Chapter 18, King of the Hill

It seemed quiet at Camp Longhorn and to be very honest and fair, I hated it.

The fact it's quiet makes me tense like what if a NVA or VC sniper got their sights on me this level of paranoia isn't good for me but after you faced swarms of NVA and VC you would be on edge.

I don't about those Spestnaz fellows would operate near South Vietnam but what we did in North Vietnam I wouldn't be surprise. "Hey Tony come look at this!" Marshall called for me as I finished my MRE and walked over.

He held some paper with Vietnamese writing with some kind of devil wearing a Military uniform.

"What am I looking at?" I asked, "Bounty I can read some Vietnamese..." He says then begin to roughly translated it.

"For the death of many brave heroes of the People's Army of Vietnam, a bounty of Six Hundred Dongs for the head of the Devil of GI's" He says I narrowed my eyes a bit.

"They got a bounty on you brother" He says.

I have a bounty on my head? I've never heard of bounties during times of war, coming to think of it I have heard some fellow Army and Marines talking about having bounties on them.

"What are you ladies talking about?" Gillan approached us as Marshall showed him the bounty, "Ah six hundred? I got at least a thousand on my head yeah North Vietnam mainly NVA and VC are being paid for every dead fellow soldier" He says.

"Do we have bounties on them?" I asked, "In fact we do" Gillan said as he begin to explain on how there are Bounties on specific NVA but mostly VC.

I thought back at the city where I butchered those NVA their bodies most likely had love ones back home. "Son I'm going to tell you something this little Helltrooper gimmick of yours can put a big target on your back also helps out a bit with morale...Do you know how many Charlie you just killed in that city?" Gillan asked me.

"No Sir I..I didn't keep tract not enough to mark them on my helmet" I said, Gillan looked at the helmet I held then spoke "There were at least thirty NVA bodies confirmed KIA son those higher then mine when I joined the war I bagged myself five" He says.

Thirty? I killed Thirty NVA in the city? it felt more then that what the hell did I do when I blacked out?

"Anyway boys we need to talk to a village elder just down the road so grab your gear we're moving..." He checked his watch "Now"

Once we grabbed what we needed we went down the road with Gillan to a small village as the locals just looked at us. I could tell their scared, I wouldn't blame them.

Gillan spoke to the Village Elder who was an old looking man using a cane to keep him stable. Gillan turned to us and order us to check for any weapons cache.

We searched the Village for any weapons til Scully found a crate of old rifles which were hand made. The rifles were under some straw pile, one of the Villagers proclaimed that the rifles were for self defense against Viet Cong.

"Sir! we got VC over the other side of the river!" Paul shouted as we turned to see a small group of them all armed to the teeth.

We were ready for a fight but Gillan stopped us "Leave them be their just scouting us..." It was strange seeing the enemy and not firing. They just stared us sometimes making insulting gestures towards us.

Scully did a motion of a cutthroat with his thumb to them while Paul flicked them off. Bucky said down holding his rifle while Kyle and Marshall stood side by side.

Then the Villagers stared yelling at the VC which took me by surprise I didn't know a lick of Vietnamese but I could tell these locals hated them.

Gillan allowed them to keep their rifles as Charlie went back into the jungle while we left the locals alone and we went back to Camp Longhorn.

Once we got back there was a female Journalist among the troops talking to them while she had a note pad and recorder on her person.

Once she noticed us she went over "I'm Jessica Powell I'm a Freelance Journalist I came to Vietnam to learn about the ongoings"

"I'm Staff Sergeant Gillan Ms. Powell we're here to assist the platoon here in Camp Longhorn right now there's a possibly NVA threat after a few skirmishes" He says.

I watched as one of the Artillery went off I guess it's another Skirmish going off. While Gillan was talking to the Journalist one of our tents exploded sending lots of equipment everywhere.

"Son of a bitch! Everyone get into position!" Gillan shouted as he ran grabbing the Journalist pulling her to safety I ran with Bucky and Paul.

Over the hill a large of NVA and a few tanks charged at our base. I saw Tanks and a lot of Soldiers.

Our artillery went off as I watched one of the tanks explode, Bucky was taking shots at some of the NVA while Paul set up his weapon and begin firing.

My Grease Gun wasn't great at long range so I ran for another weapon, luckily there was a mounted MG so I grabbed it and begin firing.

It was like a flood coming for us as the NVA were using fox holes for cover and using mountains of mug to shield them from the bullets.

The MG I was firing was loud and powerful it was like firing Paul's gun again. The gun was a Browning M1917 Machine Gun this was a very old weapon dating back to World War 1.

The fact I'm operating one is amazing then again there's plenty of old weapons but this is very old yet functioning gun.

It had an Ammo box allowing me to continue firing. One NVA mange to run up the hill but the Browning ripped them apart it was a nasty site.

My finger was held down on the trigger as each group of NVA dropped like flies then one of their tanks fired throwing dirt into my face almost blinding me.

I stepped back using my canteen to wash my face luckily another Soldier manned the gun for me.

"Go I'll take it from here!" He says which I nodded and ran back to Paul and Bucky. Bucky was running back to get a better position while Paul was unloading his Machine Gun til he needed to reload.

Two NVA rushed them to which I fired my Grease Gun saving him allowing to reload and continue to fire.

"You saved my ass!" He says I stood next to him firing "This is fucking crazy! look at this mess!" I shouted.

Eventually the NVA ran back as their tanks rolled back. One of the Marines started laughing "WOOO! YEAH RUN YOU BASTARDS!" However an Officer corrected him.

"Damnit son! their not falling back their regrouping! everyone maintain your positions! someone get command on that damn phone!" He shouted.

The Officer was right they were regrouping as they used their tanks to fire into the base to soften us up.

A few of our boys using Bazookas to knock the tanks back destroying one tank. Then they charged again.

We unleashed hails of bullets at them but as each one falls more come in. Then they start running up the hill some of them had fixed bayonets.

A few boys engaged into Close Quarters Combat with them. Punching, kicking even biting.

Everyone was stabbing and shooting, one NVA ran at me with his bayonet but my Grease Gun allowed me to live another day.

Paul pulled me away as we had to run then another explosion went off knocking me backwards. My vision was blurry and my ears ringed.

I stood up watching all around me as NVA and U.S Army and Marine where combating the enemy. I turn to see another NVA rush at me which I flipped him over and proceed to bash him with my shovel.

Then I heard a gunshot and felt something zip past me. Something grazed the side of my head I let out a loud gritted pain sound as I turned to face a frighten NVA soldier I fueled with anger after being grazed.

He was wearing glasses trying to fire again but his weapon begin to jam on him which I took the opportunity to use my revolver and fire into his head.

Watching his head pop open like a grape would make any normal person vomit but not me I've seen enough to become numb to it.

I held my revolver and shovel firmly if the NVA want the bounty on my head then their just going to have to take it from me.