THE DI AN DIARY--MEMOIRS FROM THE VIETNAM WAR/PART SEVEN: A CALL OF NATURE AND A FRENZIED SPRINT

However physically demanding my brief time as a LRRP had been, the responsibilities of holding so many lives in my hands in Headquarters Command Operations--- dependent upon me and my ability to process situations quickly and accurately and to direct the needed tactical support every minute of every night---  demanded a whole other level of commitment and sacrifice.. It took everything, absolutely everything of which I am capable.

The brigade operation team.  A duty shift in 1969 with from L-R: Major Austin, Operations Officer; Specialist 5th Class Terry Brown, Operations Artillery Forward Observer; Sergeant Keith Wayne Ragan, Operations NCO.

My last months in Vietnam as the Brigade Night Duty NCO were as first described in my duties as Day Duty NCO. The big difference was there were no convoys moving, ambushes were positioned for the night and were not advancing, and the curfew for civilians was in effect making all locals instant Viet Cong if they were active past this time. It could be quiet and slow because of the decreased radio traffic. But, Charlie ruled the night, and about 75% of all firefights occurred past dark. So, the duties I performed were never routine. They were always of the utmost urgency with lives hanging in the balance. I immersed myself with what was required and sought ways to improve our effectiveness. Several tactical projects I initiated were adopted as S.O.P. and Colonel Carley singled me out on more than one occasion for competence and diligence. He would recommend me for the Army Commendation Medal for my service in the Headquarters Tactical Operation Center. I regard it, though technically it is not, as my highest honor awarded for my service in Vietnam, and I know it was my greatest contribution to the Second Brigade of the “Big Red One’s” theater of operations.

One experience that was out of the ordinary occurred during one of the slow times in this last assignment as the 2nd Brigade Headquarters Tactical Operations NCO. It is almost funny that of all the experiences in-country that threatened my puny existence that I would choose to recount this particular one. Maybe this one stands out because it was so unexpected. 

We had just received a message over the radio, that within the base camp, two NVA (North Vietnamese Regulars) had somehow escaped but intelligence did not believe they had penetrated our perimeter defenses to affect their escape yet. We were to warn all companies that these prisoners were loose, and it would be easy for them to pick up sleeping soldiers' weapons. All friendlies were to consider these escaped prisoners armed combatants. The alert went out.

Things got quiet about 3 A.M. after another rain deluge. Nature called and to get to the wood latrine I would have to take a flashlight, walk several hundred yards past the C.O.s trailer (small mobile home - at least the C.O, was comfortable) and on past and over a ditch several hundred more yards to the final destination. The latrine was located in an undeveloped section of the base camp, at the back end of field and was sandwiched between small trees or bushes on either side and behind. The razor-wired camp perimeter was a short distance beyond.

As I approached a light mist of rain began and I could barely see through the mist and the darkness of the night. All of a sudden, in the brush and shrubs next to the outhouse, I thought I saw movement. The escaped prisoners moved instantly to the forefront of my mind and thoughts.

I was still about 30 feet from the outhouse and not sure what I should do. Crouched, with the flashlight in front of my face I made my way closer to the area where I thought I had seen movement. Finally close enough, I strained and looked straight into another pair of eyes and an unmistakable Vietnamese face. He didn't move, and I didn't move. We just stayed like that for several moments. I wanted to move the flashlight down to see if he had a weapon, but was afraid if he did have a weapon, the shift of light might initiate an action I wouldn't live to regret. So, battle-tested, heavily trained, and now experienced soldier that I was, I made an about face, and ran harder than I ever have before or since back towards the TOC. Never once did the thought cross my mind to be an example of valor to emulate.  Charge? Un-uh.  A retreat in true haste seemed the intellectual and expedient move. And I went with it.

During the entirety of my sprint I braced for the impact of a bullet between my shoulder blades.

As I jumped the ditch, I don't think the flashlight had even hit the ground yet from where I had dropped it at my point of departure. As I tore through the side door of the TOC I ripped my M-16 from it's peg on the wall and headed back out the door. Lt. Griffith, my friend and Night Duty Officer, hollered for me to stop and asked me what was going on. I’m sure he thought I had gone “dinky dou” (crazy). Even while I was telling him, he was on the field phone to the tracker dog team and telling me to consider "staying put". It wasn't an order. It was more of a suggestion. And the more I thought about it, the more I liked it.  None of my experience with “Charlie” in the dark had been good.  I had reason to believe this would be no different.

Operations Officer LT. Blake Griffith 1969.  1st Lt. Griffith was my regular duty partner

The tracker team picked up the scent of the man I had seen not far from the latrine in an abandoned bunker in a sad state of disrepair, and followed it for a while before eventually losing it. How he got through the perimeter Concertina (razor) wire and the sentries was a feat worthy of Houdini.

And I have wondered so many times through the years, did that North Vietnamese soldier, that man as scared as I was, actually have a weapon that night? Did he not fire it for fear of being found out? If he had it, was he tempted to put a bullet into the back of the running American soldier; did he aim the weapon, finger on trigger? For certain, I felt the imminence of impact during my whole sprint. I still feel it. And, is he still alive today? Does he ever think, as I do, of that black, black night and the eyes of his enemy? Does he wonder about the man behind the uniform? I do. And if he is out there still - my enemy - I wish him a long life and peace and offer my heartfelt thanks for what he didn't do that night in Di An Vietnam.

This is today's Google Earth view of the now commercialized and developed area of the base camp where headquarters and headquarters compound were located.  The large area marked by a square was the headquarters operation bunker.  To the left of it and marked by the white X is the location of the latrine--none of the other buildings were there at that time other than the headquarters enlisted compound across the road to the right. The red dot makes my hooch. It is interesting to note that some of the bushes and foliage where the latrine used to be, are still there today. Basecamp razor wired perimeter is marked by a yellow outline.