Our Experiences In Vietnam Were Not All On The Down Side

by T. J. McGinley
C/1/327 & Tigers

Our experiences in Vietnam where not all on the down side, such as:

With in the jungle covered mountains of the central highlands, prowl many strange creatures. This is a story of a chance encounter between two such creatures.

On this day, Dwight Lane was walking point for Tiger Force. While winding their way up an especially thick portion of terrain, the order came around to stop. Dwight was exhausted from fighting the nearly impenetrable foliage, he sat down next to another individual who appeared to be enjoying a meal. Not looking at him and thinking him to be his slack man, Dwight started a conversation but was totally ignored.

The order came around to move. Slightly irritated by now, Dwight told the individual he was in the way and slapped him on the shoulder.

Instantly the individual jumped up and landed directly on Dwight’s chest. A few yards behind, Bob Campos heard one hell of a commotion and looked in Dwight’s direction. Bob saw, what he later described as an enraged child violently shaking what looked like a Raggedy Ann doll. Amidst the thrashing and the jumble of arms and legs, he could hear Dwight screaming, “Shoot it”! “Shoot the thing!”

Campos, not knowing whether to yell, shoot or call for air support, watched in astonishment as the scuffle ended as quickly as it began. Battered, bloodied, and bewildered, Dwight picked up his M-16 and ran into the jungle swearing and firing at the five foot 150 pound orangutan that had accosted him.

OR:

My first night in the jungle I destroyed my poncho and liner while learning to heat water using C-4. CHERRY!