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A Coward? COWARD

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Probably no one but myself would consider this story important or worth posting but it is part of my Vietnam experience and has bothered me all these years. And after all, I hope this site is for stories of all kinds. So I will go forward with it.

It was sometime in May of 1970. This is just before I was sent to 2-4-2. I had been back from Vietnamese Language School only a short time. As I recall I was on watch at one of our day sites. A search and clear mission was being planned north of us.

( The term "search and destroy" sounded too violent for a war zone I guess). It was to consist of men from several different CAP's. Our actual, Sgt. Joe Valdez, gathered several of our guys and proceeded with the mission. I can remember how nervous everyone seemed- including myself. They were gone for a few hours. Fortunately no one was hurt while they were gone. When they came back Sgt.Valdez immediately came up to me and asked me why I had not gone on the mission. He was very upset. He said my name was one of those he called out to be a part of the search and clear. I told him I had not heard my name but he did not believe me.

Our argument escalated. We began to scream at each other. I had been out of boot camp only a few months and it was inconceivable that I would raise my voice to someone of higher rank. It's the only time in my career I ever did that. That shows how serious I was about it. But he never believed me; and I'm sure he never trusted me again. He got his chance to be rid of me after 2-4-2 was destroyed and I was transferred. I never got another opportunity to try and talk to him about it.

I really don't remember my name being called- but perhaps I didn't want to hear it. Perhaps I was a coward that day. I'm not really sure even after all these years. I guess what bothers me the most is that if and when Joe Valdez thinks about his days at 2-4-5 he will remember that particular day and the coward who would not do his duty. If you ever read this Joe please believe me once again when I say I never heard my name.


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