“A lull settled over Indochina battlefields and for the fourth time in six weeks communiqués reported no American combat deaths. But U.S. Air Force B52s continue a blitz of the Ho Chi Minh supply trail in Laos.”

—Atlanta Constitution, November 12, 1970

34

Artillery Ambush

November 4–11, 1970

Fire Base Green had become so familiar to me that it almost felt like home; but all things must end. We departed and closed the fire base in early November. The battalion moved lock, stock, and barrel to another region of War Zone D, and I was temporarily posted to the battalion tactical operations center to assist with planning and control of combat operations. The underground operations center was hot, dusty, and cramped. But when the day finally arrived to remove the stitches from my ankle, I was happier than I had been in weeks.

Rains ceased and the monsoons appeared to be over. Dry felt good for a change, but it necessitated carrying additional water, increasing loads on the backs of soldiers in the field.

An eight-man squad from the reconnaissance platoon had hidden near Green when it was closed. The men concealed themselves in the jungle at the edge of the clearing, established good fields of fire over the old fire base, and registered artillery. Viet Cong frequently scavenged deserted bases for anything useful, such as ammunition, rations, wood, or scrap metal. This time enticements were deliberately left in plain view to tempt them. The trap was set. The first day several VC took the bait and came on the base. While they were unprotected in the open, 105mm howitzers from the 1st Battalion, 21st Field Artillery, at Fire Base Durall hit them and killed two. Our reconnaissance element stayed in position in the belief that the others would return to remove the bodies.

I had been working as assistant S-3 in the operations center with Maj. Wayne Knudson. I was taking a break outside the dusty bunker when a light observation helicopter limped toward the landing pad and slammed down in a swirl of dust. On hitting solid ground Plexiglas in the fuselage crumbled. I rushed to the crippled chopper.

“Hey! What happened?” I yelled.

The crew chief was first out, while the pilots let the engine wind down to avoid a fire. Shakily he said, “We were on a scout mission with a gunship and spotted bunkers. We hovered over the bunkers, and I lobbed a grenade into one. It set off a secondary explosion that almost blew us out of the sky. We were just a few feet above when it exploded.”

No one was injured, but the crew was visibly shaken by the self-inflicted surprise. While we laughed about the close call, Command Sergeant Major Florio ran breathlessly from the operations center to report that six VC had returned to Green. Employing more of the preregistered artillery, the reconnaissance troopers had killed two more, but the remaining VC had fled in the direction of recon’s hiding position. The recon troopers fired in self-defense, wounding several of the enemy but exposing their own position. The platoon leader, who was with the squad, believed it was unwise to stay another night and requested extraction. Labrozzi overruled him and directed him to stay in place. Our mission was to cover their move to a new hiding position.

The sergeant major, who was running the operation, was rounding up volunteers to go to Green, remove the VC bodies, and cover the recon squad while it relocated. He wanted me to join him because he believed I was crazy. I was, and I did, along with a radio operator and three others. We piled into the helicopter with a tracker-dog team. Major Knudson pointed the helicopter toward Green. This was the cavalry, all right: I felt like Custer riding to the Little Big Horn.

We lay flat on the floor as we approached so that it would appear from the ground that the chopper was arriving empty. Once on the ground, I accompanied the dog team as it trailed the wounded VC. We chased for 200 meters into the jungle before the dog lost the scent. We were not equipped or armed to go very far into the jungle. Also, two weeks of convalescing had not prepared me for the exertion; I found myself sweating and breathing hard.

As our chase team trudged uphill onto the old fire base, the sun sizzled. The dead Viet Cong on Green had already decomposed in the heat, generating a stench. Disgusted by the necessity, I helped the sergeant major stuff them into body bags, gagging on reflex. I feared an arm or leg would pull off as we strained to get them into the bags. I was already dizzy from chasing through the jungle; the ripe bodies pushed me toward nausea.

Major Knudsen circled in the helicopter, returned quickly, and landed nearby. We shoved the body bags into the helicopter and crawled in with them. The recon squad had taken advantage of our diversion to change positions. When we lifted off we sat in the doors in plain view, legs dangling outside, with the wind in our faces. The rush of fresh air cleared my head. We had gone in hidden and wanted it to appear that the stay-behind squad was being removed on the way out, hoping the VC would return to the base one more time.

Twice was stupid, but falling into the same trap three times would have been suicidal. The Viet Cong were smarter than that and did not return to Green again.

Labrozzi was ill tempered for several days, and he passed it along to everyone he came in contact with. I liked Labrozzi, but I liked him best when several miles of jungle separated us. Now that I was trapped on the fire base with him, I was exposed to a heavy dose of his temper. But on a positive note, Dr. Thompson, who had replaced Ted, finally released me to rejoin Bravo Company. I had been away from the company for three weeks, but it seemed like an eternity. I wondered how the men would feel about me after my patrol had been ambushed.

My long absence had created other worries as well. I wondered whether the company members had changed and whether they would respond to my aggressive leadership. I wondered whether they had embraced other bad habits while I was away. With all the replacements, I wondered if this was still the same company at all. I also had questions about whether I could keep up in my poor physical condition. I would find out very soon if I could pass the test.

Darling,

Things are very hectic around the operations center, and it is hard to concentrate. I just wanted you to know I’m fine and gaining weight again. I love you very much and think everyday about you and the baby. Time is indeed getting near. I guess about two more months and we’ll be proud parents. Please take care of yourself until then. I love you very much.

Write often, your letters mean everything to me.