The Battle of Khe Sanh Jungles

*"They're in the fucking trees!"*

*"Yeah no shit, they're everywhere!"*

*-Yogi and Fritz under fire during the battle.*

### Result

Begonia Defeat, death of Carver, Kingsley, separation of Fritz and CJ from begonia

### Overview

The Battle of Khe Sanh Jungles is the second major battle involving begonia battalion in Begonia '68, taking place a few hours after the Battle of Smithin Town, in the jungles between Smithin Town and Firebase Jericho. Begonia casualties were high, including some notable deaths, such as Carver and Kingsley. 4 other unnamed begonia soldiers died, as indicated by screams or corpses during the ambush. 3 Vietcong deaths were confirmed, one killed by Nify's grenade shot at a tree sniper post, one killed by Betty's M1898 Trench Gun, and one more killed by an unnamed soldier presumably by a rifle shot.

### Prelude

After the Battle of Smithin Town concluded with CJ calling in a napalm strike, Kingsley, being the highest ranking surviving sergeant, took command of the remaining squads to move hastily towards their original target, the guns at the NVA controlled Firebase Jericho which had attacked Begonia HQ. With many soldiers out of KIA or wounded, like Fritz, who sustained a concussion from Kingsley's mutiny and Kiyasshi's unconsciousness due to his bullet wound and napalm burns. Many soldiers like Betty, CJ and Yogi were still reeling from the recent engagement, being on high alert and visibly disturbed from the horror of the battle. After marching for approximately 3 and a half hours, presumably lost, the squads who were travelling in single file with Kingsley taking point arrived in a clearing with a river running through it running off into a waterfall which led into a valley. Three large trees dotted the centre of the clearing across the river, and unknowingly to begonia housed VC sniper huts armed with SKS's. On the centre tree was the charred and shot remains of Sergeant Shoestring, crucified on a plank with a sign atop him reading in Vietnamese "Die The Same". This was a psychological warfare tactic by the VC, and a convenient lure to their booby trap which would trigger their ambush. Carver was the first to approach the corpse, expressing anger and disgust at the desecration of his fallen soldier's corpse. In front of the crucifixion was Shoestring's M60 machine gun stuck into the ground with his helmet placed over the buttstock of the gun. Once Carver removed the helmet to examine it, he set off a tripwire which would soon lead to his untimely death. After famously stating "Holy shit. Would you look at that. Burnt all the way through.", two logs on rope swivels swung down and smashed into his skull, crushing it and killing him instantly. This triggered a hail of bullets to ring out from the treeline.

### Battle

The wall of lead flying towards them caused the remainder of the battalion to go prone and cover amongst the rocks on the streams edge, caught off guard, Yogi, the only remaining machine gunner, dropped his gun and went into a panic. Exclaiming how bullets were also being fired at them from the aforementioned sniper huts in the trees. Upon noticing this, Fritz takes charge of the situation and orders Nify to fire at the trees with his M79. He does so as other soldiers like Betty return fire at the treeline, covering Nify's reload. The 40mm grenade brings the leftmost tree crashing down, killing the sole occupant but now obstructing the treeline, giving the other side more cover, as Kingsley points out, likely criticizing Fritz's orders and attempting to retake command. Nify shouts to get their own side cover, as the VC move from the treeline to the tree to engage at close range. Betty grabs Fritz's last smoke grenade, despite having 2 of his own. He likely did this as a result of combat stress and his OCD, not being able to bear not having the reassuring fact of himself longer having 2 smoke grenades on him. He hands the grenade to Kingsley who stands up, in attempted retaliation at the assault, ready to turn the tide of the battle with a tactical retreat. He pops the smoke, and as he barks orders to regroup later, he is shot between the eyes through his helmet, breaking his helmet band, making his signature engraved lighter and marijuana pouch fall to the ground as he himself falls backwards, AK-47 firing the whole way down as a result of his body tensing up as he dies. The grenade falls from his hand, creating a cloud of smoke around him and his comrades instead of throwing it ahead, messing up the coordination of the retreat even more. The VC take this opportunity to engage in hand to hand combat, charging with bayonets and automatic fire. Fritz immediately looks for CJ, who is coiled on the ground clutching his rifle during the engagement. He grabs his by the collar and drags him as he sprints to escape the fray and save them both. Just as CJ gets to his feet and begins sprinting alongside Fritz, they run off the cliff plummeting down the waterfall into the lake. CJ's helmet falls off during the fall, and as he lands in the water, most of his equipment, including his grenade belt, and document bag, which contained the Fracture Jaw documents, of which the paper documents got ruined in the water, whereas the polaroid photos did not, CJ surfaces, gasping for air. He swims to the shore of the lake, where Fritz has already swam to. The battle rages for a while above, with most of begonia battalion escapes into the jungles, eventually making it to friendly lines and joining the counter attack later. After the smoke settles, the VC retreat into the treeline hurriedly.