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army-chronicles-indochina-sl · 4 years ago

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Chaos and Farewell

Corporal Thatcher

Allexis had been unable to sleep lots going on the daily patrols and the repairing of the tank had become almost normal to her. But she was not in a normal state right now. Taking pen and paper she composed a letter to her sister -

"Hey sis, Just a few lines to let you know I am doing well here in down town swamp jungle that they call Vietnam. Ya know sis - I thought I had gotten use to this shit hole. That I had it under control. But.....Sometimes no matter how set you are in your mind that you can handle anything, something happens that just fucks with your head. Every day my routine involves something different - yea we get shot at at different places and times but its still being shot at. We shoot back. we repair the tank. But my world got rocked beginning with the Colonel's return and being sent to the infirmary. That shook me sis to my core. We all looked at him as indestructible. To see him hurt, hurt bad and off to the medical center - I tell you it gave me cold chills and quite a few night mares. But even more - the guy that came in with the Colonel. No I am not telling you any names or details, but he was found dead. He had committed suicide. Isn't it fucking bad enough here that the damn VC are trying to take our lives every day? To do it to yourself....that has messed with my head sis. Oh I can still do my job. I believe I am as good at that as ever. Well except I got a promotion to Sgt. and I am a loader now - damn driving was much easier and I thought I had it rough there. But at night - the dreams - the nightmares are something else. I just do not get why he did that and of course it is not our business to know. but hell!. So tell me what is up at home. Give me news to put into my head so I can think of something else. Colonel was suppose to be back at base an hour ago and so far nothing. I don't like that one bit. But nothing I can do but keep on keeping on. Tell the folks I send my love and not all the shit I just laid on you in this letter. I WILL be home one day Sis. I hold to that every single day. Love your sis Alle".

Having finished it I placed it in an envelope to send. Then got to thinking should I send it or not. Writing it was helpful and it got some shit down and off my chest. But do I send it to her. Guess I will sleep on it and hope the nightmares stay away tonight....

Colonel M. Sky

I had arrived a few days ago to LZ Mary Ann, were Division command was at. I had gotten my new orders and I was being sent home on a medical discharge. Lt. Colonel Aries, my XO, was to take command of the 3rd. I head out to the chopper pad to head over to LZ Bravo, today I get to do my final duties here in Nam. I have a few new assignments for a few of the men as this will be my final day as commander of the 3rd. I am sure the men are wondering why I have not returned back to base and holding here at LZ Marry Ann. Best get to moving. Sun is baking already and at the same time a drizzle of rain. Not sure what, if anything has happened at the base. A young private approaches me “Sir, hello Sir....are you Colonel Sky”. I look at him and nod. “Sir, Warrant Officer Smith is waiting on Pad Alpha to take you to LZ Bravo” I nod and pick up the folders and new orders and head out. Uniform clean and ironed with that snap crease on my pants and boots with a high gleam shine.

Chopper is ready to take off and the crew chief is aboard and the gunners at the ready. I climb aboard the chopper and we head out to LZ Bravo.

Sgt Thatcher

I wake up just to another hot and uncomfortable Vietnam morning. I head out to do my morning routine before heading over to my baby..my M48. I take a shower head in, dress and go and get a cup of what seems to be coffee. I walk out the hooch and see young Private Chase on gate duty and look over towards the rifle range and see Private Morales and his squad shooting off rounds. I head towards Orphan Platoons staging area and as I walk by the CP 2cnd Lt Luca walks out and stops me.

“Thatcher, post...come on now get your ass in gear and get over here.” I head over to the CP not knowing what this is about...but I am sure it will consist of some fucked up mission again. Getting shot at was the norm around here but as always I have confidence on my team and tank. I am now the loader and I sure as hell will be the one making sure we get those shots out on time to them fuckers shooting at us. I noticed there was something different about him...he no longer had on butter bars but nice shiny silver bars on his collar. I looked at him “Sir, what is this new shiny thing on your collar...congratulations Sir” He looks at me and smiles and thanks me. I post in front of the now 1st Lt and he signals me to go inside the CP. “Good Luck Thatcher at it has been a pleasure having you on my team”. I look at 1st Lt Luca and ask “Sir what is this about...what is going on” He smiles and tells me to enter the CP, that the colonel will explain things to me. I look at the Lt in surprise that he said “the Colonel”....the Colonel is back. My heart raced to know that our leader was back in the seat. I entered with eagerness to the CP rendered the military courtesies to the Colonel He told me to take a seat and he began to speak to me. I could not believe what he was saying to me and all i could do was sit there in disbelief. My heart raced and tears began to race down my face....my time in the Nam was over.

Colonel M. Sky

“Luca, as my last order of duty here in Nam, it is my pleasure to bestow this promotion to you from 2cnd Lt to 1st Lt....you deserve it and have damn well earned it. The Lt looks at me with pride yet sadness. “Sir thank you Sir....you will be missed and it was an honor to serve under your command” I shake the hand of the Lt...and as I do so I see Sgt Thatcher walking by....”Lt, have Sgt Thatcher post so I can give her the good news and her new orders”. Luca smiles and nods and has Thatcher post.

“Sgt Thatcher reporting as ordered Sir” “ At ease Sgt and take a seat, you will need it” I then begin to tell the Sgt of what her new assignment is:

Sgt Thatcher it is my understanding that you had applied to OCS a while back but due to the needing of every able body here at LZ Bravo it seemed that your application was misplaced in the shuffle. But after doing some further digging it seems that your application was approved 6 months ago. This was discovered when your promotion was put in by Lt. Luca. You are headed home Sgt to OCS. I will expect you to complete OCS with flying colors as you are 3rd Brigade. After that you will then get your duty assignment....it may be back here in Nam or wherever a new 2cnd LT is needed at the time of graduation and who you decide to branch off into. Your new orders have been cut and you are to head out on the first chopper out of here to LZ Marry Ann and from there to Duc Pho Airport were you will fly home. Go and pack your things and say your farewells your out of here with me on the next chopper.

The Sgt was speechless and I saw the tears coming out of her eyes...not sure if they were of joy or sadness. Either way I had no time for sentimental moments. I dismissed the Sgt and expected her to be present at the chopper pad ready to head out.

“One more thing Cadet...Have Sergeant Major Silverfalls and 1st Sergeant Cycloppers report to the CP asap”

There was a pause from Thatcher and then she gave me the bad news.

Sgt Thatcher

As I sat there I could not believe what I was being told by the Colonel. I was getting out of this hell hole. Heading back home...to see peace, to see my family once again, getting out in one piece. My OCS application was approved but who knows what other hell hole they will send me to once I graduate...but no time to think of that, I have to pack my shit and be on that chopper pad or I miss my opportunity to get out of this hell. As I stand and open the door to the CP the Colonel stops me and tells me to have the Sergeant Major and the 1st Sergeant to post. But I look at him with that 1000 yard stare and begin to tell him.

“Sir, while you were away things got rocky around here. I suppose that ambush that took place on Mendozas team and the attack on your position was just the beginning of a mounted offensive the VC and NVA had planned. They attacked various areas at once. There was the 2/34 Delta Platoon that came under fire and they could not get extracted due to the VC coming at them from all directions. Choppers tried to get in and some were downed and the ones that made it through were bringing in wounded like I have never seen before. The radio was lit up with chatter about the attack....the Sergeant Major and the 1st Sergeant got into an argument on what to do. The Sgt Major wanted to send in reinforcement while the 1st Sgt was refusing to get more choppers in the air with infantry....he said it was suicide and best to send in the fly boys to drop Napalm on the attacking force. The Sgt Major said there was no way in hell he was having his boy burnt alive. We had a chopper come down with wounded and as the wounded were taken off the Sgt Major got in the chopper.....all I heard him say was “its time these fuckers paid”. The chopper took off and that was the last we saw of the Sgt Major. Radio chatter come over the comms from the escort and stated the chopper with the Sgt Major was hit by an RPG and went down in a ball of flames. It seemed like total chaos around here the last two weeks sir. Then after all that 1st Sgt Cycloppers took over as the NCOIC. Lt. Colonel Aries made the decision in your absence Sir. I am sorry I am the one to have to tell you this.

The Colonel sat back in his chair and thanked me for the information. He then dismissed me and I headed out to collect my things.

Colonel Sky

I sat in my chair for awhile and took in everything that I had experienced here in Nam....my first tour and my second and final tour. The men I had to send out to their deaths and the ones who would remain behind to continue to fight. The ones we lost all in vein....Private McArties, 1st Lt Mendoza, Sgt Major Silverfalls and Corporal Sweetwater to mention just a few. All senseless deaths in a country that was not even our own. A country who did not want us here and wanted us dead. I then heard a knock on the CP Hooch door....it was Lt. Colonel Aries and 1st Sgt Cycloppers. I greeted both men and debriefed both of them. I then called the various officers of the 3rd Brigade, well the ones that were available and still alive. Inside the CP I formally executed the changing of Command and officially declared Lt. Colonel Aries the new Commander of the 25th Inf. Division, 3rd Brigade and 1st Sgt Cycloppers the new brigade NCOIC. We wrapped things up and dotted all the I’s and crossed all the T’s. Lt. Colonel Aries then rendered a salute to me, as did the men in the CP...I returned the salute, “The 3rd is all yours Colonel Aries”.

I then walk out towards the Chopper Pad, a HOG was waiting with its engines rumbling. I head over and sitting inside was Sgt Thatcher ready to depart. “Glad to see you are on time Thatcher” she replied with a “Glad to be seen Sir”. I turn around and take a look at the base one last time...my final farewell to LZ Bronco. I look towards the CP, nobody is outside. I look around and everyone is about, business as usual. I step in to the chopper with one foot still on the ground...I glance at the firing range and see a young Private Morales waving to me. I lift my hand as a signal of goodbye. I lift my foot off the ground and sit back....the chopper lifts off and we head off to LZ Marry Ann. The pilot then addresses me “Sir we have a slight deviation, we are being ordered to LZ Shaper to pick up two wounded soldiers heading back home as well.” I look at the pilot and tell him to make it happen. We fly for about two hours out of our way and I just sit there taking in the sight of the tree tops wondering if we will take a hit and go down. We finally make it to LZ Shaper and the engines keep roaring as the two soldiers head over with minimal gear. Thatcher then speaks up “Sgt Major....Sgt Major is that you” I look over and notice the soldier with the bandage around his head....well I will be the fucking ass of a saw horse. The Sgt Major looks up at Thatcher and then at me....”This bird heading home” then he smiles. I grab his arm and assist him inside while Thatcher assisted the other soldier. We sit there with smiles on our faces. “You’re a stubborn son of a bitch Sgt Major” he looks at me and replies “Sir yes Sir”. The bird takes off once again...this time to LZ Mary Ann. We all sit silent in the chopper and a smile comes over my face. I glance over at Thatcher and she sits there with her eyes closed....the Sgt Major leaning back looking out the door of the bird and the other wounded soldier with tears coming out of his eyes. I lean forward and I whisper to the soldier.......“Its ok soldier, its ok....were going home......were going home”

EPILOGUE:

The chopper lands at LZ Marry Ann. The blades come to a stop and the APC of the engine come to a stop. Everyone dismounts from the Chopper. The chopper crew begins to do maintenance on the chopper. Sgt Thatcher and Sgt Major Silverfalls look back “You coming Colonel” The Colonel sits there and tells them he would catch up with them. The Colonel sits in the chopper and stares out into the vastness of the base. He looks over and he sees the silhouettes of his former unit members getting smaller and smaller as they walk off into the distance heading towards the admin building to out process. He glances over to the west, over at Duc Pho Airport and sees incoming planes with supplies and new troops. The commander of the chopper comes over to the Colonel to ensure all is ok. The Colonel nods and then dismounts the chopper. He looks at the chopper and at the crew “Stay frosty out there.....stay frosty” All the men nod and give him confirmation with a “yes Sir, always frosty always frosty”.

The Colonel walks off towards the admin building..........the distant sound of fire fights still can be heard, choppers flying over head, soldiers running about heading off to combat and some on R&R listening to some good ole Jimmy Hendrix. The Colonel turns one final time and looks into the jungle......”Farewell Vietnam.....Farewell”. The Colonel disappears inside the Admin building.

Credits:

Thank you to all the individuals who participated in this story of the adventures of the 25th Infantry Division, 3rd Brigade (Second Life)

#ArmySL

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