My small cleft was filled with Marines by the time the day moved into late afternoon. I’d finished my letter home, once again extolling the virtues of the local fauna and flora and how the nearly continuous monsoon mist was such a relief from the harsh pounding of the seasonal heavy rain. I left the leeches, foot problems, rotting uniform, and continuous fatigue out of my correspondence. When I finally met my fate in the A Shau Valley, my wife and any later interested parties might wonder how such a mortal tragedy came to be when I’d been traveling through such a scenic and life-filled valley.
The choice to dig in where we were was made by the Gunny. He didn’t even ask my permission or choose to inform me that the Marines were going to make an attempt to stay right where we were for an undetermined time. That news only came to me when I arose from the first real sleep I’d had since I could remember. The mosquitos had eaten me, the leech wounds had bled and there would be more scars. But I’d slept a few hours and I had not dreamt of anything or anywhere. There was no dreaming of any place other than the hell I was in, and I accepted that, but I also welcomed the fact that I didn’t dream of the valley, or even worse atrocities than those I had, and was, already experiencing.
Carruthers had returned to my cleft shelter when the sun was almost down. There he’d encountered first Fusner and then Nguyen, both of whom did not want me aroused from sleep. It hadn’t mattered to Carruthers and, short of violence, there was no way that either Fusner nor Nguyen could stop him.
Jim, I finished Army Infantry Officer Basic Corse at Fort Benning and was scheduled to go straught to Jungle School in Panama and then straight to Nam. In my last week of IOBC I severely injured my left ankle and my orders were changed while I recuperated. Long story short, I never made it to Nam and I have mixed feelings about that. Would I have been killed or severely wounded? How would I react to the pressure of leading grunts under fire? I’d like to think I’d do a good job of leading my men, as I did well in leadership roles in non-combat assignments. Your writing gives me a taste for the hell hole I missed and what true leadership requires of an officer, whether Marine or Army.
Statistically, you would likely have not seen combat. You would have been in the zone though.
If you did see combat then you would, indeed, have had every likelihood of being hit.
But going for you wasn’t in the cards.
Those were good cards…and the only negative leftover is that you feel you might have proven yourself or become one of us.
Well, reading my books I hope you are a bit dissuaded from the idea that combat is manly or develops the human psyche.
It does not. A good kid goes over and comes back a good kid with a shitload of problems. And the chances of being in pieces is great.
Most combat vets think non-combat guys are great. Be happy. You are here in one piece and living and that’s wonderful…
Semper fi
Jim
CPT Bud Meadows. I was a 0311 Marine grunt that spent my tour in the quea son valleys and mountains, I would wish the hell we went threw on no man.
Nor I Bill. Yes, those of us who plied those valleys of death…on nobody….
Semper fi,
Jim
Joined the army in 72 at age 17, went to ft hood for a year and then to Okinawa.
I missed the big show and from reading this, I feel guilty for not being there and at the same time blessed for missing it. I have many friends that did make the show. Some came home, some didn’t. Vietnam vets have my ultimate respect.
God bless and keep writing
Thanks Richard, much appreciate your own story and the compliment to continue…
Helps more than you might think.
Semper fi,
Jim
No need to feel guilty! Take those cards you are dealt in life, and deal with them, not the cards we were dealt. There is a big current running here with Jim’s writing. Deal with the cards you are dealt, that’s how you survive….
Nicely put David and I much appreciate…
Semper fi,
Jim
After I read each chapter I mean to leave a comment.
But words always fail me, what can someone who thankfully never experienced anything like this ever say.
I have always been interested in military history, particularly WWII to present and have read everything I ever got my hands on.
Never have I read a story like yours, you bring the reader along with you to a place we never could imagine existed.
Thank you for sharing.
I wish more people were interested in history and would read your story, especially before sending our youth into battle.
War may be necessary at times, and we should always be prepared, but it needs to be our very last resort.
And we owe it to our military to let them win and get the hell out.
Unfortunately we don’t seem to be very good at the win and leave part.
What a terrific comment, so real and so authentic in emotion. I much appreciate reading your opinion of the work and the fantastic
compliments you have written on here for everyone, including me, to see…
Semper fi,
Jim
Mr Strauss I believe you need to make a correction on “hill 175” as I recall it should be hill 975
Absolutely true!!! Thank you for that help.
Semper fi,
Jim
What a noted difference in Jr’s attitude and understanding of the reality of the valley since his first days there. Survival is key above all else.
I know you’re busy James, but please don’t wait so long between chapters !! 🙂
SEMPER Fi
Next one is about ready to go SGT, believe it or not. Attitude and hesitation slow me more than the
physical part of the writing. This site actually keeps me going when there is no way I could have persevered alone…
Semper fi, and thank you…
Jim
Marines flew the Ch 46, not the Ch 47. Your illustration is wrong. Spent a little time as a door gunner with HML367, flying the UH-1E. Love the narrative, as I,like so many,have stories about the A Shau Valley.
Thanks for the knowledge.
Images are chosen for effect not always for accuracy.
However, the chopper pictured is MRC CH-46A through CH-46D
The mood was set
The printed books do not have images
Semper fi, Jim
Another great read James…and it was a very long time coming…I know this must be extremely hard for you but again I would like to say that I think your writing is therapeutic…you are doing so much for so many by telling this true story…you are opening eyes, opening old wounds, but allowing some to heal at the same time…I just hope the good Lord lifts your pain once you are done, for having written your story, like your “sins” being lifted with baptism…I would have been proud to serve such a leader as yourself and I, like everyone else, anxiously await the next instalment.
What a great comment Mark. Thanks for your own commentary about you and some of how it is you came through too.
The compliments mean a whole lot to me as I home in on getting to the end, or at least the end of the beginning…
Semper fi,
Jim
Welcome back, Jim. Every now and then I think about you and the book. I am glad to be able to read another chapter. I feel like I am there with you. I can smell the mud and feel the rain and the leeches with you. You are able to put us right there in the midst of it all. I eagerly await the next chapter, but with dread for what may be coming. Keep up the good work, sir. Although I didn’t go through what you and your Marines did I feel as though I am right there. God Bless you, Sir.
Army, 1970.
Thanks Harvel, for sharing what you shared about your own life and the compliment you give me in the wording of your comment.
Smeper fi,
Jim
James, thanks once again for another special installment. I’ve been here since day one. I read all of the comments and don’t hardly know what say its all been said and so much better than I am capable of. So I’ll just say thank you so much and may God be with you as you finish the task.Simper Fi
Thanks Don. You said that pretty well, indeed.
A lot of great comments on here and yours is one of them. thank you.
Semper fi,
Jim
I went back to the very beginning and started over after the last chapter LT. When I saw that you had put a new one up, I finished up the couple I had left, breathing and savoring every word in like one of the Gunny’s smokes. I got a bad feeling about what’s next Sir, I cannot begin to imagine what this is doing to you. We’ve all known that this ride’s gonna come to an end eventually, I for one am filled with dread for a couple of reasons. Semper Fi LT.
thanks for the great comment Mike and I really appreciate the compliments written into it.
Semper fi,
Jim
I found it was amazing how many rounds did not go off when I was pin down for 3 nights. Air was great for the day but nights all we have was artillery thank God for that nice job TL good to see you’re back fred
Thans for that piece of information. In truth, I remained unaware of how many shots did not go off, as I was calling in such a high volume.
My spotting rounds never failed me, though…
Semper fi, and thanks for the welcome back…
Jim
I started reading in the middle of this and I didn’t want to get the books until I, you finished writing. But I don’t want to take a chance of waiting too long and losing track of you, so I will order the books and set them aside until you finish. Love what you are doing
Thanks Glen. I much appreciate that vote of confidence and thanks for buying my books.
Semper fi,
Jim
I admire you! Opening up your soul like this. I have a book in my head but don’t know if I could put in on paper.
Thanks Al. It’s harder to do than most people think, particularly the rewriting and rewriting to try to get it right.
Pure fiction is easier to write because it only calls on creative and not memory…unless the memory stuff is ancillary to the story.
Semper fi,
Jim
“…strange, soft, metamorphic rock of the cliff face” might read a little better.. The rest of this segment flows as smoothly as the Bon Song. You polished awhile on this one.
Thanks Floyd for the advice and the compliment!
Semper fi,
Jim
Thank you.
You are most welcome Frank!!!
Semper fi,
Jim
We were resupply with CH 46. They would have big nets with a long rope suspending them from the chopper.. they could re supply about anywhere without touching the ground.. the net hit the ground, the rope released and the chopper was gone, cours it was different with medivac.. that didn’t happen while we had a hot LZ, but we did have the Army come In once to take the Kia and wia out because the Marine choppers wouldn’t come in on a hot Liz we had chopped out,,
Yes, we received several loads, called ‘pickles’ at the time, in this manner, but never under fire.
Usually, it was because there was no cleared landing zone.
The 46 took up a lot of space with the twin rotors, as you know.
Semper fi,
Jim
Every night I log on to see if there is another installment. What a gift when I find one!
Thanks a ton Steve. Means a lot to me to have such enthusiasm for the work.
Semper fi,
Jim
JIM LT As we roar through this new year (Year of the Pig) back to that in a minute.
I am glad to see your latest installment. You write things that make me stand up and take notice and remember. You have a way with the English/military language that melds both in a manner worth noting. I thank you for that. In 54 days I will celebrate the 48th anniversary of my Ides of March. I will use part of your writing. Your looking for my approval The Gunny said…… back in the real world ….I wouldn’t have needed The Gunny’s approval anything …. L needed His approval for just about everything. I also knew part of my talent was to know that, and get that approval !! I came up through the NCO ranks Some officers used all the tools available. (NCO’s) and many others wasted their resources. God Bless You and the Work of Your Hands
Thanks George for your own experiences, thoughts and also for the great compliment written deep into your comment.
Semper fi,
Jim
Kinda of a damned if u do and damned if u dont situation..im with u Lt. let the sky fall and hopefully collect the chips
That’s a pretty succinct way of describing the situation, yes. Thanks for that, Justin.
Semper fi,
Jim
Donated books 1and2 to my VA head dr with proviso that he should read and better understand patient comments. Was greeted with a 4 letter word phrase last month and praises to you an thank for the heads up from me!Go with God in peace
Wow. Thanks for that donation Tom.
I always wonder what those guys providing all the psychological care at the VA might think.
They see tons of vets of all kinds. What shapes their thinking about what happened over there in combat?
None or almost none of them were there or in the shit.
Do they get enough reality from the visiting vets to get it?
Semper fi,
Jim
What a great chapter this book keeps a person on edge every moment keep it up a ardent reader.