Daily Patrol

Marine squads went on daily patrols throughout the area around FLC.

I was told by my commanding officer that I was to join one of these patrols. I wasn't told why. I didn't ask.

The area that we would be patroling was the eastern hamlets of Ap Zuan Duong which were north of FLC.

It wasn't until the radio operator was giving cloths as gifts to one of the families that I discovered why I was sent along. The patrol just assumed I knew why I was there.

I had only been in Vietnam for a little more than a month and very green. In fact I never really saw combat for the entire 5 months I was in Vietnam. Because of my inexperience the squad leader, a gaint of a man, told me to stay near him while we walked between hamlets. I saw no problem with this.

Nothing happened. We just walked our assigned route and had a very pleasent day.

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