9 April 1970

Thursday
9 April 1970

I finally got a letter today!!  Something I would like to have is packages of instant oatmeal or cream of wheat, etc.  Anything that can be mixed with water I would love to have!  Makes a good relief from c-rations.

We’re still in this village where we shot the VC.  We found out that the woman who was protecting him was either his wife, or they were “shacking up”.  I guess we’ll be moving out of here tomorrow - but I’m not sure.

Ron, the ALO, wanted me to come back to Baldy, so he could go to Danang for a few days to get some flight time.  However the Battalion CO said he would have to wait a few days.  Why, I don’t know.

Right at this minute we’re having trouble with the helicopter who is supposed to pick up the Bn CO.  He came out here to our position for a briefing with all the company COs but now we can’t get the helicopter back!  I hate working with the choppers because they are so undependable!

A nice thing about being in this village is that it has bamboo thickets all around so we can stay in the shade at all times.  The sun really glares down and, with the humidity, is quite uncomfortable.

I’ve started a diary!!  Seems like every day there is something happens that is so ridiculous that I just have to write it down - since I can’t bitch to anyone, really.  These ground pounders are so retarded I can’t even believe it!


(following is from diary entry of 9 April)

C and C [command and control] bird is all screwed up, as usual.

Village and hamlet chiefs showed up and want to burn this place to the ground.  All the civilians packed up and left.

8 April 1970

Wednesday morning
8 April 1970

Well!!!

During the night we found a VC inside one of the straw thatch houses right here inside our lines!  In fact this house was about 25 yards from where the company CO  was sleeping, and less than 50 yards from me! 

He apparently was flashing a light, as though signaling someone.  We got our K.C.S. (Kit Carson Scout - former VC turned good guy) who tried to get the VC to come out.  He would not come out so they threw a flare grenade up next to the house to light it up.  The VC still would not come out - so the K.C.S. opened  fire with his rifle and killed him!

 So I’ve now seen my first dead VC.  Meanwhile, the house caught on fire and burned to the ground, so the Marines turned firemen to keep the fire from spreading.

We found out that this VC had been here about 3 days and these people were hiding him all yesterday afternoon after we came in here.

So this morning, all the people who live in this hamlet have been gathered up and we are going to search this hamlet good.  These people are definitely VC sympathizers .  We came in here to protect these people from the VC!! and we find out they’re hiding one.  How about that.

(Following is entry from diary - 8 April)

Yesterday we moved across the sand dunes again and set up in a hamlet.  This hamlet appeared quite prosperous and friendly.  However, the "friendly" was mere put on for we discovered a VC hiding in a house near the C.P.  He was shot to death by the KCS when he refused to come out.  Also, the house caught fire and burned down.  The remainder of the night passed uneventfully. 

This morning all the people in this hamlet were gathered in the C.P. and the KCS harangued them all morning long.  We sent for National Policemen to come, and they arrived about noon to take charge of the villagers.

One young woman especially strikes me as being quite intelligent and even educated - as she seems to be a bit amused by all that is happening.  She is quite attractive as far as peasant Vietnamese women go.  Has small child about 2 years.

VC was shot in head and had gaping hole in left temple.  My first look at a dead (or live) VC.

Ate dinner with the National Policemen.  Very good food - c-rations cooked with rice.  Also hot tea followed by cigarettes.

7 April 1970

Tuesday night
7 April 1970

This is the first letter I’ve written since last Saturday.  This is first time I’ve really felt like writing.  We’ve moved thrice since then and all have been long, tiring walks!! 

Yesterday and today we moved across white sand dunes at noontime under a glaring sun!  Last night I had a bit of a sun burn.  This afternoon we’ve set up in a very nice, prosperous hamlet.  It is surrounded by fertile fields of ripe rice which they are harvesting.  They have, also, fields of vegetables, and we found a field of ripe cucumbers!  Boy, were they good!!

I don’t know just how long we’ll be here, but I expect we’ll move on tomorrow.

I got some mail today on the re-supply, a letter and some newspapers.

Each day I’m out here with the grunts I realize more just how little good we are doing.  There are supposed to be lots of VC around, but we just can’t ever catch them!  We’ve had more casualties than we can claim to have inflicted!  Also, I’ve done absolutely nothing!!  In the 3 weeks I’ve been a  FAC, I’ve done my job one time!  One time I’ve controlled a flight of CAS!!!!

The kids in these hamlets are professional beggars!  Ha.  All they know is to ask for cigarettes and food!  I took a picture of one small boy who was "selling" water for cigarettes.  I got another good picture of an old woman being doctored by our corpsman.  She had a bad sore on her hand and he cleaned it up and dressed it.

The best thing of all about being in the hamlet is that the VC probably won’t attack us because they would hurt the civilians - not that the VC particularly care about the people.

4 April 1970

Saturday
4 April 1970

I’m in the bush again.  We came out yesterday.

Today has been, perhaps, one of the most enlightening days of my entire life.

We had a squad out on patrol this morning and they found three North Vietnamese soldiers sleeping in a hooch and took them prisoner.  They had uniforms, weapons, packs, first aid equipment, hand grenades, and other equipment.  There is no doubt they were from the north.

The POWs were brought back to the company CP, where a LT we have with us interrogated them.  He found out they were from Hanoi.  One was a sergeant  and the other two privates.  One of them had three pictures.  One picture of him, one with his wife and child, and a picture of, he said, his sister.

The POWs were tied by the neck to a long pole, and their hands were tied behind their backs.  They were, needless to say, very uncomfortable.  None of the Marines cared, though.  Instead they called them dirty names and threatened to shoot them if they didn’t talk, etc, etc.  All this pissed me off!!  I gave the POWs cigarettes (which I lit and put in their mouths) and the company commander made a wise crack about that.  He later said he thought I was in love with them.

Then one of the prisoners complained that his arms hurt, so I loosened his bonds and massaged his wrists.  Another Marine followed suit and helped do the same for the other two.


We had the prisoners here about two hours before a helicopter finally came to get them.  In all that time, only four to six people showed any compassion at all for these people.   One guy gave them some water and another one gave them some food.  After eating and drinking, two of the prisoners had to urinate and the third had to “pass his bowels”, so I took the initiative to untie one of them so he could urinate, them some other Marines helped the other two.

It’s a very sad thing that the majority of the Marines felt nothing but contempt for the prisoners.  I’m not bragging a bit to say that I was the first to show any compassion for them.  Fortunately I’m the senior man here, so no one said anything about it or tried to stop me.  I was so disgusted at my fellow Americans, lovers of peace and freedom I could vomit.  One Marine who was guarding them said he hoped they tried to run so he could kill them!!!!

These three men were asked why they came to the south to fight and one said “he didn’t want to come, they made him.”  How many of these Marines say the same thing about why they are here?  Nearly everyone of them!  Yet they hate these poor prisoners, tied up, scared stiff, uncomfortable, and definitely not dangerous anymore.

Although these prisoners probably would kill me if they had the chance, I still felt sorry for them.  When the helicopter finally arrived, I blind folded them (I really don’t know why, it just seemed the thing to do) and helped load them on the chopper.  I could tell they were scared because they didn’t know what we were about to do with them.  They’ll be taken back to Baldy and interrogated more, then put in a POW camp.

I took a couple of pictures and I’m anxious to get them developed.

We left Baldy yesterday afternoon about 1645 and walked out about two miles south of Baldy.  Our mission is to provide a react force against the enemy if Baldy is rocketed during the night.  Last night passed uneventfully.  However it did rain during the night which was very uncomfortable!

3 April 1970

Friday morning
3 April 1970

Things are the same here - boring!!  The only bright spot on the horizon is the dim hope that there will be a big troop withdrawal announced 15 April, which will get me out of here.

The past two nights I’ve had to stand the watch in the combat operation center, from 0400-0800.  I’m doing that right now.  It’s kind of like ODO.  The reason I’m having to stand it is because there is a shortage of operation people here to handle the watch.  The battalion is due to return today, so I should be out of this watch in the future.  It does give me something to do, but such an ungodly time of day.

The battalion will be taking over a new area of operation and will be off of “swing battalion”.  This means the companies will be doing individual operations in the immediate area of LZ Baldy.  I’ll become the ALO for the battalion, I think, because Ron wants to be a FAC for awhile with a company.  I don’t much want to stay at Baldy, but it is better than being in the bush.

I went to the movie last night and saw two thirds of “The Sergeant“.   We watched the first reel of the movie, then the last reel, by mistake, so didn’t bother to watch the middle reel!  Only in Vietnam can things be so screwed up!!

The combat operation center is the nerve center for the battalion and has to have a watch officer at all times.  The two times I’ve had the watch have been uneventful.


Photo - our artillery forward observer, who was, later, awarded the Purple Heart.

2 April 1970

Thursday
2 April 1970

It’s raining now and I’m proud I’m not out in the bush getting soaked!!

We’ve decided that the reason we are on the “react” deal is because of the “expected” spring offensive.  Seems like we expect some kind of offensive attack by the enemy for every season change and every national holiday!

Photo - my radio operator.

1 April 1970

Wednesday morning
1 April 1970

Here it is - April Fools Day - beginning my 6th month.  I’m not counting this as half way point.  I count it as about two thirds point!!

We’re still at Baldy doing nothing!  In the past two days I’ve read three paperback books and part of another!  I’ve done nothing except read and eat!  I think I’ve already put back the weight I had lost in the bush!

We’ve been told that we may go out tonight on tanks to practice reacting, or something.  It is almost impossible to get the word ahead of time because of the security problems.  Yesterday and today the troops of Charlie company have had some exercises with the tanks - so I guess that might be some indication.  Apparently this period of time is a high threat time and we might get attacked.

We were supposed to have a brief yesterday on “the selection of landing zones”, but the brief was cancelled when the helicopters carrying the briefing team collided with each other!!!  The helicopters are something we can’t do without - but they are so undependable!  The chopper brings us our food, water, and mail, and picks up our wounded, but we still curse them!!  I’ve grown to dislike helicopters even more than I did before!  I especially hate to fly on them.

My radio operator is a negro boy from South Carolina.  He jumped from a PFC to Cpl in two days and was nominated for the Silver Star, all because of his heroic actions during a battle in February.  He is a real character, as most young negroes are - but a good man all the same.

A friend of mine, an artillery forward observer assigned to Charlie company, and I are about to walk down to the PX just to have something to do - because I really don’t need anything!  This guy is from Boston and knows Don Mikulka and his family - in fact they lived in the same neighborhood.  Small world (again)!

Listening to the news and hear that Maryland has legalized abortions - it’s about time states have finally begun to do this.

Photo - three Lts. - air, artillery and naval gunfire.