The heat of the burning helicopter is incredibly intense. The fire sucks air like napalm. Egan is trapped beneath Doc and Brooks. He is conscious but stoned. He can see the flames but the heat does not bother him. For a moment he smells Brooks’ flesh burning but then he can no longer smell. He is calm. He has been waiting without anticipation. He does not see fire, he sees energy. Energy, he thinks. Energy is reduced by the square of the distance from its source. As his eyebrows and hair curl and blacken in the heat like melting red plastic threads, he sees an equation: L2 = L1(d2). It isn’t energy, he thinks, it is Light. No Sight. The power of sight decreases in direct relationship to the square of the distance from the source. Or is it, S = D2? Oh, he smiles inwardly, it isn’t distance, it is Daniel. It isn’t sight, it is Stephanie. Egan sees his exposed skin peel, split, roll back from the splits and char. The surface of his eyes are boiling. The magnesium hulk medevac bird is changing from matter to energy in whitehot burning. “I don’t feel we’re saying good-bye,” Egan says aloud. He does not hear his voice. “Stephanie, we’ll see each other again. Haven’t I always come back to you?” Egan hears a rhythmic hush rushing sound and a quick pumping. It is his own breathing and his heartbeat. He does not feel his skin. He thinks he sees. He sees Stephanie.
“Jax,” Cherry screams. “Egan, Doc, the L-T.”
The first extraction bird is coming in, landing, not touching down completely, below the kickout point. Thomaston is directing. 2d Plt is loading. Doorgunners are keeping steady fire pouring south. The bird departs, a second bird lands. Wounded are thrown on. Numbnuts jumps on the second bird. Jax and Cherry are sprinting up toward the burning ground near the medevac. Pop and El Paso race after them. Enemy fire is increasing with every lift bird touching down. Mohnsen is hit boarding. Thomaston directs 3d Plt to begin loading.
“3d Sqd out,” Caldwell yells. He is backing toward the pick-up point. McQueen and 1st Sqd begin backing away from the ragged perimeter. They are firing suppressive fire trying to keep the enemy fire down.
“Get back to the perimeter,” Caldwell kicks at McQueen’s ass as both of them back up.
McQueen turns. “Eat it, Lieutenant,” he snaps. “We’re coming up now. You stay there.”
“Sergeant, I gave you an order,” Caldwell screams.
“No shit,” McQueen growls. Another bird leaves, another sets down. McQueen snarls.
“Get down there, Goddamn it. That’s an order.”
“Like you gave to Ridgefield,” McQueen explodes.
“I didn’t …”
“Like Snell. Like Nahele.”
“Sergeant …”
An ugly mask of hate contorts McQueen’s face. “Like you always give.” McQueen lowers his M-16, squeezes the trigger and puts three rounds into Lt. Larry Caldwell’s heart.
“Pick up the wounded,” McQueen yells to his platoon. He lifts Caldwell’s body. 3d Plt is extracted.
“They aint dead,” Jax is shouting, screaming. “We ken get em.”
Lairds throws Denhardt onto the floor of the extraction bird. Marko, Hoover and McCarthy leap in. Cahalan jumps in. The bird lifts.
“Get on the fucken birds,” Thomaston shouts at Jax and Cherry. Alpha no longer has a perimeter. Gunships are diving over the tops of the lift birds spraying mini-gun fire and now rockets. Thomaston reaches Pop. He grabs him, spins him hard. “Get on the bird.” He seizes El Paso, shoves him. “There.” Cherry and Jax are crawling forward toward Egan and Doc and the L-T. They are guarding their faces. Enemy fire is increasing. There are a hundred NVA soldiers coming up the south slope. A hundred dead NVA bodies give them cover to dive behind as the helicopters fire at them and they fire back. Cherry and Jax are hugging the ground inching into the heat. Jax’ fatigue shirt bursts into flame. Mortar rounds are being walked across the knolltop by NVA mortar teams. Jax sheds his shirt, running, retreating from the flames.
“Get outa there,” Thomaston shouts crouching, blocking the heat from his face.
“I’m Cherry,” Cherry yells reaching, his face and hands burning. Cherry can see Egan’s eyes. They are open. His arms seem to be reaching toward Cherry. Thomaston dashes in wildly, grabs Cherry’s ankle and pulls. “No,” Cherry screams. Thomaston stands, jumps clutching insanely, lifting Cherry and carrying him toward the last bird. They break for the helicopter. The doorgunners are burning the barrels off their machine guns. LOHs are buzzing. Pop and El Paso reach the bird, step on the skid and spin into the open side. Jax and Cherry jump in. Thomaston jumps, Pop catches him, pulls. The bird lifts up to his not yet falling body. The noise of the rotors slaps louder, the ship dips, the tail raises. Cherry’s eyes are on the pile of US bodies. The helicopter is off.
Cool wind rushes through the open sides of the helicopter.
“Where in the fuck did the gooks come from?” Thomaston cries. “They were right on the knoll with us.”
Jackson too is crying. His face is distorted, ugly. “We left em there,” he screams. “We left em there. Egan woant dead.”
El Paso vomits. Pop is dazed.
Cherry is cold, breathing hard. He looks at Jax. He says at him, a smirk on his face, “Fuck it.” He bursts out laughing. “Don’t mean nothin.”
SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES
THE FOLLOWING RESULTS FOR OPERATIONS IN THE O’REILLY/ BARNETT/JEROME AREA WERE REPORTED FOR THE 24-HOUR PERIOD ENDING 2359 25 AUGUST 70:
AN UNDETERMINED SIZED ENEMY FORCE ATTACKED 2D PLT, CO B, 7/402 AT THEIR NDP VICINITY YD 165325 AT 0217 HOURS. CO B RETURNED ORGANIC WEAPONS FIRE. THE ENEMY WITHDREW. CO B RECEIVED SEVEN MORTAR IMPACTIONS IN THEIR NDP AT 0235 HOURS RESULTING IN THREE US WIA. COUNTER-BATTERY ARTILLERY WAS EMPLOYED TO SILENCE THE MORTARS. AT 0305 HOURS, CO B WAS AGAIN ATTACKED IN THEIR NDP AND AGAIN REPULSED THE ATTACK WITH ORGANIC WEAPONS FIRE. THREE MORE US SOLDIERS WERE WOUNDED. THE WOUNDED WERE EVACUATED AT 0410 HOURS.
CO C, 7/402 WAS ATTACKED BY AN UNKNOWN SIZE ENEMY FORCE BEFORE DAWN VICINITY YD 133318. THE ENEMY INFILTRATED TWO POSITIONS OF CO C’S PERIMETER KILLING TWO US SOLDIERS AND WOUNDING TWO BEFORE THE ATTACK WAS REPULSED WITH ORGANIC WEAPONS FIRE.
AT 0712 HOURS 1ST PLT, CO A, 7/402, WHILE ADVANCING UPHILL ENGAGED AN UNKNOWN SIZE ENEMY FORCE DUG INTO A TRENCH, VICINITY YD 148318, KILLING FOUR NVA. THREE US WERE WOUNDED.
AT 0855 HOURS 2D AND 3D PLTS OF CO A DISCOVERED AN NVA HEADQUARTERS AND SUPPLY BUNKER COMPLEX CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY 28 UNDERGROUND ROOMS CONNECTED BY TUNNELS. THE ELEMENT ENTERED THE COMPLEX UNOPPOSED AND CARRIED OUT FOUR SOVIET-MADE GR-9 RADIOS, AND AN ESTIMATED SEVEN TONS OF AMMUNITION INCLUDING 18 CRATES OF 82MM MORTAR ROUNDS, 36 CRATES OF 61 MM MORTAR ROUNDS, 24 CRATES OF RPG ROCKETS, 40 BOXES CHI-COM CLAYMORE MINES, 60 BOXES 37MM AA AMMUNITION, 55 CANS RPD MACHINE GUN AMMUNITION AND 3000 SACHEL CHARGES. AT 0935 AN UNKNOWN SIZE ENEMY FORCE EMERGED FROM THE TUNNELS AND ENGAGED CO A KILLING TWO US AND WOUNDING TWO. CO A WITHDREW ALLOWING AIR SUPPORT ACCESS TO THE ENEMY. 16 ENEMY WERE KILLED, 11 BY ARA. THE MUNITIONS EXPOSED BY CO A WERE DESTROYED BY ARA.
AT 1242 HOURS CO A WAS ATTACKED BY A LARGE WELL COORDINATED ENEMY FORCE WHILE THEY WERE EVACUATING PREVIOUSLY WOUNDED SOLDIERS. A MEDICAL EVACUATION HELICOPTER, HIT BY RPG FIRE, EXPLODED ON THE LZ KILLING THE PILOT AND CO-PILOT. CO A RETURNED ORGANIC WEAPONS FIRE AND ARA AND GUNSHIPS WERE EMPLOYED. WHILE STILL UNDER FIRE, CO A WAS EXTRACTED. ONE US SOLDIER WAS KILLED, SEVEN WOUNDED. KNOWN ENEMY CASUALTIES WERE 44 KIA, 30 BY ARA AND 14 BY SAF.
DURING THE PERIOD OF CO A’S CONTACT, COS B, C, D AND THE RECON PLT OF E ALL ENCOUNTERED SPORADIC ACTION. THE ENEMY INITIATED SEVEN SEPARATE DIRECT AND INDIRECT FIRE ATTACKS ON THESE UNITS AS THEY ATTEMPTED TO CORDON OFF THE VALLEY CENTER AREA BEING ATTACKED BY CO A. THE 7/402 COMPANIES ENGAGED THE ENEMY NINE TIMES WITH ORGANIC WEAPONS FIRE AND WERE SUPPORTED BY ARTILLERY, ARA AND TAC AIR. A SWEEP OF THE CONTACT AREA REVEALED 57 NVA KIA, 31 BY SUPPORTING FIRE. THE NVA SLIPPED THROUGH THE TIGHTENING CORDON AND ATTACKED CO B AND RECON FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE REARS RESULTING IN THREE US KIA AND TEN US WIA. AFTER CO A WAS EXTRACTED THE BATTALION’S OTHER COMPANIES ATTACKED OUT
WARD FROM THE CORDON KILLING FOUR ENEMY. ALL ELEMENTS OF THE 7/402 WERE EXTRACTED BY 1600.
IN THE VICINITY OF YD 332239, TWO KILOMETERS SOUTHEAST OF FIRE-BASE O’REILLY, ELEMENTS OF THE 1ST REGT (ARVN) ENGAGED AN UNKNOWN SIZE ENEMY FORCE. THE ENEMY WITHDREW UNDER HEAVY ARA SUPPORT BY THE 4TH BN (AERIAL ARTY), 77TH ARTY (AMBL). THE ARVN ELEMENT PURSUED THE ENEMY FORCE AND WAS IN CONTACT THROUGHOUT THE DAY. A SWEEP OF THE CONTACT AREA AT 1730 HOURS REVEALED 37 NVA KIA, 16 BY ARA. NINE ARVN SOLDIERS WERE KILLED AND SEVEN WOUNDED.
ON 25 AUGUST, THE 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION (AMBL) REALIGNED ITS FORCES IN PREPARATION FOR THE NORTHEAST MONSOONS. THE 7TH BN (AMBL), 402D INF TERMINATED OPERATIONS IN COORDINATION WITH THE 3D REGT (ARVN) IN THE FIREBASE BARNETT AREA, AND MOVED TO CAMP EAGLE TO BEGIN BATTALION REFRESHER TRAINING.
THE 1ST REGT (ARVN) CONTINUED CONDUCTING OPERATIONS IN THE FIREBASE O’REILLY AREA WHILE ELEMENTS OF THE 3D REGT (ARVN) CONTINUED OPERATIONS IN THE FIREBASE BARNETT/ JEROME AREA.
DURING THE PERIOD 13-25 AUGUST COMBINED OPERATIONS IN THE O’REILLY/ BARNETT/ JEROME AREA RESULTED IN 614 ENEMY KILLED.
EPILOGUE
31 AUGUST 1970
With great dignity and military bearing Command Sergeant Major Zarnochuk mounted the stairs, marched to the center of the stage and halted. He executed a precise right-face and took two steps forward. In his hand he held a single sheet of paper. He glanced down at the paper, then called out, “Captain Matthew R. Kalemba.”
“Here,” a voice sounded from the bleachers.
The sergeant major paused. In a semicircle before him on the stage there were twenty-nine M-16 rifles with bayonets affixed. The muzzles were turned down, the bayonets stuck into the plywood. Atop each weapon was a helmet and in front of each, a pair of jungle boots. Someone had taken the time to spit-shine the boots.
“Captain Thomas M. Lopez,” Zarnochuk called.
“Here,” another voice answered.
Again there was the pause. The weapons and helmets and boots looked like a strange, morbid picket fence. The sergeant major was three steps behind the fence. Behind him was the colonel, the battalion XO and the chaplains. The brigade commander, the Old Fox, did not attend. He had already rotated to a duty station in the United States.
“Captain Peter L. O’Hare,” Zarnochuk called.
There was no answer. He paused, looked forward, down. The remnant of the 7th Battalion, 402d Infantry sat in the sun, on the crude wooden benches before the stage. Cherry was in the fourth row back. Around him were Lt. Thomaston, El Paso, Jax, Cahalan, Brown and FO. Squads, platoons, companies sat informally, partially mingled, yet generally the boonierats sat with the men they were closest to in the field. The sun was beating down harshly on the soldiers. The air was still. Zarnochuk surveyed the battalion.
“First Lieutenant Lawrence J. Caldwell.”
Again there was no answer. The boonierats shuffled and fidgeted in the sun. They had been sitting there for an hour. The memorial ceremony had begun with Chaplain Gibson’s invocation.
“In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” the chaplain had mumbled.
“Amen,” the chaplain’s assistant had responded from the first row of bleachers. Cherry had gritted his teeth.
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
“And also with you.”
“Hey,” Cherry whispered to El Paso.
“iQue pasa? “El Paso nodded to him.
“You are, Bro,” Cherry said. He smiled. “Hey, do you believe in reincarnation?”
The chaplain’s voice rose as his tempo increased, “… Give our brothers peaceful rest in the Light of Your Resurrection, in the Glory of Your Holiness. May they see the Light of Your Divine presence, Lord Jesus, in the Kingdom where You live and where You will graciously allow them to abide …”
“Yes,” El Paso whispered back to Cherry. “I think so. Everything in nature renews itself.”
“… Christ was the first to rise from the dead …”
“Shee-it,” Cherry smiled, “you mean, they goina be recycled.” He laughed. Jax laughed too yet he was angry with himself for laughing, for finding Cherry funny.
“… He will raise up our mortal bodies to be like His in Glory on the last day …”
Cherry did not want to listen to the chaplain and was happy when the chaplain ended by mumbling the Latin, “Benedictus qui veni in nomine Domini.” Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Cherry scratched his nose, rubbed his chin.
A new operation was to begin 1 September. He looked up toward the Oh-deuce pad to see what activity was in progress. The hilltop was buzzing with supply personnel and stacked deep in new equipment. The GreenMan’s speech brought his attention back to the stage.
“I feel humbled to stand before so many brave and valorous men,” the colonel began. He spoke with total sincerity, with real love and total belief in his words. “I want you men to under stand what your valor has achieved,” he said. “And for what your brave brothers have died. To each of these men represented here, we are awarding a Bronze Star. This may not seem like much. But these are symbols. It is a way the country has of saying, ‘Thank you.’ These men, you men, have made a significant contribution toward the accomplishment of our mission. These men we honor here today can rest in peace, assured that progress in Vietnamization, for which they gave their lives, is being made …”
Cahalan shook his head at the GreenMan’s words. He found them sickening. He looked at Jax and Cherry. Jax did not seem to be listening. Cherry was listening intently now.
“… I am fond of telling people that the job of the infantry in this country, this military region, this province, stacks up against the job of any infantry in any war that our country has ever fought. That includes the Winter Campaign in Germany in 1944 and the World War Two island hopping in the Pacific.
“I want you to know that you have been knocking against much of the NVA 7th Front composed of infantry, sapper and supply battalions. You ran head-on into a strong enemy in his own base area and you defeated him. You discovered what has probably been the biggest, most extensive, best camouflaged and, yes, most secure NVA complex discovered in I Corps during this entire war. You successfully exposed and neutralized the enemy, and you commenced his ultimate destruction. The headquarters you exposed has been completely destroyed by follow-up heavy bomber raids which produced numerous secondary explosions. Bomb damage assessment photographs indicate total destruction.
“Gentlemen, there are a lot of women and children in Hue and the surrounding lowland communities who are alive because of your sacrifices. The Vietnamese held national elections yesterday and because of your efforts there were no significant incidents in our coastal areas. There are also a lot of GIs in this division rear area who are thankful that you were out there …”
“They best be,” Cherry said aloud.
“… whether you like this unit or not,” the GreenMan continued, “you owe it to yourselves to be proud of what you have accomplished. You men descended into a valley that no allied troops had ever set foot in. The enemy will never again be secure in the Khe Ta Laou. You men sitting here have faced possibly the toughest obstacle life can throw at you and you have conquered it.
“Thank you.”
The GreenMan paused. Cherry sat ramrod straight in the seat below his commander. His chest swelled with pride. The GreenMan seemed to stare right at him. Then very solemnly the GreenMan said, “Sergeant Major Zarnochuk.” The GreenMan’s voice was now loud and clear and hard. “You are directed to read the roll call.”
At that moment Zarnochuk had mounted to the stage. The roll call continued. No one answered.
“Second Lieutenant Roosevelt Wheltley.
“Platoon Sergeant Manuel T. Alvarez.
“Platoon Sergeant Washington C. Briggs.
“Staff Sergeant Johnny Cartney.
“Staff Sergeant Le Huu Minh.
“Staff Sergeant Rafer S
. Ridgefield.
“Staff Sergeant Leon I. Silvers.”
Jax could not help it. Tears were heavy in his eyes. He cried unashamed. El Paso cried too. On Cahalan’s face the flow glistened in the sun.
“Sergeant Michael D. Bissett.
“Sergeant Anthony K. DiComo.
“Sergeant Joseph R. Escalato.
“Sergeant Woodrow M. Hayes.
“Sergeant Donald A. Nahele.”
Behind Cherry, McQueen also cried. There were no tears in Cherry’s eyes. He was pissed, indignant. “They are still here with us,” Cherry whispered. The others are not listening to him. “They are here in these seats. Now,” he said. “Now and forever. In me, by me, their spirits shall live forever.”
“Specialist Jerome Clement.
“Specialist Charles T. Finton.
“Specialist Norman Rocca.
“Specialist Carlos Sanchez.
“Private First Class Daniel A. Dunn.
“Private First Class Juan Carmona.
“Private First Class Dewey C. Greer.
“Private First Class Wayne Z. Smith.
“Private First Class Justin Trumbull.
“Private Thomas Martinzelli.
“Private Thomas M. Southern.
“Private Stanley Wilson.
“Private Alberto S. Wong.
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