Mission 13

We were wading in a stinking rice paddy in the delta and just about to get to dry land to take a break when off in the distance all hell broke loose. I could hear 16's as well as AK's popping off and from where we were at it sounded like it was in the area we had been sent to check out. This one was supposed to be nothing but a sneaky pete to see if some chopper jockeys information was true. This was supposed to be in and out within two days. We had packed light for a change and had made good time from the drop off point.

I stopped and motioned for everyone to stop also. I hand signaled for Ling and Chung to circle and check it out. I figured since we were so close to dry land I would move the rest of us out of the water and muck to dry ground to wait. When Chung and Ling disappeared into the trees I moved us out to just inside the trees and stopped again. I sent out flankers to watch our sides and sat down wringing some of the water out of my camos. My second this trip was a newbie, which had asked if he could go along to get some time in the bush. This was his first tour and since we were only supposed to be out for a couple of days I got the ok to take him along. So far even thought he was a cherry, he had conducted himself well, taking the wetness and miserable marching conditions without complaint.

He moved up next to me before whispering his question.

"You got any idea what that was about Sarge? I thought we were the only one that were supposed to be in this area?"

"I have no idea Swartz; you saw and heard the briefing just like I did. Chung and Ling will bring back word as soon as they check it out. I suggest you relax a little and get some rest cause we will be pushing on as soon as they get back with a report. Oh and Swartz, out here it's never like what they tell you in the briefings. Everything is fluid and the Intel is never up to date. Get used to it and learn to go with the flow and you will live through your tour. When you get in the bush you use your common sense and learn to go by hunches and not what they tell you at Intel."

He nodded his head before leaning back watching the area around us. It was about a half hour later I got the call from Chung that he was coming in. I returned it letting him know it was clear. When he popped up in front of Swartz I thought Swartz was going to faint he was so shocked. I saw the grin on Chung's face and knew he had done it on purpose. He came directly to my side to give me a sit rep and to let Swartz hear it too.

"Sarge, ARVN platoon get ambushed. All dead, but something not right. All bodies not touched and no sign of dead VC in area. Ling stay to check but him say same."

"Ok, let's move up and see for ourselves. I will need to collect ID so I can turn it in when we get back. Whistle the flankers in closer and let's move out."

Chung did and we moved out with Chung taking a little used path, keeping off the well used one to our left. He led us in a twisting and sometimes impossible brushy area we went through. It took us almost forty five minutes by my trusty Timex to reach the ambush area. I had Swartz stay back after we came to the first body because he looked a little green. Chung was watching him and I saw the small smile that crossed his face as him and I moved up. He was right as usual, because for the bodies not to be stripped or even not mutilated was as rare out here as hen's teeth. The VC always made it a point to strip anything they could use and mutilate ARVN because they were considered to be slaves as well as lackeys of the US and a few other things I won't go into because I agreed with some of them. While I checked I noticed the boot prints in the soft dirt were American made as I am sure Chung did. When I pointed them out he just shrugged and pointed out that the ARVN were all wearing sandals. What the shit was going on? None of the bodies had any sign of ID nor were the 16's legal issue. Looking at them and breaking one down I noticed that they were almost exact copies of the ones we carried. The only difference was that other than being fake none of them had firing pins nor bullets in the mags. I broke down ten before it finally hit me that they were all the same. I checked up the trail where the ambushers had lain in wait and saw AK and 16 casings scattered over a wide area.

I motioned for Swartz to come up and when he got there careful not to look at the dead he stopped by my side.

"What are you looking at and what don't fit Swartz?"

I watched him carefully as he tried to sort it out. I had to give him credit as it only took him about ten minutes to grasp what he was seeing. When he did I saw his eyes widen before he turned to face me. He explained what he thought he saw and did a good job for what little I had given him to go on.

"Swartz, those dead men are VC and if you look close you'll see that the bullet holes were fired into dead bodies. How you can tell is that there isn't much bleeding around the entrances. Whoever ambushed them wanted it to look like they were ARVN soldiers on patrol. Swartz, I suggest you keep a close eye on the men around you until we can figure out who, why, and where the ambushers went. We have already fulfilled our mission objectives, but me I hate a puzzle so we will be out a few more days until I can find some kind of answer for all of this. Since Ling hasn't come back yet we will move in the same direction as the ambushers. I want you half way back with two of my men near you at all times. Listen to what they tell you and follow their orders without question. I will be up front with Chung. Any questions?"

"Not from me Sarge, I ain't stupid."

I quickly got him placed and we moved out following the ambushers. I had two of the fake 16's picked up and brought along with several of the empty mags. I figured I would turn them over to Gunny to see if he could figure out where they came from and who might have made them. This was damned perplexing and I had never run across anything like this before. We made good time and I could see by the tracks that the ambushers had slowed down and it looked like several were lagging behind. I had no sooner figured it out when I got the men coming signal from Chung. I quickly made the sign to the men to hide in the thick bush at the side of the trail and sought cover myself. The two men ahead of the others were yards as I could plainly tell as well as hear since they were speaking the language. They were discussing wives as they went by, and neither one of them were armed other than a crossbow and a machete. The three behind them were a different story. They were white men as the height and English they were speaking clearly told me. They all had AK's but they were slung and the way they were laughing and carrying on they weren't worried about the VC being close. I let them go by wondering what the hell was going on. I stupidly wondered if the war was over or something by the way they were acting. When they got out of sight I whistled the men out and we double timed it until I saw Chung squatted in the middle of the trail waiting on us. I sent the men into cover again as I went to him.

"Sarge, what go on? They white men like you and they have big camp in valley ahead. There Chinee and VC in that camp with them. They all act like they great friends. Ling watching but he no understand either."

"Find us a place that's safe to camp and when it's dark we will move in and listen. Hell Chung I am just as puzzled by this as you are, and we will find out what the hell is going on before we leave here."

He whistled the men out, and we cut off the trail and into the thick bush following a game trail. The rear man covered our cut off point as usual and I was thinking a mile a minute as we traveled. What the hell was going on and what had we walked into I was wondering. This was all new territory to me and I thought I had seen everything. We traveled till it was almost dark before coming to a small clearing in the thick bush. Chung said we would be safe, and there were three ways out so we wouldn't be caught if someone stumbled onto our camp in the dark for some reason. When we got settled in I could smell food cooking and realized we must be pretty close to the valley Chung had talked about. The wind was slight and was blowing towards us, so I quickly used a ball of plastique, and heated some water for the dried food we all carried. Everyone followed my actions and soon we were eating our first hot food in a day and a half. Swartz and I had coffee while my men had their usual tea and it was delicious. These dried LLRP rations were great and light to carry. I set the guards out leaving one man with Swartz telling him what was going on and that I would be away from camp for several hours and that he was to follow orders even if I wasn't there. I dropped my pack and keeping my 16 and several mags I crawled behind Chung as he led out.

The trail we were crawling on was damned small and it seemed like we were making enough noise to raise the dead. We had been going when Chung froze with one knee up listening. I did the same but had both knees on the ground watching him. He turned smiling a me in the murky light.

"Tiger ahead of us. He stalking guard at top of cliff. Him very hungry, I hear stomach growling. We stay here till I see what he do. If he come back this way we be in big trouble."

"Ha, you be in big trouble, you're ahead of me and I can crawl fast as hell while he eats you."

"He no eat Chung, I too tough. Him want soft white meat. I move to side and he follow you."

I gave him a dirty look thinking to myself he was probably right. With my luck he would just look at Chung as he went by. We waited about ten minutes and I heard a growl and then a scream ahead of us. We quickly moved up and Chung froze in place again. This time he didn't turn towards me as he spoke.

"Tiger attack guard, him eating food and no hear or see him. His gun and pack ahead of me. I think they go over edge of cliff when tiger jump on him. Stay here while I go check to see not more men coming to see what happened. Be ready to move if I call. Go to left into trees there and wait for me to find you."

I did as he said and fifteen minutes later I got the all clear and carefully crawled out into the open and went into the trees to my left. I went in about fifty feet but stayed where I could see ahead of me, where the guard had been sitting. He had been cooking over a tiny fire that was all coals now but his rice pot was still there along with his rifle and pack. I heard voices and saw someone with a flashlight coming toward the fire. I ducked behind a tree and waited to see what would happen. I heard them discussing setting up another guard there, but another said the Tiger probably had a mate and it wouldn't be a good idea since no one knew they were there. I heard a hissing noise and peeked around the tree and they were pouring water on the coals. I watched as the person with the flashlight led them away from the area. I figured there must be a trail I couldn't see because they were out of sight in a matter of minutes. I relaxed against the tree not realizing I had been holding my breath. Chung came for me about fifteen minutes later scaring the hell out of me as usual when he spoke from the darkness.