the Last Run (1987)

by Leonard B Scott

Matt laughed out loud and put his arms around Thumper's huge shoulders. "She's still passing out cookies?"

  Thumper bent over and kissed Mary Ann's forehead. "That's why I married her . . . but don't tell her."

  Virginia looked at Matt's bloodshot eyes. "How you feelin', honey?"

  Matt winked. "Great!"

  Thumper chortled, "Hell, Matt, tell her the truth. You puked in that trash can back there."

  Matt punched Thumper jokingly and frowned. "The rum and Cokes got to me last night. I shoulda stuck to beer."

  Mira got to her feet. "Where's Black Eagle?"

  Thumper tossed his thumb behind him and picked up the bag of cookies. "Woodpecker and him are comin'. They were talking to J. D. Gibson." Thumper tossed a cookie to each of his sons and offered one to Matt.

  Matt shook his head and stood beside Mira. "He looks good, Mira. You've taken good care of him.''

  Mira saw her husband coming and smiled. "No, the Lord has."

  Matt felt the same pain now as he'd felt when he'd first seen Preacher yesterday.

  Woodpecker walked slowly beside Preacher, being careful not to make him hurry. Preacher stepped normally with his right leg but had to toss his left leg in a jeriring motion. He supported his movements with a cane.

  Matt smiled through his pain. "About time. We gotta get lined up."

  Mary Ann stood quickly. "I'll say it's about time. The kids are freezin' to death. Where do we go to see the parade?"

  Thumper pointed toward the Washington Monument. "To the right of the monument is Constitution Avenue. They've got bleachers set up and a reviewing stand. You all can sit in the bleachers. Sierra Rangers will be marching behind the 173rd Airborne Brigade, so when you see them pass, get ready to see the best damn company in the world."

  "Amen," said Preacher.

  "There it is!" said Woodpecker, holding up his thumb.

  "Damn straight!" added Matt, feeling light inside. Seeing his men smile and laugh the past days had taken away his fears about coming. The first time he saw them he'd stood and cried, unable to move. They'd come to him, crying, too, and hugged him like a lost brother. There was no anger in their faces, only love. Love that he'd forgotten for too long. Ginny had been right. They'd needed each other.

  Matt put his hand out to the woman who stood by him over the years waiting for him to understand what she'd known all along. Memories can change-not the facts, but the feelings behind them.

  Virginia came to him and he hugged her for strength. There were two more memories that had to be faced.

  The women sat the boys between them and pulled the blankets over their shoulders as the Army band marched by the reviewing stand. The crowds in the bleachers and lining the streets all clapped and stood. The band peeled off next to the bleachers and continued playing as the first contingent of veterans approached. They were led by General Westmoreland. The veterans behind him walked with heads held high and waved to the crowd. They wore every conceivable type of uniform and civilian attire. Some were in jungle fatigues, while others walked in T-shirts. Mary Ann squeezed Virginia's hand tighdy. The men she cared so much for weren't young men anymore. Most were in their thirties; their faces had lost their innocence long ago, but their smiles and waves warmed her all the way to her toes. Group after group passed, some following state banners, others, unit banners-the 101st Airborne Division, the First Cavalry, Delaware, Texas, First Infantry Division. Some walked arm and arm while others marched along with the beat of the music. As they passed the reviewing stand, many would salute while others just waved. Finally, after thousands had passed, Mary Ann saw the 173rd banner a block up the street.

  "There they are! They're behind the 173rd!"

  The women all stood, holding each other and waiting excitedly.

  The Rangers were led by J. D. Gibson, who marched to the side of the formation of forty-five men calling out cadence. Hut . . . two . . . three . . . four. Hut. . . two . . . three . . . four. The Rangers marched in perfect step. Their heads were set to the front. They marched proudly, wanting everyone to know they were still a unit, a unit deactivated with no fanfare, no banner- waving, but still a unit, a unit of proud men who had not forgotten.

  Gibson halted the formation one hundred yards from the reviewing stand to get more distance between his group and the 173rd. He began to say "forward march," but stopped himself and faced the formation.

  "Rangers, we can march or we can by God show who we are! Whatddya say we double-time!"

  The men yelled back, "Double-time!"

  Preacher stood beside Thumper and Woodpecker in the last rank. The march had been difficult for him. Many times he'd had to grab Woodpecker's arm to keep his balance. The decision to run meant he'd have to fall out to the side so as not to embarrass his fellow Rangers. He backed up just as Gibson commanded "Double-time . . . March!"

  Matt saw Preacher walking slowly to the curb and yelled at Thumper, "Get him!"

  Both Thumper and Woodpecker broke from ranks and picked their friend up by his arms and jogged back into position. They held him tightly between them, allowing him to hop on his right leg and hold the left one up.

  Gibson sang out, "Here we go! All the Way! One Way! Ranger! Ranger/"

  The women saw their men approach and stood with tears running down their faces. The crowd came to their feet, clapping and hollering as the proud Rangers ran by in perfect unison.

  Then Mira saw Black Eagle and suddenly felt weak. His head was held high and his cheeks glistened with tears of pride. He was together with his beloved friends and running. Running not like the others, but still, with them, as he had in his mind for so many years.

  Mira looked skyward and thanked God for the miracle.

  The march ended a few blocks past the reviewing stand at the new Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Matt, Thumper, Woodpecker, and Preacher walked toward the monument arm in arm, as they'd promised they would the night before.

  They held each other tightly as they walked down the slight grade past the polished black granite panels covered with too many names. Tliey stopped at die seventeenth panel and began their search. It was Preacher who pointed, finding what they sought, but Matt turned away, overcome by the emotions that seemed to engulf him. Woodpecker tearfully put his hand on the last two names on the thirty-sixth row-Cart Rostov and Jeremiah Flowers-and looked at the other team members. 4'Three-one!"

  Preacher hugged Woodpecker and put his hand on top of the redhead's. 44Three-one!"

  Thumper put his arm around Matt's shoulder and spoke softly. 44It's time, Matt."

  The ex-team leader raised his head and took in a deep breath to stop his crying and looked at his friend, forcing a smile. Yeah. It really is."

  He walked to the wall, following Thumper, who threw his arm around Woodpecker and Preacher and slapped his hand on top of the others. 44Three-one!"

  Matt looked into the faces of his crying team members and joined their embrace. He slowly raised his hand, laid it on his men's, and shut his tear-filled eyes. Then he could see Rose's grin and Russian's litde smile as they joined him in saying, 4 "Three- one!"

  October 1983

  Men of the newly activated First and Second Battalions of the Seventy-Fifth Infantry Airborne Rangers parachuted under fire onto the Communist-controlled airfield at Port Salinas, Grenada. The Rangers took the airfield, spearheading the successful invasion. It ain't never over!

  *

  GLOSSARY

  Airborne Personnel or equipment dropped by parachute.

  Airmobile Personnel or equipment delivered or inserted by helicopter.

  AK-47 A Soviet-Bloc produced semi-automatic or automatic 7.62mm assault Rifle, known as the Kalashnikov AK-47, easily identified by its distinctive popping sound.

  AO Area of Operation. -

  Arty Artillery.

  ARVN (AR-VIN) the South Vietnamese Army. Sometimes referred to as "Litde People."

  Assets Aircraft Support.

  AWOL Absent Without Leave.

  Azimut
h A direction in degrees from North, a bearing.

  Ballgame An operation.

  Base Camp An administrative and logistical camp for a unit, usually semi-permanent and contains unit's support elements, i. E., mess hall, supply.

  Baseball Baseball-shaped grenade, 2lh inches in diameter.

  BDA Bomb Damage Assessment.

  Beaucoup French for big or many. We pronounced it Boo-Coo.

  Berm Parapet around fortification or buildings.

  Bird Helicopter or plane.

  Bird dog L-19, Light fixed-wing observation airplane. O-IA or O-IE.

  BN Battalion. 400 to 600 men in U. S. Unit. 200 to 500 NVA battalion.

  Boonie hat Soft jungle flop hat.

  Boonie rat Infantrymen, grunt, dogfaces, line doggies.

  Boonies The bush, jungle, field.

  C's C-rations, canned meals.

  C-4 Plastic explosive.

  C-130 Air Force medium cargo plane.

  CAR-15 Colt Automatic Rifle . . . Colt Commando submachine gun, same as M-16 but shorter.

  C&C Command and Control.

  CH-47 Chinook, a large twin-rotor cargo helicopter.

  Charlie Mike Continue the Mission.

  Cheap Charlie Stingy or Cheap.

  Cherry New Troop.

  CHICOM Chinese communist, weapon or equipment made in China.

  Clacker Electricell detonating device for Claymore mines.

  Claymore Fan-shaped lightweight anti-personnel mine, detonated electrically. Plastic cased with a C-4 charge behind a plastic wall of steel balls.

  Co Company.

  Cobra AH-1G Huey Cobra Helicopter Gunship-Snake.

  Commo Communications.

  Conex Large corrugated metal container.

  C Rats C rations.

  CS Riot control gas.

  Daisy chain To attach one Claymore to another by det cord, firing one also fires the other. No limit to number of Claymores that could be attached in this manner.

  Det Cord Detonating cord for explosives, used in daisy chaining in ambushes.

  Didi {Dee Dee) Vietnamese to run, move out quickly.

  Dinks Derogatory expression for Vietnamese, enemy and friendly.

  Doughnut Dollies Red Cross girls.

  Escort Armed helicopter flying escort.

  Extraction Withdrawal of troops by air.

  FAC Forward Air Controller, Air Force spotter, to coordinate artillery or Air Strikes.

  East Movers An Air Force F-4 Phantom Jet.

  FVag Grenade. Also a term to mean "kill a lifer."

  Ereq Frequency.

  Green Used to mean safe.

  Gook Derogatory term for enemy or any oriental person or thing.

  Gunship Armed helicopter. HE High explosive.

  Heat Tabs An inflammable stick tablet used to heat C's or boil water for Lurps. Hootch Your bunk, whether a room or poncho. Horn Radio handset.

  Hump To walk carrying a rucksack or to perform tough duty. Insertion Placement of soldiers in AO by helicopter. Jody Bastard who takes your girl when you're gone. KIA Killed in action. Klick Kilometer. Lifer Career soldier.

  LOH floach) Light Observation Helicopter.

  LRRP (Lurp) Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol.

  Lurps Long Range Recon Soldier or lightweight freeze dried food packet. LZ Landing Zone.

  M-16 Rifle used by U. S. soldiers, weighs 7.6 pounds. M-60 U. S. light machine gun, fires 7.62mm bullets. M-79 Single shot 40mm grenade launcher. Medevac Medical evacuation by helicopter. MP Military Police.

  Nap-of-the-Earth Flying as close to the ground as possible. NCO Noncommissioned Officer: Sergeant. No sweat Easy.

  Number one (Numba one) The best, first place, the highest.

  Number ten (Numba ten) The worst, loser, the lowest.

  Nuoc mam Tangy Vietnamese sauce.

  NVA North Vietnamese Army or solider.

  OD Olive Drab.

  OJT On Job Training.

  On Station Gunships, Slicks or fast movers in position for mission or operation. OPS Operations-Tactical Operations Center. P-38 C-ration can opener, small and folds, comes in C-ration case. PZ Pick up zone. R&R Rest-and-Recreation vacation. Recon Reconnaissance.

  REMF (Rim-ph!) Rear Echelon Mother Fucker.

  Rock-n-roll Firing full automatic.

  RPD Soviet bi-pod mounted, belt fed light machine gun similar to American M-60. RPG Russian made anti-tank grenade launcher. RTO Radio Telephone Operator. Ruck, Rucksack Backpack issued to infantrymen. Same-Same The same as, or to do likewise. Sapper Enemy soldiers trained in demolition and infiltration. Sit Rep Situation Report.

  Short-short timer A soldier who has litde time left in country.

  Sky To leave or move out quickly.

  Slackman The second man behind the point man.

  Slicks Lift helicopter, Hueys.

  Snakes Cobra gunships.

  Tee Tee Vietnamese, small or litde.

  TOC Tactical Operations Center, Operations.

  TOP First sergeant of a company.

  USMA United States Military Academy.

  Ville Village.

  VHF Variable High Frequency.

  Wake-up Short timer expression "four days and a wake-up"

  (going home). Waste Kill.

  WIA Wounded in Action.

  WIMP Weak Incompetent Malingering Pussy.

  World U. S. of A.

  X ray Commo site.

  XO Executive Officer. About the Author

  Leonard B. Scott is a career Army officer who served in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne and 75th Rangers as a Rifle Platoon Leader, Patrol Platoon Leader, and Operations Officer. His combat decorations include the Silver Star, Purple Heart, and Combat Infantryman Badge. His hometown was Minco, Oklahoma. He now lives with his wife and children wherever the Army assigns him.

  Table of Contents

  Start