This is me armed with the M-16. I don't have any M-60 ammo with me so I am no longer a ammo hamper which was my first job. I probably have been with Provisional Rifle Company for a couple of months now. In this photo we will be running one of our easiest day patrols. We are in a refugee village near highway 1. On this patrol we always took a truck from Camp Books to the village and later one back to base. Maybe a nice day out.
I recall one day when I was short "a short time left in Vietnam before rotating back to the States, or as we would say the world". 3-Charley was ordered on a patrol that would take them to our most North Eastern section of our AO. Our most dangerous and longest patrol. One or two weeks or longer in the field. My squad had a few new guys and I was short so I traded my easy day patrol with 3-Charley for there long patrol. I was the point man and wanted the opportunity to be sure that all the men in my squad had been on this long patrol at least once, with someone familiar with the area. Or most certainly someone would walk through a booby trap. So that was what we did. I don't recall any firer fights or booby traps on my patrol, and I think we all returned to Camp Books in one piece.
It was on our return that I learned the point man from 3-Charley had been medavac. He had stepped through a trip wire grenade booby trap. I never found out what had happened to him after he was medavac. We never saw him again. I don't remember his name, and I don't know if he survived. So much for an easy, one day patrol. My patrol... That was the thing. You were never safe.
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