My Memories days following the siege . It was a wonder we survived that night. It was a chance when all hell broke lose for the NVA to overrun the base, all was set for them. Night time, exploding ammunition dumps, Tear gas being released from  one of them covering the base in gas .Barrage of incoming . All was on there side that moment in time.

One day the date I don’t remember but it was after the first assault the NVA pounded us with a Barrage of Rockets and Mortars.

I remember the morning after staying up all night waiting for the Land attack which did not come. Getting out of the trench which served as our foxholes which were cut in a saw tooth configuration which served as our perimeter all interconnected . They may have a name for it but for now I don’t recall. It was configured in such a way if a mortar or rocket hit one section the explosion would be contained in that one section.

Fog was lifting  looking ahead of my position into the fields ahead you could see smoke from shelling . And far ahead a  Beautiful green  Landscape laid ahead. Something that would drastically change in the days and months ahead .

I got out and  walked around the dampness of the night still in my cloths . I guess I made it and so did my partner who shared my position . It was time to hit the head . Which to my amazement still stood intact . Incoming was still sporadically coming in . Even though the morning sun was coming up and the fog was starting to role away.

Some of the unlucky ones who did not make it that night were quickly gathered up in body bags and carried to a staging area to be flown out which included the wounded . I remember one young man just a kid who looked like he was not hit, but to find out later a piece of shrapnel pierced his lung and he did not make it that day . Saw some men walking around who were just hit by incoming and there wounds clearly showing ,and seeking help from the corpsman. There was no safe areas . It was like Russian Rootlet not knowing  when incoming would hit or where, but you had to leave your safe position sooner or later, or when you thought it was safe to leave either way it was a gamble. Even your supposedly safe position was realistically not safe and you were exposed to incoming..

I  remember walking around and seeing flesh on wood. looked like someone took fresh hamburger meat and threw it unto the wood . Fly’s were already on it.

The smell of burnt gunpowder was thick in the air . Also the smell of death.

Time to get organized and look for food .there was no hot food since the chow hall was blown up that night or morning . Eventually all would be destroyed .

So the Sargent had a bright idea to take the 5 ton truck which also survived the shelling and go look for food. We  found a reefer that was hit which stored refrigerated food .

A Sargent from another company was at the reefer already . The meat on top was already starting to rot from no refrigeration  . The Sargent said no problem should be some good stuff under it. I stayed on the truck while they both talked. after a few minutes of talking the Sargent told me to move the truck closer so that we could load the good meat into the truck . I was about to tell him I can not drive a truck but at that moment I don’t know why to this day  I got behind the wheel put the truck in gear and proceeded towards the reefer .During that split second the Sargent who was standing by the reefer took a direct hit . He never knew what hit him there was nothing to see he was completely gone before my eyes .  There was nothing for us to do but load the meat on the truck and leave . It was like something never happened,. but to this day still stays with me as another day I lived. That position where the Sargent stood would have been my position if I had not got behind the wheel and drove that I always will remember..

The picture of the hole you see was made by either a mortar or artillery shell during another day in Khe Sanh. The red clay of Khe Sanh as all Khe Sanh Vets Know. The other picture is some of the fog clearing up, the smoke of our guns hitting NVA positions in front of our perimeter. These pictures were taken by me at FOB-3 Special Forces Camp Khe Sanh. January 1968.