? Sounds like you held together just fine
out there in that village. I wonder what it would have been like if I hadn’t gone over
straight into a line company in a lot of trouble? You can never go back. One way in and
several ways out, mostly not so good.
Semper fi, and thanks,
Jim
Our fire support Batt. 1st. Bn./7th.Arty. 1st. Inf. Div. Would Goodrich two or three of their guns (105’s) fly in by Chinook to keep pace with the infantry, therefore always keeping in range.
The guns are great Russell but without a full blown FDC they are mostly used as direct fire support.
I heard that they put 105s on boats and would take them up the rivers too.
Thanks for the interesting comment.
Semper fi,
Jim
Our fire support Batt. 1st. Bn./7th.Arty. 1st. Inf. Div. Would Goodrich two or three of their guns (105’s) fly in by Chinook to keep pace with the infantry, therefore always keeping in range.
Plan B ???
Perhaps Plan C ?
Caught a news story last night on Fox concerning Major Mathew Golsteyn.
Wasn’t aware of his circumstances.
Assuming you are.
Hope you have some excellent legal advisers and maybe they are vets with their own spotlights.
I was wondering how long it would take for someone to mention the legal issues
of telling stories about what really happened over there. I am sure that they will come
for me in some way if this story becomes something of significance. They cannot have these
kinds of truths circulating out here and it is the legal aspects that they will use
to attempt to muzzle me. I have a good team though and plenty of backing. And what are they going
to do, besides call me a phony, lock me up and take back my medals?
I’ve already considered a phony by many and I don’t mind the lockup as those places
aren’t so bad (no cell phones and plenty of time to read and write) and they
can stick their medals up their butt.
Nobody ever did anything about my medals other than resent me for having them
and then questioning the reality of those too.
Thanks for your concern and thanks for reading the work Steve….
Semper fi,
Jim
Or as we used to say. “What are they going to do. Send you to Vietnam?”
Exactly, Dan. We live in fake news times, even from the mass media.
The truth becomes so bizarre that even my newspaper, the Geneva Shore Report,
when reporting as close to the truth as possible, is taken as utter fable
next to the fake stuff. Life today.
Thanks for the comment.
Semper fi,
Jim
Probably going to bust you too.
And take back all that funny money.
No disrespect, sir, but what do they bust a 2nd Lt. to?
I keep seeing Cruise and Nicholson. I got their point, but I was more than a little conflicted.
Hilarious Steve!!! I really do have some of the MPC in my little suitcase collection of junk. I should look it up to see if it is worth something to collectors, I mean before they come for it. I have one of those Chieu Hoi passes with a bag that floated down on us one day too. No, they can’t bust you below 2nd Lieutenant, which is really the lowest real rank in the corps! I will always be a 2nd Lieutenant, as my promotions never did catch up with me stateside. Later, after the CIA years, they credited me with a lot of time and more rank but I didn’t care anymore. 2nd Lieutenant is fine. Cruise and Nicholson. I’m conflicted too!
Semper fi,
Jim
Having been Army and Armor my war was totally different. I am not really surprised at what went on with your unit. It just really wasn’t possible with our unit. We had knuckle knockers but they were never the problem they were for you. I am fascinated by your account, some things ring a bell. Write faster I hate having to wait on each new installment. Seriously, I am interested in your story as I think most of us are compelled to go back to the jungle if only in our minds. My platoon Lt. was a ring knocker and one of the best men I’ve ever known. G-Troop 2nd/11th ACR 70-71 Blackhorse
All right, you’ve got me hooked. I want more. I’ve caught up to the seventh night. I was in country 11/68- 10/69, but was one of the lucky wing wipers. Never faced the hard stuff you guys went through. Semper Fi.
Thank you very much Jim. I shall endeavor to persevere with the Eight Day I am working on
right this minute. Glad you had a better tour. I heard working with the wing back at the bases wasn’t
so bad although working in the air flying could quickly turn into deadly misery. You probably lost a few
friends flying, I would presume.
Semper fi,
Jim
Keep em coming. Waiting for more.
Riveting! S/F Jim Hatch, UH-34D Pilot Jul 66 to Jul 67, KC-130F Pilot Aug 69 to Aug 70.
Thank you Jim…Looking forward to your sharing your experiences. Comment freely!
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I knowingly spent one night sleeping with a two stepper. I saw it briefly and then it disappeared into my gear. After digging through my stuff and not finding it I gave up and went to sleep. I was too tired to really care and I took some comfort in thinking that if it only took two steps to die it wouldn’t hurt for very long. It was gone in the morning.
Did it again, grabbed the back of my neck, drug me through the shit and slammed me down on the other side, thanks.
Yeah, Walt. He’s good like that. That pile of shit squirming behind you. That’s me. Been here the whole time. Too damned scared to stand up.
Thanks Walt. It was a strange time that I think, through the writing, I am only really coming to understand.
Was afraid to talk in group at the VA because a lot of the other guys needed the time and needed to have their stories appreciated.
And the counselors are to be afraid of because they can turn you in at any time if they think you did something illegal at that time.
But here I am, hard at it as we enter the 8th day.
Semper fi,
Jim