joined Arnason after a couple of minutes.
“Bru say there is an old sweet-potato field on the other side of this mountain that would be very good for airplanes to see.”
“You don’t sound too happy with that idea.” Arnason detected a slight hesitation in the Yard’s voice.
“NVA sometimes watch the field for American helicopters that leave American soldiers jump out and then fly away.”
Arnason figured he was referring to special recon teams of Special Forces men. “Do they think there are NVA watching the potato
field now?”
“Yes. There are two NVA soldiers watching from a corner of the field and they have a…” The interpreter held his hand to his
ear.
“Radio?” arnason guessed.
“No.”
“Telephone?”
“Yes!” The Sedang interpreter smiled.
“Do the Bru know exactly where the NVA are?”
The interpreter nodded.
“Good. Show me…” arnason tapped Woods’s shoulder and nodded for him to come with him. “The rest of you stay here and wait
for us to come back.”
“Where are you going?” Warner whispered.
“To check out the drop zone.” Arnason pointed at a thick grove of young mahogany trees. “Wait there for us.”
One of the Bru warriors guidedarnason and Woods to the far side of the large sweet-potato field that was overgrown with elephant
grass and clumps of sweet potatoes growing wild. The sound of wild pigs rooting in the field echoed across the open ground
to the Americans. The Bru warrior paused and then pointed to a dark corner of the field that was surrounded by thick jungle.arnason
guessed that was where the NVA had their observation post. He nodded and pointed, indicating that he wanted to go there. The
Bru warrior grinned and started moving slowly in that direction around the edge of the field. Pig runs were cut from the jungle
to the field every few meters, and for the better part of the way the three of them could use the narrow paths to walk on
and not have to break through the thick bamboo and grass surrounding the field.
It took them over two hours to circumvent the field, and they nearly stepped out into the open before the Montagnard grabbedarnason
and stopped him. A soft sound of a hammock creaking caught Woods’s ear and he lowered himself to the ground. The roof of an
old longhouse stuck up above the tall grass. The NVA scouts were using the old abandoned Montagnard village as their observation
site. Arnason wished that he had kept his knife until after the mission was over. He had to rely on his silenced .22 caliber
pistol. Woods removed his pistol from its holster. The Montagnards had said that there were two men on guard.
Arnason started moving forward slowly and the Yard stopped him again and pointed to his right. The Bru was obviously familiar
with the old village. He took the lead and skirted around the buildings so that they approached the last longhouse next to
the jungle from a line in the shadows of the tall jungle trees.
Woods heard the NVA snoring before he saw him sleeping in the hammock. The second NVA soldier couldn’t be seen.arnason and
Woods waited and listened.
A voice came from inside the hooch. The repetition of the same phrase toldarnason that the second NVA was talking to someone
over the telephone and there was a bad connection.
Wood slipped the safety off his pistol and covered the sleeping NVA in the hammock whilearnason went around the hooch and
located a window with the bamboo mat shutter propped open by a bamboo pole.arnason didn’t hesitate when he saw the back of
the NVA soldier’s head through the window. He fired. The small .22 caliber round penetrated the back of the soldier’s head.
The telephone dropped to the floor.
The NVA in the hammock raised his head and looked into the dark doorway of the hooch. He spoke and waited for a response.
A jungle bird called to its mate, filling the silence. The soldier reached over for his SKS rifle and dropped his feet to
the
“Bru say there is an old sweet-potato field on the other side of this mountain that would be very good for airplanes to see.”
“You don’t sound too happy with that idea.” Arnason detected a slight hesitation in the Yard’s voice.
“NVA sometimes watch the field for American helicopters that leave American soldiers jump out and then fly away.”
Arnason figured he was referring to special recon teams of Special Forces men. “Do they think there are NVA watching the potato
field now?”
“Yes. There are two NVA soldiers watching from a corner of the field and they have a…” The interpreter held his hand to his
ear.
“Radio?” arnason guessed.
“No.”
“Telephone?”
“Yes!” The Sedang interpreter smiled.
“Do the Bru know exactly where the NVA are?”
The interpreter nodded.
“Good. Show me…” arnason tapped Woods’s shoulder and nodded for him to come with him. “The rest of you stay here and wait
for us to come back.”
“Where are you going?” Warner whispered.
“To check out the drop zone.” Arnason pointed at a thick grove of young mahogany trees. “Wait there for us.”
One of the Bru warriors guidedarnason and Woods to the far side of the large sweet-potato field that was overgrown with elephant
grass and clumps of sweet potatoes growing wild. The sound of wild pigs rooting in the field echoed across the open ground
to the Americans. The Bru warrior paused and then pointed to a dark corner of the field that was surrounded by thick jungle.arnason
guessed that was where the NVA had their observation post. He nodded and pointed, indicating that he wanted to go there. The
Bru warrior grinned and started moving slowly in that direction around the edge of the field. Pig runs were cut from the jungle
to the field every few meters, and for the better part of the way the three of them could use the narrow paths to walk on
and not have to break through the thick bamboo and grass surrounding the field.
It took them over two hours to circumvent the field, and they nearly stepped out into the open before the Montagnard grabbedarnason
and stopped him. A soft sound of a hammock creaking caught Woods’s ear and he lowered himself to the ground. The roof of an
old longhouse stuck up above the tall grass. The NVA scouts were using the old abandoned Montagnard village as their observation
site. Arnason wished that he had kept his knife until after the mission was over. He had to rely on his silenced .22 caliber
pistol. Woods removed his pistol from its holster. The Montagnards had said that there were two men on guard.
Arnason started moving forward slowly and the Yard stopped him again and pointed to his right. The Bru was obviously familiar
with the old village. He took the lead and skirted around the buildings so that they approached the last longhouse next to
the jungle from a line in the shadows of the tall jungle trees.
Woods heard the NVA snoring before he saw him sleeping in the hammock. The second NVA soldier couldn’t be seen.arnason and
Woods waited and listened.
A voice came from inside the hooch. The repetition of the same phrase toldarnason that the second NVA was talking to someone
over the telephone and there was a bad connection.
Wood slipped the safety off his pistol and covered the sleeping NVA in the hammock whilearnason went around the hooch and
located a window with the bamboo mat shutter propped open by a bamboo pole.arnason didn’t hesitate when he saw the back of
the NVA soldier’s head through the window. He fired. The small .22 caliber round penetrated the back of the soldier’s head.
The telephone dropped to the floor.
The NVA in the hammock raised his head and looked into the dark doorway of the hooch. He spoke and waited for a response.
A jungle bird called to its mate, filling the silence. The soldier reached over for his SKS rifle and dropped his feet to
the
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