As the Dawn Breaks (continued)


Contributed by veteran Craig I. Monroe, 173rd Airborne

Page 1 | 2 | 3

What happened in the next two hours displayed what the Brave Men of the 173rd and all American Soldiers are made of.

The helicopter started to extract our wounded Brother, when reaching the tree line, the NVA, shot him in the air. The brave men in the Medi-Vac, without any defense kept their position and got his body in the helicopter and immediately with nose down, headed out of the Fire Zone.

We were all disgusted by what had taken place. So now was the time to bring everything we had at them. A pair of "Cobra" helicopter gunships was summoned. When marking our positions with smoke, the enemy threw the same smoke. The gunships could not determine a target so they were aborted. The enemy might have avoided the awesome firepower of the helicopters, but we now had a point from where his smoke grenade came from, and now he had us to deal with.

As we moved forward unleashing all of our M-16's, it sounded like a fire throwing dragon. All the men had the same thought and vision of their buddy being unmercifully killed in the air that day.

Finally the enemy was spotted not 20 meters away in a bunker heavily reinforced. As men started throwing hand grenades and firing their rifles, fragments of hot sharp metal penetrating the air. The men unloaded a heavy barrage on the enemies position. Now with the enemy within their sites another ROAR came from their weapons. As we frantically reloaded, our ammunition vanishing, the enemy fire was not returned. Mission accomplished.

After one Paratrooper gave his life and almost six hours of savage fighting we discovered seven soldiers in a bunker, about 4 feet deep, 10 feet long, and 4 feet wide with fields of fire well marked out, giving them complete coverage in the Kill Zone. The bunker, half filled with brass casings from AK - 47 rifles, estimated at 5000 rounds. One thing was very clear - they all died that day with only three rounds left between the seven of them.

They were pulled from there brass filled fortress and laid out in a row. I was looking through their documents and found in one of their wallets a picture of a woman and a baby. Thinking they must have been his Wife and Daughter, I wondered why men fight wars.

I will never forget those days when the Devil had his day, but by the mercy of GOD, I'm thankful I am able to tell of these Brave and Honorable Men who fought and died for the freedom we all cherish today.

My life contains a void for my Brothers that gave ALL, and are forever taken from us. It is only for them that I write these words, not to glorify a War, but to bring their Sacrifices for Freedom, closer to a world that never gave them the honors they deserve.

Let us never forget the men and women that will never see their homes again. Never hug there Loved ones again. Never taste or feel that feeling of being FREE.

Freedom is not Free, it is paid for with a heavy price by the MEN and WOMEN of our Armed Forces. To these, I Salute this day and say THANK YOU.

A Man is not Lost until Forgotten. All Gave Some, SOME GAVE ALL.

Previous | Next