Loon - Jack McLean [1]
“Now, hang on, marine. Cool it. Catch your breath. Who’s digging in and where?” Negron was calm.
“The gooks, for chrissake. The NVA, just like they did at Con Thien before they came through the wire, and, in case you haven’t noticed, we ain’t got no fuckin’ wire … sir.” Matthews caught his slight sarcasm and tried to temper it.
Negron grabbed his radio handset and called over to the 3rd Platoon. “Charlie Three, this is Charlie Six Actual, do you read me? Over.”
“Six, this is Three. Go.”
“Three, this is Six Actual.” Negron was gripping the handset ever more tightly so as not to miss a word. “Is everything cool down there?”
“That’s a negative, Six. I think the visiting team has arrived and is getting ready for the kickoff. Over.”
“Charlie One,” “Charlie Two,” and “Charlie Three” were the radio call signs of the platoons that comprised C Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Regiment, 3rd Marine Division. Charlie Six was the company commander, in this case, Captain William A. Negron. The “Actual” meant Negron himself as opposed to a designee, such as his radio operator.
A brief radio silence was broken by a call from the 1st Platoon. “Charlie Six, this is Charlie One. We’ve got company about five-zero meters out. Over.”
“One, this is Six Actual. Roger that. Give me an azimuth. Over.”
Negron was looking for the exact coordinates of the reported activity so he could direct 60 mm mortar fire to the area.
“Six, this is One. Wait out… Six, this is One—one-five mils magnetic. Over.”
“Incoming!” came the call from the near side of the perimeter.
The ensuing explosion was followed by yet another call. “Grasshopper Charlie Six, this is Grasshopper Six Actual. Things sound kinda rough up there for you. Give me a sit rep. Over.” “Grasshopper Six Actual” was the call sign for our battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel James H. MacLean (no relation to me).
“Grasshopper Six, this is Charlie Six Actual. We are in the V ring. Surrounded by unhappy gooks. Send water, ammo, air, and arty. Now. Over.”
“Charlie Six, this is Grasshopper Six. I read you loud and clear. What’s your body count? Over.”
“Grasshopper Six, be advised that I’ve lost an entire offensive football team and one baseball team. I’m too busy killing ’em to count ’em. I’ll be back when it’s quieter. Over.”
“Roger that, Charlie Six. Groceries and goodies are on the way. Over and out.”
The brief radio silence was followed by an urgent whisper on another radio that was barely audible.
“Charlie Six, this is Charlie Three. Over.”
It was the voice of 3rd Platoon radio operator Mitchell calling from LZ Loon across the ravine.
“This is Six. Go,” replied Terry Tillery. Tillery was Charlie Company’s radio operator, and never far from Negron’s side.
“Six, they’re coming at you. We can see it from here. They’re all over your fuckin’ perimeter and they are coming at you. Over.”
Negron grabbed the handset from Tillery.
“Three, this is Six Actual, do you read me? Over.”
“Roger that, Skipper.” Mitchell was out of breath and scared.
“Three, can you give me their grid coordinates. Give me some numbers so I can lay some lumber on them.”
With that, two 122 mm rockets screamed over the perimeter, followed by a volley of incoming grenades, mortars, and small-arms fire. The ground attack had begun.
“Here they come!” someone screamed.
“Gooks in the perimeter!” came the cry from the 2nd Platoon lines.
“Gooks in the perimeter!” came the cry again, now from the Delta Company lines. Delta marines were engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy.
Negron, observing the assault, looked calmly to John Camacho, the artillery forward observer, and gave a sullen nod. “Do it. Do it now.” Camacho picked up his handset and called the rear. Negron then turned to Tillery, his radio operator, and said, “Pass the word. Get everybody in a hole. Now.”
“All stations on this net, this is Charlie Six,” Tillery stated. “Be advised we are calling