Operation Chipper57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BsnjaFDUA
Vietnam, 1st of January 196657Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ICIIDoIh9
57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxd58jMO50
The chopper is descending in the night sky, the blades roaring deafeningly.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodxIGGtLNc
It is soon hovering just above the ground, and as we prepare to disembark, someone shouts out "Lets go lads!" I put my helmet over my short blond hair and strap it, I then quickly put my bag on and picked up my M-16, I jump out of the chopper with my bag on my back and my M-16 in my hands.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNXRvEftRm
My feet hit the hard, earthy ground, dust rises up and gets into my eyes, I blink until there's no dust in them anymore. I look around, I see trees for miles in every direction.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHZhXalHY4
57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGVCJmMdK5
As the last of us jump from the chopper, it takes off, making the wind from the blades chill our scalps.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQBQ9WPhpY
The chopper has left us stranded in a clearing, miles from the nearest US army base.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BcJYjpoFt
It starts to rain as we begin the long journey towards Camp Holloway. A few hours later, as night is falling, we arrive, with mud up to our waists.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIUj43PBR7
We are welcomed by a giant black-haired man with a long bushy beard, compared to him, I'm the size of an ant. He introduces himself as Specialist Marksman Frankie Gomez and I introduce myself as Private Charlie Weppler. We shake hands, my hand is engulfed by his massive callused one.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsen4HZxiMu
He leads us to the barracks, and we pick our bunks before setting down our heavy packs and guns. I lay down on my bunk and close my eyes until a few hours later when I wake. I hear gunshots, I vault out of my bunk. I quickly put on my helmet and pick up my M-16, I push the door open with my foot and aim my gun towards the noise, someone runs out of the forest, I prepare to fire, but the figure yells out Its me! I recognise the voice, it is Frankie.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrppXK91ELq
He reaches the doorway and I let him inside, I close the door and look at him, he is covered in blood, I ask, "What the hell happened?" He replies, "The Viet-Cong struck! they got 9 of us!" I swear to myself and say a prayer for those that died. The gunshots fade away, the remaining soldiers stumble out of the forest, some wounded, some carrying the wounded.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXMMFd9tJx
The next day, the rest of us that can fight head into the bush, with the marksmen trailing along behind, after a few hours of trudging through the damp forest, we come across a small tunnel, one of the men enters, we hear a thump, I call out to the man, there is no reply.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2riT598VG
We hear a shout in Vietnamese and a dark figure erupts from the hole. We hear a loud gunshot, and the figure falls to the ground with an eye missing57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HHTFKSm8t
I look around, seeing a small Vietnamese man hiding in a tree. I raise my gun and put my finger on the trigger, as I am about to shoot, the man calls out, "Don't shoot! I'm on your side."57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnD4ymDdIVK
The man clambers down from the tree and he walks up to me, as short as I am, he is still a dwarf compared to me. He introduces himself as Kwan, I shake his hand, it is sweaty.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKhs38Dv3u
I wipe my hand on my standard-issue combat trousers before Kwan says, We need to move, they will be coming towards us because of that gunshot.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRSilXafiv
We follow the tiny man for a while, until eventually we come across a small village. There are women and children standing throughout the village, watching us pass. Kwan leads us to a large building in the center of the village.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM36m5LmocC
We enter the building, there are wounded people everywhere, some missing limbs, others with massive holes torn in their bodies. Kwan says, "These men, can you help them?" I reply, "No." Kwan lowers his head and says something in Vietnamese, he spits on the ground and walks away.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6jZelsDv4
We exit the village and head back towards Camp Holloway. As we are halfway there, I hear a loud bang, I look behind us and see a large cloud of dust.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9bYOAGNqT
I run towards it and hear a loud moaning, there is someone lying on the ground. I get closer and go cold, it is Frankie, he is missing both legs, and his insides are trailing out of his abdomen. He asks for his gun which I hand to him before turning away. I hear a gunshot; I think to myself "War is fucking pointless. Everybody dies, and for what?" a couple of the boys and I dig a grave underneath a small tree, and we bury Frankie. I say a few words and then we head back to base.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvfcp27qL8
As the sun rises the next day, we get the call on the radio; Our tour is over, we are relieved, even though less than half of us are left.57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tU3IgTCA4
