Chucks Guile

On a search and destroy mission as our guys descended through dense jungle into a narrow ravine they suddenly came under enemy fire.

On the opposite side of the ravine, about 100 yards or so away, they spotted earthen excavations and a bunker concealed in thick undergrowth; the firing had come from the bunker and so a four-man team was sent forth to take the position.

Although constantly under fire, they reached the bunker and threw a grenade into it. After the grenade exploded, the team entered the bunker convinced they had killed the firers. Suddenly there was shooting from within, and two of the team who entered stumbled out wounded and the shooting inside the bunker stopped. When a larger force finally penetrated the bunker, they found the bodies of the other team members and an intricate system of fortifications.

What was originally assumed the real bunker was not for the real one was on top of it and connected to it by a tunnel, its entrance could not be seen from outside. As the team approached the lower bunker, the VC had climbed to the top bunker and safe from the grenade explosion. Then, as the team entered the lower bunker, Charlie fired on them and fled to safety through an escape tunnel. There had been only two or three VC, but they had held up the whole search and destroy force for more than two hours and had inflicted casualties.

That “ball game” was a hard-learned lesson in the VC’s use of guile and ingenuity in preparing defensive positions. It was an experience that underscored the challenges faced by our forces in combating an enemy adept at using the terrain and employing deceptive tactics.when preparing their defense plans.