Outer Limits of a Military Position
Sgt. Tony Mizzi and I standing in front of a bunker on the Phuoc Vinh perimeter.
Tony was from New York City, and as I recall wanted to be a NYC cop when he got back to the ‘World’. (BTW, Tony still owes me twenty bucks).
Eddie Smith from San Diego with Tony and I on a greenline bunker.
The greenline (or perimeter) is the outer limits of a military position. The area beyond the perimeter belongs to the enemy.
During the night, you sat on top of the bunker with a M60 machine gun, and watched for enemy movement outside the perimeter. On occasion, you shot a flare into the air to light up the area. We also were equipped with a starlight scope for night vision. We took turns doing two or three hour watches apiece and when you were off, there was a cot in the dug-out lower part of the bunker where you could get some sleep.
I recall one night a screaming noise and something running across my legs woke me up. It was rats fighting over food scraps laying on the ground next to my cot.
That event intensified my hatred for rats…
4 Comments
August 29, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Every post is a good history. Short but sentimental
Congratulations for your job, I like it very much.
August 29, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Thank you, I’m glad you like it…
September 13, 2009 at 5:54 pm
As a WO Scout pilot at Phouc Vinh in 1970, I only once was assigned perimeter guard OIC. It was something I’ll never forget. Went with another WO Cobra pilot who used to go out there and mix with our C Troopers who maintained a section. They were smoking ‘cigars’ and I was too naive to know what was in them. I looked out through the Starlight scope and imaged I saw 1000s of gooks coming in the wire. Was really creepy; I wanted to shoot.
September 13, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Hey Walker, maybe that explains the rats running across my legs…