Master Chief by Alan Maki Read Free Book Online

then armed approximately eight to ten thousand Hoa Haos and operated jointly with them against the Viet Minh until the French withdrawal in 1954. After South Vietnam’s independence in ’54 some of the Hoa Haos pledged support to the Emperor Bao Dai. This placed them at odds with the new national leader, Ngo Dinh Diem. However, these Hoa Hao units eventually rallied to Diem’s government under the Chieu Hoi program in 1967 and loyally resisted the Communist insurgency in the delta.
    After the sector helo departed, the four of us started walking toward a prominent, open-sided hootch located about fifty meters from the hamlet’s large community bunker. Ba To was sitting in his wheelchair, in the shade of the hootch. His legs were gone; and only short stubs protruded from his hips.
    Dai Uy and I walked up, bowed slightly, greeted him in Vietnamese and shook hands Vietnamese style, with both hands. Ba To was pleased. He welcomed us to his humblevillage and invited us to sit down at his small table for warm tea. He quickly ordered his wife to heat water for fresh tea and to bring four clean teacups and snacks for his guests. After the initial amenities of tea drinking and snacks, Dai Uy opened the conversation through our interpreter, Son.
    “Mr. Ba To, Captain Campbell at Vinh Kim has told us that you need help to fight against the VC and that you were severely attacked just four weeks ago by forty men.”
    Ba To nodded his head in acknowledgment as Son translated. “Yes, we fought bravely. There were only myself and six other men to fight them and protect our families. One of my men was killed. I personally killed three VC with hand grenades when they tried to kill me. We have few weapons—a few M-16s and M-1 carbines—and little ammunition to protect ourselves. The district chief refuses to give us weapons or ammunition to fight the VC. We have no machine guns or mortars. We have no recoilless rifles or grenade launchers. We have no more grenades. We are very poor. Yes, we need help. Can you help us?” Ba To asked.
    Dai Uy and I were both touched by his plea.
    “We will be very happy to help you protect your village,” Dai Uy promised. “We also need your help. Will you tell us where the VC units are located and where their families live?”
    “Yes,” Ba To said, “my men know where many VC live near here. We will show you where they live and where they operate during the day and the night. I know where the VC District Security section’s sabotage subsection chief lives.”
    “Good!” Dai Uy replied with a big grin. “We will pay you rewards for all VC we kill or capture, and for weapons and caches too. Smith will be contacting you in the future,” Dai Uy said as he placed his hand on myshoulder. “He has worked here in Dinh Tuong as
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of the PRU in ’sixty-nine and the Vietnamese SEALs in ’seventy. He will be returning to your village soon with supplies,” Dai Uy promised.
    Afterward, Ba To opened up and told us about his past. He had lost both of his legs in 1962 when he was working for the Company as a member of the predecessors of the PRU called CTs, for counterterrorists. Ba To had been with a small group of CTs patrolling toward their target when a VC unit ambushed them, detonating an antipersonnel claymore mine. Ba To was severely wounded from his thighs to his feet. The CTs managed to drive the VC away and were able to carry Ba To to the hospital, where the doctor amputated his legs.
    I believed that Ba To was a sincere and honest man. He had to be a good leader, I thought, or the Hoa Haos of this hamlet wouldn’t follow him. Ba To reminded me of the ancient military maxim that “a man must become a good follower before he can be a good leader.” I also believed that he and his hamlet sincerely hated the VC. Sadly, all that they had wanted was to be left alone to build their homes, to farm and fish and raise their families in peace. Unfortunately, there are always those who seek power