European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 31, 1966, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Territory j by Wallace Pacific staff javelin a by Convoy Down jibe Viet Congi favorite highways in i nun ii something like two Porcu k can lie but ext care is i launching operation Vanlier North a coastal town of Bong where have ruled supreme for some flying horsemen of the 18 months ago because i Felt that i should be and what did his wife say to this she said whatever i wanted was what she the Driver was a genial puerto sp4 Maros Martinez of Rio his who was heading up our Section of the than a dirt track in place and the going can get str car had to rely on trucks As Well leu copts to get the needed men Eapp Oei in first Convoy Lent out made it r hat Horn an Home la along Highway 19 to the t and then North on whats left of Ray 1 to Bong son would be no opened up on the rear trucks up some valuable radar equip while Advance units were rooting an attempted ambush by some 100 tag to on 8ldes 0 Highway a Convoy was some s3 Lehi mat Wen to travel the same fact that the were now aware was up in their own Back r it make the prospects More m Convoy pulled out at so we up Well before the big on for hitchhikers like myself is to ride the first jeeps run the 1 of mines and Headon Wai the end of the first Convoy got hit due i jumped i vehicle number a three Niar ton track loaded with smelly Gar feel lag this would make about  a target As 1 could two occupants of the truck turned tto be rather exceptional one chaplain Harold Selke of Wood under Hoim ears have a wife and five Chil Back Ive been in the Man of the Christian Church for it but i joined the army less than 1966 Back in the Martinez was Well along toward becom ing the oldest in the but Hes done great Over Here be was with me at Peel Mel carrying by ammo and taking out the Ive promoted him and put him in for a Martinez mentioned in passing that hed had the Windshield of his truck shot out during a previous and if we get you better move out fast youre sitting Between two cases of to the darkness i haunt paid Atten Tion to the two wooden crates slacked among the garbage Julle Sun was just breaking through As the trucks rolled out to Highway 19 and headed for the this is the East West route the French tried so desperately to keep open at the Cost of Many lives before they were armed helicopters started Hying u patrol up and Down to protect the Convoy from one of the ways they spotted the ambush the other Day was Ihu a Pilot saw some dead Bushes that indicated in officer most of the time the choppers flew some distance hut  come Down and look under the limbs if they see something Chap lain Soloc there Sircal Martinez and the chaplain were Wear ing their steel brain buckets and Fink jackets Between them rested an m1b automatic Rifle and an m72 rocket launcher a on shot affair similar to a Small i was sitting alone in wearing my Cowboy hat and Saigon commando Bush jacket without flak thinking it might have been smarter to take a helicopter to Bong but we were off and at first the Highway was Good and the Convoy clipped along at about so Miles an the vehicles Are supposed to stay 300 feet but when a truck up front slows an accordian effect is Likely to just outside he town of an dam Mack flashed the ambush the vehicles swerved to alternate sides of the Road and the men leaped ont to Lake up defensive there was no and Martinez we usually have a rehearse in a few moments the shout mount up filtered Down the the horses May to but some things linger on at the 1st the Convoy was leaving the Val Ley and climbing up toward the pass where 46 men had died in a c123 crash a week fog and Clouds loomed and it appeared we were going to get a free car where there had been people along the Road before and children waving to the the Highway was now de the peasants always know when to i got a couple of rounds through the tailgate of my truck near Here not too Long the chaplain suddenly the Convoy skidded to a halt again no rehearsal this it developed a truck in the first Section had broken when a vehicle Breaks they leave a Security guard with it until a Tow truck Martinez being left behind in the open country even with a couple of guards leaves a lot to be the trucks snaked Down oat of the Hills Down to the Rice Paddy country that runs along fee again there were people along the a comforting then came the some of the men struggled into but the Drivers had no Choice except to get fortunately the rain passed before Long and the Convoy made what is euphemistically called a rest immediately the trucks were surrounded by youngsters Selling Beer and soft drinks just As though they had been alerted to be out on the Road in the Middle of nowhere with drinks at a Cert air d Immick explained this area through Here is fairly least during the after we turn North and gel up around Phu cat it could get the hot Sun replaced the rain and soon duct was boiling up behind the these jackets get hot As a the chaplain soon we name to the first of Many Bridges that had been busted by the and replaced with temporary Martinez shouted greetings in use to the Bridge who saluted in i know a Lul of these Martinez a last the Convoy reached Binh the City where the connection was made with Highway 1roni the North came the Distant rumble of girl Illery fire find limn Puli Guc was smiling la set Hie chaplain despite the liar lung of the truck along the narrow strip of broken apparently continued driving and talked about his Home its Kinda like this but we dont live like he indicating the mud huts with thatched Palm Trees and Rice paddles lined the while heavier undergrowth a Short distance away would have made it Sim ple to set up an ahead loomed the and the sound of the War grew the Convoy was grinding along at Only is and the major Highway was Little More than a dirt track in Many of blasted Bridges were soon we passed a Battery of 105 howitzers in position at the Side of the they were pointed the direction in which we were As we drove through Phu deep in the heart of Martinez pointed youll notice the kids dont wave to us 11 of the signs of War were turning up burned out trucks that had been wrecked by mines were left at the Side of the two armoured personnel carriers with holes blasted in their burned out frames testified to a pre Vious at the Side of the Road stood entire villages that had been churches stood empty with their doors hanging suddenly the Convoy stopped looks like there might be some firing up Martinez said at the same moment i noticed a sign read ing imperialists get our at the Side of the the americans have never been in this area Martinez the Convoy started moving again and More bombed or burned houses were it bad tamed out to be a Beautiful Balmy but nobody was enjoying the helicopters were running a steady shuttle Between the base Camp and the Forward the Battle zone was indicated by a swarm of choppers hanging in the somehow they looked a Little like on the left was what had been the rail Road line that served the the had twisted the rails into suddenly the Convoy passed Between two High Banks that loomed some so feet above the they could drop grenades All Over us from up Martinez noted a few moments later we passed what had been one of the very under passes in Viet the Structure had been blasted and the trucks could narrowly squeeze past the came the Camp of the giant 175mm and 8inch howitzers supporting the 1st some indication of the size of the operation under 11 of the Road was clogged with vehicles travelling in both hundreds of people lined the streets and vietnamese government troops marched single file beside the waving to the passing at last the Convoy tossed the wide River leading into Bong we had been on the Road six but the speedometer revealed we had travelled Only so North of the City was our Destina the command Post of Hal who was directing the massive sweep into Hills Gevond the surround Jim Rice a helicopter had been shot Down a Short time before our a the weary men piled out of the trucks and started looking for a place to then sonic started to laugh the Dis covered the command Post was set up in a Hillside and the Battle was just getting ready to the stars and stripes Page 13