Vietnam 1968-1969

The first thing I did after settling in was to hook a ride on our milk-run Marine helicopters that delivered needed ammo, letters from home, c-rations,etc to our deployed bladder farms throughout eye-corp.

The young marine flying our hello appeared to be a kid, but what a skilled and daring pilot he was.

He scared me shitless more than once on an amazing thrill ride visiting my deployed bladder-farms in "eye" corp.

For instance, if the site we were visiting was under attack and taking fire from the VC, our pilot took us straight down from our approach height of 5,000 ft, to the deck twisting and turning to avoid intense and heavy ground fire.

Later, back at Danang safely, when I complemented and praised our pilot's skill, I noticed that he was ringing wet.

He thanked me and said, "Sir, this was my twelfth Milk-run and the worst. I don't know if I'll make it to next month when I'm due to rotate home. And from me, tell your Navy chain-of-command, that this f*#cking country isn't worth the life of a single American soldier, marine, sailor, or airman.

Sensing that he had a story to tell, I invited him to join me at a nearby beer—joint.

Finishing our first of several beers each, Matt relaxed, and began, "My group of six helo pilots arrived in–country as the Tet offensive began in 1958, early on two of my best friends were shot down and died delivering ammo,food,other needed items and flying out wounded Marines from isolated sites in the boondocks.

The word came down from SecDef(McNamara) that after a military action. we had to count and report the number of enemy killed. The idea was a crazy hoot to me. I didn't give a shit about dead VC! I cared about getting half—dead Marines back to hospital in time for treatment to save their lives. Laying the dead enemy out like useless cordwood did outrage and alienate both Christian and Buddhist South Vietnamese.

Near the end of my year tour (1969), my boss changed the priority from moving fuel to carrying dirt up the coast as foundation material for a civic–action road. I believe the VC knew this was the moment to strike because our Army was replacing the Marines and the Army having more vehicles soon exhausted our 6 days fuel supply. Of course, the Army chewed out the Navy Admiral and the Navy Admiral chewed out me who was responsible for keeping the tanks and bladders full. I listened but made no comment. It wouldn't have helped.

When a couple months later, I deplaned from a military chartered flight of Vietnamese Returnees, we were greeted by many teenagers calling us murderers and worse.

It would have helped no one to remind them that during Kennedy administration, Kennedy and Robert McNamara instituted a Cold War defense strategy of flexible response, short of massive retaliation.

McNamara consolidated intelligence and logistic functions of the Pentagon into the Defense Intelligence Agency and Defense Supply Agency.
That expanded government is where the deep state hides and corrupts everything.

In one bold stroke McNamara improved our Presidents ability to wage endless wars financed by and covered up by our deficits.

History records that McNamara resigned in 1968 as Sec of Defense. Later, he expressed regret for decisions he made during the Vietnam War. In my opinion, he was a brilliant man who lacked wisdom.

During my first month in–country, I got food poisoning and spent three days in hospital. There I was ambulatory and asked to help clean up incoming wounded who were usually filthy dirty. "When I asked What exactly am I supposed to do?" The Nurse said, "Don't worry, you'll be part of a team, they'll tell you; basically, it's cut off their clothes, wash them as gently and thoroughly,as you can, while avoiding the bandaged areas. They've been heavily sedated; so, if you see something, of concern, just call for a doctor. There will be two or three near by and thanks. We appreciate your help."

My team finished preparing the less seriously wounded for the local Danang hospital, those with more serious wounds were med—evacuated to Saigon. My team prepared ten to twelve for additional treatment. It was an emotional,sobering experience for me.

Some days passed and Cathy the Navy nurse on my (prep team) called and asked if I would take her and her friend to the big (change–of–command) ceremony in the White Elephant about 5 miles from the hospital Since the COC (change of command) was nearby the hospital, I said, "Roy and I will pick you up at 12:30 PM. After the COC, we'll have lunch at the White Elephant then get you back to the hospital sometime around 2:pm. "Is that O.K.?"

Cathy said, "I guess it will have to be."

Later, after the COC while eating lunch, alarms sounded and we were directed to return immediately to our duty post. All four of us ran to my vehicle headed back to the hospital.

The buzz of an incoming rocket stopped suddenly; so I jammed on the brakes killing the Bronco engine, a violent explosion opened a large The hole in the road about 50 yards directly in front of us.

The concussion from the explosion shook our vehicle like a dog shedding water. The girls were crying, and I was struggling to restart our vehicle and get out of there.

As we drove away, I thought, if we had been killed by the rocket, the report would read: two navy officers and two nurses were killed by a rocket hitting their vehicle as they were returning from lunch at the white elephant.

Several months later, I received others home and then to the Naval Aviation Supply Office in Philadelphia. PA.