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Bravo Company ( Katy1008 & CrimsonMaster )

CrimsonMaster

CrimsonMaster

Pulsar
Joined
Oct 30, 2009
Location
The Land of Lost Souls
The Vietnam War had been going on for years before America got involved. At first American troops were small in numbers. They were mostly advisers and Special Forces units used to train the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. (ARVN) After 1963 the war expended and the number of American troops rose quickly. By 1967 over 451,000 American troops were in Vietnam and most were seeing combat in one from or another. American Army, Marine, Air Force and Navy Bases were set up from the demilitarized zone, (DMZ) to Saigon. One of these bases called Camp Baker was just outside of Nha Trang. Camp Baker was the home for the U.S. Army's 3rd Battalion, 4th Infantry Division. Outside of Camp Baker were a string firebases. Each firebase was 10 klicks from the main camp. These small camps were used as a buffer zone between the main camp and enemy forces. There were 7 firebases surrounding Camp Baker, one was known as Firebase Apache. The firebases were strung out with 5 Klicks between each firebase. The men currently stationed at Apache were the men from 1st Platoon Bravo Company. They were led by 1st Lieutenant Nicolas "Nick" Kern (27) a West Point grad who came to Vietnam in 1966. Nick as he was known stood 5'10" and weighted 175 lbs. His hair was short and dark, his eyes were blue. Second in command of the 1st platoon was the tough talking Sergeant First Class Daniel "Dan" Morgan (41). Dan had the most time in Vietnam having been in country since 1965. He was the handsome rugged type. Hardly shaved unless they were back at Camp Baker. Dan stood 6 feet even, weighted 185 lbs and had short brown hair with just a touch of grey. Dan saw action during all three years of the Korean War.

Firebase Apache had been carved out of an empty field. To it's front and east was thick jungle and hills. Apache was base number 5 along the line sitting North East from Camp Baker. The normal size of a platoon is 42 men. 1st Platoon had been cut down to 28 with recent attacks. They were expecting reinforcements in the next few hours. Along with the fresh troops would be the new combat medic. The old medic was killed during the last attack. The wounded and dead were shipped back to Camp Baker. The wounded soldiers were then taken to the 8th Field Hospital which was inside the camp. In a few weeks the men of 1st Platoon would be heading back to Camp Baker for some R&R. Another Platoon would take their place while they were in the rear. It was December 11 1967. Just a few weeks before Christmas and a little over a month away from the biggest enemy attack of the war. The sound of Huey's was heard coming closer. This meant supplies and those fresh troops were coming. The camp's loud speaker was blasting the song Wolly Bully being played by the American Forces Vietnam Network Station in Nha Trang. It was hot as hell and most of the men who weren't on guard duty were relaxing as best as they could.
 
2nd Lt. Samantha Keller was used to the Heuys by now. With its transport origins and inherently large cabin space, the Huey was designed from the outset to serve occupants in quantity. Passenger space was equivalent to 14 combat-ready troops. This arrangement could be supplanted by up to 6 medical litters when in the MedEvac role. The base crew could comprise 1 to 4 personnel as needed and depending on the role and equipment utilized. Today, there were six guys in the cabin and two gunners. She sat near the door, a full kit bag at her side and an M16 semi automatic rifle in her lap. The gunner opposite her was clearly confused. Medics carried rifles sure. But this was a woman. A few hours ago, another day in hell had dawned. In all probability it would be the same as yesterday and the day before that and the... 76 days before that. A continual stream of mangled flesh, shattered bone and broken bodies. At the same time, there were too few personnel, too few drugs and too little sterility. But today was going to be different in one key respect; today she wasn't just on board to help evacuate wounded personnel from the firebase. Today, the Huey would leave for its return journey without her.

She was dressed in a standard set of fatigues; a green t-shirt, a green shirt with the sleeves rolled up squarely. Green pants which were tucked into black boots. The other six guys in the ship with her were dressed similarly, although their clothes were that little bit newer, that little bit greener. Her name was stitched over the right breast pocket and the US Army designation was stitched over the left. Above that she wore the Combat Medic badge. The standard US Army medical core badge was on her left shoulder and the 2nd Lt bars were on the collar. Unlike the men she was sitting with, she had a service revolver - a colt - on her hip. She suspected that her arrival would not go down well. Almost as soon as she was aware of her orders she was aware that most people - including her friends - considered it a bad decision. Putting women in the field even as medics was not a good idea at all. It wasn't that she would almost certainly get herself killed; it was the probability that she would get somebody else killed. But the decision was going to be even more unpopular with the platoon and the squad she was going to finish up going out with. The twelve month rotation of personnel meant that the arrival of a 'FNG' was a regular occurrence and the FNG was a pariah until they had served an unknown period and proved their worth...assuming they survived. He was surrounded by six of them right now but they would probably be treated as royalty compared to her.

The helicopter began to swoop low, and beneath her she saw the clearing of a firebase coming into view. She gathered her kit and when the ship landed she followed the other six guys into the dust and the heat and the noise. She looked for the welcome committee she knew would be there; a captain or a lieutenant, probably with a veteran master sergeant in tow. She wasn't disappointed.
 
Firebase Apache was surrounded by a fence made from 2 x 4's and chicken wire. The entire camp was no larger then 100 yards in any direction. All long the fence on the inside and out were sharp sticks pointing straight out. These sticks were known as punji sticks. These would make it hard for anyone to enter the camp in anyway other then by helicopter or the main gate. Barbed wire was also strung out on the edge of the firebase. Just inside the fence the camp was surrounded by landmines. Beyond that walls of sandbags were stacked up. The camp was pretty much made from sandbags, trenches and bunkers. Most of the men stayed in bunkers. There were a few tents for the officers and noncoms. A tent which served as the base's aid station. The command post was a bunker dug into the ground with sandbags all around. Four guard towers stood at the four corners of the camp. Light & heavy machine guns were placed at different points around the camp. Most of the men ran around in their green t-shirts and fatigue pants. It was just before 11 am and the humidity level was already at 98%. If it wasn't for the guns, a person could think that this was a refugee camp. The copper pads were located in the rear of the aide station which was in the middle of the camp. The camp commander wasn't there because he wasn't expecting another officer. He was just told a medic would be coming along with the new troops. The only Sergeant at the pads was Nathaniel " Nate" Kowalski. He was a short but powerfully built man. Nate barked out at the new troopers as they jumped from the helicopter. He also wasn't expecting an officer, nor was he expecting to see a woman. When Nate saw the smaller person carrying bags he yelled out. " Jesus Christ!........Are they recruiting kids now! " Nate crossed his arms as the slight looking person come closer. Suddenly it became very clear that this wasn't a small man. but a woman. " GOD DAMN!!.......YOU'RE A WOMAN! " Nate stated the obvious while those in the Huey already knew that.
 
She threw the kit bag over her shoulder and walked towards the Sergeant who seemed to be doing all of the shouting. She had never be considered short that small before and truth was with some if the teenagers around this place, she actually wasn't. Sam was 25 years old...for the 'Nam that was almost geriatric. She was 5'7 with dark brown eyes and hair to match which had been cropped short about 10 minutes after she had arrived. She was every bit the girl-next-door, with a strong athletic figure. Army fatigues didn't really do it justice though but the curve from her 36c bust to her 23 inch waist and out to her 35inch hips was obvious. She had been an army nurse for precisely 4months. She had been on course to finish her medical degree at John Hopkins Umiversity in a years time, but the death of a college boyfriend at the hands of the VC and the nightly news reports had made her quit her road to becoming a doctor and enlist. Her father had been a doctor in Korea and was now a thoracic surgeon in their home town of San Francisco. She had expected him to rant and rave over her decision but he hadn't. He seemed to understand although if he knew she was walking onto a firebase to serve as a combat medi, he might not have been quite so understanding.

Sam looked at the sergeant and smirked when he realised that he was looking at a woman.

"We'll done Sergeant. Ten out of ten for observation. I bet you're real valuable round here."
 
Nate had been so taken by surprise at seeing a woman, that he never noticed the single gold bars on her collar. However once she spoke his eyes open wider upon seeing her rank. Nate snapped to attention presenting her a salute. " Sorry Lieutenant.......I wasn't expecting an officer on this flight! " Nate said in a loud voice. He stood straight and tall before her. " I was told some new recruits and a combat medic were on this flight! Nate stayed at attention and saluting until the Lieutenant returned his salute. Once his salute was returned, he relaxed. Nate pointed out where the command post was. He said that she could find Lieutenant Kern in there with Sergeant First Class Morgan. Nate said that they were going over the schedule for patrols. He stated that the VC had been hitting the base hard over the last few weeks. Nate added that something big was brewing. A large force of North Vietnam Soldiers were spotted only 35 klicks north of the base. These soldiers however didn't attack. They were spotted over a period of three days. Then they seemed to disappear as quickly as they came. Everyone had expected them to hit the base, but the only attacks came from the VC. There was something big going on with the NVA. However no one at this level had any idea of what was to come. The base was sending out patrols to find and kill the Viet Cong in the hopes that their attacks would stop. While Nate was talking with the new Lieutenant. He noticed the combat medics badge she was wearing. It was then that he realized that she was the new combat medic.
 
Sam returned the salute and nodded, the hint of a smile playing on her lips. Should she tell him she was the combat medic they were expecting? She decided not to. Word was going to get round soon enough.

"Don't worry about it Sergeant. I imagine you have more important thins to do and I'm not looking for a red carpet" She looked in the direction that Kawalski had indicated. She listened to what he was saying about the unusual movements of the VC. It wasn't something she hadn't heard before back at the Evac Hospital and in the mess. Quite a lot of soldiers were starting to suspect something was coming. She nodded her thanks and headed off to the command. When she got there, she swept aside the canvas door and stepped in. There were a few men in there considering charts and papers, a few sitting at desks and one manning a radio which provided a regular background chatter. There was only one Lieutenant in the place though and there was a First Sergeant stood next to him. She took a quick glance at their breast pockets. Kern. Morgan. She stepped over, hesitated for a moment and took a breath. She was conscious of a few heads turning as she walked in and now they were looking at her wondering what the hell a woman was doing here.

"Lieutenant?" Both men looked up. Sam cleared her throat. There was no easy way to break it to them. "I'm your new medic."
 
Nate watched as the new Lieutenant walked away. His eye zoomed in on her ass as it swayed from side to side. Those fatigue pants certainly didn't do her justice, but you could tell that she had a nice ass. Nate wondered if she really understood what she was in for here? This place was full of horny men who dream of getting pussy of the likes that just walked away. " I have a felling that more then one man around here will be tapping that pussy.......Just wonder who get's it first? " Nate thought to himself. He then hurried the new troops off. A group of men was sitting near the entrance to the command post. They watched as a new grunt appeared and started walking towards the bunker. The song These Boots Are Made For Walking was playing over the loudspeakers. Not a word was spoken as their eyes followed what turned out to be a woman into the bunker. Private Andy "Tex" Kirk, a large white man in this group asked if that was really a woman? " Not just a woman.........a white woman. " Corporal Tyrone "Motown" Jackson said while licking his lips. " I'm gonna get me some pussy. " The guys started to laugh at Motown. " Hey airhead........In case you didn't noticed.......She was wearing 2nd Lieutenant bars. " Corporal Miguel Cruz pointed out to which Motown said that he would salute her first then fuck her! Again the men laughed. PFC Reggie "Spade" Crawford stood. " She's a woman........Don't matter about her rank........She has a cunt between her legs and an ass begging to be fucked! " This brought more laughter from these four men. They watched and waited for her to reappear. Just so they could get another eyeful of this new honey.

Sergeant Morgan & Lieutenant Kern slowly looked up from their map upon hearing a female voice. The two men showed a look of pure shock on their faces. They looked her up and down wondering if this was someone's idea of a joke? They were use to seeing pussy walking around Camp Baker, but not out here in the shit. Lt. Kern asked for her orders. Once she handed them over, he understood that this wasn't a joke. Kern handed her orders back while asking if she understood that this was a combat zone? " We get attacked here almost everyday............Charlie makes living here difficult.............Life isn't easy out here in the shit........And you're surround by 28 men who haven't seen a woman in weeks. " Kern was just offering a warning to Samantha. Some of the men in the room where already eyeing Samantha up like wild animals look at a piece of raw meat. Images of bending her over the table and slamming her pussy or tight ass filled their minds.
 
Sam hadn't heard the conversation between the guys just off the main entrance. She felt them looking at her back once she had passed them but she was already inside and the music had already started again by the time Kirk asked if he'd seen right. She didn't need to be a genius though to imagine the basic tenor of the conversation although it was probably a lot more extreme than she was envisaging. When she told Kern who...what she was, again his expression as well as that of Morgan was of no surprise to her. She actually thought that they wouldn't even bother asking for her orders because it was just too ridiculous an idea. When Kern did ask though, she reached into her left breast pocket and fished them out. She watched as Kern read them and then passed them to Morgan. Morgan was used to taking green FNGs into the jungle but this was something else.

When Kern asked his questions and told her what she could expect she smirked a little and looked around. The rest of the guys in the tent were watching intently as this played out and they took their opportunities to check out the unusual arrival. Sam took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Okay Lieutenant, first off, last I heard, the Army wasn't a democracy. Like pretty much everyone else out here, I go where I'm told and the brass don't usually ask my opinion first. Second, I know what a firebase is and I've been in a combat zone before." She stopped short of pointing to the combat medic badge on her chest. "I'm not saying I know everything about it but I'm not an idiot. I'm willing to learn and I haven't lost my head or froze under fire yet. Somebody thinks its important that your guys have a medic as close to the point of injury as possible. They sent me, and I'm good at what I do. So... If you want to send me back, or get my orders changed that's fine, but in the meantime if you could point me in the direction of a billet I'd be grateful." She surprised herself with her 'speech'. She hadn't intended to say all that. But now, she stood her ground and she stared straight at Kern. As she finished, the music outside changed and she couldn't help wondering if it was an omen; a badmoonrising indeed
 
Kern had no plans to have Sam'a orders changed. Even if he wanted her gone it wouldn't matter. Colonel Bates had signed Sam's orders. He was the one who sent her here and he was the only one who could pull her out. Unless Sam majorly fucked up in someway. Kern was powerless to do anything other then welcome her to the outfit. Sam was told to hang around for a few minutes while Kern & Morgan finished with their meeting. Kern pointed to the map and told Morgan that two combat patrols would sweep the area around the base. The first patrol under the code name Savoy 6 would leave the camp in 30 minutes and sweep the area from right to left. The second patrol would leave 5 minute after the first and sweep from left to right. This second patrol would be code named Savoy 8. Both teams would circle the base looking for the Viet Cong. Morgan would lead Savoy 6 while Kowalski led Savoy 8. Kern said that both patrols needed to stay in contact with the base and report all sightings. If need be, Kern would call in air & artillery strikes against enemy positions. Kern then told Sam that he would show her around. There would be no mission for her today. She had to stow her gear and run a check on medical supplies. Sam would be Doctor, nurse and medic to this outfit.

Kern left the command bunker with Sam. They walked a short way to where the medical aid tent was set up. It was a large tent, really three tents connected together. The middle part had cots where the wounded would stay until they could be airlifted out. The area on the right was for surgery. The area on the left was Sam's office and her sleeping quarters. Her desk was a plank of wood placed over two large wooden boxes. Everything she would need was in these three areas. Kern asked her to check over the medical supplies and then report too him what she needed. He would then call in for supplies which should arrive in a day or so. " Welcome to 1st Platoon Bravo Company..........I hope you last longer then the last medic. " Kern said as he left Sam to her work. He never told her how the other medic was killed. She may have been told already. Sam would have been at Camp Baker when what was left of his body was unloaded from a chopper. Some Viet Cong outfits could be brutal when it came to prisoners. There was much work to do before Sam would be going out on missions. If she worked hard enough thought, her field work would start the next day.
 
Sam nodded at the suggestion that she wait until Kern and Morgan had finished. While they went back to their plans, Sam walked to the side of the command 'office'. Stretched out on a makeshift notice board that was about six feet wide and three feet tall. It ran at eye level down one 'wall' of te tent. At least half of it was covered by a map of their bit of South East Asia... Their immediate location... A five mile perimeter around the firebase. She put her kitbag down next to the desk and then walked across to it. She was stood with her back to the room, her hands tucked at the small of her back. But for Kern and Morgan, everyone else in the room continued to stare at her, letting their imaginations run a little wild. Sam stood oblivious to them.

When Kern was done he called her over and then took her to the medical aide tent. Her told her to leave her kit and he would get a corpsman to bring it later. She walked past the four men outside. With no kit back to hide at least partially behind, they were left in no doubt that she was indeed a woman. Kern stopped and introduced her which gave them all plenty of time to check her out a little more thoroughly. Eventually he moved on and showed her the basics of their 'little hospital'. He left her to check the place out and put in a requisition.

Two hours later she walked back to the command post. There was some more substantial items of equipment she wanted but most of the order was field dressings, IV fluids and tubes, catheters, tourniquets, swabs and bandages. Most important was the drugs. Morphine. Antibiotics. Narcan and epinephrine and a lt of what were referred to as "snivel" or "sick call meds." These are common over-the-counter medications that do not require a prescription. Paracetamol (Tylenol), anti-pyretic and pain reducer. Naproxen and ibuprofen, different NSAIDs which reduce pain and inflammation. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) - an antihistamine with a sedative side effect. She had no idea how much she would get, but she asked for everything. She stopped what she was doing to watch the two patrols heading out and she set the place up in case she had patients sooner rather than later.
 
Sam's requests for supplies was okayed by Nick then he passed the form onto his clerk. He would try to get everything that she wanted. Resupplies was slow at best. Forward bases were always the last on the list for supplies. Often supplies were stolen long before they even left the rear area. What did come was often times far less then what was needed. Trucks had been used to ship supplies in the past. But those trucks were hijacked by enemy troops and sometimes by troops of the South Vietnamese Army. Sad as it was, there was a lot of corruption in ARVN forces. The black market was run by both Americans and Vietnamese. It was away to make a lot of money very quickly. You could buy anything on the black market as long as you had the cash. Supplies were being sent to forward areas now by helicopter. This at least stopped the hijackings. 1st Platoon would only be here another week or so before they would return to Camp Baker. Kern expected that they would be there by Christmas. They could enjoy some time off and maybe even catch the Bob Hope USO Show went it came to Nha Trang.

That was still a ways off and there was work to be done here. Kern waited just outside the command bunker looking through his field glasses. He was watching the jungle are for signs of the VC. His two teams were out there patrolling like hunters trying to stir up some game. The field radio to his left suddenly crackled to life with the voice of Sergeant Morgan. The sound of far off gun fire could be heard. Morgan and Savoy 6 had found a group of VC heading for the base. Kern asked for a count on enemy forces. Morgan couldn't gave a true number since most were fleeing. His guess was about 20 VC. Kern called out for Savoy 8 to join up with Savoy 6. There was no way of telling how many VC were lurking in the jungle. A boom was heard and followed bu two more loud booms. This was the sound of grenades going off. Morgan called back saying that the VC were on the run. Savoy 8 was going to keep sweeping the area. He also said that he had two wounded and he that his team was returning to the base. Kern told one of the new soldiers to go tell Lieutenant Keller that she had wounded coming in.
 
The sound of the mortars and of rapid gunfire in the distance and sam's heart beat suddenly jumped fuelled by adrenalin. She grabbed a field kit which was sitting on what was seeing as her desk. Opening it she checked what was in it and added in additional morphine and pressure bandages. Pain relief and stemming blood loss were often the primary objectives in the first instance. She wasn't too sure whether she was expected to simply wait in the aid station or be somewhere else. She was never particularly patient and decided getting to the injured men as soon as they got back inside the wire. She stepped outside and what had been a relatively calm environment a few moments before was now somewhat more hectic. An organised chaos where everyone seemed to be moving; everyone knew what they needed to do and where they were going... Except her. The big guns within the base were starting to come to life, there to provide cover for the teams who were on their way in.

She was running toward the command tent when she heard the call of "INCOMING". She kept moving towards her identified destination when suddenly there was an explosion behind her sending a shower of dirt into the air. Fortunately dirt was the only thing hit. The next second he felt a hard blow from her right side and she was allying, pitching sideways and she hit the ground with a groan. She was then aware of a weight on top of her. Smothering, covering as one two three more explosions came in close proximity. She felt soil and stones raining down. Things quieted a little and the weight on her lessened.

"You okay Lt??" She looked up. PFC Crawford was partially lying on top of her, grinning down at her.

"Yes. Thanks" she was more surprised than anything else.

"You might wanna remember to pick up your helmet next time ma'am, otherwise you might get your fucking brains blown out." Suddenly she felt a fool. Basic rookie mistake. Nothing she could do about it now though. Se needed to move. Crawford seemed to linger a little longer than he needed and it was only Nate Kowolski shouting his name which seemed to get him moving. He stood up then took her hand and pulled her up before moving on, with a large grin on his face. Sam continued onto the command tent to find out exactly what was coming in in terms of wounded men.
 
What had started out as a minor skirmish, suddenly turned into a battle. From out of no where mortars were dropping on the base. This was most unexpected, but then these things usually are. The attack stopped just as quick as it had started. This obviously meant that Sergeant Kowalski who was leading Savoy 8 found the mortar crew. Sergeant Morgan and his team made they way back to the base. They did however have to stop just inside the jungle since the base fell under attack. Once the incoming fire stopped, the team continued on. They entered the base and the wounded were taken to the aide station where they expected to find Lieutenant Keller. Kern had no word on the wounded when Sam showed up. He asked her to return to the aide station and to put her helmet on. Kern was pissed that the soldier whom he sent to inform Sam of what was coming, never reached her. He hated when his orders were disobeyed. Running this place was hard enough. But when orders were ignored, it made things worse. Sergeant Morgan's team only had two injuries. One man twisted his ankle while running. A second man took a hit to his shoulder by an AK-47. There was no wounded at the base during the attack. The second team would return without any injures, but they did have a prisoner who had been shot in the leg. He would be brought in to Sam once they reached the base.
 
She headed back to the aid station and other than knowing that there was wounded on the way. She didn't know how many. She didn't know how serious. The aid station was a large place in comparison to the other structures around the place. As with most of the tents once the sun was up and everyone was out of bed, the sides of the tent were rolled up which then allowed the little air there was to move freely. Around all four sides of the tent was a wall of sandbags with a small gap in one side which served as an entrance. It was about three feet away from each side and was built up to about 4 feet. The sandbags offered protection to those casualties who were already in the aid station when the base itself was fired on. At the moment the place was empty. There was nothing to do but wait.

It didn't take too long. Morgan came in together with a second man she didn't recognise and between them they were carrying a third. He was hobbling, holding one foot off the floor. There was no sign of any blood though. Immediately behind them a second man came in. He was cradling his right arm and someone had secured a field bandage and a sling. She let Morgan ease his casualty on the bed but she went to the man with the clear shoulder room. She peered under the bandage but didn't need to ask what happened. She needed to remind herself that the job at the aid station wasnt to cure and more often than not it was about patching up enough to then have the soldier evac'ed back to the field hospital where there were full medical facilties and surgeons. The shoulder wound was a through-and-through. Clean it out and stop the blood flow. Probably wasn't going to be an injury which sent the kid home, but it would give him a few weeks in the hospital in Nha Trang. He was conscious and talking. She picked up some scissors and was about to cut through his shirt and t-shirt to clean the wound, when the third 'victim' was brought in. He was unaided. Walking... stumbling and immediately followed by a PFC with a M16 trained on the man in front of him. She helped the man to a cot and got him sitting down. A bullet in the thigh; a bullet which was still in the thigh. Someone had put a tournequet around his thigh immediately above the wound but that seemed to have been about it. She knelt down on the floor next to him.

"Hey. LT. Mac get seen first. The gook can sit there and fucking bleed to death." Sam looked up at the kid who was speaking.

"Casualties are treated on the basis of need, not nationality. Its called triage. And if you didn't want him treated why bring him here." She went back to her patient. He was scared... who wouldn't be... shaking. Maybe part fear and part shock.

"He's in here until the MPs come."

"Well while he's in here, he gets treated."
 
Morgan stepped up and told the private that Lieutenant Keller was right. She was in charge of all things at the aide station. The army medical rules were stated clearly by Sam. Morgan said that since an enemy soldier was inside the base. An armed guard would be on duty in at the aide station until he was sent to Camp Baker. There he would get more care and finally turned over to the ARVN. Morgan did suggest that the Viet Cong be strapped down for Sam's safety. He then spoke of a volunteer from the Red Cross who was forced into sex by a Vietnamese Soldier. This happened about a year ago at another base. He was wounded, but not secured. The Red Cross Volunteer was feeding him. He lashed out at her knocking her unconscious. He then forced himself on her while she laid on the floor. Morgan said that the girl was traumatized and sent home. She wasn't even here as a soldier, or medic and she still was changed by this place. Before leaving Morgan told Sam to be careful.

Morgan & Kowalski met up at the command bunker for a debriefing with Lieutenant Kern. It appeared that the ground force which Morgan's team found, was only the first part of their attack. The second of course being the mortar team. Nate's team killed all of the mortar group expect for the one they brought back. Kern called back to Camp Baker informing them of the casualties and the prisoner. A helicopter would be dispatched in a few minutes to get the wounded. A second copper would show up later for the prisoner. No doubt an ARVN Officer would be aboard to take charge of the VC.
 
Sam got the prisoner to sit down. He seemed relunctant to lie down though. He was clearly surprised to see a woman so close to the front line. The VC used their woman to fight, and often they were able to take the American's by surprise, killing quite a few of them in the process, and whilst he knew that there were nurses at the main base and the evac hospitals that were dotted around his country, seeing them at a firebase was new to him. He sat down half expecting the soldiers to start beating him or even torturing him.

As Sam began to cut away at the pant leg of the injured man, she looked up to Morgan.

"Like you said Sergeant, in here, it's my rules. No injured man is going to be tied down unless its for his own safety or the safety of other patients. There is no-one else in here at the moment. You can place a couple of men here as security if you wish, but this man isn't being tied down. Morgan stared at her for moment, but said nothing before turning away. He allocated two men to stand at the entrance to the aid station and keep their eye on things, before he headed off to the command bunker with Kowalski. The rest of the squad left with them, except Mac and the kid with twisted ankle.

Sam continued to work on the prisoner, cleaning out the wound as best she could. The bullet had to come out though. She stood up and fetched a dish, some antiseptic, and a hand operated clamp which worked in the same way as a pair of scissors worked. She had no idea whether the man understood English; he showed no sign of it, but she tried to explain as best she could. He simply watched. His eyes cold. He showed no paid as she literally fished inside the wound in an attempt to locate and then remove the bullet. It took a few moments but soon a bullet from an AK47 was dropped noisly into the dish. She irrigated the wound, made sure there was nothing else there at least as best she could in the circumstances and then applied the bandage. Throughout he sat in silence. Barely moving.

Then she turned her attention to Mac. As she worked on his shoulder, he watched her, chewing gum as she cleaned the wound, added a couple of stitches and then applied the bandage which would see him set until he reached the evac hospital. She was stood close enough to him that he could smell the fresh soap she had used that morning in the shower, despite the heat and the sweat and the dirt.

"So... are you a VC sympathizer then Lt?" he asked when she was almost done. She looked at him.

"I'm a nurse. I tend to the sick. I don't have to like them to do it. If liking my patients was a pre-requisite, then I might not have treated you, Private. Enjoy your trip home."

Thirty minutes later, the injured GIs were taken on the first chopper out of the firebase and two hours after than, the VC prisoner was escorted back almost certainly to some form of interrogation and then a POW camp. When she had the aid station back to herself, she sat down at her 'desk'. She thought for a moment. It was getting dark outside. She opened the bag that was set against the leg of the table and pulled out a 3/4 full bottle of scotch. She pulled out her canteen mug and poured out a healthy measure. She leaned back in the chair and pulled a packet of cigarettes from her pocket. She guessed that this was going to be as good as life got for as long as she was in this god foresaken place.
 
Once the coppers had all left, the base settled down for the evening. Morgan had sent a man over to the aide station with some supper for Lieutenant Keller. The soldier knocked on a post before entering the tent. He placed a C-ration box down on the desk in front of Sam. It was Beef Stew with Vegetables. The box also contained 5 crackers, a packet of soluble coffee, a packet of powdered milk, a packet of granulated sugar, toilet paper, gum, a P-38 can opener, a flat wooden spoon and a pack of cigarettes. The soldier said that's all they get out here. He did point out that the beef stew was a hell of a lot better then the Pork & Beans. He said that Sergeant Morgan told him to bring it. " He figured you hadn't eaten since breakfast. " The soldier then saluted Sam before leaving. The box sitting on Sam's deck was the same type her father had eaten during the Korean War. Although being at a MASH Unit, they did have a proper mess tent. Still there were times when C-rations were eaten by everyone in the military. Even the date stamped on the box said 25, Sept, 1952. This was suppertime at a forward combat base. Even breakfast and lunch came from a box like this. Not much cooking went on at a firebase like Apache. There was only two times every year that some type of cooking went on. That was at Thanksgiving & Christmas. In the background the loud speaker which was down low by now was playing Chapel of Love

At the crack of dawn Reveille was played. The day had started and 30 minutes later Sergeant Morgan appeared with a boxed breakfast of chopped ham, eggs, & potatoes. " Lieutenant Keller?.......I've brought your breakfast. " Morgan announced as he placed the box down on Sam's desk. He figured that she was most likely behind the blanket hung up to separate the front part of the tent from the back. The showers weren't built for woman to use. Not at a forward firebase. So unless Sam was putting on a show for the men, she was no doubt cleaning herself somewhere in the rear of the tent.
 
The remains of the C-rats from the previous night were still on the table. The crackers were gone; the tin with the beef and vegetables in was 2/3rds empty. Only a few of the cigarettes were gone but the medical dish which a been used as an ashtray showed that Sam must have already had a pack. The packaging from the coffee was there but there was no mug. In the midst of it all was a medical book, open but placed upside down on the table such that the open pages where face down. Morgan placed the fresh rations down as he called out.

Sam heard the man and finished washing up. She picked up her coffee made from last nights ration pack as soon as she had gotten up and stepped out from behind the blanket fully dressed from the waist down. Her shirt was over the back of a chair which was next to where Morgan was standing. She was wearing an olive green vest, sleeveless and scooped neck. It was tucked into the top of her pants and it hugged her figure. Her dog tags clincked a little as she walked across to the table.

"Thank you Sergeant." She put the coffee cup down, lit a cigarette, took a drag nd placed it in her 'ashtray' and then reached for her shirt and continued to get dressed. She showed no sign of embarrassment at not having her shirt on; but then she wasn't embarrassed by her body. Her mother would never have stepped outside the house without being perfectly dressed including gloves and a hat, but this was the sixties and it wasn't as if she had walked out there naked.

"What time is Lt Kern sending out the patrols?" She asked as she did up the buttons on her shirt.
 
Sergeant Morgan waited until Sam appeared from behind the blanket. He lit up his own cigarette while she did the same. Morgan sat down on the edge of Sam's makeshift desk. A slight smile drew slowly over his face when Sam asked about Lieutenant Kern and the morning patrol. " That's why I'm still hanging around.......L.T.wants you to join the morning patrols. " Morgan went on to say that everyday they send out one patrol that leaves at 1000 hours and doesn't get back until 1200 hours. This of course would change if the group was attacked. They would return with the wounded as soon as possible. If there were no wounded they would stay on patrol. This patrol lasts longer then those going on in the late afternoon and evening. It was two full hours with a larger team. The afternoon patrols are done by fireteams. Each team has a Sergeant and 5 or 6 men. The morning patrol is made by a squad with ether Sergeant Morgan or Lieutenant Kern in command and 10 men.

Morgan flicked his ash into Sam'a tray. He just smiled when he spoke of how Lieutenant Kern said it was time Sam earned her pay check. This was fulled by a laugh as Morgan stood up. He was of course joking with the pretty Lieutenant. " I'll be leading the patrol this morning.......We muster behind the command bunker at 0945 for a gear check. " Morgan added that no one goes out with out their full combat gear. " We leave at 1000 hours through a rear entrance.......Then if all goes well we'll spend the next 2 hours patrolling the outside of the camp. " Some days the patrols were peaceful. Other days the patrols were like walking into hell. " I'll see you behind the command bunker......Oh and don't forget to wear your helmet this time. " Morgan couldn't help taking a jab at Sam over what she did yesterday. He was just trying to show her that not everyone looked down on her because she was a woman. A few in camp would give Sam the respect of her rank. The rest would wait until they knew her better. Many in camp spent the night wishing they could fuck the pretty Lieutenant. There was one in camp who thought that Sam was nothing more then a Gook loving whore. He didn't care what rank she was. All he knew was that she picked a Gook over one of their own. In his mind Sam gave that Gook a handjob, or perhaps a blowjob. There was little doubt in his mind that she would spread her legs willing for the Gook if the guards hadn't been there. Yes Sam had someone in the camp who through she was a traitor and she would meet him soon.
 
Sam watched Morgan as he explained about the patrols. She felt her heartbeat jump and her stomach turned. She knew that sooner or later the time was going to come when she had to go out there. Of course she had been out and under fire before usually in emergency medi-vacs from an LZ which had become a lot hotter than it was ever intended. But going out on an actual patrol was different. Actually walking through the jungle. She had seen enough injuries and heard enough stories from those who survived to know about the land mines and the panji traps and the grenade traps and the anti-personel mines. And then there were the natural predators. Despite the sommersaults her stomach was going through at that moment, she kept her expression exactly the same, and she gave Morgan no sense of what she was feeling. He had been around long enough probably to know but she certainly wasn't about to freak out in front of him. She was here to do a job and she would do it.

"I'll be there" she said as Morgan stepped out. She suspected that it might be some time before she was able to live down the fact that she had forgotten her helmet in yesterday's assault. In going out on patrol, she wore the same basic kit as any other rifleman. She had took off her shirt and replaced it with a poplin jungle jacket. Normally the medics were given the choice of carrying a M1911A1 pistol or the M16. Most chose the latter; Sam carried both. As an officer the pistol was automatically issued to her, but the M16 was by far the more practical weapon. She carried two M1956 ammo pouches and a M1956 canteen on her hip. Next to the ammo pouch was a compass pouch with a first aid dressing. On her back was a tolled up oncho, secured by a paracord. She put a field towel around her neck to soak up the sweat. She carried both an M3 aid back and an M5 aid bag. She picked up her helmet and slipped the plastic bottle of bug juice into the band which run around the outside.

She took a deep breath and she headed out for the rear of the command bunker. As she approached, pretty much everyone already there stopped and watched her walking towards them.
 
9 men were waiting behind the command bunker. Among these were Private Andy "Tex" Kirk, Corporal Tyrone "Motown" Jackson and Corporal Buck Hoyt. It was Hoyt who would thought this new medic was sleeping with the enemy and that was just being nice. Hoyt started to grumble when Sam appeared. " Geez!.......What are we now pimps for the VC!? " The other guys just looked at Hoyt shaking their heads. Everyone knew what an asshole Hoyt could be and they knew that he wouldn't give Sam a break. " There ain't no street corners where we're going......Perhaps you'd be happier if they send to Hanoi!?.......You could make a good living with your Gook friends up there! " Hoyt said as he moved right in front of Sam. " I've got 50 bucks that says you'd fuck a Gook before you'd fuck one of your own! " Hoyt added then Motown stood and pulled him away. " Why don't lay off Hoyt! " Hoyt pulled his arm free and glared at Jackson. " Keep your hands off me Spook!.......I'm just stating the truth about this Gook loving whore! " The two men glared at each other for a moment. It was clear that Hoyt didn't like anyone who wasn't white. He also didn't like white woman who took care of the enemy before members of her own race. " She'll be dropping her pants for the first Gook she sees........I have no doubts about that! " Hoyt looked over at Sam as he spoke. He didn't care about the rank on her collar. To him, Sam was just a cunt looking to sell her pussy to the enemy.
 
Sam adjusted her pack on her shoulders as she approached the group. She'd seen some of them outside of the command tent as she had entered yesterday. She had seen some of them and others when the patrols came back and brought in their wounded. She remembered Hoyt from the previous afternoon, remembered his disquiet when she had treated the prisoner who was far more seriously injured than the GI. Still, she was a little taken aback by the vehemence of his remarks. It wasn't something that most nurses and doctors hadn't heard before. Sooner or later they all had a choice to make and she had never known or heard of any who had done anything other than treat the most seriously injured. If that happened to be a VC prisoner then comments of this nature often followed. Never usually this colourful. To start with she decided just to ignore him but then he moved directly in front of her, his physical presence a few inches in front of her meant as a very clear threat. She straightened up and stared up at him. There was what could only be described as hatred in his eyes as he spat the words out at her.

"Like I said yesterday, I tend to whoever is the most seriously injured first. And whether it was your friend or Westmoorland or the fucking President of the United States himself, if a prisoner was more seriously wounded then that's who gets treated first. Who I decide to fuck isn't governed by he same rules. And the only way I might decide to fuck someone from the VC is if you were the only alternative."
 
Many of the men started laughing at the way Sam shot back at Hoyt. They enjoyed her dig about fucking a VC before she would fuck him. Tex said that the Lieutenant showed her good taste at at picking Hoyt last. Hoyt looked around at everyone before again glaring at Sam. " This whore is gonna get every swinging dick in this camp killed.......You all mark my words......She'll get word to her VC friends and set us all up! " Hoyt's words fell on deaf ears. No one was listening to his shit. Soon Morgan appeared calling the group together. He led the group out of the camp from the rear. Morgan had told Sam to stay close to him. This was her first time out and he didn't want her getting greased. The last thing Morgan needed was to try and explain how the new medic was killed on her first day. The patrol left the base and headed out into the jungle. Tex & Motown were bring up the rear. Motown said that the new Lieutenant was a fine piece of ass. Tex agreed and openly wondered what she looked like naked? Motown just laughed, but he to had thoughts of what Sam looked like naked.

Almost an hour had passed since the patrol left the base. The patrol was passing through a thick area of tall grass. Suddenly Morgan stopped in his tracks. He raised his fist into the air which made everyone stop. This was the sign to freeze. He lowered himself down to one knee. This move was followed by everyone. The sounds of twigs breaking could be heard. Then voices speaking Vietnamese became clearer. It was a large group moving along a trail about 30 feet from where the patrol was hiding. Morgan watched the men moving. He counted some 40 NVA soldiers, two officers and another 20 Viet Cong. They were carrying four large wooden boxes which looked like coffins. Morgan found it odd that they would be carrying coffins in the way. Normally soldiers didn't transport coffins, not in this manner. Morgan used hand signals to tall his people to stay down and stay quiet. He didn't want a firefight with 62 enemy troops while he had only 11. Morgan had no desire to find out what was on Custer's mind at the Little Big Horn. The enemy troops continued on south heading away from their base. " There's something fishy going on here. " Morgan whispered to Sam. " This isn't the first group of NVA we've seen heading south. Morgan added.

After the enemy troops had moved on and Morgan waited for 10 minutes. The patrol again moved out heading the way the enemy had come from. Morgan wasn't sure what they would find, but this trail was pretty close to where an even larger number of NVA soldiers were seen not long ago. If there was a camp nearby, then Morgan needed to know about it. 15 minutes later the patrol came upon a fork in the trail. Morgan stopped to look at his map when a group of NVA soldiers appeared. They were out on their own patrol since an American firebase wasn't far away. Just as quickly as the two groups spotted each other, the gun fire started. Tex was rattling away with his M-60 machine gun. He was a large young man standing well over 6 feet. Tex was firing the 60's from his hip with a belt of ammo wrapped around his other arm. A man named Briggs cried out that he was hit! Motown jumped over the fallen man giving him cover. " MEDIC!......MEDIC! " Motown called out hoping that she hadn't been hit when the fight started. He knew that she was somewhere up front when the fight started. Motown looked down seeing a huge red stain on the front of Briggs's shirt in the middle of his chest.
 
Sam stood her ground as Hoyt threw one more stare back at her and then he moved to the far side of the group just as Morgan appeared. She watched as he walked away conscious of the rest of the guys looking from her to Hoyt and back again. Then she looked across to Jackson and nodded a silent 'thanks' when he looked at her. Then she was aware of Morgan telling her to follow him. As he did so, she was conscious that he was checking over what she was wearing and checking her pack. He didn't tell her that there was anything wrong so she could only assume that this time, she had everything she was supposed to have. When he turned around, she took a breath and fell in behind him, tightening the shoulder strap on her pack as she did so. She was focused on where Morgan was going and on putting one foot in front of the other in a way that didn't get herself or anyone else blown up. She tried to the think about the 'what ifs'; if she did that then she would probably finish up frozen to the spot. Fear would literally paralyze her. So her whole focus was stay close, keep your eyes open, put on foot in front of another. She wasn't thinking about what the guys behind her were seeing, saying or doing and she certainly didn't here the interaction between Kirk and Jackson.

When Morgan stopped and held up her arm, she crouched down onto one knee, looking ahead to see what it was that he had seen which had caused him to stop. Her heart was pounding and she was scared that at any minute she was going to start throwing up. Sitting there in the bush, hiding, in silence, hoping that the opposing force didn't become aware of their presence. When the passed she closed her eyes and gave a silent prayer before she reached for her water bottle and took a few calming mouthfuls. A few minutes later, they were moving again.

The next stop at the fork in the road was very different; members of the squad were a lot more relaxed whilst Morgan determined their best route. Then all hell broke lose. Almost as soon as the warning shouts started, so the bullets started flying. Sam hit the deck to start with, trying to get some kind of bearing on where the enemy was shooting from. But before she had a chance, she heard the call for a medic. Almost on instinct she started to move, keeping low, moving behind the men who were firing. She couldn't believe how Kirk was standing, almost in full view.

"Tex. Will you get your ass down. I don't want to have to come back and and take care of you."

"Oh come on Doc...I think I'd like you takin' care of me... Ma'am." He flashed a white smile at her as he set himself down behind a little cover. She kept moving towards Jackson. She found him with Biggs and immediately went to work. She opened his shirt and then her own M3 pack. She secured a pressure bandage and administered morphine. The kid's chest was a mess and her head told her that almost certainly he was going to die long before they could ever get him to the evac hospital. Sam didn't expect to get him out of the bush, but she worked on him as if his survival was a surety, all the time talking to him and telling him how he was going home and he would be fine. Her hands were soon covered in blood and somewhere in what she was doing she had brushed her cheek, leaving a smear down the side of her face. And as she worked on Biggs, the rest of the squad worked to keep them all alive.

"
 
The firefight lasted only a few minutes, but in Vietnam those few minutes seemed to last forever. As quick as the attack started, it was over. The NVA forces pulled back taken their wounded and dead with them. Briggs had been the only member of the team who was hit. Even Tex made it through without a scratch. Morgan made his way down the line as the other men continued to keep watch. He knelt down next too Sam looking at the wound on Briggs's chest. Morgan was no doctor, but he had seen many wounds during his time in the army. Wounds such as the one Briggs had were almost always fatal. " Okay listen up!........We're gonna get Briggs to a clearing so a chopper can pick him up!!" Morgan then told two soldiers to use a blanket and make a litter so they could carry Briggs to the clearing. The two soldiers did what Sergeant Morgan told them. They unrolled a blanket and helped Sam to places Briggs on it. Morgan used the team's field radio to call Camp Baker. He requested a helicopter to pick up a wounded soldier. Once the helicopter was confirmed, Morgan told everyone to move out. They headed for a nearby clearing where the med-evac helicopter could land. The team covered the clearing area while Morgan tossed a smoke grenade to mark the area for the incoming chopper. Red smoke raised up into the air and soon the beating sounds of the Huey Helicopter was heard. It circled once then landed. The men carried Briggs to the copter with Sam moving along side. Morgan came with her and asked if she was going back with Briggs? If she did, she would return later that day when the supplies she wanted came in.
 
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