Stop The Noise
By: Stephen Smith
Tags: 1970s, Veterans, Airborne, Vietnam War

Nightfall came early on March 20th, 1970. Choppers leaving Granite headed for Camp Evans were filled to capacity. Personnel from the rear were wide-eyed and moving fast, trying to board a chopper before nightfall. As had been the case, it was drizzling rain, and fog quickly set in. I had been at the Company C.P. for Captain Moore’s brief to Platoon Leaders and Platoon Sergeants. When the brief concluded, I made my way back to 3rd Platoon’s perimeter sector. It was totally dark when I moved into my fighting position. Troopers on the defensive perimeter remained at fifty percent alert. In theory, that would allow personnel not on guard to sleep. Sleep, however, was difficult because the rain increased along with C. Company’s tension level. I found myself frequently removing my steel helmet so that the thud of rain falling on it would not hinder my hearing. The rain continued as the night crept by. Midnight passed and all remained quiet.

At about two a.m. on the 21st movement on the perimeter was detected in the 2nd Platoon’s sector. Just as the night before, Granite came alive with claymores exploding, grenades being thrown, and small arms fire ringing out. The artillery unit also fired a direct fire mission on pre-plotted targets. Immediately after the artillery fire, all noise ceased. No additional movement was detected for the night of March 21st. A short time after the direct arty fire, my platoon leader, Lt. Block, informed me that radio contact with a four-man sniper team was out. I immediately recalled that just prior to receiving Capt. Moore’s brief, I saw the primary sniper, Sgt. Sams and his team exit the perimeter.

After Lt. Block informed me of the sniper team’s loss of radio contact, he told me to have a squad ready to search at daybreak. I responded by saying that if the arty fire was responsible for the radio break, then the team needs help now, not at sunrise. Lt. Block again told me to take the squad when daylight came. The fog was still present when I, along with a squad of Troopers, slipped outside the defensive perimeter. We were moving slow and cautiously down a well-worn trail through the jungle. Not more than forty yards out, a chrome-plated pistol was found lying on the trail. After rendering the gun safe, we continued to quietly move down the path. Terrible Tom was on point, and I was positioned behind the designated slack man.

Most of the fog had finally burned off. The heat and humidity were stifling. Normal jungle noises were non-existent, causing extreme vigilance with each Trooper. A cautionary pause stopped all in their tracks. Suddenly a low human groan was heard just to the left of the trail. I immediately moved left and pushed through jungle vegetation towards a small clear area. Sitting and leaning his back against a tree was one of the sniper team members. He was alive but in major distress with his right leg tucked underneath his buttock. The knee area was a mass of tissue, bone, and blood. Laying beside was Sgt. Sams and another Trooper. Both were lying on their backs, and at first glance, they looked as if they were sleeping. Within a very short time, we realized that both Soldiers were dead.

After not being able to locate the fourth team member, we questioned the soldier with the knee wound. Although major league pain had set in, he mustered enough to answer my questions. The soldier told me that during the night, they heard enemy troops passing their sniper location. He went on to say that when the artillery was fired from Granite that a round struck the trees above their location, and the resulting shrapnel wounded three out of four team members. Groggy from morphine, the Trooper struggled to tell me that the one soldier not wounded had left during the night to find help. As efforts were underway to move the wounded soldier and the two team members who had been killed Terrible Tom and I attempted to trail the missing soldier. We had only traveled a short distance when word was received from Granite that the soldier had just walked into the perimeter.

After returning to Granite, 3rd platoon personnel worked on the defensive perimeter by tightening wire, checking claymores, and reinforcing fighting positions. Approximately an hour before dark, Capt. Moore held the daily brief with Platoon Leaders and their respective Platoon Sgts. Once I returned to 3rd Platoon’s sector I was informed that Lt. Block was gone. Confused, I asked, “what do you mean gone”? Terrible Tom responded by telling me that Lt. Block had jumped on a chopper that was going to Camp Evans. I immediately sat down on the closest bunker and thought, “How the hell could he leave?” Reality set in quickly as I transitioned from Platoon Sgt. to Plt. Leader. As had been the routine rain and fog settled in as night fell on Granite. Midnight came without incident.

The early morning hours of March 22nd however, did not flow smoothly. At around one a.m. Capt. Moore summoned platoon leaders to the command post (C.P.). As I made my way through the 3rd Platoon’s sector towards the C.P. my mind was racing. Capt. Moore’s brief was short and direct. Intelligence had been obtained, indicating that a full N.V.A. Division was poised to attack Granite. The briefing was concluded by Captain Moore telling us to prepare to abandon Granite and followed by saying that we were walking off as soon as possible with the intent of linking up with B. Co. The Capt. concluded by saying that 3rd Platoon would take the point for the company.

Once back with the 3rd Platoon I broke the news. Disbelief was widespread; however, most put their heads down and moved quickly to prepare. As we moved through and out of the perimeter, artillery from Camp Evans started firing illumination rounds. It was difficult for me to wrap my mind around abandoning Granite. Adding to the drama was the fact we had never moved at night. Thoughts of encountering the N.V.A. Division supposedly focused on Granite were hard to suppress. We continued to move through most of the night. About two hours before sunrise, we linked up with elements from B. Company. Once secure inside B. Company’s perimeter, we dropped our rucks and crashed on the jungle floor. I recall my ruck hitting the ground and using it as a pillow. Sleep came instantly for exhaustion had set in. The sun rose rapidly on the 23rd. Skys were partially clear as we gathered up our gear and weapons.

New orders received revealed we were going to air assault back onto Granite. Choppers could be heard in the distance, and within minutes we were loaded and airborne towards Granite. Once Granite was in sight, all senses went to the max. Eyes scanned the ground for any movement on or near the chopper pad. As the choppers sat down, all exited rapidly. Movement was cautious as the chopper pad was secured. Additional personnel came in to rig artillery pieces and heavy equipment for airlift extraction. Extraction of equipment and personnel seemed surreal for all was accomplished at hyper speed.

As always, infantry was last to leave. Chopper ride back to Camp Evans gave little time for decompression. A shower, shave, and clean uniforms aided in the physical and emotional down that was sure to come.

Within minutes of finishing my shower, I was summoned to Battalion Headquarters. Waiting for me was a Warrant Officer from the Criminal Investigation Division (C.I.D.). After an initial introduction, the Warrant Officer advised that he was investigating the incident on Granite that involved artillery being fired on U.S. Troops (sniper team). Discussions centered on describing the circumstances involved in the finding of the sniper team, the condition of the three Troopers recovered, and damage observed on trees and surrounding vegetation caused by the artillery shells impacting. The Warrant Officer concluded by instructing me to provide a written statement.

After returning to my Company area, I refurbished my rucksack and cleaned my weapon. After finishing, I sat down on my bunk, trying to slow down by decompressing and focusing my thoughts. It was as if I was watching an outdoor movie running in fast forward. Two nights and three days of serious life and death drama crushed into a twenty-year-old brain. A final thought before sleep, “Get it together for Lt. Block is gone, and I am the Platoon Leader.”