Not Home For Christmas

It was dark! It was so dark that you literally could not see your hand in front of your face. They were under triple layer canopy in the jungle where the faint light from stars and even the moon did not penetrate. He could hear the breathing of the other 5 men with him as they crouched down around him. He could also hear the faint lilt of voices as the NVA & VC searched for them across the river they had just crossed.

He tried the radio again. "Blue Bucket! This is Lacy Panties 6Alpha....over!" Nothing ut the faint hiss of static came out of the speaker. He whispered to the men that thy must keep going to the top of the ridge so that they had a chance of communicating with thier support elements by radio.

They saddled up once again and following the phosphorescent marks if the compass he led them upwards to the crest of the ridge. Once there he placed 2 men out as security just below them about 20 meters down the slope. He tried the radio again. "Blue Bucket! This is Lacy Panties 6-Alpha....over!" This a call came back, "Lacy Panties 6-Alpha this is Blue Bucket...over!"

Quickly he advised them of the situation and requested a fire mission from their artillery support. He read off the coordinates asking for star shells to illuminate the river and surrounding area below them. In less than a minute they heard and then saw the flares erupt into light high above them.  They could see the NVA & VC across the river looking up at the flares. They had not yet discovered that his team had crossed the river.

He then called in a request for air support so he could ex-filtrate the team by helicopter before the enemy realized that they were across the river.

"Lacy Panties 6-Alpha this is Sheriff FAC, Ringo Kid do you copy?"
"Roger copy Ringo Kid!" was his immediate reply. I have a flight of 2 Spads 3 mikes out coming in east to west. Mark your position with strobes. Copy?" came back from Ring Kid.
"Roger strobes Ringo Kid! As he clicked on the 2 strobes sending one down the line to his west about 5 meters. He recalled the 2 security guys.
He heard another call, "Lacy Panties 6-Alpha this is Corn Pone. I will come in from the east as soon as the Spads give the me the all clear! Copy?"
"Roger that Corn Pone!" was his thankful reply.

About that time he heard the powerful engines of the 2 A-1E Skyraider planes, the "Spads" coming in toward their ridgeline. "Lacy Panties 6-Alpha....Grey Goose here with 2 birds looking for a fight!" came from the lead Spad pilot.
"Grey Goose anything north of the river is fair game. They are bunch or were at coordinates 712412 and at 712410 at last sight. We counted roughly 300-400 November Victor Alpha s and Victor Charlies."

Lights from the Spads appeared as the 2 planes lined up and began their strafing run. The first plane fired its wing guns and was followed by the 2nd plane which rained "Hell from above" on the enemy with rockets. The Spads circled south and came back around for a second run. When that run was completed they called to Grey Goose that they were orbiting on station.

"Lacy Panties 6-Alpha this is Grey Goose. Say number of mikes coming aboard. Over?"
" Grey Goose Lacy Panties says 6 mikes all in one piece will board." Over?"
"Roger! I read 6 mikes Lacy Panties. I am inbound your posit in 1 mike. Over?"
"Roger that Grey Goose. Standing by for extraction."

It then that hey saw the Huey chopper flaring just to their south as the pilot set dow on the ridge. They scrambled to the chopper, loaded and were off before any time had passed. As they were leaving the area he watched the Spads make one more gun run at the enemy position across the river.

When the chopper touched down at their base camp in Pleiku he asked the pilot and his crew if they wanted to come to the club for drinks on him. "Raincheck sarge!" was the answer he got back.

He droped his gear in his hooch, locked his morphine syrettes in the dispensary safe, head to the club where he grabbed an iced-down fifth of Jack Daniels. As he headed back to his hooch he chugged the fifth empty. Once at his hooch he stripped, wrapped a towle around him, grabbed his DOP kit & headed back through the club where he picked up another fifth of JD. He sipped this one slower as he showered, shaved and headed back top his hooch for clean clothing.

Once back on the club he returned the 2 empty fifths to the Vietnamese bartender and was given a huge mug of beer. "Hey Doc! Glad to see you made it back in one piece!" said one of his buddies. Hey Doc we're headed over to the Air Force base. Bob Hope is doing his show over there in about ½ an hour. Wanna go with us?"
Damn right!" he yelled!

Once at the Air Force base they could not closer than 1bout 50 yards to the show.  He l;ooked around and saw that the roof of the BX was adjacent to the left side of the stage. They quickly climbed to the low roof and settled down on the edge. The base CO came out and introduced the USO tour and Bob Hope. Once Hope was on stage it was a laugh a minute until he turned it over to curvaceous ladies with him! Playboy's Miss 1968 was one of them! The Air Police noticed them on the roof but did not make get down as they usually would have done. When the show was over they loaded back aboard their jeep and drove over to the 71st. Evacuation Hospital. There they went to the club where they were warmly greeted by one and all. REAL egg nog in Dixie cups was handed to each of them and a toast to Bob Hope & the USO was offered by a half-drunk Army doctor!

Eventually they left the hospital and went back tot their compound. Supposedly there was a ceasefire in effect. Not that those NVA & VC out across the ia Drang River seemed to care earlier that night. He slept a deep and untroubled sleep. When he awoke he realized that it was Christmas Day. He loaded up a couple of huge boxes into the back of his jeep, gathered up 4 more of his buddies, headed over to the hospital where they picked up 4 nurses and they took off for the Bien Ho So Hai orphanage. Once there they greeted the nuns and kids then dispensed the presents to the kids. There were some 84 children and 33 infants at this orphanage. His unit, the hospital and a U.S Army Engineer battalion supported and aided this orphanage. The engineers arrived about that time wit more stuff for the kids including several hot cooked turkeys, mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing and apple pies! He assisted with the feeding of the kids and the nuns then he loaded up his guys and went back their base camp.

Christmas day does not have to be a "white" day, nor does it have to be at home with family & friends. It can be in a place where the actual spirit of the season is applied and truly means something. I have spent many a Christmas since then in places that certainly were not my home amongst people who were not my family. Sharing this joyous season with strangers who will never be strangers again is something special and something wonderful! The Christmas described in this article was my Christmas December 1968 in the Republic of Viet Nam. It was memorable because of Bob Hope, the kids at the orphanage, the REAL egg nog and the compnay of folks who were just like me, far away from home! Think long & hard about our guys & gals in uniform serving in war zones, or just serving abroad this year and please remember them in your prayers. Have great Christmas and a better New Year!

Copyright © 2008 Donald R Houston, PhD. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.