This time, second platoon stayed back and watched the perimeter, while first and third platoon went out on patrol. We left about two hours after daybreak, down the side of the mountain that was covered by jungle. The other side of the road was elephant grass. First platoon was first.
We walked in single file, slipping and falling in mud every now and then. Once at the bottom of the mountain, the jungle stopped and the elephant grass started. The first squad got into a squad-size wedge and the two other squads of First Platoon walked in a single file on both flanks. We headed down the valley between LZ Becky and a thousand foot sheer cliff rising 800 feet above us. The first squad leader called back to the captain and told him about some caves up on our left. We were still making our way through elephant grass.
Fifteen minutes later, we got the word that some phantom jets would be making air strikes on the caves. First a bronco flew in, firing a couple of white phosphorus rounds into the mouths of the caves, putting out a bright white smoke.
Ten seconds later, two phantoms came screaming in, dropping 50 pound bombs, two at a time, into the caves or close to them. They made three or four air strikes like this. Two more phantoms came in and dropped napalm into the front of the caves. The napalm explode bright rid and orange flames bellowing dark black smoke. This was the first air strike I had seen. It was alike being in a war movie, except you could feel the ground trembling and smell the napalm burning and see giant boulders falling as the bombs hit the caves and the sides of that rock mountain.
After the air strike ended, we began pushing our way through the elephant grass, heading on down the valley. By the time we had walked half way around the mountain we hadn’t found any sign of the NVA. We climbed back up to our perimeter on the elephant grass side of the road. I was exhausted by the time we got half way up. The point man was moving fast since there wasn’t any jungle to slow him down. By the time we were three quarters of the way up, some of the men were dropping out on the side of the trail made by the point squad. Three or four guys had stopped to rest and I stopped to rest with them. After a short five minute rest, I started up the hill towards the perimeter. I made it back to my hole before all of the patrol was inside the lines.
While were were out on patrol, a resupply chopper had brought in food and water. After I got my water and food from my fire team leader, I heated up a can of beef slices and potatoes and made a cup of coffee. This was about the best part of the whole day, sitting back for a minute and enjoying a meal and a cigarette.
I stood my watch as usual that night; nothing happened.
