hill.  On one patrol my squad found a dead NVA by the side of the trail in an area of other graves and equipment lying around. Then after a night at Stud, we went back up to the LZ Russell area.  I got to Russell the end of July and spent August on the LZ.  We provided base security and spent most nights out on LPs and ambushes.  Thanks to the skillful planning of Lt. Robb Mitchell and others we had a carefully worked out plan to rebuild the wire and bunkers and I spent many days under the Sun laying wire and rebuilding the bunkers and outer wall.  One night I walked point on a squad patrol out the gate by the guns, accompanied by our platoon commander, Lt. Bill Green.  We had some movement in the forest in front of us and it proved to be an interesting patrol.  I don't think I've ever been so scared but either we were shooting at noises or we chased off the enemy without anyone getting hurt.  Robb Mitchell and I both recall a pallet of ammo being dropped by a 53 into the trash dump but we differ on whether it blew up or  not,  or else it happed twice.  Very poor aim for Marines by those pilots. 

Fox left Russell the first of September and we humped around north and west of Russell.  One day second platoon got sent down to explore a small valley on our way up to the ridge top.  We got stuck or lost depending on how you look at it and had to spend the rest of the day and most of the night trying to rejoin the company.  On the ridge top we got a resupply of utilities and boots and cans of fruit juice which ran right through my guts in about three minutes.  I remember about a week up on Nui Tia Pong in the wind and rain.  I remember watching a 46 try to land on the saddle and get blown back off the top, almost crashing in the forest.  We cheered the pilot for the effort.  I remember a few days at the Rockpile base on hole watch and guarding the road.  I was on watch at the south gate with two other grunts and at some point Captain Murphy and some other high brass came through in a jeep and didn't get the proper salute.  Sorry Sir!  Anyway, I got my ass chewed generating some resentment on my part.  I can see it from his perspective better now thirty-three years later. 

We spent some time down at the Cua Viet on R&R.  (Robb Mitchell and I have a running argument about the timing so if anyone can help, let me know).  On September Fox was choppered up to the base of Mutter's Ridge in a company exchange.  In the process we took incoming mortars and one Marine was killed.  He was Elton Davis, Jr. from Bartlett Texas, nicknamed 'Sugar Bear.'  We also had nine wounded.  I remember hearing the tubes thump and the scramble to get off the LZ and into the woods. My platoon was first on the hill so we got off first without casualties.  We spent a week or so around and on Mutter's Ridge with the rain getting worse and worse.  One time I walked by Capt. Murphy looking very dirty and tired and he joked it make him feel better just seeing me look so bad.  I laughed at that.  One guy couldn't take the mud and rain and shot himself in the foot to get out.  The Captain wasn't too happy with him. 

We spent some time down on the Cua Viet by My Loc patrolling the north bank.  One night my squad went on patrol in a Swift boat, running up and down the river, stopping to set up an ambush on the river bank.  Later the company got  into a firefight near Jone's Creek.  I had the runs the night before and next morning when daylight revealed where I had gone, the guys joked we had scared the VC #%$@less. 

Our last operation was in the 'Backyard' area west of Dong Ha.  We spent time in the low hills running around looking for the VC or NVA and got to work with some tanks for awhile.  Going cross country the tankers couldn't understand why the grunts couldn't keep up with them!  The end of October Fox stood down with the rest of the battalion and we shipped out for Okinawa in early November.  I was in country about 8 months, probably the most intense, terrifying, horrible, exciting, interesting time of my life.