A Farmer's Courage II: Vietnam 67'
Chapter 4: Fifteen Days Earlier (Part I): Midnight Ambush
(Back to Jack)
"Hold on a sec…. you've been out of this camp for 14 DAYS?" Rick questions me as I'm about to start. He's new here, so he knows almost nothing about Nam
"Yup….. Out for days."
"I thought you're screwing around with Vietnam sluts."
"Will you…., Rick?"
"Maybe…….. Karen's not here right?"
"But I could report about you via mail right?"
"Don't even think about, Jack!" I chuckle, Gardner was just plain confused
"You guys know each other pretty well….."
"Of course we do! We know each other back at WW II!" Grinning, I answer his question
"Wait…… you guys should've been old by now! Around 40-50 years!"
"The Harvest Goddess provides us with the Elixir of Life every time we attend the Harvest Goddess festival. The Elixir will decrease our age by 1." Rick
"If you attend…..right?" Gardner
"If you attend."
"For a 'Cherrie', you know something use full…… thinks I'll move to your island when I'm returned back to the world."
"Stop calling him 'Cherrie', he's been in the field with me back in WW II!"
"Back in WW II! NOT in Vietnam! And it against Nazi pricks! NOT against VC fuckers!"
(Jack's Flashback)
Spring 8, 1967,
Midnight Ambush, 'Ghost Town'
2300 hrs
It was raining……and dark. My squad was assigned for tonight's midnight guard duty, replacing Michael's squad after a serious ambush by a horde of VC this afternoon. We were placed in the southern part of the camp, in a small bunker. Kai's tired, Short Timer's tired, Junior's tired……., WE'RE ALL TIRED! We've been out all day from 4:00 AM sharp! Right into the jungle! Out for an all day patrol! And we found nothing! No VC! No NVA! No caches! NO NOTHING! We're out all day just for a fucking hike! A waste of time!
"Hey Jack….." Kai, exhausted, calls me while leaning on the muddy bunker wall with his M60 on his shoulder
"Yeah?"
"Wake me up later….when there's action or something…..or wake me up tomorrow……"
"Stay up Kai…..we got guard duties around here…..."
"I'm tired……fuck off and leave me alone…..before I use brute force to keep you guys off. Is that clear?" Kai loads his M60 with belt rounds and cocks it……before resting it on his palm and went of to sleep
"That fucker is one real lazy….."
"Saying something Kowalski?"
"No! I mean…..nothing Grinder! Kowalski jumps out…knowing that Kai's watching him…beneath his helmet
"I've got my eyes on YOU fucker! (Snores)" Kai dozes off pretty quick back there
"Really……"
"Damn…this is one silent night…….don't you think VC will be storming out here tonight? I mean…it's raining out here, and with bugs and mosquitoes around….don't you think they would rather prefers staying in their huts or tunnels, sleeping with a VC whore or something?" Perry doubts our guard as he starts resting himself on the muddy wall
"If I'm a VC Junior, I'll start an ambush right about now! Don't you think?" Kowalski, doubting Perry's advice
"Are you a VC?"
"No."
"Then shut the fuck up!"
"Fine, fine……whatever you say……but…"
"NO buts! I'm off! It's boring here, and talking with you gives me shit! Wake me up when there's something!" Two snoozes, 3 guys at guard…what more could you ask?
An hour had passed…..and still no signs of VC or an ambush coming tonight. The rain, mud, and mosquitoes were bugging us and, eventually, killing us. The damped bunker is also storming with mosquitoes, roaches, and centipedes were crawling everywhere. In a war, my dad said to me once that it was the quite times that scares soldiers the most……. not knowing when will the enemy attacks…… you would feel like you prefer in times when bullets whiz past your helmet……Goddess…., I hate being right all the time….
"Should I turn on the radio? It gets pretty damn quite in here….too quite with one of our noise makers asleep." Short Timer
"Yeah…..I think you should Shorty……..it's too damn quite….." I accepted his offer, nodding
He walks over towards a small, portable radio Short Timer bought from Deuce. It works; we've tested it……in the field! Short Timer picks up the radio from the damped, muddy, bunker floor and stats switching channels
"What would you like to hear?"
"Are there any other channels rather than Vietnam broadband?" Kowalski
"Stars and Stripes I guest……."
"Then switch it damn it! I need entertainments here! ENTERTAINMENTS!"
"It's not only you Kowalski…..hold on….." Shorty starts switching the radio, finding the right channel. Vietnam broadband and U.S pilot conversation interfered with the radio a few times. After a few minutes, we found the frequency
"Hello Vietnam! This is Stars and Stripes radio, your one stop U.S Military entertainment radio!"
"Finally! Something to hear!" I sigh, hearing the voice from the radio
"U.S Special Forces from Pleiku base camp today had successfully destroyed NVA artillery base after a successful infiltration to Cambodia! Congratulations on those soldiers who've…
"Bullshit! Probably it's just something the Army does to keep our spirits up! The SF probably failed and was tortured by NVA for interrogators right now."
"How'd you know Kowalski?" I wonder…
"Hey, if they had successfully knocked out their artillery base, how come our guys in Ban Hoai base camp still receive intense shelling from the NVA?"
"You got a friend over there Kowalski?" Shorty, still by the radio
"Yeah…. my neighbor."
"Oh…."
"For grunts in guard duties tonight, here's a song request from a guy in Khe Sahn who…seems also to be in a guard duty tonight."
"Poor guy…" Short Timer had a habit to talk to himself…., or reply something
Song Plays
"Hey…I know this one…this is…" Kowalski
"Somebody to Love…is I correct?" I notice the song as well
"Yeah! That's the song! (Hums)" Short Timer notices it as well and starts humming. After a minute or so, we start joining him
"I miss my girlfriend…." Short Timer
"Yeah…." I don't know Short Timer had a girlfriend
"Who'd you miss for LT?"
"My wife…. wonder how's she's been doing?"
"Ah…. she'll be fine LT! Once you return back to your hometown, don't forget to give here lots and lots and I mean LOTS of quality time. That means SEX! Yeah! I wish I were you! I would give her…."
"KOWALSKI! She's my wife! Don't you EVER think about it or else!"
"Or else what LT?"
"I'll crack your balls in half!"
"HA HA funny LT! Very funny! You don't even have the guts to crack animal balls in half!"
"Shut the FUCK UP! I'm trying to sleep here! Oh, and turn off that thing you're playing before I turns it into a heap of scrap metal!" Kai sleep talking probably?
"How about him? Does that scare you? We've known each other way back you know!" I grin at Kowalski, looking at Kai's slumber
"Err….that might be an exception…."
We turn off the radio, and continue the guard for another boring hour. Kai still snoozes, along with Junior. We tried to wake them up for an exchange. But a punch in Kowalski's right eye was the prize of it. Everything is quite until 0000 hrs.
"Umm…guys…..I think I spot something moving over there…" Short Timer points over at the vast jungle ahead of us
"There's nothing over there Shorty! I don't see a….wait….think I saw something….." Great…now Kowalski starts hallucinating as well; somebody really should replace these two guys…..Kai and Junior
"See! I told you! There's something out there! I knew it! VC!"
"Cut the crap Short Timer! If they're attacking this base right now, they better be NVA forces, fully equipped for a…." A stream of rockets (?) flies through the air, grounding somewhere behind us
"ROCKET ATTACK!" A guy from the camp screams as fire starts blazing. Where the hell these NVA got rockets?
"CASUALTIES! WE'VE TAKEN CASUALTIES!"
"Assault?"
"Holy shit! NVA! Moving in!" Flares starts lighting the sky as NVA foot soldiers dashes to our base, armed with rifles, sub-machineguns, and assault rifles. Kowalski's the first one to notice NVA troops charging at our position
"Somebody! MAN THE MG! Wake Kai and Perry Goddamn it!" I grab my Thompson and starts firing towards the hordes of NVA, running towards our position. Kowalski mans the M-60 emplacement, while Short Timer wakes Junior up. Junior, reacting to the situation, picks up his Scoped M-14 and starts picking its prey. Strangely, Kai still in his slumber; seems even bombs or grenades by the ear wouldn't wake him up
"Kai! Wake up Kai! We're under attack! Jesus! Kai! Wake up man!" Short Timer shaking Kai
"He won't budge Shorty! He's been sleeping in tunnels where Germans keeps bombing above ground, so he's used to it! I don't think even grenades would wake him up!" I kept on firing my Thompson. An NVA soldier tries to get pass our bunker, but I've take care of it
"Hey LT!" Kowalski still mans the M-60, enjoying the situation probably
"What?"
"Why in the world is a skinny, half dead looking Vietnamese doing here?"
"What do you mean Kowalski?"
"That guy! Over there! He's running towards the fence!" I stare at the guy Kowalski mentioned. That guy almost looked like a zombie, wandering in the field, seeking for revenge or something
"Shoot him!"
"But he's unarmed!"
"Just shoot him!" The guy passes our bunker and our MG reach. I aim my Thompson towards the guy and fire a few rounds at him. The guy's arm falls off (since he's so skinny, think I hit one of his joints probably?) as he stumbles to the ground….when he suddenly….explodes?
"What the fuck? What the hell happened here? Where's my M-60? And what the hell are you doing in my position Kowalski? Get out of there!" It seems explosion does wake him up. Welcome to the line Kai…you're late
"Those walking nightmares were sappers! Take them out as fast as possible! Don't get surprised if his arms or legs fall off. He's skinny (you could even see his ribs and bones…), you're bullet might caught on his joints or something!"
"Hey look! That guy'slegs falls off! Cool! I could do this all day!" Kowalski, enjoying his time in the MG
"Another kill by Junior! This is quite fun when you think about it…." Junior, making another kill with his scoped M-14; they really aren't listening, are they?
"Damn NVA! Come and get some! Yeah! Eat these NVA fuckers! Eat hot lead!" Short Timer still makes kills with his M16. Only Kai who seems to be unaware of the situation
"Jack! What the fuck's going on here?" Still confused Kai?
"An attack from NVA, that's what's happening! Glad you're back in action Kai! You're late mother fucker…." I reply while reloading my Thompson. Guy's says that this gun is a prehistoric tool by now, but I say this thing is still an effective killing tool, rather than using the grease gun where it would jam most of the time
"Great! Why don't you wake me up?"
"It isn't easy to wake you up Grinder; you gave Kowalski a good punch in the eye while he tries to wake you up!" Short Timer
"Oh……okay…….Kowalski! Get off from there! That is MY position and that is where I'm supposed to be! Move out fuck face!"
"Finders keepers Meaty!"
"Not long mother fucker!" Kai pushes Kowalski off from the fixed M-60 position and man it, enjoying it
"You're gonna' pay for that you neger shit!" Kowalski pulls his Colt .45 pistol and cocks it
"We're fighting NVAs here damnit! Use that gun for them! Not one of ours!" Junior
"Keep firing! Don't stop!" I gave the order waving my hand
"Sappers!" Short Timer
"Take him out goddamn it! TAKE HIM OUT! No one breaks through!" I give the order for my squad, ordering a full suppressing fire on the zombies first before taking out the rest. NVA sure got something tonight!
"LT! We're almost out of rounds here! Kai! Stop using so much of em'!" Kowalski notices Kai chains the mounted machinegun with the M-60 belt round available in the box
"Die! Die! DIE NVA! DIE!"
"Jesus…..Meat Grinder's nuts!" Junior
"You read my mind there Junior!" Short Timer replies while reloading his M16
"Keep firing! Don't stop!"
"LT! We're not gonna live long if we're out of ammo! Meat Grinder! Stop the hell with the gun!" Kowalski calls Kai, knowing our situation. He doesn't seem to care
"Meat Grinder! Cut the fuck with it!"
"Shut up Kowalski! I'm having fun here! Now….where was I?" Kai's counts his kill and is having fun with the M-60
"MEAT GRINDER!"
"Tank! Incoming!" Short Timer
Half an hour after the attack, things were just heating up. We've faced a tank so far, and I don't think things would go worse than this...till' artillery starts raining above our heads.
"Artillery! LT! We gotta'get outta' here!" Short Timer, I know
"I'm out! See you in hell!" Junior dashes off...away from us with his scoped M-14 in his hands (after all, he's our marksman, our sniper), panicked...sad he's a coward
"Short Timer, try to catch up with him! Make sure he's in one piece! We'll rendezvous in the center of the camp! MOVE!"
"Moving on LT!" Shorty runs out of the bunker, trying to catch up with Junior
"The rest of you, follow me!" I wave my hand, a simple order to follow
"On your back Jack (whew…. That rhymes)!" Kai's a veteran in this war, so I think he's used to this situation. We head out of the entrenchment, just in time before the bunker's blown off by artillery strikes
"Gather up! We've got some mighty situation around here…." Once again, I give out hand signals. Only different moves this time
"The NVA have launched a major offensive towards this base, and they've made a big mistake as long as the U.S Army is here!" Aren't I a bit exaggerating?
"Yeah! We're gonna' kick asses' dudes! Now where was I...?" Kowalski
"Where's what?" Kai, curious
"Kills damnit! I couldn't remember…..oh yeah! 123 kill!"
"(Chuckles) I've beat you! 299 kills baby! Try to beat that!" Of course, Kai's been in the MG most of the time
"(Speaking in Vietnam)" An NVA foot troop comes up on us. Sad for him to know that Kai's here; gun fires of Kai's M-60 is the last thing the guy heard.
"That makes 300 kills! Now Kowalski…..."
"Yeah, yeah….I knows! Try to beat that, eh Meat Grinder? I'll bet my whole life savings if I could make more kills than you by the end of this war!"
"Where the hell did that guy come from?" I talk to myself, quite surprise of what had just happened
"I'll accept the bet Kowalski! I'll bet with my whole life savings as well!" I didn't know Kai HAS money
"Cut the crap and get moving! We better get to the center now. The Capt., Short Timer, Junior, and the others might be waiting for us. NVA had managed to flood the camp with them, so try to take out as many as possible!"
Eventually, we managed to fight our way to the center. We did found a few survivors, still fighting against those NVA. But when they're attention were drawn to us, they got killed. But we did manage to gather two survivors; a medic, and a grunt.
"What's your name medic?" I ask him
"PFC Danny, sir."
"And you?" I ask the guy beside him. A newbie probably
"PFC Gardner, sir!"
"Don't have to be formal at times like this. Just follow me, and we'll be fine!"
"Sir, yes sir!"
"I said…."
"I know……but I don't know what you would like to be called….."
"He's called LT. That's his nick. Got that, boy?" Kowalski
"Got it...umm…"
"Kowalski."
"Right……and the neger over there?" Kai cocks his M60 hearing that
"Tomkins, Kai. But call me Meat Grinder, not neger! Or else!"
We continue towards the center, fight our way through hordes of poorly trained and poorly armed NVA soldiers. We run like rats in the trenches as NVA soldiers keeps on flooding the trench. We saw other U.S soldiers, kill, and be killed. We saw corpses, lots of them, lying everywhere. But things start to get worse once we hear the sounds of rolling tank. Hope it's one of ours.
"LT! OVER HERE!" From the trenches, I could see Kowalski with Junior, already gathered in the center with other survivors, including the captain. 'Ghost Town' had a small hill in the center of the base, stacked with ammo crates; sand bags and 4 towers surround the small hill. There were small gaps littered with metal plates around the hill. We use it as a road for our jeeps, trucks, APC, and even our Sheridan tanks which were transported here frequently for repairs, and were out to the field or transported somewhere else via Chinook choppers the next day. Unlucky for us, those tanks were out of 'Ghost Town' last night!
"Short Timer! Glad to see you're still alive!" I greet him as we move up the hill, trailed by 5 NVA units. Short Timer covered our flank while we move
"Nice to see you make it out here Lieutenant! Things are getting heat up here, and I don't think things would get any better soon!" I nod, confirming the Captain
"What's our status now Captain?"
"Can you have a good look around goddamn it? Lieutenant, we're sitting ducks here! One lob of grenade could kill most of the survivors here! These crates over here were new shipments of LAW, 'The Pig', and fresh ammos! If just one of these things were torched, most of us will definitely get killed! Try to figure out some thing Lieutenant, we don't have much time! I notice that your squad holds the last radioman around here, so figure out something and get working soldier!"
"Yes sir! Short Timer!" I called on him as he took out another NVA
"Where's Junior?"
"He's in one of the tower LT!" Shorty points towards one of the tower, surrounding the hill
"Good for him! Short Timer, try to get contact to a nearby base for air support….."
"Air support? Lieutenant, you're gonna' get us all killed if you're planning to send one of those 'Spookies' here Lieutenant! Those things are use to pound huge….."
"Sorry for interrupting Captain, but I won't ask for those 'Spookies' who've couldn't see friends or foes from up there!"
"Then what are you asking for soldier?"
"One AH-1W Super Cobra, sir!"
"Lieutenant!"
"Yes sir!"
"Make it two!"
"Roger that sir! Short Timer, you heard the man!"
"Yes sir! Two Cobra Gunship, coming up!" Short Timer quickly dials his radio, trying to make contact. He better act quickly, or we're finished!
"Gardner!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Lay grenade suppression from that position, double-time!" I use my hand to signal Gardner to move towards the designated position. There were boxes of M26 grenades by the position
"Enemies go boom sir!"
"Meat Grinder, move to that position and deploy your M60 by the sandbags! Don't let anyone get close!"
"This'll be fun!" Kai grins and carries his MG towards the designated position for deployment. I could hear him count as he fire 'The Pig'
"Kowalski, go to one of those towers and try to hold as many as possible!" Kowalski's still armed with the M14 rifle. The guy in the PX still doesn't give a shit to him
"On my way LT!" Kowalski dashes up to one of the tower I ordered while reloading his M14
"Kowalski! Get the fuck out of here! This is MY TOWER!" Junior's in that tower huh….
"Okay..okay…." He moves down a few steps and jumps down from the tower, moving to a different tower
"And you, medic!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Go and treat the wounded! Try to save as many as possible!" The medic (I can't remember his name) nods, grinning
"Thank you sir, I thought I would be assigned on taking lives….."
"You're a medic; medic supposed to save lives…."
"And take lives as efficient as saving them, sir." I nod
"What are you waiting for medic? GO!"
"Yes sir!"
The fight went on for an hour, and NVA forces had been flooding the entire base probably. Movements through the entrenchments is required to reach the T.O.C bunker, our bunk, the PX, sentry bunkers around the perimeter of 'Ghost Town', and the canteen. NVA forces must've taken control of these areas already. The roads around this hill were standing on leads us to the garage, the helipad, the shooting range, and to the outside of the base. There are only one exit, and one entrance in 'Ghost Town'. Alternatively, you could use the 'back door'. Just south east of the helipad there's a small gate that were use by soldiers to get to mama san's boom-boom house, where you could spend your chits on Vietnamese whores. The hut is outside of the base, by the way. Wonder what happened to them?
"Mama-san! And it's girls; what the fuck are you guys doing here?" Did Kai just say mama-san?
"Were here for safety G.I! We good people, not bad; please understand us G.I!"
"Uhh…yeah mama-san….I think we could…"
"Short Timer! What are you doing? Get back on the fucking radio!" I call out to him. Instead of him on the radio, he's talking to mama-san
"I've finished the order. Gunship would be coming here in a few minute!" He's finished?
"Please G.I! If you could save us, I would treat you 5 free boom-booms with girls of your choice G.I!"
"Wow…thanks…."
"Not for you black G.I. My girls don't like blacks much. You still need to pay." Kai frowns, but I still could hear him count his kills
"Short Timer! Find your piece and start firing! Don't just stand there!"
"Yes LT!"
Things seemed it won't get any worse, until tanks starts appearing in our base!
"Tanks! Five of them! Moving in to our position!" Junior alarms us all for the incoming tank. One of them fires its main gun at the sandbags, killing 4 G.I in that position
"Holy shit! Tanks! Where the hell they got those?" Kai doesn't know where they got those?
"Meat Grinder, those are T-34 Russian medium tanks! They received it from the Russians of course! Next time, don't fall asleep on briefings!" Short Timer is our moving dictionary and radioman in the squad
"Oh…..I knew that….."
"Meat Grinder, Gardner, cancel orders! Kowalski, Junior, get down form the towers before those tanks blow you guys to pieces!" I better act quick, or else my team members would end up like 4 of those poor bastards
The tanks start rolling, circling the hill while firing its main gun, trying to take us all out. We might not hold long, but what we could do is try to hold as long as possible.
"Gardner! Go get one of those LAW rocket launchers and try to take out those tanks!"
"All of them Lieutenant?"
"As many as you could!" Gardner cracks open the crates and grab one of the LAW launcher
"How do you use these things?"
"You've never used them before? Oh my God! Didn't they teach you in training?" Kai
"The drill sergeant only showed us how to use it. We only get to use one of those M79 grenade launchers…." Gardner still examines the LAW. Could some veteran get over here and use it instead?
"Give me that!" Kai grabs the LAW from his hands and pulls one end of the launcher. The LAW is a portable Bazooka basically. He pulls the trigger, sending the projectile to one of the rolling tanks' engine. The metal beast is now up to the scrap pile. The crew did try to get out alive, but was killed by Short Timer
"Give me another!" Kai lures his hands towards Gardner, asking for another LAW. Gardner, still unfamiliar with the weapon, grabs another one and hands it over
"Thank you!" He once again press's the trigger, sending another metal beast to the scrap pile. Three tanks left, and I don't think we could hold longer
The three remaining tanks keeps firing its cannon, destroying our defenses. NVA forces, still plenty of them runs towards our position for the kill. Although we fought hard, we knew this is the end. Until finally, the chopper we requested fires bursts of rockets towards one of the tanks
"This is Midnight Thunder; we're here for the support, over!" A transmission from one of the chopper pilot was recieved by Short Timer's radio
"Midnight Thunder, glad you're here! You're late for the party buddy!" Short Timer
"We could see that! We're circling the base now; throw some smokes to where we should award these NVA with rockets, over!"
"Roger that! Smokes on the way!" I nod, understanding what he meant. I pick up a few smoke grenades from the crates. Leads were still flying everywhere, and NVA were still flooding the base. I pull the pin and toss it towards one of the tank. The grenade bounces the tank's front plate, where it starts painting the sky with yellow smokes
"This is Midnight Thunder, confirm yellow smokes? Over!"
"This is 'Ghost Town', confirm yellow smokes! Take em' down guys!" Short Timer replies using the radio while I toss more smoke grenades, surrounding the hill's perimeter
"Roger that! Rockets on the way!" The gunship start sending bursts of rockets towards the smokes, knocking out the 3 remaining tanks and a handfull of NVA forces at once.
We're secured in the meantime, thanks to the help of the gunship, circling the hill. Short Timer's back on the radio, and now requesting a group of reinforcement to support us. Everything is under control at 3000 hrs. My squad was now weary and tired; but I don't think everything would end up like this. We still got more jobs to do soon.
"I now understand what it means….." Kowalski starts talking something while we watch the gunship take cares most things around here
"Understands what?" I ask him, curious. The rest of the squad were curious as well
"That something so ugly……could be apart of something so beautiful….."
"Wow…it's the first time I hear you talk wise words there, Kowalski….you're okay?" Short Timer places his palm on Kowalski's forehead
"I'm okay! I'm okay! It's a quote my dad used to tell me when I was just a kid."
Author's Note
Yeah! Finally another chapter's done! I can't update this thing as fast as what I thought it would be since I can't stop playing Predator: Concrete Jungle in Playstation 2, and watch Full Metal Alchemist DVD over and over again. Homework was also stacking like hills, and I've just returned from a Spiritual Retreat (which is quite fine by the way)! It's been long times I haven't check this out again. I'm planning to create A Farmer's Courage (Harvest moon) characters Full Metal Alchemist Crossovers. But I still haven't got a good story to it! Anyways…..please R&R!
BTW: I Forgot to mention this on my last chapter, so I'll mention it now. Jack's nickname, LT, is supposed to be pronounced eL-Tee. More likely: L.T. Somewhat like that. Also, stragnely, indent don't wok here. So I can't say that there's no paragraph! There is paragraphs, only it is 'invisible'.