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After several
weeks of patrolling and ambushing in the Punch Bowl, we made the climb up
vertical side of the Razorback to relieve one of the other platoons that
had been up there for several weeks.
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A composite photo of living
conditions on the southern end of the Razorback. Marine is Joe Derosier. -Photos by Richard Banks
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On the Razorback, we were
not a permanent camp. The top of the ridge was too narrow for a chopper to
set down so they delivered our supplies by lowering cargo nets to our
"drop zone", an open area near the north end of our position.
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Just prior to my arrival, around
Christmas of 1966, a UH-34 resupplying the razorback was hit by a gust of
wind and crashed on the drop zone. The quick action of PFC. Joe FERRONE and
other grunts on top of the ridge saved the lives of the crew of the
chopper.
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Shortly
after we made the climb to the Razorback adverse weather conditions
prevented choppers from coming in. We were quickly running out of food and
water. Two squads were sent back down to Lima. After 2 round trips we had
packed enough cases of C-rations and 5 gallon cans of water back up the
near vertical trail to last us another week until we were able to get a
supply drop by helicopter.
On
top the Razorback we patrolled difficult terrain during the day and we went
out on ambush at night. We became
lean and mean as a result of being always on the move and eating only
C-rations for several weeks. I was the only corpsman so I participated in
all activities. The jagged rocks were hard on our hands and boots. Lack of
water for personal hygiene took its toll on our clothes. The fabric of our
jungle utilities actually started rotting, making them vulnerable to
tearing by the bushes and rocks. (Even with our lack of water, we were
still required to shave every day.)
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This photo was taken just a
few moments before I was in my first fire fight. The Marine sitting on the
left in this photo is PFC. Leo "Chief" WHITEFOOT, the Marine I am
talking with was this squads M-60 machine gunner, Pvt. Frank LUDWIG. His
M-60 machine gun, with a belt of ammo, is in the foreground. The left leg
of my trousers had been torn its full length up the inseam and I stitched
it together with some silk suture from my medical kit, but they were coming
apart again on the lower leg. -Photo by Richard Banks
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