A Farmer's Courage II: Vietnam 67'
Chapter 9: Fifteen Days Earlier (Part VI): Scar's Move
(Jack's Flashback)
The next morning (still in artillery hill) we were assigned to patrol an area known more as Ho Chi Minh trail. Well, close to that location by the way. We got intel from headquarters confirming us that VC activities have increased in the area. Intel also spotted tanks parked in the location. This could mean that NVA presence had been confirmed in the area. Once again, Scar's men and mine were assigned for this mission. Aside of that, we would be accompanied by 2 other squad lead by Lt. Martinez and Lt. Cornwall.
Spring 11, 1967,
20 KM South-East of Artillery Hill,
0643 hrs
"Keep moving people! We got NVA waiting to get their asses kicked!" Martinez was leading us towards our destination. Although his squad was poorly armed with Remington Shotguns and Greasers, it was said that their squad survived waves of ambushes without even a scratch. Strange……
Cornwall's squad however, preferred rifles and…….rifles. All of them, and I mean the whole 5 men were carrying M-14 rifles. His squad was one of the survivors of the assault on La Drang Valley back in 1966. Their chopper was shot down, and was surrounded by NVA. If it wasn't because of a foolish mistake one of the NVA guy did, they'd be dead right now.
"Damn it LT, why can't we take a bird instead? It'll be damn easier that way….." Kai
"The choppers were occupied by guys at camp for other operations. Also, I've heard that Hawkins' squad had moved to our camp. Bet those guys were in for a major amount of operations."
"Huh, yeah right. Bet they're just sittin' around doing nothing. Or probably catching a time with one of those local ladies…." Short Timer
"Huh, yeah right. Bet they're playing cards and snoozing around." Junior
"Hehe, or probably they're kickin' NVA and VC asses and tortures them in interrogations." Kowalski. Now the whole party started.
"Cut the crap and get on this! There's enough bullshit to fill a swimming pool!" Danny
"Why would you fill swimming pool with bullshits?" We all chuckle from what Kowalski had thought up. It eases the things around here…
"Shut up! All of you! I've had enough of it! Now cut the crap or I'll start skinnin' you alive!" Damn it. Scar just can't keep his mouth shut can he? We're havin' fun here!
"This includes you LT! YOU! I've got my eyes on YOU!" That guy's givin' me a hard time….really. What an ass;
Thanks to Scar, the whole trip turns silence; any wisecracker around here?
"Awh, great! We're up on 0600 just to come over here and check out these piles of scrap? Give me a break!"
"Damn it…..VC had been pullin' of tricks….."
"LT, should I call for evac?"
"Sure Short Timer. There's nothing more here than rusted, old French Tanks." The thing were supposed to check out was actually French Tanks, or armored Cars dated back to World War I. We're not even using these anymore……
"No wonder those NVA kept loosing….."
"Huh, yeah…..they're using French junk while we're using something more 'special'…hehe." Knowing that these so called 'tanks' the brass wants us to check was only a pile of scraps, it kicks our fear away. Besides, we didn't have the appropriate armaments to face a tank
"Blue Bird, Blue Bird, this is Jungle Hound, do you copy? Over." Short Timer now makes his call for evac
"This is Blue Bird. We read you loud and clear, over."
"Blue Bird, requesting evacuation of area; mission accomplished. Tell the captain that these tanks were only scraps metal left by the French, over."
"Roger that, hold on for a few minutes, we're comin' in for pick up."
"Okay LT, all done……"
"Shh! I heard something…." We pause for a second, unlocking the safety of our weapons, alerted of some…presence
"It's quiet…..too quiet….." We didn't have time to blink when we heard gunfire and saw muzzle flashes from the jungle all around us. Without our expectations, 3 of us were wiped out
"Man down! Man down!"
"Return fire immediately!"
"It's an ambush! Damn it, I've lost three of my men…." Cornwall
"Oh God we're all gonna' die!" Danny is usually the coward, so it's no surprise if those words were from him
"Great….more kills!"
"Hehe…fresh VC meat!" Kowalski and Kai seem to enjoy this…..
"Everyone, take cover behind those junks and return fire! MOVE IT!"
"Blue Bird, this is Jungle Hound; we've been ambushed and are now holding. We've lost 4 men; Lt. Martinez is down, we need evac. Over." Short Timer's on the radio again. Five minutes had passed, and still no sign of that friggin' chopper
"This is Blue Bird, we could hear bullets whistling from the radio, is everything under control? Over."
"NO, IT'S NOT! WE'VE LOST 4 MEN IN TOTAL……"
"Guackh……!" Another shot from the VC had taken another man from Cornwall's squad
"MAKE THAT 5! We've lost 3 men from Martinez's squad and 2 from Cornwall's. WE CAN'T HOLD MUCH LONGER! WE'RE DYING HERE!"
"This is Blue Bird, hold on just a little longer, we're having troubles up here as well."
"Troubles? What troubles?"
"A group of RPG units spotted moving towards your direction, we can't land with those guys around; they'll turn this thing into a heap of burning metal in seconds. Eliminate those VC, and we'll make a land for it. Blue Bird, out."
"Yeah and the hell with you too Blue Bird! Jungle Hound OUT GODDAMN IT!" Short Timer slams the phone to the ground in vain and sighs
"We can't live forever here LT, and we can't risk losing this LZ as well. Someone had better move to that friggin' jungle and take out those group of RPG units before it reaches here and kick our asses." I sigh in desperation, a heavy sigh
"I'll go. Cover me!"
"What? LT! It's a jungle out there and…." I didn't hear the rest of his word. I was already running towards the jungle behind me
I kept running, and running, trying to find a way to flank the VC. Using the jungle as cover and guidance to circle the LZ and flank them VC. I stop myself once I could hear VC talking, and footsteps ahead of me.
"Alright Jack….here goes." I dash towards the noise with my Thompson ready at my hip. I knew that I'm moving head to head with them group of VC, but I didn't care. As long as my squad mates survives, it's okay for me to do these crazy things
The VC was caught by surprise and was killed by gun fires from my Thompson while I dash towards them. Without time to react, these guys fell to the ground with their weapon: The RPG launcher. Blood from those guys splattered towards my face as I approach the last guy and slam him to the ground with the Thompson, killing him with the butt of the gun. His face was all bloody. But he's dead…..I just knew he is. Now I gotta' get back to my squad
(Kai's P.O.V)
"Damn it, where's that crazy son of a bitch Lieutenant of yours?" Scar's shit talkin' again. Wish Jack would let me waste this guy
"He's in the jungle ahead of us. Probably behind those damn commie right now making some kills." Short Timer
"Heh, that crazy son of a bitch….I'll go get him. Give me cover fire!" Like hell I would follow your orders?
"NOW DAMNIT! NOW!" Assholes these days, they just think their better assholes than anyone. Firing our piece, we watch as Lt. Asshole over there dashes towards the jungle under line of fire. He survives……lucky bastard
(Jack's get out of this, and you'll be fine….that's what I had in my mind. But things weren't as pleasing as what I thought it would be after taking out the RPG squad. I kept on moving head to head with VC retreating towards the forest, and I could hear Kowalski and Kai shouting their kill score and mocking those damn buggers. Although we're kicking back those VC, I could hear footsteps and crackles behind me; probably VC reinforcements moving to assist on suppressing us and pin us dead. I kept running, and running, keeping the pace while trying to get myself trip. Otherwise, I'll be seein' this fight from above (or below). I stop my pace when I saw a familiar figure ahead of me.
"Scar! What're you doing here?" He kept his Carbine aim and ready at his shoulder. Grinning, I approach him knowing that I'm finally safe
"Hey Scar, say something wi…." (Carbine fires)
"Sorry LT, but your usefulness had run out. So long, Lieutenant!" With my surprise, Scar fired his Carbine towards me knocking me in the chest
"Scar…, why did you….." I talk heavily towards him, telling him to stop. His eyes were full of vengeance as he finishes his magazine towards me. I fall backwards, helpless in a small pool of blood. My blood.
"That'll take care of ya'. I'm in charge, and you know it!" He walks away, leaving me lying in the jungle alone…..
(Kai's P.O.V)
"Where the hell is LT?"
"Calm down Meat Grinder, he'll be here any minute now." Yeah right Short Timer! A minute seems to take forever while you're out here
" Maybe he's dead….." Kowalski
"No, way he's dead! He's a veteran back in WW II! He's the one who led the attack on the German Airfield, and the one who plan the whole assault! He can't be that stupid to get himself killed!"
"Shh! someone's coming!" Junior notices a black figure walking towards us. Could it be him?
"Hold fire! It's me, Scar." Oh….the Asshole survives….
"Where's LT Scar?" He pause as he continue walking towards us
"Where's LT SCAR?" No reply….
"WHERE THE FUCK IS LT. SCAR?"
"He's dead alright! A VC zapped him at the moment I rendezvous with him!" What…….he's…
"Heh, no way he's dead! He's too good to be dead man! He's…." Kowalski starts to…well; his voice starts to soak a bit
"He's dead Kowalski…let be…"
"Shorty, he could be alive out there!"
"Why do you care about him so much? He's just a damn tool in the army, and so are we!" Scar
"Because…..he's almost like a brother to me; a family you know that? I don't feel right if one of us is missing." I sigh heavily knowing the fact. He's right. What makes us feel this way? Brotherhood. Wonder what should I say to Ann when I get home?
"What about the RPG squad? Are they out?" Short Timer
"Yes, their dead. You could call in the pickup now."
" Yes sir….." Short Timer replies with a really flat tone…..we wouldn't want to receive orders from THAT asshole
"Blue Bird, this is Jungle Hound, RPG squad eliminated. LZ cleared, over."
"Roger Jungle Hound, report casualties over."
"Casualties are as follows: 6 KIA. Including Lt. Martinez and Lt. Jack Harvest
"LT is down? Damn..." The Chopper crew knows him?
"We'll be coming down to pick you up. We've got assistance from 2 Huey Gunship and one Medical Huey. Keep the LZ clear boys!"
(Back to Jack)
Is this the end? Is this the end of the war…..for me? Am I…..dead….? No…..I didn't feel that way…….I can feel the soil…..the dirt….the pain…….damn that Scar…….trying to take out your rival huh, asshole? A few bullets can't kill me THAT easy!
"(Speaking in Vietnamese)" Okay…maybe a couple of VC interrogations and tortures WILL take me out. Gotta' get outta' here fast.
I get up to my feet….with difficulties since the wounds felt like 9 inch nails smacked into your chest. I got up, and run as fast as I could towards the clearing, the LZ. I swear I could hear VC troops running after me; and I could see a couple of them…no…MULTIPLE of them already caught sight of me. I knew I would not make it, I knew I would die if I was ever caught, but I knew I will survive if I just kept trying.
(Short Timer's P.O.V)
"Damn it where hell is LT…shouldn't we wait for him….?"
"No…he's dead. I've checked his pulse….his gone alright…GONE! Now get aboard the chopper!" This Scar shit really gives me a pain in my ass
"Shorty! What're you waiting for?" Junior
"Yeah, I'm coming damnit!"
"Carry the dead will ya'?"
As the bird flies out of the LZ, I gaze down towards the clearing and the war-torn jungle all around. It was then when I notice that Scar had planned to kill our squad leader.
"Hey look! Someone's left behind down there!"
"Holy mother…look at the number of VC! Hell, I don't wanna' be him right now!"
"Look you buggers! That's LT down there!" Kai notices it was LT, our squad leader first before anyone else in the chopper
"No way…..no fuckin' way….LT survived….he survived HE SURVIVED GODAMNIT! PILOT! TURN THIS BIRD AROUND AND LET'S GET HIM OUT!" I turn towards the pilot who looked quite surprise
"Is that guy down there LT? No shit! Attack Dogs, this is Blue Bird; we got a survivor down there, clear his six and we'll pick him up, over." I turn towards Scar after I capture what he had in his mind. This guy really IS going to kill LT.
"Roger Blue Bird, we're moving in a strafing run, go get him Blue Bird! Attack Dogs out!"
(Back to Jack)
I reach the clearing (still running) still being after by those hordes. I start to lose balance as fatigue starts killing me...I don't even know where I'm heading! But it was soon over. Above me, two Huey Gunships soars, strafing the VC behind me. I start walking as the Medical Huey touches down ahead of me. I fell to the ground, exhausted. Guess this flak jacket saved me.
"You okay there soldier?" One of the medics asks my condition while his friend lifts me up to carry me by my shoulder. I nod, relief at last
"Can you walk?" I nod
"Thank God you guys came; I thought I was a goner…" They chuckle and smile
"We Marines never leave a man behind."
"But I was part of the Third Battalion…."
"Heh, we don't care WHO'RE you from, we're medics alright?"
"Yeah…." I was lifted towards the chopper and airlifted to safety before I close my eyes and doze off to sleep.
Author's Note:
For those of you reading, sorry to keep you all waiting. Got problems with some asshole here in the net who thinks he's the boss around here (who really isn't! More like an idiot wannabe boss). And for Horseface or Holy God, I respect that review of yours. Thanks that really urge me to continue this fic. And Horseface, if you're a member of this site as well, sorry for my earlier review. I don't quite understand your review that urge me to. So, apologies . One last thing for Dudeoftheland, my apologies to you to….oh, the hell with it! You're the one who start things out anyway ! Anyways….apologies to Dudeoftheland (signs peace treaty).