Chapter 10
It was later that night.
Michael was sound asleep in his bunk along with the other chopper pilots. There were the occasional snores that filled the air of the tent.
A huge smile grew on Michael's face while he started to dream.
In Michael's dream.
He lay on his stomach on a beach in Vietnam.
He was with a Vietnamese girl by his side.
The girl massaged his legs.
"You American have sexy legs," the girl said while she massaged Michael's legs. "I love you long, long time," the girl said then moved up to his face. She started sucking on his ear lobe.
Michael started kissing the girl.
Michael's naked. The girl's naked. He was on top of her. He had a boner and slid it inside her. He pushed his hips, and a boom sound echoed on the beach. He pushed his hips again, and another boom sound echoed and shook the sand on the beach.
"Get the fuck up!" yelled a male voice echoed from somewhere on the beach.
Michael looked around the beach, and another booming sound shook the beach.
Back to reality.
Michael immediately woke from his dream to the sound of more booms shaking the Lola Hilton.
A siren blared throughout the LZ.
He sat upon his bunk in his boxer shorts and a tee-shirt. He looked dazed and confused while the sounds of machine guns echoed around the perimeter of the LZ.
Through the tent screens, Michael saw soldiers bolting past the tent in a panic.
Another boom shook the tent.
"Get your fucking rifle and let's go," Alan yelled from his bunk with his M-16 in his hand.
Michael saw Alan in his fatigue pants and a tee-shirt.
"Get the fuck up and grab your M-16," Alan yelled while he ran over to Michael's bunk.
It finally dawned on Michael that the LZ was under attack.
He jumped off his bunk, grabbed his fatigue pants, and shoved his legs through the pants. He then grabbed his combat boots and slipped his bare feet into them and did a half-ass job of lacing them up.
He grabbed his M-16 and followed Alan out of the tent.
Alan and Michael ran down the row between the other tents and joined other soldiers.
The sound of M-60 machine and M-16 guns filled the air while Alan and Michael ran out of the tent area.
"Yesterday you saw the beauty of Vietnam; now tonight you'll going to see the beast. The fucking ugly beast," Alan yelled out at Michael while they ran to one of the bunkers. These are Dugout Bunkers built all around the perimeter of the LZ.
Alan jumped inside the bunker with Michael right on his heels.
Michael hugged the dirt wall of the bunker. The sound of M16 machine guns filled the air from the perimeter of the LZ.
Alan got his M-16 ready and rested the barrel on one of the sandbags that ran along the perimeter of the bunker.
He started firing at the Vietcong (VC) coming after the LZ from the jungle.
Michael looked around the bunker and saw six other soldiers.
A young Private (PVT) named Ernie Joel ran into the bunker with his M-16.
He knelt next to Michael's right side and started shooting his M-16 at the threatening VC.
Private First Class (PFC) Willie Daniels fired his M60 machine gun at the VC. "Take that you fucking gooks," he yelled out. Daniels was a young African-American from Laurel, Mississippi. He had dreams of making the Army a career, as this was his only opportunity to make a better life for himself.
Michael sat with his back up against the dirt, stunned. Everybody in the bunker shot their weapons.
Willie glanced around the bunker and saw Michael sitting with his back up against the dirt wall. "Hey, man. Are you going to start shooting or are going to sit there with your finger up your ass?" Willie yelled at Michael.
Michael looked at his M-16 and for a second. He forgot how to use it.
"Hey man, it's either those gooks or you. Fire your fucking gun," Willie yelled out.
Michael didn't want to be a coward. He now remembered his basic training with the M-16. He got up, flicked off the safety, and aimed his rifle over the sandbags.
He saw six VC running near the concertina and razor wire perimeter. He fired off a shot. He missed the VC.
Willie returned firing his M60 machine gun with extreme hatred toward the VC.
Eight VC ran toward the concertina and razor wire.
Two of the VC had a plywood plank in hand.
It would be a bridge over the hazardous concertina and razor wire perimeter.
Michael aimed his M-16 and fired off some rounds once the two VC placed the plywood plank over the wire. He saw one of the VC drop to the ground, and he knew he made his first kill. He saw another VC walk on the plywood plank and he aimed and fired off some more rounds. He watched while that VC fell off the plank and landed on the concertina and razor wire. He made his second kill.
The VC knelt in the dirt and started firing their AK-47s at the underground bunkers.
Michael heard a thud to his right. He looked, and Ernie plopped to the dirt on his back with a bullet hole through his left eye. He was dead. Michael did not think anything of it at the moment, as the threatening VC was getting closer.
The sound of a bunch of Huey helicopters filled the air. The sound of machine-gun fire shot from the sky.
Michael looked and saw six assault Huey gunships firing at the approaching VC. It was Vipers 5, 6, 8, and 15.
The VC started dropping like flies while the assault Huey's came to the rescue.
Michael watched while the Huey gunships flew by firing off their machine guns. He wondered if Eric was in one of those Huey gunships, as he got word that he was in one of those units.
"Ceasefire! Ceasefire," Harrington called out from the LZ loudspeakers.
The LZ was quiet except for the sound of the Huey's flew off for their protective return flight.
Michael looked and saw about thirty dead VC in the dirt near the concertina and razor wire perimeter.
"Let's go," Alan said while he looked over at Michael then he headed out of the bunker.
Michael looked down at Ernie that lay dead in the dirt. Then it hit Michael like a truck the Ernie was killed. He vomited in the dirt.
Willie looked over at Michael while he continued to hurl in the dirt.
"You okay?" Willie asked while Michael stopped puking in the dirt.
"Yeah, I arrived the other day. This was my first gunfight," Michael said while he looked down at Joel's dead body.
Don't worry. You get use to it. My name is Willie Daniels. I'm with the second squad."
"I'm Warrant Officer Michael Grayson. One of the fucking new guys," Michael replied while he wiped his mouth on the left sleeve of his tee-shirt.
"Oh shit. I'm sorry to yell at you like that in the bunker. I didn't know you were a pilot," said Willie.
"Don't worry. Not a problem. I deserved it," Michael said while he headed out of the bunker.
Willie and Michael climbed out of the bunker.
Michael glanced back at the bunker. "What was the name of that guy in there? The one that got killed."
"Ernie Joel. A good ole boy from Georgia," Willie replied.
Michael got somber while he thought about Ernie's dead body.
"I'll catch you later," Michael said while he walked away from the bunker and started to feel a little dizzy.
"Later Mister," Willis said while he walked off in another direction with his M60 machine gun.
Michael walked back to the tent area in a bit of a daze.
He glanced back at the perimeter area and saw some soldiers out there, dragging the dead VC away.
Michael walked back inside the Lola Hilton and headed over to his bunk.
He sat down, and his eyes welled up while the thought of what happened was hit him hard.
Alan walked over and noticed Michael looking upset after being in his first battle.
He sat down on Michael's bunk next to him.
"I peed my pants the first time I was in a gunfight over here. This is war, and unfortunately, we'll lose some friends. But we'll take out more of those VC than our friends," Alan said in a reassuring tone.
"I killed two men tonight. I ended their lives," Michael said while he tried to comprehend what happened earlier.
"Those VC won't hesitate in a second to end your life with a bullet. Remember that," Alan replied.
Michael thought about his replied and realized he was right.
"Let's grab a few beers to calm your nerves at the party place," Alan said while he patted Michael on his shoulder.
Michael nodded in agreement, but then the sour taste in his mouth reminded him of his earlier event.
"But first I need to wash out my mouth," he told Alan.
Alan nodded with a little smile that he understood, as he heard Michael got sick.
They both got up off the bunk and headed out of the Lola Hilton.
Michael followed Alan down the rows of tents and walked up to the Party Place tent. They went inside for some relaxation.
Hao Nghiem was a middle-aged Vietnamese guy that worked as a bartender in the evenings. Everybody in LZ Lola loved Hao and tipped him good since he had a family to feed. To Hao, working as their bartender was the highest paying job he's ever had in his life.
An hour had passed. Michael and Alan drank beers and joined a tribute to the deaths of Private Ernie Joel, Michael. Alan and Michael retired to the Lola Hilton. It was a long day.
Michael couldn't go to sleep. The sounds of all the machine gun and mortar from earlier that evening haunted his mind.