Alwaysawarrior

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"Our hut, our bomb shelter and the machine gun tower that was just
behind our hut on the perimeter road at Binh-Thuy AB 1968-1969".

When I was assigned to a hut on base from our off base compound
I thought I'd be better protected and better living conditions
As our off base compound was just a temporary arrangement there

The compound was some old Japanese barracks from World War Two
It was a total wreak of a place to live pretty much a disaster
And overrun with thousands of bugs, insects and cockroaches too

So we had looked forward to getting everyone onto the air base
We would be better able to defend the aircraft and personnel
The huts were brand spanking new with screens to keep bugs out

We soon found out that we were only fifty feet from the wire
And the VC could throw rocks and hit us if they had wanted to
The machinegun tower was directly behind our huts and the wire

Being this close to the perimeter meant that we'd be screwed
If Charlie (the VC) had decided to sneak up to suddenly attack
Fifty feet wasn't much room in which you could defend yourself

So even though we got rid of all the bugs, and cockroaches too
And having a bunker in which to take shelter during shellings
Being this damn close to the wire was just too close for comfort

© Terry Sasek - Alwaysawarrior - all rights reserved.

A buddy across the road from us at the Navy's PBR (river patrol gunboat) base along the river's edge,
they faced the same problems that we did having their huts too close to the defensive perimeter wire.

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