Death in the Jungle by Gary Smith Read Free Book Online Page A

(AOIC), PR1 Richard A. Pearson, MM2 Harlan W. Funkhouser, BT2 Michael E. McCollum, HM2 William L. Brown, RM2 Gary R. Smith, SM3 Leslie H. Funk (Katsma), ADJ3 Mitchell L. Bucklew, ADJ3 John F. Flynn, BT3 Ivan C. L. Moses, AMH3 Ray E. Markel, and SA Vernon L. Dicey. Alpha Platoon members were as follows: Lt. (jg) Joseph DeFloria, Lt. (jg) Nelson, PHC James M. Cignarella, PT1 Gerald M. “Ace” Bowen, Phillip L. “Moki” Martin, QM2 Talmadge W. Bohannon, SK2 Gouveia, HM2 Mahner, BM3 Al “Apache” Williams, RM3 Byrum, ICFN Guidry, and SK2 Ronald A. Ostrander. Even Bolivar, my snake, enjoyed the trip. I took him out of my field jacket pocket and let him crawl around in my lap and on Funkhouser’s neck while he was asleep.
    All went well until we reached Barbers Point Naval Air Station on Oahu. One of the crewmen had snitched to U.S. Customs that there was a snake on board. We were not allowed to depart the plane until we had been questioned and searched by Customs. Naturally, I denied having a snake with me because I knew my teammates wouldn’t give me away.
    Finally, the Customs men gave up the search and departed. Apparently, Hawaii didn’t have snakes. And they didn’t want any.
    Mr. Meston, my platoon officer, came over to me afterward and asked, “Where is that damn snake?”
    I could tell he wasn’t in a mood for humor. Without hesitating, I replied, “Right here in my coat pocket, sir.”
    Obviously irritated, he ordered, “Never do this again! You almost got us all into trouble. Do you understand?”
    “Yes, sir,” I replied as I stood at attention. I decided that I had better leave Bolivar in my coat pocket the whole trip coming back, unless, of course, I put him in Funky’s coat pocket. Now that’s what I’d call a good, covert scheme, I thought. After Lieutenant Meston walked away, I looked over to Funkhouser, grinned, and said, “How would you like for me to buy you a beer?”
    “Lead the way, matey,” was his cheerful reply.
    I bought him the beer, which was one of our last in the States. Two days later, we arrived at Tan Son Nhut Airport in Saigon. Nha Be Naval Support Activity was to be our home for the next six months, and the VC were to be our targets for assassination.
    My platoon, Foxtrot, relieved Kilo Platoon. The Kilo Platoon members were: Lt. E. D. Gill (OIC), Lt. (jg) D. Mann (AOIC), SM1 Wilson, DC1 Mack, EM1 Christensen, GMG2 Swepston, MM2 David Lee Sitter, BUI Payne, TM3 Haldeman, RM3 Neal, IC3 Boston, PH3 Kelmell, SN Cary, and HM2 Lappohn. Alpha Platoon relieved Juliett Platoon. The Juliett Platoon members were: Lt. (jg) Grabowsky (OIC), ENS Seiple (AOIC), HMC “Doc” Jones, BT1 John Fietsch, BM1 Donald L. “Goody” Goodman, EM2 William T. Doyle, SFP2 Wash Moore, ABH2 George Raacke, ETN3 Robert Schaedler, BM3 Richmond Cleem, SN Frank Toms, RM3 Robert Cramer, IC2 Michael J. Scrafford, MM3 Art Streeter, and FA Coy Ray Humphrey.
    Echo Platoon had previously arrived at Nha Be in June and wouldn’t be relieved until December by Bravo Platoon. Echo Platoon members were as follows: Lt. R. G. Brereton, Lt. (jg) R. F. Redding, QM1 D. D. Daley, BM2 J. S. Cirardin, SM1 Tommy L. Hatchett,MR2 C. D. “Tobacco Lou” Lewis, HM1 H. C. Marshall, GMG1 H. F. Matthews, PR2 Gary W. Shadduck, EMC W. A. Tobin, and BM1 R. Tullas.
    It was really good to see the guys again. We were soon told the details of what had happened last April 7th, when members of Juliett and Kilo Platoons were aboard the
Mighty Moe
(a modified Mike-Six boat) deep in the Rung Sat Special Zone. Frank Toms stated that they were ambushed by a well-armed VC/NVA unit with automatic weapons and shoulder-fired B-40 rocket rounds. Of the sixteen SEAL platoon members aboard (not counting MST casualties), thirteen were wounded and three killed. Kilo Platoon lost Mr. Mann, Neal, and Boston. Sadly, Mr. Mann had been married only a year at the time of his death. Boston had married a couple of weeks prior to Kilo Platoon’s deployment to Nam