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We passed over a target scorched by a flight of three B-52s. A total of 324 500-pound bombs had walked their way down the valley cutting a swath that was more than three miles long.
Approaching a "Hot" LZ. A Shau Valley, July 1970.
All is quiet, too quiet, when the helicopters leave.
Off on patrol through dense jungle in waistdeep water. Moving was difficult. It was hot. Booby traps and Charlie lay everywhere.
At night it was dark, very dark. Because of the dense vegetation and rugged terrain, contact with the enemy was often not made until the two sides were just meters apart. Then the dark night turned into a modern-day Dante's Inferno. Flares, rockets and tracers caused the jungle to glow red and yellow.
Charlie surrounded our position that night. We depended on Marine air support to prevent being overrun.
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