11-05-02
When we left the south hill that morning in January 68, we were told that this would be a 2 day operation.  I had only been on the hill for about 7 or 8 days at the time.  I was saddled with carrying 3,  3.5 willie peter (WP) rounds for the tube gunner, (3.5 rocket launcher).  We humped for about 3 or so hours, first down 881S and then started up 881N.  The jungle grass seemed like it was 12 feet tall in spots.  We seemed to come to a somewhat open area and that's when the incoming started.  I remember hitting the ground and seeing dirt pop up only a few inches from my face.  A black sergeant was standing to my left and told me to get my ass up.  All hell had broken loose.  I walked, ran or whatever up the path a few feet and we were taking 50 cal. fire from our left flank, about 500 feet away.  Our 3.5 man put his tube together and someone pulled one of the WP rounds off my back pack and loaded the tube.  In seconds the WP round landed directly in to the 50 cal. bunker.  One of the NVA came stumbling out the side of the bunker and a sniper laid his rifle on the tube mans shoulder and with one round drooped that guy in his tracks.   This was most likely within the first 3 or 4 minutes of the battle.  We moved over to a tree line with Captain Dabney's people and continued to take heavy fire.  Luckily for us the trees gave some concealment.  The Phantoms arrived and I would bounce in the air when the napalm was drop, or the 250's or 500 hundred pounders.  I was pulled back to the crater for security and the wounded and dead started showing up.  The  first 46 came in for a medevac and took hits and went down.  The crewmen got to our crater area and with only 45's as weapons, really was out of place.  Hueys showed up after the phamtons and continued to rack the north hill.  Hours later we began the journey back to the south hill and we could hear the NVA following us and saying things in english.  We were concerned that the gunships would open fire on us and not them.  After that day we really started digging in on the hill.  The Captain came around to all of us and said he wanted the trenches 6 feet deep, with bunny holes.  We didn't have any problems with that at all.  Until we left in April, it was one long stretch. Gratefully, I was never wounded on the hill.  Only one of a small handful that wasn't.  My motto to this day is "They never made a bullet that could turn a corner."  My gratitude to those Marines I served with on 881S, none of you will ever be forgotten.