Page Two
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Now all they could do was wait it out in the cramped
holes. Hoping that no one sneezed, coughed or rattled any gear to alert the
watchful and careful enemy. Also he had placed his most dependable striker
on the far end, hard by the trail as an early warning. The sharp eyed and
eared striker would tug on his wire if he heard or saw anyone moving. He
hoped that IF the VC were predictable, they would go on reaching the stream
and being fully aware of its potential as an Ambush site as well as he,
cross it silently and separately but just as Americans often did once past
the obvious danger zone then would relax somewhat and hopefully bunch up.
Even well disciplined troops tended to do so, subconsciously seeking the
closeness of another person and the sense of security it brought to all men,
not just white soldiers. For that reason he had set the Ambush site well
back from the actual best crossing site and nearer the wood line. According
to the manual it was in the wrong place, but the Sergeant harbored a deep
feeling that the people who wrote the manual had never once been in the real
situation or the real world of a Viet Nam jungle village. So while careful
to read the "Book" in order to pass the proficiency test for an infantry man
and thereby pick up an extra $30.00 per month Pro Pay, he disregarded the
book while in this field operation. So far it had worked well for him but
often got him in discussions with the Fort Benning and Fort Bragg trained
officers who had never before been in combat. Usually he would simply do
what he thought was correct and let them "correct him" afterward - if there
was an afterward. Now, clad in the black and green striped uniform, faces
blacked out, except for the twin glass lenses of his GI eye glasses, a real
curse to a ground fighter, especially here. They waited, trying not to
fidget and squirm. It was approaching morning twilight, that brief period of
time when there is just enough light to make out movement of an object,
making a contrast from the stationary back ground. If and it was a big IF,
they were coming this way they would or should be here soon in order to be
in position to rest up during the oncoming day and strike the village at
night. They knew the American could not support the villagers. At this time,
before infrared systems the night truly belonged to the enemy force, once
the sun was up however, he risked his very life to American Air if he was
caught moving. Now in spite of the Green Hornets and strong black coffee
from his plastic canteen he was fighting to stay awake, carefully he tugged
once on the alert wire and received one tug in return, feeling the tugs as
it was passed down the line. Good, all were awake. He was about ready to
believe it was another dry run when the alert wire started jerking - one -
two- three- pause and repeat. That meant that the far man either saw or
heard something moving near the stream bank! Instantly alert now, he peered
even harder in the slowly evolving murk, then clearly, he heard a splash,
Hog,
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