Loon - Jack McLean [69]
The landing had brought confusion. We had departed later than planned, and so nightfall arrived before our 3rd Platoon could get in. We struggled to determine how the lines should be manned with our limited resources. Over the following hour, the troops were set in, lines of fire were established, holes were redug, and claymore mines were set out. Charlie Company occupied the low ground that two companies had previously manned. That meant we had roughly one position for every two holes. Although we were able to arrange overlapping lines of fire, we knew that if one of the holes was taken out, we would be extremely vulnerable to a ground attack.
Delta Company, led by the former Charlie Company executive officer, Lieutenant Mike Jackson, took the high ground to the north and faced the same manpower challenge. We had a 106 mm recoilless rifle in place—a devastating low-trajectory artillery weapon that was ideal for this situation. We also were supplied with a .50 caliber machine gun, perhaps the most awesome of all small arms.
The expected artillery rounds from Co Roc flew over us for most of the late afternoon of June fourth, missing their mark and exploding harmlessly in the valley beyond. We all laughed, of course. We recalled our recent experience on the flat plain of Gio Linh, where the NVA forward artillery observers who called in the rounds could rarely get one inside the wire. The idea of hitting a tiny hilltop from twelve miles away was, thereby, nearly unimaginable.
Still, they continued to try.
The mortars and guns quieted long enough for Negron and Tillery to make their way over to the Delta Company position to compare notes with Lieutenant Jackson. It was nearly impossible for them to navigate their way around the hill because they were blinded by the tall elephant grass. On their way, they saw two CH-46 helicopters laboring under the weight of several pallets of 105 mm artillery ammo that were being delivered.
“This must have been a major NVA position,” remarked Jackson. “We’ve got log bunkers with connecting trenches leading over to your position.” He seemed overjoyed. The NVA had done a good job, which would make our job that much easier.
Charlie Company, positioned on the lower ground, had evidence of a prior NVA presence, but our position was not nearly as fortified as Jackson’s. The fields of fire were inadequate, with the elephant grass and scrub bushes coming right up to the fighting holes on several sides. The battalion had not designated a command group for the two companies together, so Negron and Jackson felt their way through it—“The artillery forward observer will go up here, the landing zone will be over there, and let’s both keep a radio tuned to the battalion net so we don’t lose anything.”
A giant flying crane helicopter appeared carrying a backhoe and several U.S. Army engineers. It looked like a praying mantis. The backhoe was to be used to dig 105 mm artillery emplacements. Our job was to protect the base while they dug the holes and brought in the guns the following day. Once the artillery battalion arrived, we could begin our regular patrols around the perimeter.
As Negron and Tillery headed back across the ridge to the Charlie Company position, the mortar tubing began again. No rounds had fallen inside the perimeter as yet, but it was only a matter of time. Unlike the long-range artillery, the mortars were being launched from the woods nearby and, although not as devastating as artillery, could be made deadly accurate more quickly. By the time Negron and Tillery returned, the company gunnery sergeant had set up a company command post just under the crest of the