COMBAT REMEMBERED
(A different kind of combat tail from the I Corps Tactical Zone, RSVN.)
They were 2/1/1 (CONUS) redesignated 3/3/3; 2/4 and BLT 3/7 (resv) for their part in this operation Regimental Landing Team -7 (RLT-7). They had already suffered through the throws of culture shock, homesickness, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, malaria, jungle rot, and stings and bites of an alphabet of crawlers, creeping flying biting stinging things and the sweat stinging their hundreds of razor grass cuts. They had been In-Country since May; most had lost at least 20 pounds. They had also lost some dozen buddies to Uncle Charles. It was a fierce summer in a horrid place.
There were shaky days and nights when the RLT-7 started the operation (STARLITE). They came carefully stepping from the north, landing from the skies on the west and splashing onto the beaches near An Cuong. It was August of 1965. It was 110 degrees with 96 percent humidity. They were lean, mean, hungry and hot green Marine Grunts. These Gyrenes were spring steel muscle with no padding, they had the eyes of the predator... always searching, never still.
"The First Big Battle" of the Vietnam period began in multi-unit force. The enemy was the 1st NVA Regiment, 60th and 80th NVA Battalions (rein), and the 16th VC Brigade (rein) in their own neighborhood.
The Leathernecks wore the same uniforms they used in the World. Wool socks, full black leather combat boots and long sleeved cotton utilities. They had heard they might some day see a flack jacket and a jungle utility uniform, someday (an old story to Marine Grunts). They carried one third of their weight in munitions, C-rats and explosives. They were the best-organized and lead Fighting Men in the World. They had trained to be the best ... Brothers of Battle (and a serious threat to those who spoke against and prevented freedom).
After Starlite there was Operation Piranha. COMBAT stayed behind, in the rear with the gear so to speak. He didn't make Triple Play nor Blue Marlin I & II. COMBAT became a REMF (Rear Echelon Maintenance Force?). He was the envy of every Vietnamese Cook, a fat little rascal. Much to the favor of COMBAT's longevity, the remainder of 3/3 were shipped off to Okinawa where it picked up raw NFG's (lifers) and NCO'/FNG's: Combat came along too.
COMBAT followed the troops on their travels, stoned to the gills (ala the US Navy Corpsman's goodies), in 60mm & 81mm Mortar ammo crates. He traveled on board ships from RVN to Okinawa, Okinawa to the Philippines and back to RVN. COMBAT participated in Jungle Training at NTA, Okinawa and drank San Miguel beer with his masters in Subic Bay on the way back to Da Nang late December.
He was stationed with his friends the Marines at Cade Song Bridge (Nam O), Dia Loc, An Tan and accompanied LCpl Nicholls on several ventures to Hill 367. What a fiasco. He had never seen so many Marine friends. They all looked alike and his wild thing was not appreciated by strangers, especially the 0302's, (clean starched NG Officers) whom were always too nosey.
During COMBAT's involuntary enlistment with the Marine Forces he had picked up Friends in the World. His picture was in many major newspapers and he began receiving fan mail. One particular group was a group of Kindergarten Children in Costa Mesa, California. The children would draw picture of COMBAT and sent him wee notes and would wish all his Masters well. The Teacher Miss Darcy (a fox herself) forwarded many packages to COMBAT through, then Cpl Nicholls. COMBAT in his travels lost all his correspondence, he was very sad, so was Cpl Nicholls as he was going to try to hit on Miss Darcy, later, if he made the Freedom Bird.
Alas the Cpl became a Short Timer, then he was NEXT, and finally- GONE. To his disillusionment, the DAWG stayed and Miss Darcy was happily married to a civilian. Xin Loi!
Years later it was learned that COMBAT was KIA in the Da Nang TAOR and his new master was a WIA. Like many of his Green Marine Friends before him, Combat's demise was as a result of a VC Booby Trap.
Sgt Nicholls eventually returned to Chu Lai on a Second Tour. And again another wee puppy was adopted. "Blooper" became a Marine Mascot, of CAC One (1st C.A,G. Hqs). Blooper was subsequently dog-jacked by the locals for an evening respite.
They were trained to be Gung-Ho Marines. Two Medals of Honor were to come from those struggles on 18 Aug. 1965; two in a 12-hour period from three under strength Infantry Battalions. Seven Navy Crosses would be earned in savage battle.
It was a first bloodying; and that they did. Forty-Five Marines gave their lives, two hundred and three shed their lives blood (WIA)... 8 subsequently died of their wounds.
To a LCpl (a Marine retread) and former LAPD Cop, the casualties, KIA's seemed awfully heavy. The enemy was reported to have lost between 600 and 2000 of their Warriors during the siege and mop-up; the start of a new war term "Body count".
During a lull in this Battle some Marine found a small, emaciated puppy in a destroyed,
smoking village between An Cuong 1 & 2 (BS703926). As Kilo Company set in for the night the puppy was given to LCpl Nicholls. The original Marine Master of the puppy went out on a listening post.
The puppy was crowned with the name of COMBAT; his fleas came with him to pester the new masters, and they were free spirit and roamed at will. The puppy was so small it fit snuggly in an empty M-60 canvass box (ammo) pouch.
At the conclusion of Starlite all that remained returned to the base camps on the blinding white beaches, yes, even the squeaky flea-bitten little puppy.
COMBAT adapted quickly to the Marine way of life. He even enjoyed, after initial disgust, ham and lungers, pork sausage patties, pound cake and even peaches. COMBAT became more and more each day like a Marine Grunt, smelly, cranky, and ornery... always looking for shade. You couldn't be too chummy with COMBAT, he was his own Dog. As he grew, if you gave him too much affection, he would do a wild thing on your leg. Many a 10 1/2 EE got to his derriere. To COMBAT, that was part of being a mascot, part of a Marine thing and came with the territory.
During lulls in the work as a Mailman and chores on his Texas Hill Country ranch, the Sergeant gazes off occasionally and imagines he sees COMBAT -that dreadfully wonderful little animal ... wagging his tail, Dog Smiling, mooching a tidbit or happily doing a wild thing on someone's leg.
COMBAT was the only thing that made any sense in an 11-year war.
Always Remembered.. R.I.P. COMBAT - SEMPER-FI old Buddie!
Ed Nicholls [c-CALTRAP,vol43, no.5,Sep/Oct'98,p.7]
