Chapter 13
The months flew by, and the war raged onward. Soldiers watched their fellow soldiers die or get injured.
Also, during that time, Michael had the opportunity for a little fun. He went to Manila for a week for a bit of Intoxication and Intercourse (I & &). But Michael drank, as he did not want to screw with any other Vietnamese woman. He tried to take Kim with him, but that would be too risky, as LTC Harrington would have his ass in a sling. But he took his pair of Ho Chi Ming racing slicks with him and felt that part of Kim was with him.
It was June.
Michael saw more action and picked up more dead Cong Crushers from the jungle. But seeing Kim was the beautiful sunshine of his day and kept him going. Sergeant (SGT) Gary Kilson worked in the supply tent. He notified LTC Harrington that a PRC-10 backpack field radio, two M-16s and bullets were gone. He found this during his monthly inventory task.
Also during this month, Michael saw Crusher 19 get shot down by VC in the jungle. Crusher 19 was descending to picking up some Crushers at LZ Wayne. WO3 Ralph Zimmerman survived with a broken leg and shoulder blade. His X-Ray Carl Wendell arrived in Vietnam three weeks ago and met the grim reaper.
Michael also received letters from his mom, and Kevin and those always cheered him up.
During July, it was hot and humid. This Vietnam weather was nothing like the summers back home in California. Michael sweated off about fifteen pounds from the heat. But the periodic romantic encounters with Kim made it all worth wild.
Gary reported that three more M-16 rifles, grenades, and bullets were missing from supply. LTC Harrington had a meeting in the Operations. He umped in the Cong Crushers shit for the missing rifles, bullets, and grenades. He started having concerns that one of his Crushers might be selling them on the black market.
Michael received more letters from mom and a letter from Kevin. But nothing from Eric.
Kevin wrote that he had a blast in Germany with the German beer and the girls. Kevin mentioned that he started to see a young girl named Joanna. He did not go into much detail about Joanna but said he had to sneak around to take her out on dates.
Michael also saw Crusher 12 get shot down and crashed into a ball of fire. Doug, Albert, and SP4 John Berry died. Michael also learned that Biannotti died. He remembered the first day they arrived at LZ Lola.
July also had everybody in LZ Lola glued to the radio. They listened to the news reports about the Apollo 11 Moon landing. They were all impressed that man had the technology to land on the Moon. They knew our Astronauts would land on other planets, like Mars, during the next thirty years.
Plus July also brought romantic moments at night with Kim.
During August, the heat continued to cook the troops in Vietnam. And the bugs and mosquitoes continued to have a feast on the exposed skins of the soldiers.
Michael fell deeper in love with Kim and cherished every second she was at LZ Lola. His time spent with Kim helped him forget about the deaths of the fellow Crushers.
Also during August, the VC shot down Crusher 10 after dropping off some Cong Crushers at a landing zone. It crashed into some trees. The VC rushed to the wreckage. They made sure WO2 Wally Benson, WO1 Gary Henderson, and SGT Karl Woodside would never make it home.
September rolled around. Two more M16 rifles along with a box of ammunition gone form supply. Harrington blew his top and accused Gary of selling the missing items on the black market. But he couldn't prove anything and did not want to go through the tons of paperwork for a court-martial. Harrington transferred Gary to another infantry unit.
The VC shot down Crusher 6 after dropping off some Cong Crushers. Billy, Chuck, and Jesse did not survive the fiery crash.
It was a Monday morning in September. The sun peeked over the horizon.
Michael was inside the Eloquent Army Cuisine tent. He ate his shit on a shingle and powered egg breakfast wearing his Ho Chi Minh racing slicks. He was on his second cup of coffee. He had Kim on his mind, as he had not seen her in four days. She said she needed to be with her sick mother.
Alan walked over to Michael. "How was the meeting with Harrington," Michael asked." "We need to go take a walk," Alan said and looked serious while he stood by Michael and glared down at him." "Can I finish my breakfast first?" Michael asked, then took a drink." "Hurry up. This can't wait any longer" Alan said while he pretended to look pissed with Michael." "Okay," Michael said. He started scarfing down this breakfast while he sensed Alan had terrible news by the serious look on his face.
Michael finished his breakfast. He left the Eloquent Army Cuisine tent with Alan." What's so important that you had to rush my breakfast?" Michael asked while they left the tent." "Colonel Harrington wanted feedback about you," Alan said. He walked Michael toward the Huey revetment area." "Did I screw up?" Michael asked. He wondered if he might be removed off flight status. But he could not recall any incident considered a fuck up." "No, Harrington replied then he looked at Michael and still had his serious look.
Michael knew he was in deep shit for Harrington based on Alan's behavior. "He wants you to move up to aircraft commander soon He 'ss expecting some replacement pilots next month," Alan replied. A smile grew on his face that indicated he was proud of Michael.
It took a few seconds for it to dawn on Michael that he was not in deep shit. "You had me. I thought I was going to get my ass chewed out," he said then he looked excited about taking command of his own Huey. Harrington wants you to fly with one of our other aircraft commanders. Before you take command on a new Huey," Alan said while they walked up to Crusher 3.
Michael saw Crusher 3, and it took a few seconds for it to dawn on him. "I'm going to be CrazyJay's X-Ray?" he asked Alan." "Yes," Alan replied. Alan had a smirk knowing that Michael would have some fond memories. The kind of memories he could laugh about over some beers in the future.
Crazy Jay walked around his Huey for a last glance inspection before the mission." "Who will be your X-Ray?" Michael asked as he didn't want to stop flying with Alan. "One of those fucking new guys, Wilbur Wilson," Alan said. He glanced over at Crusher 5. C Squared was inspecting the rotor system, and WO1 Wilbur Wilson waited by the nose for Alan.
Michael glanced over and saw Wilson waiting for Alan. "Jay, here's your X-Ray," Alan called out to Crazy Jay.
"Welcome aboard Michael," Crazy Jay called out while he looked over the tail rotor blade.
"Well, good luck and I'll see you up in the sky," Alan said while he patted Michael on his shoulder with a smirk.
Alan walked away and headed to Crusher 5 while Crazy Jay walked over to Michael." "Are you ready to go?" Crazy Jay asked Michael.
Michael looked a little leery of flying with his new aircraft commander. "I guess so. Where are we going?" Michael asked."
"Dropping off some Cong Crushers ten miles southwest of Da Lat. We got a report from a Bird Dog. Twenty VC was out there moving toward in the direction of the Tan Son Nhut airfield," Crazy Jay replied.
Michael still looked leery of flying with Crazy Jay."
"Hey chief," Crazy Jay called.
Michael saw SP4 Jerry Bradshaw on top of Crusher 3 inspecting the rotor blade linkage.
"Welcome Mister Grayson," Jerry said while he climbed down off the top of Crusher 3. "I' mm Jerry Bradshaw, in case you didn't know," he said while he walked over to Michael.
They shook hands.
Another squad of eight Cong Crushers walked up to Crusher 3.
They had their M-16s in hand and Rucksacks on their backs. They were ready for another mission of crushing the VC.
Another squad of eight Cong Crushers walked over to Crusher Two. It was ready for another mission in the jungle.
Eight other Cong Crushers walked over to Crusher 5. "Let 'ss get up in the air," Crazy Jay said while he walked over and got in on the starboard side.
Michael got in the port side while Jerry got in position behind his M-60 machine gun in the cargo area.
Michael and Crazy Jay got situated in their seats.
Michael started up Crusher 3. The blades started to spin a few seconds later.
Crusher 2 and Crusher 5 were also starting up at the same time.
Five minutes had passed. Crushers 2, 3, and 5 lifted from behind their metal revetments and ascended into the sky.
The three Hueys banked to the left in formation and headed southwest.
Thirty minutes had passed. Crushers 2, 3, and 5 were flying in formation at one thousand feet above the ground.
The Crushers flew in formation toward some rice paddies.
From inside Crusher 3, Michael was in command. Crazy Jay was concentrating on the rice paddies for any signs of VC.
A few minutes later, CrazyJay' ss eyes lit up with a smile. "We got a squatter," he called out all excited."
"A what?" Michael asked Crazy Jay.
"Someone squatting in the rice paddy," Crazy Jay said he pointed to their ten o'clock position.
"I'll take command now," Crazy Jay added.
Michael released his hands off the controls after Crazy Jay took over.
"I got a squatter at ten o'clock," Crazy Jay said into the radio.
"Here we again," said Rusty from Crusher 2 called out from the radio. "Have fun, Michael," Alan called out from the radio.
Michael looked baffled.
Crazy Jay banked Crusher 3 to the left and started a fast descent down to a dot in the rice paddy. He tugged on his harness to tighten its grip on his body.
An elderly South Vietnamese farmer was squatting by the edge of the dike that ran through the rice paddy.
His pants were down at his ankles, and his bare ass hung a foot above the dike's nasty water. He constipated and straining hard. He didn't see the approaching Huey.
The sound of an approaching Huey got louder.
The farmer was too preoccupied with dumping into the dike's water to notice the helicopter.
The sound of the approaching Huey got louder.
The farmer started to get concerned when the sound of the blades of Crusher 3 got even louder. He glanced up at the sky. The farmer saw Crusher 3 racing down toward him. But he was now relieving himself and did not want to stop this long-awaited moment.
He watched Crusher 3 pulled out of the dive and was soon flying about five feet above the rice paddy. He continued dumping into the dike even though the Huey was flying straight at him.
Inside Crusher 3, Crazy Jay had a crazy look in his eyes and a huge grin while he raced the Huey at the squatting farmer.
Back in the rice paddy, the farmer was still doing his business. He started getting nervous while Crusher 3 was closer.
Crusher 3 zoomed over the farmer's head at five feet above the ground.
The farmer panicked and fell backward into the dike.
The farmer was steaming mad while he sat in the dirty water of the dike.
He stood up and turned around and searched the sky for Crusher 3. He saw it ascending back into the air, joining the other Hueys.
"Fucking asshole American!" the farmer yelled out in Vietnamese while he shook his fist at the Huey.
He pulled up his soggy pants and stepped out of the dike.
The farmer walked back to tending his rice paddy while the Crusher helicopters flew away.
Ten minutes had passed. Crushers 2, 3 and 5 flew toward another rice paddy miles away from that farmer. There's LZ Mongoose," Crazy Jay called out into the radio.
"The VC should be west of here heading in the direction of Tan Son Nhut airfield," Alan replied from the radio.
"Crusher Two going in," Rusty replied from the radio.
Crazy Jay and Michael watched while Crusher 2 descended to the rice paddy." "Crusher three is going in," Crazy Jay said into the radio and started his descent down to the rice paddy.
"Okay guys, who are we?" the leader of this squad yelled out from the cargo area of Crusher 3.
"Cong Crushers," the rest of squad yelled out then stomped on the floor of the cargo area in unison.
Michael loved this Cong Crushers tradition. This happened before they jumped out in an LZ. He never got tired of it.
"Crusher Five going in," Alan said from the radio.
Crusher 2 hovered a few feet above the rice paddy. The Cong Crushers jumped out and splashed into the rice patty. They all ran through the water to the trees.
Crusher 2 ascended back into the air. Jerry aimed his M60 machine gun down at the ground in case the VC appeared. The rice paddy seemed to be safe.
Crusher 3 hovered a few feet above the rice paddy. The Cong Crushers jumped out and splashed into the rice patty. They all ran through the water to the trees after the other Cong Crushers.
Crusher 3 ascended back into the air. SP4 Harvey Whitestone was aiming his M60 machine gun down at the ground in case the VC appeared. The rice paddy still seemed to be safe.
Crusher 5 hovered a few feet above the rice paddy. The Cong Crushers jumped out and splashed into the rice patty. They all ran through the water to the trees after the other Cong Crushers.
Crusher 5 ascended to join Crushers 2 and 3. C Squared aimed his M60 machine gun down at the ground in case the VC appeared. The rice paddy still seemed to be safe. C Squared eyes widened the second he saw a bunch of moving black dots in the trees. They were racing to the rice paddy with the backs of the Cong Crushers in sight.
Twenty-five VC appeared in the rice paddy. They started firing their AK-47s at the Cong Crushers and the ascending Crusher 5.
Bullets penetrated the side of Crusher 5, and some of them went through the cargo area. C Squared received bullets through his chest. He slumped over dead and died with very little pain.
"The LZ is now hot," Alan yelled into the radio while he ascended upward.
More bullets hit the engine compartment. Black smoke bellowed out. "We're going down," Alan yelled out into the radio. Black smoke bellowed still out of the engine compartment. The needles of his engine gauges started going haywire.
Hearing this on the radio call scared Michael.
Bullets hit the nose of Crusher 3. "Fuck," Michael yelled while bullets missed his legs by inches.
He remembered Alan's radio call and craned his neck to see if Crusher 5 was still in the air.
He could not see anything. Crusher's 2 and 3 continued their ascent into the sky. They were away from the battle that started down below in the rice paddy.
The Cong Crushers and the VC started a gun battle that would soon bloody the rice paddy.
It was quiet inside Crusher 3 while they flew back to LZ Lola. "Crusher five, are you there?" Crazy Jay called out into the radio.
Alan did not reply on the radio.
Michael got sick to his stomach, fearing the worse.
Later that day, Crushers 2 and 3 received permission on the radio from the Sarge to land.
The skids of the two Hueys soon touched down in the first available spots behind two revetment walls.
After Michael shut down Crusher 3, He headed to the Party Place. He was in a daze of what happened during the mission. He had Alan and C Squared on his mind. Crusher 5 did not land after they landed.
He sat in the tent and drank some Miller beers still worried about the fate of Crusher 5.
He listened to the Leaving On A Jet Plane song that played on the radio. All he could think about was getting on a jet plane and heading back to California. But he wanted to make sure he could take Kim along with him. He knew his mom and dad would love her the second they met her.
How can I buy a ring? He thought to himself while sipping on his can of Miller beer. The happy thoughts of marriage flooded through his mind. He wished Kim was here, but she was still visiting her mother. Thinking of her cheered him up.
Nighttime fell upon LZ Lola.
Michael had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach when he did not hear anything about Alan and C Squared.
He had a difficult time falling asleep that night while he knew Alan's bunk was still empty.