OK, yesterday and today was a "day off" of sorts involving a couple visits to the nearby Eastern Sea An Bach beach here in Hoi An. Interestingly, the guy from whom I rented beach chairs was former VC. Both today and yesterday, we engaged in a few mock firefights, complete with hand grenades.
Three days ago we went to My Son, the Cham holy land, traversing there by car and back by boat. It's quite interesting and a World Heritage Site. Two days ago involved a boat trip to Cham Island, which has been inhabited by the Cham people for centuries.
I am pleased that Damn Guide (Thong) will be taking tomorrow off from his guiding job to accompany us to LZ East (Hill 488) and Duong's house. With quite a military history on 488, and a perfect view of the old AO from the summit, I should be a good climb. But, the heat will be a factor not to be taken lightly. Damn Guide, my daughter, and I climbed it in 2011. It is my understanding that no American until then had ascended the hill since the war's end. Peering down from the top is an emotional experience, as men of A 3/21 196th Infantry lived, died, and endured unspeakable combat conditions throughout the visible area. It's an area of hills, terraces, rice paddies, and valleys where determined Company A infantrymen repeatedly engaged an equally determined enemy. The lives that weren't ended were forever changed...sobering stuff.
Assuming survival of the LZ East climb (almost didn't on a four-man observation post once-NVA attack), we'll move on to Duong's place. There the hope is to find two needy recipients for his carts, as he is too weak of operate them. Working with hamlet officials is probably our best bet.
OK, the plan is to get picked up at this hotel at 0700 tomorrow by damn guide with a car I've hired for the day. Overnight tomorrow will be in Da Nang with a flight to Saigon the following afternoon.
To be continued...
Neil
Three days ago we went to My Son, the Cham holy land, traversing there by car and back by boat. It's quite interesting and a World Heritage Site. Two days ago involved a boat trip to Cham Island, which has been inhabited by the Cham people for centuries.
I am pleased that Damn Guide (Thong) will be taking tomorrow off from his guiding job to accompany us to LZ East (Hill 488) and Duong's house. With quite a military history on 488, and a perfect view of the old AO from the summit, I should be a good climb. But, the heat will be a factor not to be taken lightly. Damn Guide, my daughter, and I climbed it in 2011. It is my understanding that no American until then had ascended the hill since the war's end. Peering down from the top is an emotional experience, as men of A 3/21 196th Infantry lived, died, and endured unspeakable combat conditions throughout the visible area. It's an area of hills, terraces, rice paddies, and valleys where determined Company A infantrymen repeatedly engaged an equally determined enemy. The lives that weren't ended were forever changed...sobering stuff.
Assuming survival of the LZ East climb (almost didn't on a four-man observation post once-NVA attack), we'll move on to Duong's place. There the hope is to find two needy recipients for his carts, as he is too weak of operate them. Working with hamlet officials is probably our best bet.
OK, the plan is to get picked up at this hotel at 0700 tomorrow by damn guide with a car I've hired for the day. Overnight tomorrow will be in Da Nang with a flight to Saigon the following afternoon.
To be continued...
Neil
I was on LZ East once, but we didn't walk up. A ride on a huey was much easier. I remember seeing lights at Tam Ky from that hill. Didn't see many lights when in the field. Thanks Neil.
ReplyDeleteWe humped East a few times and I pulled a four-man, four-day OP up there once. I volunteered for such OP's every now and then to escape from the hump all day, dig in at night routine that endured for months on end. Got kicked off of East while on OP by a platoon of NVA…pretty wild night afterwards. Thanks for your blog comments. In Saigon and ready to head home to AK tomorrow.
DeleteNeil
Oh! I'm so glad you had travelling company after all!
ReplyDelete