Where’s the Machine Gun Crew?

Sleep is wonderful, except in combat. No one gets a good night’s rest in the field. Everyone pulls either perimeter or radio watch in shifts. A three man crew allows for one hour on and two hours of sleep. Occasionally, somebody nods off. I must admit that I nodded during one radio watch. To say the least…you pray that your mistake doesn’t cost someone their life. Nobody ever said that combat conditions were easy.

In the wee hours of the morning, I was awakened. I thought it was my watch. The whispered command was, “Pack your gear Doc. We’re heading out!” Perfect information came in bits and pieces. A very large enemy unit was operating in our vicinity. After being surrounded once (see Shadow of Death), no one need to persuade me of the potential size of these units. 

Our platoon hustled silently to prepare. I didn’t know if we were going to base camp or unite with the rest of the company. I did know that we were traveling about two kilometers to the landing zone. It was particularly dangerous to leave a fortified position in the middle of the night. Our battalion intelligence was convinced of this overwhelming force.

The landing zone didn’t look like much. We secured it before dawn. I heard the choppers coming in. We would evacuate in one extraction. If our plan failed, the enemy would fire as soon as the choppers landed. Each chopper had door gunners at the ready. We hustled on board. I started breathing somewhere after tree top altitude. With thirty guys in and thirty guys flying out, my mission was successful. No casualties is always a good day.

The dawn’s early light shined upon us in flight. I could see the air strip at base camp. Who knows, we might get a day or two stand down and some sleep! We assembled just past the choppers for a head count. We were short three men! Thinking that was impossible, we organized by squad…I stood by the Platoon Leader’s radio man. The second count didn’t increase the numbers. However, one squad realized their entire M-60 machine gun crew was missing. Somebody snoozed and didn’t get the word!

We were ordered to sit in place. I had one of those bad feelings. I knew the Lieutenant was getting a chewing, the company commander would be getting a chewing, then it would begin to roll down hill. This day was NOT starting out right. After a lengthy conversation, I heard the choppers rev up. We were returning to our original position.

Search and destroy is a cat and mouse game. Sometimes you’re the cat; sometimes you’re the mouse. The game is all about unit size and field position. A unit is most aggressive when they feel the advantage. In this case our mission changed. We leave no man behind…whatever the cost. It was bizarre to fly right back into the face of overwhelming force. Our orders also changed dramatically, ‘Don’t come back in until you find them!’

I think I have the right to pen this for one good reason. I was one of the team that searched for countless kilometers over several days, in hunt for the lost machine gun crew. We didn’t engage that superior force. This mission was strangely quiet. The whole campaign was both frustrating and unnerving. Finally, we were extracted.

The missing machine gunner and I had a pretty good standing relationship. He was a the base camp when I finally caught up with him. I knew he would share the rest of the story. I never asked him directly about the matter of sleeping on watch. That was understood. I just thought their return was a miracle.

Once they discovered their aloneness, the gunner led his crew directly away from the mountains, toward the coast. They hit the main highway, they traveled south through the villages and the city toward the main gate. They had to sleep in the graveyard overnight, for fear of being mistaken for the enemy. The walked through the gate unscathed, the following morning.

Currahees…if you remember, that was just days before the Tet Offensive of 1968. On one hand, I would like to thank God for a miracle. But in my more cynical mind, I strongly suspect the enemy left them alone…letting three men pass unscathed through an army of onlookers.  Our company should have also made contact with the enemy. They didn’t want to tip their hand, for much larger plans. We all came to that party! I can say that God looks after fools and children…enough said.