The Amulets of Power IV the Burma ConflictChapter 11
- 2 years ago
- 17
- 0
COL Page had returned to Lop Buri late on Friday and arrived at his office at 0900 hrs on Saturday morning. LTC Hawkins was waiting for him, as their quarters are next to each other, and he was aware that his boss was back.
"Here you are, sir," LTC Hawkins said, as he entered his boss's office. "The top report is from last year and the bottom one is from March of this year. After you look them over, I'll tell you what was left out and why."
"Left out? Do you mean that these reports aren't complete or factual?" COL Page demanded, somewhat upset.
"Sir, these reports are as complete and as factual, as the people at our higher headquarters would believe. After I explain the rest of the story, you will understand why certain things were left out," LTC Hawkins explained.
"And my predecessor, Colonel Sheppard, approved of all of this?" COL Page asked. He had just assumed command in July.
"Yes, sir. He most assuredly did. Just read over the reports and see what you think. I'll come back in when you're finished," LTC Hawkins told him. COL Page started to read. He was very aware that many of the pages of the documents he was reading were marked 'Top Secret'.
It was well past noon before he finished the second document and he took a break for lunch before continuing. He locked the documents in the safe in his office while he was at lunch and instructed the Staff Duty Officer to allow no one in his office in his absence.
After a quick lunch, COL Page returned to his office to find LTC Hawkins waiting for him in his own office. He followed the Colonel into his office and had a large folder marked 'Working Papers' with him. The two men were in there with the door closed for several more hours while LTC Hawkins explained about the Amulets and cited first hand reports from the 'working papers'.
"If you were working in the Pentagon and received a report with the information in it that I have just given you, what would you have done, sir?" LTC Hawkins finally asked.
"I'd assume that the whole bunch of you out here were drunk and move to have all of you relieved," COL Page answered seriously.
"Now you know why we left this information out. No one not actually on the ground to witness these happenings would ever believe them. That's why there are so many unanswered questions in those reports. Not because we didn't know the answers, but because no one would believe them."
"So you think these Amulet things are real?" COL Page asked.
"Yes sir, I do. I've spent a lot of time doing research on them. As that TSF Lieutenant said in Cambodia, 'there are many things about Thai history that are not included in foreign history books'.
"Thai is an even more difficult language to read than it is to speak. There are 76 characters in their writing system and many special cases. That's not to mention that information on these Amulets is difficult to come by, especially for a foreigner.
"I've even visited the Wat near Bangkok that is dedicated to them, but the women there are very close mouthed especially to a farang (Foreigner). I do, however, believe that something is out there looking after Thailand. Something that is very powerful. Powerful enough to wreck an assault force of armored vehicles several miles long in an instant. Powerful enough to set off explosives in multiple underground bunkers at the same time. Something that the people in Washington would never believe in," LTC Hawkins finished in a very quiet voice.
"Jesus, Colonel! Put that way, you could scare the pants off of people," COL Page said.
"Yes, sir, but just look at the evidence. The aerial photographs showing the destruction at Attapu, and not just once but multiple times.
"Then there are the reports from the end of hostilities in March. We talked to everyone involved. We spent weeks interviewing people. Everyone that we talked to agreed that the Vietnamese forces disappeared right at noon. DISAPPEARED!! Not one here and another one over there and maybe a few others over several days had withdrawn. NO, they all just disappeared at noon on the 10th! Everything along over a thousand miles of border - puff, just gone.
"The Thais were not prepared for the massive scale of those attacks, and it was all along the border with North Vietnam, Lower Laos, China, and Lower Cambodia. Their forces are very mobile, but everything was committed, they had no reserves left, they were getting their ass kicked, and were retreating everywhere. Then at noon it all just stopped!
"One minute it was full attacks. The next, no one was in sight - just wreckage. No assaults, no more shelling, no working vehicles, and not over hours or days, but in a minute or so. You tell me what could cause that!" LTC Hawkins asked passionately and then sat down.
"I have absolutely no idea," COL Page answered, very quietly.
"And Baker is tied into this how?" COL Page asked after a minute or so.
"Through the amulet he wears and through his wife. She is the one dedicated to the Amulets. I was advised in Upper Cambodia not to touch her. According to the legend, she can only be touched by her husband and her father. Any other male will die. I didn't choose to test the legend," LTC Hawkins said with a shiver.
"But this all sounds so preposterous!" COL Page said waving his hands.
"Do you know a better explanation, sir?" LTC Hawkins asked in all honesty.
"No, ... no, I don't," COL Page admitted, reluctantly.
All of the classified documents and the working papers were returned to the classified container in the Group S-2 before both officers returned home that evening for some serious drinking.
Monday morning, the 11th of December, I reported to work at my usual time after doing PT.
"Baker, you're to report to the Group Commander immediately," the OIC told me when I came in. This was followed by, "What did you do now?"
"Nothing that I know of, sir," I replied.
"Well, get up there. The Colonel, himself, called me as soon as I came in this morning," he told me.
"What's going on?" I asked Sawyer when I got to Headquarters.
"I have no idea. The CO said to send you in as soon as you got here," Sawyer told me. "Go knock on his door."
"Sir, Sergeant Baker reporting as ordered," I said, as I saluted after stopping in front of the Colonel's desk when told to enter.
"At ease, Baker," the Colonel said after returning my salute. "Have a seat. I have some questions that I need answers to. First though, tell me what happened at the awards ceremony on Thursday. Why were you seated on the side of the hall when the others were shown out?"
"The King wanted to talk to us. My father-in-law and me that is. We had a private audience with him after the ceremony, sir."
"Just you and your father-in-law with the King??" COL Page asked in surprise.
"Yes, sir. We were in there for several hours. He asked me how I won the medal, and I explained about the battle at the pass and my part in it. Afterward, he thanked me for the 'firsthand account' as he put it."
"The King did - himself?"
"Yes, sir. The King. He really is a very nice person," I told him.
"All right. That wasn't the reason that I called you in here, but I was interested in what you had done," COL Page told me.
"The reason I called you in here," he continued, "is to question you about the information in these reports," and he held up two Top Secret reports. "In your opinion, are these reports accurate?" the Colonel asked.
"I can't say, sir. I've never read them. So I have no opinion on them," I told him.
"All right," he acknowledged, and then called, "Sergeant Major!" Sawyer came in a few seconds later.
"Call Commo and tell them that Baker will be up here for a few hours, will you?"
"Yes, sir. I'll call them now," Sawyer said before he left.
"I want you to sit there and read each of these reports, and then tell me what you think of each when you finish it," the Colonel told me, and handed me the first report - the one on Attapu.
"Well?" he asked, looking up from his work as I closed the folder.
"As far as it goes, it's factual. It just leaves out a lot, sir," I told him.
"A lot of what?"
"A lot about the Amulets, sir. Do you know about them?"
"Yes. Colonel Hawkins gave me a rundown on them on Saturday."
"Do you believe what he told you?" I asked.
"It's difficult. I have spent most of my career at 10th Group in Germany. They never had any problems like these, and yes, I do find it hard to believe. Go ahead and read the second report now."
The second report dealt with the fighting in March. I was quite amazed at the extent of the fighting and the questions left unanswered by the report.
"And that one?" the Colonel asked looking up from what he was doing as I closed the last folder.
"Again, sir, it leaves out a lot, but I wasn't aware of the extent of the fighting. It does get it right that everything stopped at noon. All of our people agreed on that, but there is no reason given for the sudden cease of hostilities, or what happened to all of the men and equipment," I told him.
"Exactly what did you have to do with it?" he asked next. I spent the next forty-five minutes or so going over what I had done just before and during the battle in the pass.
"And this amulet?" he asked when I had finished the part about my amulet.
"It's this one," I answered, as I pulled my amulet and its gold chain out from under my shirt. Again the amulet came to life on its own and hung there in the air over the Colonel's desk. A few seconds later, it was joined by Suenee's amulet and gold chain, just before Suenee walked into the room. The two amulets floated above the desk and rotated so they could be viewed from any angle. The locked door had opened by itself.
"Yes, Colonel," Suenee said, "you do not have to believe in the Amulets, but they are here anyway. They are the protectors of my country and they taught the Vietnamese a valuable if expensive lesson last March."
"How did you get in here? That door was locked!" the Colonel asked in amazement.
"Nothing is beyond the powers and abilities of the Amulets, Colonel," Suenee told him with a smile.
"That was what was in those drawings that Colonel Hawkins had in his working papers, isn't it?" he asked taking a closer look at the revolving amulets.
"Yes, sir. It's what everyone saw at the various locations where the Amulets were visible. It's what triggered whatever the Amulets did to stop ALL of the Vietnamese attacks and destroy their equipment all at once," I told him, as our amulets returned to Suenee and me.
"You've given me a lot to think about, Sergeant," The Colonel said after a few seconds. "You may return to your duty section for now. I'll talk to you later after I've had time to consider what I seen and learned." I saluted him and left his office with my wife. Those outside it were shocked to see me come out with Suenee, as they hadn't seen her enter. We didn't say anything to them.
At home that evening, I gave Tweed a general outline of what went on during our meeting with Colonel Page. I didn't disclose what was in the letter or who it was from, as the Major had asked me not to. "So what did you do all day besides wait for us to get back?" I asked, as I finished my explanation. "Oh, I spent some very informative time with Sergeant Daniels. I originally went to see him to find out what he might have of local interest. I got more than I bargained for," Tweed told...
"Sergeant Baker, you and Sergeant Tweed see me immediately after we all check in!" the Major said in a strained voice when he had recovered from the sight of Suenee and Phesila standing outside the hotel with our children. Captain Tamusarit had already walked over to Suenee and greeted her and Phesila with a traditional Thai greeting. "Sawat Dee krup," he said with a smile, as he waied. "Sawat Dee ka," both women replied with a wai and a smile. "It is good to see you again, Suenee...
Things remained quiet for the next week and a-half. The 25th was Christmas, and while it felt a lot more like Christmas up here in the mountains, there was no big celebration. The cooks had received extra food on this week's shipment, and prepared a very nice meal for us on Christmas, but there was no real celebration, no trees or gifts. Of course the Thais don't really celebrate Christmas, but they were happy to join in eating the extra food provided. Payday, the 31st, was on a Wednesday...
Starling had left Operations when I returned, but was soon back with the pieces of his Army Green Class A uniform. Suenee took them and placed them on the chair that she had been sitting on. "I will have these ready when you come on payday for your wedding," she told him. As quietly as she had spoken, the Major had picked up on it, and turned to look at both of them. "What wedding?" he asked. "Sergeant Starling and my student, Noon, will be married on payday when he returns to Chiang...
On returning home on Saturday afternoon after the briefing and the meeting in the backroom of the club, Suenee announced that she, Phesila, and the children would be leaving on Tuesday, the 14th, for Chiang Rai by train. "By train!?" I asked, shocked. "Yes, there is a train to Chiang Mai that we can take from here in the afternoon. We will go as far as Lampang on it. It will be morning when we arrive there. There is a local train that goes from Lampang to Chiang Rai on Monday, Wednesday...
The following new characters appear in the remaining chapters: Richard Starling (Rick) Commo specialist, SP/4, 5’-10” tall, 145 pounds, 23 years old, blond hair, gray eyes. Harry Williams Commo specialist, SP/4, 5’-7’ tall, 155 pounds, 21 years old, brown hair, brown eyes Noon Thai girl from Chiang Rai, 5’-0” tall, 100 pounds, 32C-20-31, 19 years old, long shiny black hair, brown eyes, very cute The next morning, the 19th, I was up early and fired up the AN/VRC 47 radio after the...
The following characters will appear throughout the rest of the story: Phil Del Vecchio Major, OIC of Team, Bill was on his Team in Luang Phrabang, 5'-7"tall, 175 pounds, 39 years old, black hair, hazel eyes, very muscular Fleming, Jack Captain, Advisor to the Thai Rangers, 5'-11" tall, 170 pounds, 32 years old, blond hair, blue eyes Stills, Ken SFC, Advisor to the Thai Rangers, 5'-9" tall, 155 pounds, 36 years old, Brown hair, gray eyes Wesley 1LT, Team XO, 6'-0" tall, 165...
We moved as quickly as possible toward the Aviation area in the near total darkness of this moonless night. Chinese New Year is celebrated on the new moon, and it was very dark here in the Shan States at night without the moon. There were no lights showing in the town either. The Aviation people that we encountered on the way were very nervous, but we managed to get to their command bunker without getting shot. "What were those explosions? We couldn't contact your Operations," Captain...
Captain Tamusarit (Cowboy 6) was early with his report that evening. "Old Hand, Old Hand, this is Thai Cowboy 6. Over." "Thai Cowboy 6, this is Old Hand. Over." "Old Hand, this is Cowboy 6. Is your Six available? Over," I handed the mike to the Major who was standing next to me now. "Cowboy 6, Hand 6. Go." "Hand 6, Cowboy 6. My people are all back from their patrols. The site near my location was the first one checked. They found a large crater in the mountain side above a small...
When Sergeant Tweed returned from Chiang Rai, he was very busy for the first hour or so. Later he took me aside to talk. "I spoke with Noon while at the house. She is very lonesome and anxious for you to return. She asked me to tell you that," Sergeant Tweed informed me. I had been thinking about her a lot also while on watch with nothing more strenuous to do than listen for a call on one of the radios. I had decided that I needed to see her again. I certainly liked her a lot, and not...
The payday bird arrived pretty much as usual at around 0900 on Friday the 28th, and we were setting down in Chiang Rai just after 1030. Sorenson reminded everyone to stay alert in case of a recall before we were all released to get paid. Starling and the others from the Red Tigers headed for their unit here on the Airbase, while Tweed, I, and the other Special Forces people headed for the Team House. Suenee, Phesila, Noon, and our daughters were waiting there for us when we arrived. Noon...
Friday, the 2nd of January, 1970, started out just as cold as the previous day had. After sending the daily report to the B-Detachment last night, I had returned to bed for another two hours of sleep before relieving Starling just after midnight. I re-tuned my radio to the 20 meter shortwave band and listened for any signals that could be originating here in the Shan States, as I believed this was the most likely wavelength that an agent here would be using to contact his superiors in...
Our flight arrived at Nawngh Kam just after 1030 hrs. Captain Paribetra immediately posted guards while the rest of us busied ourselves unloading the chopper. In the meantime, MSG Sorenson and SFC Lee started laying out the camp from a plan that they and the Major had constructed. Our helicopter was on its way back to Chiang Rai before the next one arrived just after 1130 hrs with more troops and tents. The Operations tent had been the first one erected. When the additional troops arrived,...
On Monday, the 30th of March, the Major called all of the Section Chiefs in for a meeting. "Tomorrow is the last payday that we will have requiring a split shift, as next payday we will all be on our way to Chiang Rai, and then back to our regular assignments, at least most of us. What will the Red Tigers be doing?" the Major asked. "We'll be rotating also, sir," Captain Rust told him. "But it will be on the First of May. They will hold our pay till then," he assured us. "So, I am...
Note: All of the names of places in the Shan States are actual towns there located along the Salween River. The names of towns in China are actual towns located near the border with the Shan States. Tweed and I left for home after the Major finished. I locked the commo room and returned the key to the CQ. We returned to the hotel to drop off our LBE and picked up a clean set of tiger fatigues to change into in the morning. We didn’t run into, or see anyone on the way to the house, but were...
Chinese New Year had been at the end of January in 1968. There had been an uprising in South Vietnam by the Viet Cong. They called it the “Tet Offensive”, and it was a colossal failure. They had too few personnel and weapons for the grand offensive that they envisioned, as they had counted on the civilian population rising up to join them along with major units of the South Vietnamese Army. That didn’t happen, and they were easily defeated by the South Vietnamese Army with the aid of some...
I awoke just after 0430 hrs. As tired as I had been when I turned in, I felt fine now and crawled out of my nice warm sleeping bag to be greeted by a very chilly morning. I dressed quickly and headed for Operations, the coded messages, and the code book. Williams was on radio watch. He looked a little tired and cold. The radio was quiet, and the generator was the only sound to be heard. "You can go to bed, Williams. I'll take over," I told him as my eyes grew more accustomed to the...
Just after 1600 hrs a call come in over the radio. "Old Hand, Old Hand, this is Red Tiger 110. We are zero five out from your landing pad with a visitor. Over." "Red Tiger 110, this is Old Hand. Roger. Will advise Red Tigers here. Will you need fuel? Over." "Old Hand, Tiger 110. Negative. We're just on a short hop, and will be waiting to return the visitor. Out." I called the Red Tigers on the land line to advise them of the arriving bird. "Who's coming?" Sergeant Lee...
Colonel Page left for Bangkok late on Sunday morning along with a Thai driver for his rented Toyota Corolla. It was only he and his wife who were traveling to Bangkok, as his two children were attending college in the states. They stayed at the Capitol Hotel in Bangkok, and Mrs. Page went shopping on Monday, while the Colonel took the car to JUSMAG for his meeting that morning. This was just the excuse that he had used to draw TDY pay for the trip. The meeting itself wasn’t of any great...
The following new character appears in this and other chapters: Phara Hemsamahan, Governor of Korat Province, Sonsri's father, 5'-7'' tall, 165 pounds, 45 years old, Black hair, brown eyes Keofeh house owner, Amulet devotee, an older woman about 5'- 0'' tall and rather thin. Black hair and brown eyes "You cannot do that! She is dedicated to the Amulets and is also my friend," Sonsri told him in a loud voice. On hearing this, the new guards shrank back in fear of touching one...
Soon the only ones left there in the mess hall were the CO, Sawyer, Barlow, Morris and me. We all had a second beer. “What the hell is causing these ‘Ammunition Malfunctions’, as everyone is calling them?” the CO asked of no one in particular. “Sir, it has to be sabotage. That much explosive just doesn’t go off by itself. Even if someone were careless, it wouldn’t set off everything like that and apparently at the same time. Although how a saboteur could arrange it all to go off at the same...
Arriving at the unit just after 0730 hrs, there was quite a surprise waiting for me. First, a good number of the students were there and looking at the surprise. Secondly, the cooks were there and making a late morning meal for the men present. Lastly there was what everyone was looking at. A new building had appeared, apparently overnight. It was located at the far end of our building from the road and was centered on the middle barracks and about 12 feet from it. It was a one story masonry...
The following new character appears in this and other chapters: Ratana Also called Noi, house girl, 5'-0'' tall, 98 pounds, 15 years old, 28A-20-25, long black hair, brown eyes, a thin quiet girl We found a small open air restaurant not far from our hotel and had a light lunch. During the meal Chanthra insisted that we change clothes before going to Wat Sala Loy. "Our clothing is wet from sweating and would not be appropriate for a visit to the Wat. It would also be best if we ride...
Back out on the village street, we continued toward the Wat, as the sun was close to setting. We reached the masonry walls around the Wat while the sun was still visible, making it about 1815 hrs. The walls had been painted or whitewashed at some time in the past, but portions of the paint was now peeling. There were gardens of various types of vegetables on both sides of the Wat and presumably behind it also, which were tended by the monks. We passed through the gate into the Wat and looked...
“Uncle!” Suenee said very quietly. The Thai Colonel instantly turned to see who had uttered the word and appeared to be shocked when he saw Suenee standing there. “Suenee! Little Suenee!” he asked in amazement. We were all surprised at this, also. The Colonel then turned back to us. “Suenee isn’t really my niece. Her father has been my friend and adviser since I was a young man. I met him through my father who was his friend and adviser for many years. “I often visited him and his family...
There was no mortar attack that night either, and I made the regular 2100 hrs. report on the new radio. Lt Sykes was there to ask about the chopper. It turned out that all of the aviation assets were busy up north in the Louang Phrabang area, and we would have to wait. Again I went to bed early, as no one had assigned me anything else to do. In the morning at breakfast, Sawyer announced that Sgt Morris would lead a patrol out to one of the nearby villages with Doc Walls along for a medical...
"Must you wear the guns here in town?" Chanthra asked looking at me with a frown on her face. That stopped me dead in my tracks. I had never considered not wearing them. Having a weapon at hand had become a way of life for me over the last nineteen plus years that I had been in the Army. It had been reinforced significantly in Korea during the war, and became a way of life when I joined Special Forces a short time after leaving Korea. "Is it necessary, my Champion Mike?" she asked again...
The following new character appears in this chapter: Prince Krom Luang Wongsa Dhiraj Snid Thai Physician and Diplomat, 49th son of King Rama II, 5’-7’’ tall, 165 pounds, 47 years old in 1855, a receding hair line going gray and brown eyes As we neared the camp headquarters building, we could see a very impressive looking coach parked outside of it along with a number of horses that were larger than the normal Thai horses. We also saw that their tack appeared to be of very expensive...
New characters appearing in chapter 10 and after: Phil Del Vecchio Captain, Bill met him in Bangkok, 5’-7”tall, 185 pounds, 36 years old, black hair, hazel eyes, very muscular Tweed SSG, Engineer, Bill’s friend from Cambodia, 5’-9” tall, 155 pounds, 32 years old, blond hair, blue eyes Carson SSG, Infantry, 5’-11” tall, 170 pounds, 32 years old, black hair, gray eyes Williams SSG, Infantry, 5’-9” tall, 150 pounds, 30 years old, Brown hair, hazel eyes Colby SSG, Artillery, 6’-0” tall,...
The following new characters appears in this the last chapter: Sisuda Captain Prawit's future wife, 5'-2'' tall, about 100 pounds, 32B-21-30, 20 years old, long black hair, brown eyes Master Sergeant Sunsarn Master Sergeant 1st Class, Custodian of the Ranger Museum, 5'-7'' tall, 140 pounds, 48 years old, black hair going gray, brown eyes Ratana Sunsarn's wife, a descedant of the original Ratana, 5'-2'' tall, 112 pounds, 34C-24-34, 42 years old, long black hair, brown...
I went up to the room and checked my AK-47 and its magazines. Mike was there checking his weapon also. "You ever been in a firefight?" he asked, nervously. "No, have you?" I asked. "Me, neither," he answered, and sounded scared. "I wish that I had been able to sight this thing in," I told him. "They told me not to worry about that," he said. "Spray and pray is what they told me. You can't see shit at night." "I could see pretty well last night after the moon came up," I...
The following new named character appears in this and other chapters: Sergeant Chuang The Sergeant from Sonsri's guard detail, 5'-6'' tall, 125 pounds, 30 years old, brown eyes, black hair I led the horses back to the open shed-like structure where the water buffalo had previously been kept. One glance inside convinced me that it was not ready for the horses to occupy it. I unsaddled them and took the saddles to the area under the house where they would be dry and reasonable cool...
After breakfast at the PX cafeteria in the morning, I went over to finance. They went over my records, while Suenee went back to the room to wait for me. "Damn Sarge, you've been all over the place," the SP/5 clerk said before he got to the Command Sponsorship paper work. He went over that very carefully, and it took some time. "It looks like you have a bunch of money coming," he finally said. "This Command Sponsorship is effective from the date you got married, which was in...
The following new characters appears in this and other chapters: Ronnaring Corporal, Clerk, Ranger Trainee, 5'-4'' tall, 120 pounds, 24 years old, black hair, brown eyes Kwaikai Lance Corporal, Clerk, Ranger Trainee, 5'-3'' tall, 117 pounds, 22 years old, black hair, brown eyes Jatuporn Sergeant, Ranger Trainee, 5'-6'' tall, 130 pounds, 31 years old, black hair, brown eyes Prawit Wongsuwan Captain, Ranger Trainee, 5'-4'' tall, 140 pounds, 32 years old, black hair, brown...
It was nearly sundown when I heard the commotion coming from the front gate and went out to see what it was. The three Chiefs had returned with the holy man. He was an older man dressed as a Buddhist monk, but his rob was very faded and worn, and he seemed very agitated about something, as they came through the front gate. “What’s up?” I asked Tweed, as I walked up to him. “Don’t know yet. The old guy seems really upset,” Tweed said, as one of the interpreters came toward us. “What’s...
The following new characters appears in this and other chapters: Kampon Sukondhapatipak Senior Colonel, Royal Siam Army, 5'-8'' tall, 175 pounds, 48 years old, black hair with a touch of gray, brown eyes Werachon Adireksombat Major, Royal Siam Army, 5'-9'' tall, 165 pounds, 34 years old, black hair, brown eyes "What have you done NOW?" the Governor roared rising from his seat upon seeing us in the doorway, again without so much as a Sawat Dee or a wai. "Several of the...
The following character appears in this chapter and the remainder of the story: Chatchai Sarikalya Lieutenant, a tall thin young Officer, 23 years of age, one of the Platoon Leaders The roosters were very vocal again this morning, and we were up early. On arriving at our area on the camp, I found far fewer men there today than yesterday. Still there were a number of them there and the Sergeants already had them in groups of ten, but hadn't started any processing yet since I had all of...
We continued until about noon. The cart only made three or four miles an hour where the road was in good condition, which wasn't always the case. There were a few places where it was so bad that we had to get out, and push the cart from the back while Ute encouraged the buffalo from the front. Thankfully those places were few, but less bad spots than that were frequent. Around noon, Ute pulled the cart off the road, and under the shade provided by some tall trees and stopped. "We stop...
The unauthorized patrol returned just before sundown. They had two wounded with them and three extra weapons. "Doc" Walls was ecstatic. He finally had some real wounds to treat and not just the usual run of boils, bites, fevers, sprains and malaria that he saw here. Neither wound was life threatening, but in this heat and humidity, they needed to be treated promptly before they became infected. The CO took Lieutenant Tamusarit, the Platoon Leader and an interpreter into his office. They...
Wednesday the first of March 1967 dawned the same as every other day had. I spent the early morning hours after breakfast straightening up the radio room. It was something I had been putting off since the Teams had left on Friday, but I had decided to get it done this morning. About 1000 hrs 'the Radio' came to life all on its own for no apparent reason. "Any station, any station, this is Cowboy Tango 1 Alpha, over," I heard immediately. In my hurry to get to the radio, I tripped on a...
We filed out of the front gate toward the saddle. I handed Tweed the smoke grenade, as we hurried down to the LZ. In just under five minutes, I was in place and ready. I called the chopper again. "Air Cobra 17, this is Golden Badger 3 Zulu. I am popping smoke now," I told him as I signaled Tweed. "I identify green smoke. I say again green." "Roger, Air Cobra 17. I'm down wind of the smoke and ready to guide you in." The chopper that approached then wasn't a Huey either. I...
We left the hotel following that for a restaurant which turned out to be the largest and most expensive one in Pak Chong. It was certainly more impressive than the places where we had eaten previously. The building was masonry with a wooden second story. There were many types of meat on display such as roast chicken and duck, there was red barbecued pork cooking over coals still. Just the smells were delicious. There was also the smell of freshly cooked rice and the other items being...
New characters appearing in the remaining chapters: Lieutenant Paribetra Thai Army Ranger, Suenee's cousin from Amulets II, 5'-10" tall, 155 pounds, 27 years old, black hair, brown eyes Phesila Tweed's girlfriend / wife, Governor's daughter, 5'-6" tall, 120 pounds, 20 years old, 36C-23-35, long shiny black hair, brown eyes, stunningly beautiful Monday was fairly easy, as there wasn't much going on. The CO arranged for Carson to get on a TSF flight on Tuesday that was going to...
We formed up the unit on the company street at 0900 hrs, and marched off in a column of platoon shortly following that. The march to the exercise area required more than an hour before we reached the location where we dropped off the First Platoon to begin their portion of the exercise. The other platoons followed in order. Captain Prawit and his assistants would be grading the First and Second Platoons initially, while Sergeant Chung and I would have the Third and Fourth Platoons. We would...
Fields dropped me off at Ploenchit Road and continued back to the Team House, while I walked the few blocks to the Nana. I was soaked when I got there from Bangkok's heat and humidity. The air conditioning in the lobby felt really great. I went up to the room where I found Suenee talking to two of the women who worked at the hotel. The women left just after I arrived and Suenee took one look at me and said, "Shower." I knew better than to argue by now and collected my other clothes and...
The rest of the morning was pretty dull with only a few good bits of conversations to be captured. It wasn't until after lunch that we picked up the Attapu station again. John went to get Ernie while I recorded it. There was shouting again at both ends of the transmission. Ernie was laughing his ass off after he came in. They finally signed off, and Ernie eventually managed to stop laughing enough to talk to us. "What the hell is so funny?" John asked, as he turned from his receiver to...
The following characters return from Part 1: Sgt. Bill Baker Radio Operator, 5'-10" tall, 170 pounds, 24 years old, Auburn hair, Hazel eyes MSG Sawyer Team Sergeant, 6'-6" tall, 275 pounds, 42 years old, black hair, brown eyes Suenee Sa Bill's girl friend and wife, 5'-2" tall, 108 pounds, 34C-23-35, 21 years old, brown eyes, long black hair, oval face, very cute Sophie MSG Sawyer's girlfriend, 5'-10" tall, 140 pounds, 38C-25-37, 25 years old, brown eyes, long black hair The...
I was awakened again by Suenee shaking my shoulder. There was barely enough light to see in the room. "You must return now," she said, when she saw that I was awake. I reached out and pulled her to me. She offered no resistance and came into my arms for a long kiss - but not too long. "Shower," she told me in a no-nonsense voice. We adjourned to the shower again. I was better prepared this time, but that water was still cold. We both showered and dried off. When I came out of the...
When Captain Prawit and I arrived at the firing range, Lieutenant Chatchai had the men at work already repairing the area of the tam-nop (embankment) to be used for firing and the area on the next dike or embankment where the targets would be placed. With the rain that the area had received lately, the space between the two locations was filled with some eight inches of water, and it resembled a rice paddy – if a small one. The taller embankments were very visible now with the areas between...
A new character introduced in this chapter: Sonsri Daughter of the Governor of Korat Province, 5'-0" tall, 98 pounds, 32B-22-32, 18 years old, long black hair, brown eyes, cute On leaving Muak Lek, we had ridden for over two hours without much talk. Chanthra had purchased two large conical hats made of straw and bamboo before we left the village. I had wondered why at the time, but the reason soon became apparent on the ride. "Here put this hat on," she told me handing me one of the...
Arriving at our unit area earlier than the previous morning, I found the cooks preparing breakfast for the men who were already up. Kwaikai took my horse to have him graze in a new area. Captain Prawin greeted me immediately after that. "Chief Trainer, yesterday evening while talking with the Sah meeuhn (clerk), I asked him what provisions there were for writing letters or keeping a journal. He showed me the paper that you had provided and mentioned that there was a writing box here, but...
New characters appearing in the next few chapters" Luang Silapakom Bill's landlord and teacher, 5'-6" tall, 130 pounds, 53 years old brown eyes, black hair going gray John Bill's co-worked, MOS 98G (Voice Intercept Operator), 5'-9" tall, 150 pounds, 23 years old, blond hair, blue eyes, SP/4 Ernie Translator (Vietnamese), MOS 04B, 5' 8" tall, 160 pounds, 24 years old, brown hair and eyes, SP/5 The entrance to the Operations area was the red guard-shack we had been to last...
The trip from Bangkok back to Korat is about 260 km, more or less by road. We pulled out of Seri Court just after 0830 and made good time once we got out past Don Mung airport. We took the turn to Sara Buri and headed up Friendship Highway. I had a much better view of the trip from the elevated cab of the deuce and a-half then I had had from the pickup truck coming the other way. It was shortly after passing Sara Buri and before we reached the climb to the Korat plateau that I started to...
Characters returning from Part 1 of the story: LTC Hawkins Executive Officer, 46th Group, 6'-1" tall, 185 pounds, 45 years old, brown hair, blue eyes MAJ Carlson S-3, 46th Group, 5'-9" tall, 160 pounds, 39 years old, sandy blond hair, gray eyes The road from the airfield was straight as an arrow and our maps showed that it intersected Highway 4 / 13 roughly half a mile before that road split. One part went through the town and was designated as highway or road 1, and the other part...
New characters appearing in the next several chapters: Short Round Friend of Bill’s, 5’-9” tall, 145 pounds, 21 years old, brown hair, gray eyes Ear Company clerk, tall thin young man, 20 years old, red hair and freckles SSG Williams, Willie S-2, 83rd RRSOU, 5’-8” tall, 170 pounds, 31 years old, very short blond hair, blue eyes First Sergeant Never named other than his rank, tall, thin, balding, reddish completion 44 years old Major Taylor Commander, HQ Co, 83rd RRSOU, 5’-4” tall,...
New characters introduced in the next two chapters: Colonel Thuathao Senior Colonel, Thai Special Forces, Suenee's 'uncle', 5'-10" tall, 170 pounds, 48 years old, black hair going gray at the temples, brown eyes I arrived at the airfield while they were still unloading the C-130 aircraft, as it is only about a four mile drive. I pulled up on the unloading ramp near the plane and walked over to the Air Force Loadmaster who was supervising the unloading. "Howdy," I said as I...
This morning I shaved before going to eat, as I knew that Phillips had started the water heating after getting off guard and it would be hot by now. Also the cook had just arrived as I was getting off guard, and breakfast wouldn't be ready for a little while yet. Breakfast at around 0700 was very quiet and everyone took care of last minute things after that. Then they finished loading their jeeps with their rucks, ammunition, weapons and at least one five gallon can of water. De Foor came...
When we returned to our house shortly after midnight on New Year's day, Suenee seemed very distracted. I was sitting on the bed when Suenee came over to me. "Can we do something different tonight," she asked, but seemed worried. "Sure. What would you like to do?" I asked. "I ... I have been talking to some of the younger women, the ones that work in the bars," she said nervously. "They have told me that it is not a big thing to do." "What is?" I asked, confused. "Smoking,"...