This is from Carlos,an amazing Vietnam war veteran and kind friend and his blog A STARVING WORLD.
Enjoy!
Monday, October 3, 2011
NIGHT PATROL
In the 60's and 70's we didn't have the high tech equipment that the modern
soldier has today.
Night patrols was not one of our favorite things to do. First of all it was
dark and I do mean dark. If it was raining that added to more misery.
The squad leader had a map and compass and a radio man. The map,
compass, and radio was our only link if we got into trouble.
The best way to describe a night patrol was like going on a suicide walk
in the dark. There were too many elements to defeat us, weather, darkness,
stepping on bobby traps, trip wires, and being ambushed. Needless to say
we didn't venture too far from our front lines. We would normally go out
set up a ambush and wait until time to return.
Returning was another situation. If we were mistaken for the enemy
coming back in, our own troops would open fire on us. So when we went out
the guard was told when we would return and we would return the
same way. This was not always the case. Every once in awhile the
guard would forget or be sleepy and ended up shooting someone. I was
lucky and never had the pleasure of being in any of those situations.
I was never on a night patrol that made contact and like I said before, I guess
the good Lord was watching over us.
soldier has today.
Night patrols was not one of our favorite things to do. First of all it was
dark and I do mean dark. If it was raining that added to more misery.
The squad leader had a map and compass and a radio man. The map,
compass, and radio was our only link if we got into trouble.
The best way to describe a night patrol was like going on a suicide walk
in the dark. There were too many elements to defeat us, weather, darkness,
stepping on bobby traps, trip wires, and being ambushed. Needless to say
we didn't venture too far from our front lines. We would normally go out
set up a ambush and wait until time to return.
Returning was another situation. If we were mistaken for the enemy
coming back in, our own troops would open fire on us. So when we went out
the guard was told when we would return and we would return the
same way. This was not always the case. Every once in awhile the
guard would forget or be sleepy and ended up shooting someone. I was
lucky and never had the pleasure of being in any of those situations.
I was never on a night patrol that made contact and like I said before, I guess
the good Lord was watching over us.
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