PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE...for PBR sailors, this type of warfare is an INVITATION for a firefight. I can say that most Boat Captains FROWN each time his patrol was scheduled to conduct this type of warfare. Personally, I tried to avoid it. But I had no choice. Nevertheless, through this "warfare" I had learned to control my FEAR and keep a cool and calm mind in the midst of a firefight. Most of all, it HONED my senses to the point that the so-called "Gut Feeling" within me. In retrospect, I can say that this "Gut Feeling" helped, and guided me to steer PBR-142 and my crew out of harm's way during my entire tour of duty in Vietnam.
WHEN and HOW this type of warfare was conceived was no concern of mine. However, I can say that WHOEVER conceived this idea had NO CONSIDERATION whatsoever for the WELFARE of the PBR and and it's crew conducting this operation. I can say this because I had done this not ONCE, TWICE nor THRICE...but COUNTLESS times. And each time, PBR-142 and PBR-139 came under fire. For this reason that I came up with a "proper" term for it, and that is..."The Game of Fools". And whether it IS or it ISN'T, here are my reasons why...
"Psychological Warfare" operations are conducted at NIGHT, and WELL INSIDE areas designated as "FREE-FIRE ZONES". These areas are the Vietcong's sphere of influence, wherein the enemies' activities are reportedly RAMPANT. In layman's terms, this was a "Hornet's Nest".
Needless to say, it needed no explanation of WHAT the CONSEQUENCES would be if this 'hoenet's nest' would get disturbed. However, in our case, it wasn't the HORNETS we were worried about. Rather, it's the BARRAGE of LIVE BULLETS, B-40 ROCKETS, GRENADES, etc...that was waiting for us somewhere along the stretch of that "free-fire zone". Now the question was: "Why did the Vietcong HATE this 'psychological warfare' so MUCH?"
I can say that NO ONE in his RIGHT STATE OF MIND could have likened it at firsthand. This type of warfare is composed of a LOUDSPEAKER, TAPE RECORDER , and of course, a RECORDED TAPE. Technically, these three pieces of audio equipment couldn't harm a fly. However, it was the WORDS being spoken on the tape that caused the enemies' blood to RISE, and filled their HEARTS with ANGER.
For us, though, we could care less about it, because it's narrated in VIETNAMESE. And most of us do not understand a word of it. Being curious, I once asked the PR man at the headquarters
about it, and this was what I was told: The STORY being narrated on the tape is about a Vietcong GHOST. This ghost tells how MISERABLE he is the afterlife. And whatever he was told or promised while he was alive were all LIES. He was now in HELL because of all the wrongdoings he had done while on Earth. And now in HELL, the flies and worms are FEASTING on him like "SHIT". And the story goes on and on and on and at the end, this same ghost will ask the Vietcong to SURRENDER their weapons and come into the fold of the government for a better life, on Earth AND in the afterlife.
Often, the tape NEVER reaches this part because somewhere at the middle of the tape, some PISSED OFF Vietcong would start shooting their AK-47's, B-40 Rockets and etc...in order to stop the tape and put an end to it's source.
In order for the message to be heard, the PBR's patrol SO CLOSE to the river banks, WELL WITHIN the range of the enemies' weapons. Hence, giving the enemies' a TARGET they could not resist. We had DEFINITELY stirred up the hornet's nest.
For PBR-139, PBR-142 and their crews, I'll say that we were VERY fortunate for coming out unscathed and without a scratch from all the firefights that these "psychological warfare" patrols got us into. Unquestionably, being in war was ALREADY in harm's way. However, PROVOKING the enemy in THEIR OWN TERRITORY was either SUICIDAL or LUNACY. I never thought of it this way before. Looking back, most WARS were either started or created by FOOLS. Hence, in Vietnam, it was only suffice to say that were all part of a "Game of Fools".
There were the unfortunate ones that were wounded or lost their lives playing this game. And it is for the latter that I am writing this story, for they no longer have a chance to speak their minds and express what's in their hearts. Together, we have showed common feelings of ANXIETY and FEAR, and had experienced the same dangers in "life-and-death" situations. In lieu of all these, it's only suffice to say that we also shared the same opinion regarding this PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE, or simply The Game of Fools...
NEXT: The NAVY S.E.A.L.s...
WHEN and HOW this type of warfare was conceived was no concern of mine. However, I can say that WHOEVER conceived this idea had NO CONSIDERATION whatsoever for the WELFARE of the PBR and and it's crew conducting this operation. I can say this because I had done this not ONCE, TWICE nor THRICE...but COUNTLESS times. And each time, PBR-142 and PBR-139 came under fire. For this reason that I came up with a "proper" term for it, and that is..."The Game of Fools". And whether it IS or it ISN'T, here are my reasons why...
"Psychological Warfare" operations are conducted at NIGHT, and WELL INSIDE areas designated as "FREE-FIRE ZONES". These areas are the Vietcong's sphere of influence, wherein the enemies' activities are reportedly RAMPANT. In layman's terms, this was a "Hornet's Nest".
Needless to say, it needed no explanation of WHAT the CONSEQUENCES would be if this 'hoenet's nest' would get disturbed. However, in our case, it wasn't the HORNETS we were worried about. Rather, it's the BARRAGE of LIVE BULLETS, B-40 ROCKETS, GRENADES, etc...that was waiting for us somewhere along the stretch of that "free-fire zone". Now the question was: "Why did the Vietcong HATE this 'psychological warfare' so MUCH?"
I can say that NO ONE in his RIGHT STATE OF MIND could have likened it at firsthand. This type of warfare is composed of a LOUDSPEAKER, TAPE RECORDER , and of course, a RECORDED TAPE. Technically, these three pieces of audio equipment couldn't harm a fly. However, it was the WORDS being spoken on the tape that caused the enemies' blood to RISE, and filled their HEARTS with ANGER.
For us, though, we could care less about it, because it's narrated in VIETNAMESE. And most of us do not understand a word of it. Being curious, I once asked the PR man at the headquarters
about it, and this was what I was told: The STORY being narrated on the tape is about a Vietcong GHOST. This ghost tells how MISERABLE he is the afterlife. And whatever he was told or promised while he was alive were all LIES. He was now in HELL because of all the wrongdoings he had done while on Earth. And now in HELL, the flies and worms are FEASTING on him like "SHIT". And the story goes on and on and on and at the end, this same ghost will ask the Vietcong to SURRENDER their weapons and come into the fold of the government for a better life, on Earth AND in the afterlife.
Often, the tape NEVER reaches this part because somewhere at the middle of the tape, some PISSED OFF Vietcong would start shooting their AK-47's, B-40 Rockets and etc...in order to stop the tape and put an end to it's source.
In order for the message to be heard, the PBR's patrol SO CLOSE to the river banks, WELL WITHIN the range of the enemies' weapons. Hence, giving the enemies' a TARGET they could not resist. We had DEFINITELY stirred up the hornet's nest.
For PBR-139, PBR-142 and their crews, I'll say that we were VERY fortunate for coming out unscathed and without a scratch from all the firefights that these "psychological warfare" patrols got us into. Unquestionably, being in war was ALREADY in harm's way. However, PROVOKING the enemy in THEIR OWN TERRITORY was either SUICIDAL or LUNACY. I never thought of it this way before. Looking back, most WARS were either started or created by FOOLS. Hence, in Vietnam, it was only suffice to say that were all part of a "Game of Fools".
There were the unfortunate ones that were wounded or lost their lives playing this game. And it is for the latter that I am writing this story, for they no longer have a chance to speak their minds and express what's in their hearts. Together, we have showed common feelings of ANXIETY and FEAR, and had experienced the same dangers in "life-and-death" situations. In lieu of all these, it's only suffice to say that we also shared the same opinion regarding this PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE, or simply The Game of Fools...
NEXT: The NAVY S.E.A.L.s...
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