The book is fictional account of actual events that took place in Vietnam in 1967, 1968. The Characters in the book are fictional and any resemblance to any real person living or dead is purely coincidental. The events however actually happened

THE BRAVE DIE YOUNG

By RALPH G. NIGH

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2012 Ralph G. Nigh
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4634-4500-3

Chapter One

THE ENLISTMENT

My name is Retired SGM Rockwell Gregory Night. My friends call me Rock and my enemies call me the Rock. I Graduated from Lafayette High School on 2 June 1967. Three friends and I had already enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. April 9th 1967, On April 8th Nick, Harley, Robert and I were sitting at the Pizza Hut in St. Joseph, Missouri. We had all taken 3 years of JROTC and were all Cadet Majors. We were talking about what we were going to do after graduation. Nick said he was going into the Marines. I said, "I have been thinking about the Marines or the Army, also my uncles and dad were all in the Army and I was named after a Marine that saved my dad's live on Guadal canal." Harley said, "Why not join up together." Robert then said, "I heard they have a buddy program that allows you to stay together until you finish all your training." "That's perfect we all said." Nick finished our thoughts, "Let's go tomorrow after school and enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps." We agreed.

By the 20th day of April we had finished our GCT's, now replaced by the ASFABS, and Gunny Anderson said, "Well you men have scored high enough that you can pick any job you want in the Marine Corps." We looked at each other and said "Infantry." Gunny said, "All Marines are basic Infantry, so you can pick your first assignment, you will get one of three choices if available." We again looked at each other and said in unison, "Vietnam." Gunny Responded "I have not doubt you men will get your 1st choice." The next day April 21st we took our physicals, and our oath, signing our delayed enlistment.

We were scheduled to attend Boot Camp beginning August 10th however we got bored and decided to leave early. On 20 June we were all again gathered at the Pizza Hut. I said, "I'm getting board this summer, anyone else." Rick and Charlie both agreed, but Robert said "I'm having a ball." With the exception of Robert we then agreed to cut our summer short and go early. 27 June 1967 it was a bright, sunny, summer afternoon, I was standing in front of my house when my friends Nick and Harley and Nick's brother Walley and his friend Lumpy pulled up to take me to the United States Armed Forces Induction center in Kansas City, MO. We called Walley's friend Lumpy because he reminded us of Lumpy on "Leave It to Beaver". We checked into the YMCA in Kansas City and smuggled Walley and Lumpy into our room.

We went out for our last civilian supper for a while, the name of where we ate escapes me, and then we went to a movie. Our selection of movies later turned out to be a little unsettling. We wanted something with some action and war in it, so we saw Steve McQueen in "THE SAND PEBBLES". As we came out of the theater we all had wondered if we would be able to handle that kind of action. You see "THE SAND PEBBLES" was at that time the most realistic and graphic portrayal of war ever.

On the morning of June 28th at 0700 hours we were present for role call and retook our physicals and oath of enlistment. Early in the morning a couple of really big guys had made the statement that we were crazy for joining the Marine Corps, that's a rough outfit. "We just waited to be drafted." they said. "The Army won't be so bad." Not 10 minutes later a Marine Gunny came out and said, "All you draftees raise your hands." He then walked down the row and pointing one at a time, said "You, you, you, you, and you just volunteered for the UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS." The first two he picked where those two really big guys who were just waiting to be drafted. At around 1300 hours we were sworn in and began our military career. By 1400 hours we were marching across the street to the Kansas City Union Station and boarding a train to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, CA where we began training. We were surprised that we had compartments 2 men to a room. This was going to be OK, we thought.

The train pulled into the station at Emporia, Kansas, where Nick's aunt lived. We stepped off the train for a moment and Nick's aunt met us with a box of fruit which the conductor inspected before we got on board the train. When we reached our room we found the box had a false bottom, under the fruit was a case of Coors Beer, so for the next few hours, Nick, Harley and I were going to have a really good time. After a few hours and many beers later we learned that the toilet flushed with a vengeance, so we began to through fruit into it to watch it devour the fruit like some kin of vicious creature. During the trip we found that we could not buy liquor on the train because we were only 18 so we found Snappy Tom a blend of tomato juice and green chilies, so that was our drink when we went to the club car for the rest of the trip. I began to talk to this beautiful girl. We were getting until I ask where she was going and she said that she was going to Big Bear California to meet her father. As the conversation progressed I found out that her father was a Marine Corps Colonel. She was beautiful but I thought I don't need a Marine Colonel upset with me, just as I am starting my Marine Corps career.

Chapter Two

BOOT CAMP

After three days we reached San Diego, California. The one and only Navy recruit on the train was met by a Chief Petty Officer and a Seaman 1st Class. There was no one there to meet the 300 Marine Corps recruits that were on the train, so the Chief had us get into 10 thirty man groups, in three columns of 10 each and wait.

After 15 or 20 minutes ten Marine Corps busses pulled up and out of the bussed jumped the drivers saying what the hell are you waiting on get on the damn busses. So we got on and were told in a loud and angry voice, "Sit with your hands on your knees at attention with eyes straight forward and don/t move or talk.: Our driver sat down released the break put the bus in gear and moved forward then slammed on the breaks pulled the emergency brake jumped out of the seat and smacked the guy sitting next to me and said "Damn It, I told you not to Fricken move, now sit the hell down and don't move". I swear I didn't see the guy move. When we reached the depot the driver stopped and said, "What the hell are you waiting on, an engraved invite; get the hell of my damn bus."

Soon the Drill Instructor, a very large burly SGT, said, "You ladies are now Platoon 2016 and from now on, every time one of the drill instructors gives you a command you will respond, Sir, Platoon 2016 eye eye Sir." Then he said "What the hell are you waiting for ladies. Are you deaf?" We then responded, "Sir, Platoon 2016 eye eye sir" He then Said "I can't hear you." We repeated it louder and he said, "I still can't you." We then screamed at the top of our lungs and he said, "That's better, now that is how you will respond from now on."

Because of my three years of High School ROTC and because my three "friends" wouldn't admit to the fact that they also had three years of High School ROTC, I was selected Platoon Right Guide. This job was basically the Student Leader of the class, a job, which got the crap beat out of me throughout the entire 9 weeks of Boot Camp.

I remember every time that we weren't marching perfectly as a unit our drill instructor would yell stop mob, or stop ladies, wow mules. He would then put us in the front leaning rest position or push up position and we would then do endless pushups or squat thrusts (going from standing to squat, to pushup position and back to...