Short Story: World In Conflict Series -…

Short Story: World In Conflict Series - Vietnam

VIETNAM: STORY OF A BROKEN WAR

For many years, wars have changed peoples' lives forever, either by tragedy and death, or by post-traumatic stress endured for years after leaving the battlefield. One of these wars that has rocked a peaceful and loving country, is the Vietnam War. Also known as the second Indo-China War, it was probably the most brutal since World War 2. More than two million North and South Vietnamese lost their lives. The war stretched itself from Vietnam to Cambodia and Laos. Guerrilla warfare has been around for hundreds of years, with insurgents fighting for freedom, causes or retaliation against an imposed law or a governmental sanction. The Vietcong, a small lightly armed insurgent force, fought guerrilla wars against anti-communist forces in the region. The North Vietnamese Army was a much larger force and often sent large battalions of troops into battle. The United States was sent into Vietnam to prevent the communists in the north taking over South Vietnam and influencing the spread of Communism there. The North was supported by China and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was the primary supplier of weapons and equipment to the North Vietnamese Army, while the United States was the primary supplier to the South.

The United States' involvement in Vietnam was part of a strategy called containment. Containment was the United States' policy to counteract the Soviet Union's moves to expand the influence of communism over Eastern Europe and South-East Asia. During its occupation in the years 1960-1973, the United States suffered 58,000 fatalities with another 300,000 wounded. Towards the middle of 1971, U.S. President Richard M. Nixon gave the order to start the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam, and on January 27, 1973, the Paris Peace Accords on "The End of the War and the Restoration of Peace in Vietnam" were signed, officially ending U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

With the absence of U.S. troops in the region, the road to Saigon was now open. North Vietnam invaded the south and on April 27, 1975, 100,000 North Vietnamese troops surrounded Saigon. 18th Division ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) troops fought fiercely defending the city, but they were heavily outnumbered. Saigon fell on April 30, 1975, and President Duong van Minh issued his last order, ordering all South Vietnamese troops to lay down their weapons. In 1976, North and South Vietnam were united. The war was finally over, and Vietnam began the long journey of the recovery from its wounds.

Today, Vietnam is one of the most luxurious and attractive countries for foreign tourists from around the globe, with approximately 80 hotels, resorts and lodges located in scenic areas across the country.

The story that is to follow is based on the movie "We Were Soldiers," starring Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe and Greg Kinnear but has been written in my own style. The story is about the Battle of Ia Drang, which was the first and bloodiest major battle of the Vietnam War.

U.S. ARMY 7TH CAVALRY TRAINING HEADQUARTERS, FORT BENNING, GEORGIA,

USA – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1965 - 08h03 EASTERN TIME

Lieutenant Colonel Harold Moore of the U.S. Army 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, was welcoming the new recruits.

"Good morning, soldiers. I trust you all slept well. Today, I'd like to introduce you to the routines of the 7th Cavalry. Please follow me."

Moore took the soldiers to one of the hangars on the army base airfield. Just as they got there, a Bell UH-1 Huey helicopter took off in front of the hangar.

"That, soldiers," said Moore, "Will be our horse which we will ride into battle. Don't have to clean it, don't have to feed it."

Moore and the soldiers went into the hangar.

"Gentlemen, in this regiment, we are the strongest fighting force that represents the U.S. Army. However, neither your training nor your rank as officers will keep you above the danger. Well, I hope you boys like training, because me and Major Plumley here, we love it!"

Moore and the soldiers were practicing airdrop insertions by helicopter. One of the Huey's landed and a soldier began climbing off. Moore pushed the man back into the Huey and said to another soldier,

"Your officer's been killed. What do you do? What do you do?"

The man didn't know what to say.

"Okay, he's dead too. What do you boys do?"

"Get off the chopper."

"That's right! Get off the chopper! Move! Move!"

The soldiers lept off the chopper and ran to cover in the landing zone. Moore gathered all the soldiers together.

"Do not underestimate the strength of your enemy, gentlemen. We'll be landing under fire. Men will die."

The men practiced moving through valleys and taking orders from officers, and moving across rugged terrain. Moore gathered the men around and switched on the wireless radio stack. Shouting and gunshots could be heard from the radio.

"That's our boys in Tay Ninh," said one of the officers. "Gentlemen, look after each other. Love one another, watch each other's back....." Gunfire started up on the radio again. ".....'cos when that starts, each other's all you're gonna have."

The men sat, staring at the ground and wondering what was going to be happening soon.

"Any of you sons-of-bitches call me Grandpa," said Major Plumley, "And I'll kill ya."

Moore went home to his wife and kids.

"How are my little angels this evening?"

"Fine."

"Hi, daddy!"

"Hi, honey," said Moore to his wife, Julie, as he kissed her.

"Well, how did you do today?" she asked.

"Well, I don't know. The men are tough and brave, but unfortunately, they don't realize the danger that awaits them."

"I'm sure you will prepare them well."

"Yeah. I suppose I will have to drill 'em harder."

After dinner, Moore took his kids upstairs and knelt down by the bed beside them. He prayed first.

"In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost,....."

"Daddy, can I pray whatever I want?" asked Cecile.

"But that's a sin," said David.

"No, no, it's not a sin," said Moore. "God just made you hard-headed, that's all. You want to pray for Mommy? What about Grandpa?" Cecile nodded. Moore prayed with the kids and then kissed them goodnight.

Moore was in the bathroom of his and Julie's bedroom, brushing his teeth when Julie, reading a book, giggled.

"What's funny?" asked Moore.

"Nothing, I'm just marveling."

Moore finished brushing his teeth and dived into bed, putting his arms around Julie and said,

"I'll give you something to marvel at." Julie squealed and giggled. Moore put his hand in hers.

"Whenever I pray, whatever I want, I pray to God for you." He kissed her and lay down next to her, putting the light out.

Next morning, soldiers and officers were on their way to the sports pavilion for a speech that Moore was going to be giving to the whole regiment.

"Good morning, Major Plumley," said a private as he walked past.

"How do you know what kind of goddamned day it is?" growled the major.

Once everyone was gathered, Moore walked up to the microphone. Wives and children of the soldiers were gathered all around.

"Look around you," began Moore. "In the 7th Cavalry, we got all kinds of nationalities. We got a Captain from the Ukraine, another from Puerto Rico, we got Japanese, Chinese, Blacks, Hispanics, Cherokee Indians, Jews and Gentiles, but they are all of them, American. Now here in the sweet US of A, some of you may experience discrimination because of race or creed, but for you and me now, that is to be put behind us. We're moving into the valley which we shall call The Valley of the Shadow of Death, where you will watch the back of the man next to you, as he will watch yours, and you won't give a damn what color he is or by what name he calls God. Let us understand the situation: we're going into battle.....against a tough and determined enemy. I want you all to understand this: the moment that first bullet flies past your head, I promise you, you will forget about the difference in color of your fellow officers as if you never even noticed it in the first place. Now I can't promise you that I will bring you all home alive, but this I swear: when we go into battle, I will be the first one to set foot on the field, and I will be the last to step off. And I will leave no one behind." He nodded. "Dead, or alive, we will all come home together. So help me God."

Another private walked past Major Plumley on his way back to camp.

"Beautiful day, isn't it, Major?"

"Fall in line, soldier! What the hell's wrong with you?" the major growled back.

The soldiers practiced on the target range for a couple hours and then jogged 2 miles before going to the canteen for a late afternoon dinner. And later that evening, the officers put on a wonderful party for the men. Soldiers and officers alike danced with their wives and drank champagne. Some of them got hopelessly drunk. Eventually everybody went home for a good few hours' sleep before they had to report to Army headquarters at 0500 hours.

Early next morning before light, the soldiers started getting out of bed quietly and dressing into their uniforms. They left their houses and started making their way to base. Moore got up quietly, dressed, and kissed Julie before leaving the house. A few minutes later, Julie

got up and ran outside in her nightie. She looked down the street where Moore had gone.

"I love you," she whispered.

When all the soldiers and officers were gathered at the U.S. Army Headquarters, Moore gave one last short speech before everyone climbed aboard the buses that would take them to the airfield. From there, they would be flown by Hueys out to the USS Independence in the Pacific.

The soldiers spent a few days at the US Army Manila Post in the Philippines before being flown across the Gulf of Ronkin to South Vietnam.

CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, SOUTH VIETNAM – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1965 – 12h00

LOCAL TIME

Moore and Major Plumley went inside the Army Base Command Center.

"Good afternoon, Major McCoy. I'm Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore and this is Major Edward Plumley."

"Good afternoon. How was the trip?"

"You know what SSDD stands for, sir?" grumbled Plumbley.

McCoy laughed at that. "Yeah. Same shit, different day. I get it. Well, we've got some work for you." McCoy pulled out a map.

"Yesterday, D-Company encountered a small NVA force near their base on the Cambodian border. They fought fiercely and defeated the enemy."

"How many casualties?" asked Moore.

"None.....luckily. But my men suspect something sinister. They've been running into increased enemy activity and heavy patrols. And my gut feeling is that the enemy is massing for a major offensive. The possibility of NVA bunkers in the area is very likely. So your orders are simple: find the enemy and kill them."

For two days, Moore and Plumley studied maps of the area and satellite photos. Then on the 14th, 7th Cavalry soldiers were flown by UH-1 Huey helicopters to Landing Zone X-Ray.

LANDING ZONE X-RAY, IA DRANG VALLEY - 10h48

The Hueys flew along the Drang River, over a few small bridges and villages. Landing Zone X-Ray was located in a large open grassy area surrounded by woods and mountains on all sides. Moore stepped off the chopper onto the field, and the platoon of 400 men dismounted from the Huey's. The men lay down in the grass and began to open fire into the woods. After a minute, Moore waved his hand, ordering the men to cease fire. One of the officers whistled and ordered 2nd Platoon to secure the right flank. The men moved forward towards the woods and just as they got there, a young Vietnamese boy leapt out of a hole in the ground and started running away into the woods.

"A scout!" shouted one of the men. "Let's take him prisoner!"

"Lieutenant!" shouted an officer. The men ran forward towards the woods. They chased the boy through the woods until they came out to an opening. Just then one of the soldiers carrying the radio stack took a shot through the throat and slumped to the ground.

"Incoming! Move to cover!" shouted an officer.

The soldiers ran to a clump of trees and hid in some tall grass. One of the other soldiers stood up and gave a burst of fire into the woods on the other side of the opening with his M16 assault rifle. Enemy fire then poured out of the trees. The soldiers started being picked off one by one.

"STAY DOWN! EVERYONE STAY DOWN! Parker, you STAY DOWN!"

One of the sergeants got on the radio to Colonel Moore.

"Colonel, we are cut off! I repeat, we are CUT OFF! Do you copy? Over."

"Repeat your transmission. Say again, repeat your transmission. Over," came a scratchy response.

"We are cut off! I repeat, we are CUT OFF! Do you copy? Over." The radio went dead.

"Damn it! We are on our own boys. Hayle, get out the M60. Break some fire into those trees!"

"Yes, sir."

Hayle set up the machine-gun on its bi-pod, fed the ammunition belt into the weapon and worked the bolt to load it. A few seconds later, he opened heavy fire into the column of enemy soldiers. The other 7th Cavalry soldiers opened fire as well and gradually, everyone started

falling back.

Meanwhile, at the LZ, Moore and Plumley were alerted to the presence of a Vietnamese boy hiding in a hole in the ground by one of the ARVN soldiers.

"Look here! We got someone! We got a boy!"

Major Plumley grabbed the boy by the shirt collar and dragged him out of the ground. The boy cringed and shouted something in protest.

"He says he is just a mountain boy," said the ARVN soldier.

"Bullshit," said Plumley. "He's a lookout. Ask him where our missing patrol is."

"Ở đâu tuần tra người Mỹ mất tích?"

"Tôi chỉ thấy họ chạy ra vào rừng. Đó là tất cả."

"He says he saw them run off into the forest. That's all he knows."

"What about the NVA patrol that was spotted here the other day?"

"Những người Mỹ được hỏi về những người lính Bắc Việt Nam được ở đây?"

"Khu vực này là cơ sở để hai ngàn lính Bắc Việt Nam."

"He says this area is base to two thousand NVA."

"Holy shit, Colonel, what do we do now? We'll be overrun."

Moore raised his hand, and the man fell silent.

"Where are they?" he asked.

"Đâu là căn cứ của họ?"

"Đó là núi," said the boy pointing north.

"That mountain."

Moore and Plumley looked towards the mountain.

"Get the men in position, Hardison," said Moore.

"Yes, sir."

In the woods, 2nd Platoon was still under fire, but not so much now that most of the advancing troops had been driven off. Dead and wounded 7th Cavalry soldiers lay all around.

"Sarge," said one of the wounded. He had three gunshot wounds to the chest and stomach and his hands were shaking terribly. A sergeant crept up to him. A medic was leaning over him.

"It's okay, soldier. You're gonna be alright."

"Sarge, d-d-d-did w-we get 'em all?" asked the wounded soldier.

"We've driven most of them off. It looks like we're alone now."

"G-glad to know I-I could d-die for my country." The man fell silent and his eyes widened.

"Doc."

"Sorry, Sarge. He's gone."

Another wounded soldier called for help and an officer went to him.

"Tell my wife..." his voice went to a whisper, "...I love her."

"Goddamn it, Lieutenant, you've got to get us out of here now!"

"Alright, everyone, that means EVERYONE, fall back to LZ X-Ray. Let's move! Bring the wounded with you."

The men shortly made it back to Colonel Moore and Major Plumley. Just then, at Lieutenant Duang Don Nguyen's command center in Loc Ninh, the boy that had run away from 2nd Platoon was just informing the Lieutenant of the American soldiers in the valley.

"Trung úy, các chiến sĩ trực thăng đang trong thung lũng!"

(Lieutenant, the helicopter soldiers are in the valley!)

Lieutenant Nguyen showed his officers a map.

"Di chuyển người đàn ông của bạn ở đây, ở đây và ở đây. Bao quanh họ để họ có hư không chạy. Chúng ta phải cầm lạ bất kỳ các tuyến đường của trốn thoát."

(Move your men here, here and here. Surround them so they have nowhere to

run. We must choke any routes of escape.)

Officers at the bunkers all over the hill blew whistles and platoon after platoon of NVA soldiers exited the bunkers and headed down the hill to the valley below.

LZ X-RAY - 13h50

Hundreds of North Vietnamese soldiers were engaging Colonel Moore's platoons at the LZ. The hammering noise of M60 machine-gunfire blended with the noise of the NVA troops' AK-47's was overwhelming. Screams from wounded soldiers could be heard everywhere.

"Too Tall, how's that bird coming along?" said Moore on the radio.

"She'll pass over you in about 5 minutes, sir."

"Alright, tell her when she comes past, to fire 15,000 rounds of ammunition in front of our position."

"Yes, sir."

"Alright. Sergeant Everson, I want all the artillery fire Bravo Company has to hit that mountain," said Moore, pointing North.

"Yes, sir." Sergeant Everson got on the radio.

"Bravo, Bravo, Bravo, Charlie here. Do you copy? Over."

"Roger that, Charlie. What's the situation? Over."

"I need you to hit Bunker Hill with all the artillery support you have. Do you copy? Over."

"Roger that, Charlie. Artillery on the way. Over."

The artillery started pounding the mountain just as "Little Bird" flew over, ripping up the terrain with thousands of rounds from its 7.62mm machine-gun. A dozen NVA were killed in the first volley of machine-gun fire and another two dozen from the artillery. More NVA poured out of the woods at the base of the mountain.

"Snakeshit, do you copy?" said Moore on the radio.

"Roger that, Colonel Moore. It's good to hear you, man. What's up?"

"How many troops we got at Echo base?"

"250 men, sir."

"Alright, I want your men to fly them in to LZ X-Ray. Do you copy?"

"Yes, sir. I'll have them deploy right away."

Two clicks to the east Sergeant Towser and his squad moved up into a riverbed to surround a small enemy bunker. They crept up to the entrance and Sergeant Towser ordered them to throw in hand grenades. There were a few explosions and the men moved in to clear out the bunker. They found valuable enemy intel showing a checkpoint of enemy troops and artillery between them and the NVA command base. Sergeant Towser got on the radio to Colonel Moore.

"Sir, there's a checkpoint of NVA troops in the village of Bo Duc, 5 clicks to the north. Want me to call in support? Over."

"Negative. Fall back to LZ X-Ray. We need you. We've got reinforcements coming in. We'll get that checkpoint last. Over."

"Alright," shouted Sergeant Towser, "Everyone fall back to LZ X-Ray. Let's move."

The reinforcements touched down and fresh soldiers joined Moore and Plumley's position. The fighting eased off at around 18h30. With 215 7th Cavalry soldiers dead, Moore and Plumley's soldiers returned to base for resupply and rearmament.

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, USA – SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1965 - 09h25 EASTERN

TIME

"Hi, Cathy. How are you this morning?" asked Mary Harrison.

"Not well. I just got this." She held up a letter from the Ministry of Defense.

"What is it?" asked Mary, taking the letter and reading it.

"Oh my God, Cathy. I'm so sorry," she said, hugging Cathy as she wept grievously.

"Why the hell do they have yellow cabs delivering these damned letters?" asked Cathy, sobbing.

"Mary, have you heard?" asked another woman, Liz, running up to Mary and Cathy.

"Jacqueline has just received a letter from the Ministry. Her husband's been killed in action.

She's in an awful state of shock."

Just then, the three ladies spotted the yellow cab driving up to Mary's house.

"Oh, no. Not that, please. Please. Oh my God, no!" cried Mary, starting to panic. She ran up to the yellow cab and the driver gave her the letter.

"Ohhhhhhhhhh!" she screamed, falling to her knees. Cathy and Liz ran up to her and put their arms around her. Just then at Col Moore's house, the cab pulled up outside. Julie, motionless, stood by the front door.

"Mrs Moore?" asked the driver.

"Yes?" whispered Julie.

"I'm trying to find this address. I was wondering if you could help me."

"Do you know what this is?" Julie screamed at him. "Do you know what you've just done to me?" Slowly, the driver started making his way back to the car.

"I don't like my job, ma'am. Just tryin' to do it."

He was just climbing back into the vehicle when Julie ran up to him, saying’

"Wait! Please wait. Give me the letters. I'll deliver them for you."

"Thanks, ma'am. Sorry for disturbing ya."

The cab drove off and Julie went to her neighbor, Robynne.

"Robynne, please help me. I've got to deliver these." She held out the letters. Robynne started flipping through them.

"Oh my God, Julie. This one's for Maggie."

U.S. ARMY BASE, DONG XOAI, VIETNAM – SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1965 -

22h04 LOCAL TIME

"Gentlemen, this may have been the toughest day I have been through. I know you guys fought well and hard, and I'm proud of you, I won't deny it. We repelled the enemy advance for as long as possible, but they might come back to haunt us, if we do not go in again and

destroy them. They killed over two hundred of our men today, and sure as hell, I will not forget that for as long as I am alive. Fresh reserves are arriving in the morning, and we're going back to get those bastards. I want you all, now, to realize the danger you are facing. I did not lie to you back at Fort Benning. The enemy we are facing are jungle-trained and battle-hardened. These coolies have been living in diverse conditions for years, and have adapted to it. We, however, have not. The combination of heat and humidity distracts our concentration. But, despite that, we have a job to do. Now I know a lot of your friends and colleagues are dead. I swear to you, we will not let their deaths go unanswered. We will fight until we have fired our last bullet. Then, and only then, do we fall back. In the 7th Cavalry, we leave no man behind. Am I understood?"

"YES,COLONEL MOORE,SIR!" shouted all the men.

"Good. Get some rest guys. Tomorrow, we're going to be assaulting 3 large NVA bunkers. And you'll need all the strength you've got for the job. Dismissed." The men packed their things ready for the morning, and settled in for the night.

"Good morning, gentlemen," said Moore, apparently a bit groggy from a hangover. "I trust you all had a good night's sleep, I just wish I could say the same for myself. You know, partying with Major Plumbley and the officers an' all. Got a bit out of control. OK. Get yourselves ready for mess. We got steak and eggs for you this morning. Then report to the command center at 09h00. Dismissed."

The food was just what the soldiers needed for the rough day that awaited them. At 08h58, the men were gathered round in the room with Colonel Moore and Major Plumley, with the officers supervising the briefing that was to follow.

"Gentlemen. We got three NVA bases around this region. The first is here, just one click south-west of our position. The second one is here, about two clicks east of Hoa Hiep. And the third, as you can see is here, three clicks south-west of Snoul, just inside Cambodia."

"Cambodia, sir? But that's murder. We are not allowed into Cambodia. Those are strict orders from Command, sir."

"Yeah, well, SCREW Command, soldiers. Those bastards killed nearly half of my men yesterday, and the US Army can discharge me after this operation if they like, but at least I'll know that those men did not die in vain. Move out."

15 minutes later the troops were on their way south-west.

NAM PHAN PROVINCE, SOUTH VIETNAM, 90 KILOMETERS EAST OF THE CAMBODIAN BORDER – MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1965 - 10h01

The soldiers dismounted from the APCs in a forest. They then made their way south towards a huge mountain where the first NVA base was believed to be located.

"Battalion 5, Charlie here. Do you read? Over."

"Roger that, Charlie. I read you strength five. Over."

"I need artillery at Alpha one-one-eight-one-oh-six-three. Over."

"Roger that, Charlie. Coming down."

"Everyone sit tight until the artillery has stopped."

The artillery came down in a 500-meter diameter area for about 1 minute, shaking the ground like an earthquake.

"Everyone, let's go!" and the 7th Cavalry soldiers charged forward, guns blazing at the NVA troops coming out of the bunker. One soldier took a hit through the chest, another took one in the spleen, and a third took one straight through the head. The 7th Cavalry fired for another minute or so and the last NVA soldiers staggered out of the bunker, apparently on fire from the burning fuel inside the bunker.

"Move in and secure!" shouted Moore.

A couple soldiers moved into the bunker and came out a minute later.

"It's clear, sir."

"Good. Let's head back to the APCs and then move out to our next objective."

The APCs took the soldiers 100 kilometers west to the mountain where the second bunker was. The soldiers climbed out and called for artillery on the mountain, waiting a few minutes before moving in. This time, there weren't many NVA soldiers at this location, as most

of them were out fighting to the south. The 7th Cavalry soldiers quickly took control of the bunker. They then headed back to the APCs for the journey north into Cambodia.

APPROACHING THE CAMBODIAN BORDER, 50 KILOMETERS NORTH OF HOA HIEP,

SOUTH VIETNAM - 15h00

"Now remember. We might have Cambodian troops advancing on our position. As soon as that happens, we fall back. We do NOT have a war with Cambodia. Is that understood?"

"SIR,YES,SIR!!"

The APC's got to the border post and had to stop at the guard station.

"Everyone stay in the APC. I'll handle this." Moore approached the guard station, noticing only a handful of sentries on duty.

"In case this turns bad, just keep your fingers on those triggers," said Moore to the machine-gunners on top of the APC's.

"Good afternoon,” said Moore to one of the sentries. "You speak English?"

"Yes," replied the sentry in an obviously tribal dialect accent. "You cannot cross here. No American in Cambodia."

"Yeah, that's what Command says, but they can kiss my ass."

"I say no American. You go back to Vietnam were you are stationed."

"Listen here, buddy," said Moore, taking out three fifty-dollar bills. "Take this. Go buy something nice for your wife."

"Arrest him!" the guard yelled to the other sentries in Khmer. With a quick and skillful motion, Moore slid his Ka-Bar knife from the sheath across his chest and slashed the man's throat, starting below the Adam's Apple and ending just under the chin. The sentry's head flew upwards, blood spraying out of the mouth and throat before the man toppled backwards onto the front porch of the guard house. The other sentries had already slung their SKS rifles off their shoulders and Moore dived into the guard house as the sentries tore up the woodwork

of the guard house porch with semi-automatic fire before they were torn down by the APC machine-gunners.

"Moore, c'mon! Open the gate and let's go!"

Moore yanked the beam barrier open and then scuttled into the APC before the convoy sped off along the dirt road into Cambodia.

Moore, Plumley and the 7th Cavalry soldiers reached the outskirts of Snoul just before nightfall. They stopped for a couple minutes to ready their weapons and have a pre-mission briefing.

"Alright, listen. We are in Cambodia. We are not in Vietnam anymore, so that means no, I repeat no artillery. This is going to be tough, gentlemen, so I want you to STICK TOGETHER! No-one wanders off to play cowboy, am I understood?"

"SIR,YES,SIR!"

"MOVE OUT!"

The soldiers reached the mountain on which the last NVA bunker was located. The soldiers all went prone and crawled forward towards a forested area. It was pitch black now, and very quiet.

"It's too dark, Lieutenant. I can't see shit," whispered one of the soldiers. "Get some flares up there."

"Colonel Moore, do you copy? Over."

"Yeah, I got you. What's up? Over."

"I need Illumination one-eight-zero. We're about half a click from the bunker, by the forest to the east. Do you copy? Over."

"I gotcha Lieutenant. Just gimme a minute to get the flares out the APC. Over."

A minute later, the flares went up right above the 7th Cavalry soldiers and the whole forest light up like daylight. There were NVA and Cambodian troops all around the 7th Cavalry soldiers, right on top of them.

"Oh, Shit. LIGHT 'EM UP!!!"

The whole forest erupted with heavy gunfire as the 7th Cavalry soldiers fired all around them. More enemy troops poured into the forest.

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, USA – MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1965 – 08h34 EASTERN

TIME

Monday was always the day when Julie did house-cleaning. She had the vacuum cleaner going. The kids were at school. Every night, they asked Julie if their daddy was alright and when he would be coming home. And every time, Julie reassured them that their daddy was fine and that he was away on business. Within Julie herself, she was terrified and doubted whether Moore would ever be coming home. Each day that passed without him near to her, she became weaker. Eventually, she would become so weak that she would become ill. And

the kids? What would happen to them? Would there be a home for them to go to? Who would look after them? The doorbell rang. It was Mary.

"Hi Julie. The ladies and I are going out to Thornberry's Tea Garden, just to get a little time-out after the shocking news we got yesterday. Would you like to come?"

"Sorry, I can't. I've got house-cleaning to do."

"Aw, come on, Julie. You can do it when we get back. We won't be that long, promise." Julie looked at her for a minute, then made up her mind.

"Okay, let me just get my handbag."

SOUTH OF SNOUL, CAMBODIA - 21h14

The 7th Cavalry soldiers were taking serious casualties. Dozens of NVA and Cambodian troops were entering the forest, guns blazing.

"PRIVATE MARLIN!" shouted a lieutenant above the noise. "THE BUNKER MUST BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FOREST! TAKE THESE FRAGMENTATION GRENADES AND THROW THEM IN THERE, ONE AFTER THE OTHER! THERE MUST BE A FRIGGIN' BATTALION DOWN THERE!"

The private ran around the back of the forest and came out on the north side. The bunker entrance was there, a big hole in the ground. The soldier stood just inside the entrance, pulled out the pin of the first grenade, and rolled it down the passageway of the bunker. He quickly pulled the pins of the others and rolled them down side passageways and into rooms just as another group of NVA soldiers started coming down the passageway. The private lept out of the bunker and did a head-over-heels somersault as the grenades went off, collapsing the roof of the bunker and sealing the entrance. The private then made his way back to the forest. The last NVA and Cambodian troops had been wiped-out.

"Alright. Everyone! Back to the APCs. Bring the wounded. Leave the dead."

The soldiers made it back to Colonel Moore and Major Plumley and everyone climbed into the APCs and headed back to Vietnam.

LIEUTENANT DUANG DON NGUYEN'S COMMAND CENTER – LOC NINH, SOUTH

VIETNAM – TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1965 – 05h38 LOCAL TIME

"Trung úy, hai sân của chúng tôi ở đây và là một trong những tại Campuchia đã bị phá hủy bởi các chiến sĩ trực thăng."

(Lieutenant, our two bunkers here and the one in Cambodia have been

destroyed by the helicopter soldiers.)

"Chết tiệt! Làm thế nào mà họ đã tìm thấy chúng tôi?"

(Damn it! How did they find us?)

"Tôi không biết,ngài."

(I don't know, sir.)

"Vâng, những gì bạn biết, người lính? Nơi nào bạn nghĩ rằng họ sẽ đình công tiếp theo?"

(Well, what do you know, soldier? Where do you think they will strike next?)

"Đăng bài của chúng tôi tại Bộ chỉ huy Đức,ngài"

(Our command post at Bo Duc, sir)

"Sau đó di chuyển! Tôi muốn mọi người lính trong quân đội tại Bồ Đức trong một giờ!"

(Then move! I want every soldier in this army at Bo Duc in one hour!)

Hordes of North Vietnamese troops poured out of the base and marched on to Bo Duc.

U.S. ARMY BASE, DONG XOAI, VIETNAM – 08h00

"Gentlemen," began Moore, pointing on the map. "Bo Duc, the NVA's stronghold. It's the only thing that stands between us and the enemy communication post. Once we destroy that, all communications to NVA troops in the area will be cut off. With that done, enemy presence in the area will be thundered upon, as the troops will be running around blind. But until then, UNTIL THEN, we have to take out this chokepoint at Bo Duc. It is not going to be easy, gentlemen. The enemy knows we're coming, and they're committing every battalion they have to the place. I need you all to rest as much as you need to.....because this is going to be hell on earth, gentlemen. You're dismissed."

The soldiers rested for a few hours, cleaned their weapons and polished their boots. Then they were briefed one last time before being flown by Huey to Bo Duc.

BO DUC OUTSKIRTS, VIETNAM – 13h00

Colonel Moore, Major Plumley and the 7th Cavalry soldiers got up to the hill overlooking the village and Colonel Moore did some recon with a pair of binoculars. The village was crawling with NVA troops.

"Okay. Everyone, on me. Single file. No sound."

Colonel Moore, Major Plumley and the soldiers headed down towards the village.

"Private, plant this C4 charge on that truck. Everyone else, get in position."

The private stuck the explosives on the back of the truck and then hurried back to the squad. A minute later, the explosives went off and the truck somersaulted into the air in a ball of flame.

"LETS GO!!!" shouted Moore and everyone charged forward. The NVA troops ran for cover and returned heavy fire. The 7th Cavalry soldiers got into good positions and continued their fire on the NVA troops. More nearby NVA troops joined the fight. The battle raged on for over an hour. The 7th Cavalry soldiers then moved up to the command post at the other side of the village. Colonel Moore, Major Plumley and the men charged forward towards an incline. Moore was leading the squad. When Moore reached the top of the incline, there were more NVA troops and a machine-gunner waiting. Moore looked straight into the machine-gunner's eyes as he charged forward. The machine-gunner smiled and placed his finger on the trigger of the Taisho. Moore continued to charge forward. Just then an AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter swept over the NVA troops, tearing them to shreds with its mounted minigun.

"Saved by the minigun, eh, Colonel?" said Plumley.

"Yeah, I was wondering when they'd show up."

The rest of the village was secured just as the news press arrived by CH-47 Chinook helicopter.

"....and this marks the third day of fighting in this area of Vietnam by the United States Army's 7th Cavalry Division. Colonel Moore and his squad of soldiers touched down in the Ia Drang Valley just east of the village of Loc Ninh on Sunday. A fearsome battle raged on in that area for about 12 hours before the North Vietnamese Army troops there were driven back to Lieutenant Duang Don Nguyen's command center in Loc Ninh. The following day, Colonel Moore's team was ambushed just north-east of Hao Hiep on their way to the Cambodian

border after they destroyed two NVA bunkers. It is believed that they destroyed a third NVA bunker in Cambodia itself. And today was the final skirmish between the 7th Cavalry and the forces of the North Vietnamese Army here in the village of Bo Duc. Of the 700 7th Cavalry

soldiers that engaged the NVA since Sunday, only 340 live to tell the tale of this horrific battle. I am also hearing reports of...Oh my gosh, there's Colonel Moore! Colonel Moore, Colonel Moore, this must have been a tragic battle for all of you. How do you feel after three

days of brutal fighting? How do your men feel?"

Moore looked at her.

"You have no idea how we feel,” he said. "Get the hell out of my way." Moore pushed past her.

LIEUTENANT DUANG DON NGUYEN'S COMMAND CENTER – LOC NINH, SOUTH

VIETNAM – 18h00

"Ngài, những người Mỹ đã đánh bại quân đội của chúng tôi tại Bồ Đức. Có không có gì giữa chúng tôi và liên lạc đăng bài của chúng tôi."

(Sir, the Americans have defeated our troops at Bo Duc. There's nothing between us and our communications post.)

"Điều này đã được một thất bại. Nay là người Mỹ sẽ nghĩ rằng đây là chiến thắng của họ."

(This has been a failure. Now the Americans will think this is their victory.)

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, USA – TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1965 – 17h00 EASTERN

TIME

Julie was busy making dinner. Roast chicken and potatoes, what could be nicer for herself and the children who had had a rough day at school? Julie was just getting out a bottle of Jack Daniels when the doorbell rang. Slowly, Julie put the bottle down and maneuvered

toward the front door. Had it happened? Was this the day Harold was killed? She gently opened the front door and froze. There was Moore standing there, grinning from ear to ear. Julie flung her arms around him, tears streaking down her cheeks. Moore kissed his wife.

"You're just in time for dinner," she said.

"Oh, well, I wasn't aiming to be," laughed Moore. "Where are my little angels?"

"Daddy!" screamed the kids as they rushed towards Moore and, diving at him, wrapped their arms around him, almost knocking him over.

After dinner, as usual, Moore said his prayers with the kids and kissed them goodnight. Then he went to his and Julie's bedroom. After

brushing his teeth, he climbed into bed.

"So many of my men died," said Moore to Julie. "I just can't believe it. I trained 'em, loved 'em, taught 'em to love each oth er, and they all died. I will never forgive myself."

He started to cry. Julie put her arms around Moore and kissed him.

"It's not your fault," she whispered. "I saw it on the news. You fought an evil so great the world shook. You've done your job. Now it's over."

Moore looked at his wife and kissed her one more time before lying down and putting out the light.