Return to Hell: U.S. Marines in ( Vietnam )

By Charles F. David

"VIETNAM, a far off place a world away.
A country drenched in blood, ours and theirs.
Stories in this book wrapped in fiction, about the Marines that
fought and sometimes died there.
A place where Charlie owned the night, sometimes a ghost in the
bush when the sun went down. A foe the Marines learned to respect,
Victor Charles.
This book is a tribute to all who served in that place they all called
NAM."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 24, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456879358

Charles F. David

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Book preview

A Marine’s Tour of Duty

Vietnam was pure hell for many. Their tour of duty was a hell they went through, with some leaving ’Nam in a body bag.

Many could not leave their fallen buddies behind and went back again and again to return to hell, drawn back to Vietnam by the men they left behind, the living and the dead, drawn back to fight and die with their brothers in arms that were still crawling through the smoke and ashes.

Warriors all who would never forget the hell they went through, remembering the blood that was spilled on both sides, staining the red earth of that place they called ’Nam.

Many would be destined to carry a heavy weight on their souls until they too would take it all to their graves, where they hoped to rejoin their fallen comrades.

They fought in many battles, trying to make it to the end of their tour. For many, the end just led them back, back to return to hell.

Semper Fi

A Marine’s Thoughts

What was ’Nam anyhow? A far-off place where they sent us to fight and die in. A place that sometimes brought a man to his knees, not to pray, but to fight for his life and that of his buddies around him.

The jungle trails where Charlie almost always had a surprise waiting for us. The trails we walked on, where I watched my buddies step into something that would tear their limbs from their body, and sometimes kill them outright.

The paths in the rice paddies where the men sometimes walked, trying to stay out of the leech-infested water. The paths that were sometimes booby-trapped to take us out.

The punji sticks that were always there to do Charlie’s dirty work, the ones that killed and wounded so many of my buddies that stepped on or were caught on them.

I stop and think back to justify all the lives that were lost on both sides, and all the men that came home wounded, with some broken in mind and spirit.

What was it all for in that place we called ’Nam?

Just a marine who can’t forget. Semper Fi.

Chapter 1

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Straight to Hell

Timeline: Vietnam, two weeks before the Tet holiday cease-fire. Headquarters command at Da Nang was busy sending out Recon teams to monitor NVA and Viet Cong movement.

Lieutenant Lockwood, C-Company, Second Recon Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps, was on his way to the CP to be briefed on a mission. He had been in country a short ten days, fresh from the States, and this would be his first mission under combat conditions. He arrived at the CP to find the brass waiting to fill him in on the upcoming mission they had planned for him.

A Colonel Roen greeted the lieutenant, an officer he had met on his first day on the base. With the colonel was a Captain Briggs, a spit and polished marine that looked as gung ho as any. Come in, Lieutenant. Captain Briggs and myself have been going over your upcoming mission. As you probably already know, we have been monitoring an enemy buildup for quite some time. NVA regulars, along with VC units, have been increasingly becoming more active on the base perimeter. The Tet New Year’s cease-fire is coming up, and command is starting to worry about what might take place. General Brice believes it could be a ploy to lull us into a false sense of believing that the enemy will honor the cease-fire agreement. Captain Briggs will take over and brief you on what will go down.

Lieutenant, as the colonel has already stated, there is a strong chance the enemy is setting us up. Our Recon teams in the field have been sending back disturbing intelligence reports. There has been a buildup of enemy troops at all our bases, especially around our base at Khe Sanh, where you will be operating close in. That base can cover you with artillery support if needed. We have been monitoring a cache of ammo and supplies that lead toward Hue City, and want it destroyed. You are to take in a Recon team and scout enemy positions for a platoon of ARVN troops. Your ARVN counterpart will be a Lieutenant Chu that you will meet at lift off. Your job will be to uncover and lead the ARVN in to destroy any enemy supplies you come across. Your team will be under an umbrella of artillery and TAC air support that you can call in at anytime. That supply line must be taken out at all costs, we don’t need that cache of weapons and ammo left to be used against our forces. Are there any questions, Lieutenant? None, sir. When do we shove off?

You will get underway at 1400 hours today. At jump off you will receive your final briefing, along with Lieutenant Chu. Pick your team and be on the flight line twenty minutes before you shove off. You have a Sergeant Blackburn in your command, Lieutenant, the man is a Recon sniper on his third tour. He’s an American Indian and knows his way around. He would be a good man to take along; he’s the best tracker we have in the outfit.

With an earful of what was expected of him and his team, he left the briefing to pick the men for the mission. He found them waiting for his return, all knowing that something was up. Sergeant Blackburn was the first to approach him when he entered their hooch.

Lieutenant, do we have a mission? The men are ready, sir, when and where.

We’re shoving off at 1400 hours, Sergeant. I would like you to come along on this one. I was told you are a sniper and the best tracker in the outfit. This will be my first combat mission, and I could use your savvy to get me off on the right foot. The mission calls for an eight-man team, I’ll leave it up to you to pick the men. Leave it to me, sir. I’ll have the men ready and at the choppers when it’s time to shove off. Don’t give it another thought, sir. You’ll do just fine. After the first bullet that you swear has your name on it misses its mark, you’ll look at things a lot different. The guys that catch on fast are the ones that don’t think about it. If there’s a bullet out there waiting for you, there’s nothing you can do to stop it. The grunts in the field have an expression that covers it. Their take on it is we’re Marine Recon, and we’re all going to heaven because we’ve served our time in hell. So bring it on, Charlie.

I’ll try and remember that, Sergeant, but I’ll still be looking for your help to get me through it all. We’re going in to scout for an ARVN platoon that is going in to destroy enemy supplies. Will see you at the jump off.

Time passed with the team preparing for the mission. They checked their gear and headed for the chopper pads, where they found Lieutenant Lockwood waiting, anxious to get under way.

Get the men aboard, Sergeant. The ARVN troops are loaded, we’re ready to shove off. Let’s get this mission under way.

Everything was coming together as the choppers headed out to make the drop. The Marine Recon team was charged and were glad to get under way.

Sergeant Blackburn, how long have you served with these men? Do they all have combat experience? More than you can imagine, sir. That man holding the rosary beads is Corporal Gallo, he’s our explosives expert. He can blow up anything with next to nothing. The man sitting next to him is Corporal Chavez, the guys call him Chico. Best man I have ever seen with a knife. He never misses what he aims to hit. He’s deadly with that knife. The two guys sitting next to Chico that are talking shit can be in a dink’s back pocket before he feels their KA-BAR sliding between his ribs. These men are the best in the corps, LT, they know how to get the job done. I’ve been with them a long time. I know how to handle them. I’ll give you an intro when we get on the ground.

The drone from the chopper blades was playing a tune that kept the men charged and ready to go. They were flying treetop level, heading toward the unknown, all watching the jungle canopy beneath them stay behind. The men sat in the chopper with a look of anticipation on their faces. They were all veterans of trips they had made countless times before. This would be another event in a series of trips they would make to seek out their enemy. The lieutenant tried to study each man, trying to get into their inner thoughts. He soon found himself lost, trying to figure each one out.

Lieutenant, we’re ten out. Get your men ready to move when we touch down. We have a gunship up ahead checking out the LZ. When he gives us an all-clear, we’re going to drop you in. The word came down that the LZ was clear, and the drop was made. The choppers came in one after the other, dropping off the men, who looked for cover as soon as they touched down. It took only minutes for the choppers to make the drop and leave the men on the ground to start their search for the enemy supplies.

When the choppers left, the LZ became a quiet part of its surroundings. Sergeant Blackburn and his men scoped out the tree line, then moved forward to check it out.

Lieutenant, I’ll take two men and check out that tree line. Have the team ready to move out when I give you the all clear. Charlie could have an ambush set up for us to walk into, the bush is too quiet.

Sergeant Blackburn and his men moved up, waiting for any moment to see the tree line come alive with hostile fire. As they closed in, one of the men caught a glimpse of movement up ahead.

Sarge, there’s a dink on the edge of the tree line. He’s just off to the side of that tree up ahead. He’s eyeballing the LZ. Must be a scout checking us out. I’ll move up and take him out real quiet-like.

Corporal Chavez skirted around the dink’s position and moved toward him from his blind side. The enemy scout was caught up in observing the LZ and was unaware of what was about to come down on him. When Chavez got into position, he drew his knife from its scabbard and tossed it at the unsuspecting enemy scout. The man let out a low moan, then quietly stiffened up and fell over as the knife penetrated his back. He gave Blackburn the sign, and the men moved up to where he stood looking at the dead scout.

These dinks usually operate in pairs, Sarge. There has to be one more around some place. Let’s spread out and find the SOB. The little f - ck is probably eyeballing us as we talk.

The three men moved through the bush to hunt down and put out of commission the dead dink’s buddy. Ten yards from where the first scout was found, Blackburn came across the second man sitting in a tree, not far off the ground. He got Chico’s attention and pointed to where the dink perched, eyeballing the men taking cover in the LZ.

Chico caught sight of the dink Blackburn was pointing out to him, and moved in to take him out. The man was oblivious to what had felled his companion, and didn’t see the fate that was about to overcome him. The corporal’s knife again found its mark, snuffing out the dink, who fell to the ground.

Damn, Chico, you’re pretty good with that blade. The dink never saw it coming. He fell out of that tree like a bag of wet shit. Pick up their weapons and stash the two dead dinks, then we’ll make it back to the LZ. The lieutenant and the rest of the boys should be ready to go. We need to move out of the area. Their buddies will come looking for them when they fail to report back. They made it back to the LZ and found Lieutenant Lockwood and the rest of the team ready to move out. They filled them in on what had gone down, then listened to what the lieutenant had to say.

Sergeant, do you think those two dinks were all that was out there? Is there a chance their buddies got word that we’re here?

It was just the two scouts, LT. They had no radio. I think we’re home free. If they sounded an alert, we’ll know soon enough. I say we head out and locate the enemy supplies they have stashed before nightfall closes in on us. We have about four hours of daylight left to burn. That gives us time to get something accomplished.

I agree, Sergeant. Get the men ready to move. I’ll get with the ARVN lieutenant and let him know that we will scout up ahead to clear the way.

The plan was drawn up. The ARVN force would move up when the lieutenant and his team uncovered something. They would destroy the find, then keep moving to uncover other enemy supplies that were out there. The Recon team would stay far out in front to leave room for Arty to drop in whatever was needed.

LT, we can’t be more than two clicks from our base at Khe Sanh. By the looks of the foot traffic on these trails, this place is crawling with enemy activity. I believe Command was right when they said the dinks are closing in. I can’t see us being able to bypass the base and make it toward Hue City. I think we’re close to walking into the shit. With this being said, the man on point brought them to a halt. Coming down the trail they were on was a group of NVA regulars heading toward the ARVN force.

Sarge, we have trouble heading this way. There is a good-sized force of NVA heading straight at us, maybe forty or more. They have us outnumbered five or six to one. How are we going to handle it?

Let them pass, too many for us to tackle. I’ll alert the ARVN and let them know the dinks are heading their way. Get the men out of sight and under cover. We’ll let them go by. Get Lieutenant Chu on the horn, Corporal, and I’ll clue him in.

The forty or more dinks turned out to be closer to fifty or more, as the men held their cover and watched them go by. They filed past, heavily loaded down with what looked to be ammo. When they reached the men that were taking cover along the trail, the enemy column decided to stop and take a break. They sat along the trail and broke out their rice bowls. They sat eating rice and jabbering away in their lingo.

"Sarge, they’re busy stuffing their faces, let’s hit them. By the sound of things, they’re talking about all the poon they got last night. Some of them are acting just like our guys. I know that they’re talking about mama san. We can take them, Sarge. Let’s give it a shot, they’re all wrapped up in storytelling. Stand down, Corporal, it’s too risky. We can put the hurt on them, but we’ll never do them all. Let them empty their rice bowls and head out. Did you notice that these dinks are all NVA regulars? They look to be fresh troops and well equipped. It doesn’t look like they’re getting ready to celebrate their New Year, more like they’re gearing up for something real big. Sully, get this off to HQ and let them know what’s going on out here. Did you raise the ARVN?"

Negative, Sarge, they’re not responding. Their radio is either turned off or on the fritz. Should I keep trying?

Stay on it, Private, they need to know what’s coming their way. If they’re not on their toes, they’ll walk smack into those dinks. Rattle their cage. You need to wake them up.

The NVA troops finished their break, put away their rice bowls, and were soon back on the trail and out of sight. It was a close call, but everything worked out; they didn’t tangle ass with the dinks.

LT, those dinks are heading straight for the ARVN, and we’re unable to raise them on the radio. If they’re not wide-eyed and on their toes, it could mean trouble for them.

Let’s hope they’re on top of things, Sergeant, there’s nothing else we can do to warn them. I think we should sit tight here to make sure they don’t tangle ass with the dinks. They’re behind us about fifteen minutes, let’s sit it out and see what happens. They left the trail and took cover in the bush to wait things out. Ten minutes went by, then twenty, and still no sign of the ARVN troops. The lieutenant could see that the men were getting antsy, and called to Private Sullivan to ask if he had any luck raising the ARVN on the radio.

After a few minutes of trying to decide how to handle the situation, things were put in motion to help the lieutenant make a decision. Coming from where the ARVN were thought to be was the sound of gunfire.

That settles that, Sergeant. It sounds like the ARVN have tangled with the dinks. Get the men up. We’ll head in that direction and see how bad things are. Put a man out on point so we don’t wind up in the same boat as the ARVN.

You got it, LT. Gallo, take the point. Keep a sharp eye, those dinks can’t be far out in front of us. The rest of you guys be ready for anything. Let’s go pull some ARVN nuts out of the fire.

They moved swiftly along the trail and soon made contact with the NVA regulars that had passed them only a short time before.

LT, the man out on point just located the dinks that are raising hell with our ARVN buddies. I think if we pull back we might be able to draw some of the dinks off the ARVN, then we can radio Khe Sanh for artillery support. We’ll have them in a vise, with no place for the dinks to escape to. We’ll put some fire on them to piss them off enough to come after us. If we give them enough rope, they’ll hang themselves. Okay, put things in motion, Sergeant. I’ll get Khe Sanh on the horn and call in Arty. Khe Sahn, do you read me? This is Blue Star. I need a fire mission.

I read you loud and clear, Blue Star, go ahead.

Khe Sanh, I need a fire mission. Grid 220, north 180, fire for effect. Adjust your fire left one hundred, up fifty. You’re on target, pour it on.

The artillery shells were dropping in, hitting the dinks where it hurt. They were now caught between the Recon team and the ARVN troops. They were trapped in a vise, with no way out. Arty was taking a toll on the NVA regulars, making them pay a terrific price for the piece of jungle they were about to lose.

After taking heavy fire that was starting to cut their ranks to ribbons, the NVA troops decided to go for broke and hurl themselves at the marines that had set up a blocking force to prevent their escape.

They charged headlong into a wall of fire, trying to outrun the artillery that was pounding them to pieces. The fighting became close-quarters, and some of the marines had to go to the bayonet and their KA-BAR, fighting, at times, hand to hand with everything the marines had been taught put to use.

The futile charge to escape the artillery barrage was finally brought to a halt. NVA dead were scattered through the bush, some among the marines that now stood recounting what had just gone down. Sergeant Blackburn, check on the men and see if we have any casualties. We’ll need to head toward the ARVN to see how bad they were hit. Get the men ready to move out. I’ll get with the base to alert them if we need a medevac.

Tex, are you guys okay? Did anybody catch one?

"Everything is cool, Sarge, a few cuts and scratches, nothing major. More than I can say for the dinks, we sent their sorry ass straight to hell."

Chapter 2

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Charlie Lost

Lieutenant Lockwood and the Recon team got ready to move out and head to where the ARVN troops were thought to be. They moved down the trail, through the area that had just received the pounding from the artillery barrage.

Damn, Sarge, Arty really raised hell with those dinks. Are we going to take a body count for the brass back at base? They would be happy to get this one. We sure kicked the hell out of them.

The LT already took one, Private, doesn’t it look like he’s counting? Did you get through to the base?

Sure did, Sarge, they have medevac choppers at our disposal if we need them. I need to get with the lieutenant. Captain Briggs is looking for a report. They moved down the trail and finally came upon the ARVN unit. They had tangled with the NVA regulars and had come away on the short end. They had taken 60 percent casualties and were in a bad way. They were taking a break when the dinks hit them, and were taken totally by surprise.

Sergeant, who’s in command? It looks like you guys took a real beating. How bad were you hit?

I guess I’m in charge, Lieutenant. Lieutenant Chu caught one. That’s him covered up over there with the poncho. They took us by surprise, sir. They were on top of us before we knew it. We have ten KIA and eight wounded.

The base has been alerted. I’ll put in the call and have medevac choppers in here to extract your wounded. Put out security. We don’t need another surprise.

Lieutenant, I’ve got the base on the radio. Captain Briggs needs to talk to you ASAP.

Captain, sir, the ARVN ran into it. They were hit pretty hard. They have ten KIA, and eight WIA. The ARVN are no longer a cohesive fighting unit. The men that are still standing are in no shape to continue. They were shot up pretty bad, sir, we need the medevac ASAP. My team is intact, we got through it. What are your orders, sir? Change of plans, Lieutenant. We are sending in medevac to pull out the wounded and choppers to extract what’s left of the ARVN platoon. When the extraction has been completed, you will divide your group into two four-man teams and be choppered in closer to Hue City. A supply chopper will drop in ammo and supplies and another radio for your other team. They will deliver a map along with your orders. When you receive them, check in with me. Good luck, Lieutenant.

The medevac came and left, along with the choppers that were sent in to extract the remnants of the ARVN force. The lieutenant and his men were resupplied and given their new orders.

Sergeant Blackburn, I have our orders. We are to split into two teams and move in closer to Hue to monitor what is going down in that area. We are to avoid contact with the enemy, and strictly observe enemy movement. We will be extracted at 1800 hours in two days. We will be inserted by the last two choppers that come in. Pick the men for each team, Sergeant, and be ready to shove off after we have been resupplied. Are there any questions, Sergeant?

Sounds cut and dried to me, sir. I’ll put the teams together and have them ready to move out. That looks like our choppers coming in now, sir.

Sarge, what’s the skinny? It looks like we get to stay. What does the brass have planned for us?

We’re going to bust up into two teams and move in closer to Hue City to monitor enemy troop movement. HQ needs to know what it looks like down here on the ground from a grunt’s take on it. Hell, Sarge, give me the radio. I can sum it up and let them know just what the situation is in just a few words. We’ll get out of this screwed, blued, and tattooed. We’re up to our ass in dinks already, it won’t get any better the closer we get to Hue City. I think we’re fucked, Sarge.

You could be right, Chavez, but we don’t have a say in it. I’ll want you to stay with the LT, he’ll need to draw on your expertise. Take Gallo and Malone along. I’ll take the rest of the guys with me. Keep in touch on the radio, this is going to be touch and go. Watch your ass out there, Chico.

The two teams boarded the choppers and were on their way