BACK TO MYTHO

"ORDERS' was received and RIVER SECTION 532 was ordered back to MYTHO. This was around June or July 1968. To be back in my old stomping grounds is a good feeling. However to leave my friends onboard the Hunterdon County was not easy at all. I trully miss their company, particularly the ship's barber SH2 FRED OLPATO; SD2 DONES;SN ED RITA RITA; (NOW A RETIRED LCDR IN THE US NAVY) and "PANCHO". I can't recall "PANCHO" real name. He is a DAMAGE CONTROLMAN FIRST CLASS (DCI) and Mexican-American. I'll miss his "MOONSHINE".

Back in MYTHO, the CUA DAI AND CUA TIEU are still as dangerous as ever. The enemy activities are very rampant in most villages hence causing deep concern for the US MILITARY AND allied forces as well. Needless to say, this means more "operations" for the units of RIVER SECTION 532. BOMBING enemy positions intensified resulting to casualties of local civilians. Medical evacuations (MEDEVAC) for these civilians became one of our chores. "OPERATIONS" with the US NAVY SEALS and ARMY LRRPS became more intense and after. In the air, FAR EAST NETWORK (FEN) continuosly reports the gradual recovery of the ALLIED FORCES from the initial wave of the TET OFFENSIVE. On the other hand, "HANOI HANNAH" says otherwise,. However, being in the battlefield myself, my "INDICATORS" are on actual scenarios that I've seen and firefights that I've experienced. Hence making me consider these "NEWS" as being 'THE FUNNY SIDES OF WAR".

There is only one word that could describe the assault at QUI NHON BAY. This word is "OFFENSIVE". This is now the prevailing trend in all areas of the battlefields. The ALLIED FORCES are not on the 'OFFENSIVE" and sweeping the enemies out of their "ZONES OF INFLUENCE". The lightning force that hit the U.S. MILITARY AND ALLIED FORCES in 28 January 1968 is now starting to fizzle out. Like a tide, after reaching it's highest point, ebbing is the only recourse to return to the sea. This is the dilemna that the enemies are now faced with. For the NORTH VIETNAM REGULARS, to return to the "NORTH" is their only recourse. In their retreat, these REGULARS seek refuge in local villages hence resulting to sporadic bombings of these areas. The enemies are now on the run and the ALLIED FORCES are bent to keep it that way. The US and ALLIED soldiers did the "BLOCKADES" on hand, hence leaving the enemies no alternative but to utilize the MEKONG RIVER and it's tributaries as venues for their war efforts.

Needless to say, this made our patrols more tense than ever.

It is now SEPTEMBER 1968, It was only a year ago that I set foot at TAN SON NHUT AIRBASE at SAIGON CITY, SOUTH VIETNAM. Considering the arduos patrols, covert operations, firefights and the assault of QUI NHON BAY, I am very fortunate to be alive. However, with my tour of duty extension, I have six (6) more months to go. As ever my "GUT FEELING" says "GEORGE, I'LL SEE YOU THROUGH" Barely two (2) weeks ago, (18 AUGUST 1968) at the Battle at TINH LUONG RIVER, this "GUT FEELING " was true. As ever, I've considered the "BATTLE AT TINH LUONG" as a close encounter with death. Words are not enough to describe the faces of the enemies as they face the barrels of the twin .50 CALIBERS and hear the rhythm of death being played by their weapons. I saw these faces, and they're ugly. As the boat commander of PBR 142, I am the "CONDUCTOR" of that rhythm, and I prefer to stay that way, at least for the next six (6) months. The last three (3) months of 1968 were not as hectic as the previous months.

The ambiance at the river, local villages and streets of MYTHO were back to normalcy. The firefights are seldom and the military bases or outposts of the Allied Forces up North have recovered and back to it's feet. The offensive force that blasted these Allied Forces on January1968 is now an ember and this is good news for us. How long will it last? Nobody knows.

There were many transfers and new faces in our section during these months. My partner, EN2 ROY K. DAVIS was transferred to the mainland for duty. PBR 139 is now being SKIPPERED by a new boat captain in the person of BM1 WILLIAM (BILL) AKIN.

During these months, most of our night patrols were spent conducting "PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARES", hoping that the scattered enemies will surrender and return to the fold of the South Vietnamese democratic government. In lieu of this, the implementation of the "CHU HOI" program have started. The goal of this program was to re-habilitate and indoctrinate the enemy to a new way of life. A life that will blend and fit in with the social life of the South Vietnamese people. Hence, becoming a citizen and pledging allegiance to the Democratic Government of South Vietnam. Nevertheless, good as it may sound, I remained lackdaisical toward this program. I honestly believe that a "TIGER WILL ALWAYS BE A TIGER". Even with paint covering it's stripes, it is still a tiger.

Meanwhile, as the month of December 1968 comes to an end, the news that we are hearing about the "RIVERINE UNITS" stationed up North were not good to our ears. These units that patrols the VAM CUU DONG RIVER and TRA CU were constantly catching hell from the enemies. Boats and personnel casualties are often and seemed unstoppable. If this trend continues, all of us knew that re-inforcements will be inevitable, in the soonest of time.