Cpl. Mike Kuziw
Hotel 3/11
67-68

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YEH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HUE, PHU LOC- SPENT A COUPLE OF MONTHS THERE.
QUE SON, SPENT SOME TIME THERE, OUT SIDE OF THE CITY.
BUCH MO IN AND OUT.
OTHER PLACES I DO NOT REMEMBER.
WENT UP AND DOWN YHE COAST HITING ALL THE HOT SPOTS.
HIP SHOOTING.

I'll BE BACK.........Semper Fidelis
MIKE

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A Brief History of the 11th Marines

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DELTA X-RAY SPRING OF 68.  MARINE VOLUNTEERS WERE DISPATCHED TO NGOK TRVAK, AN OLD FORT AND ONE TIME TIGER-HUNTING LODGE FOR THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE PRESIDENT.

THE ALLED ENCAMPMENT AT NGOK TRAVAK WAS SUPPOSED TO TRACK THE ENEMY'S MOVEMENT AND PROVIDE A BARRIER TO ANY MARCH ON KHAM DUC A VILLAGE WHERE U.S. ARMY SPECIAL FORCES MAINTAINED SURVEILLANCE OF THE NEARBY LAOTION BORDER.

WE ARRIVED WITH TWO 105 MM HOWITZERS, 40 MEN UNDER THE COMAND OF A AUSTRALIAN ARMY OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE MULTINATIONAL GARRISON.  HIS FORCE OPERATED BETTER WHEN MOBILE AND WAS NOT HAPPY TO SEE A HEAVILY EQUIPPED MARINE UNIT. WE DRAGGED THE HOWITZERS UP THE HILL TO THE FORT.  SAFELY INSIDE THE PERIMETER WE THOUGHT.

MAY 10TH A SMALL GROUP OF VIETNAMESE APPARENTLY INFILTRATED BY THE ENEMY MARCHED UP THE HILL, CRYING, "DON'T SHOOT, DON'T SHOOT. FRIENDLY,FRIENDLY." BEING ON SENTRY DUTY I HEARD THEM AN CHECKED MY FIRE. WHTHIN SECONDS, THE CAMP WAS IN CHAOS. THE INFILTRATORS RUSHED BEHIND THE CAMP'S DEFENSE LINE, TOSSING SATCHEL CHARGES AND GERNADES. NORTH VIETNAMESE ARMY WAS RIGHT BEHIND THEM.

FROM BEHIND MY POSITION IN THE DARK, I COULD HEAR THE VOICES OF TWO OF MY BUDDIES, AN INSEPARABLE PAIR OF MASSACHUSETTS NATIVES WHO HAD TRAINED TOGETHER AND WHO, ON THEIR LEAVES, SAW THE SAME GIRL.  PAUL CZERWONKA AND JOSEPH COOK, SHARING A FOXHOLE ABOUT 30 YARDS FROM ME, WERE AMOUNG THE FIRST TO BE OVERRUN BY THE NORTH VETNAMESE. 'THEY WHERE CUTTING THEM UP. WE COULD HEAR THEM SCREAMING "KILL ME, KILL ME."

I WAS MOVING FROM HOLE TO HOLE REPLENISHING AMMO AND GRENADES. SOME TIME LATER GUNSHIPS DROPPED A STEADY STREAM OF FLARES, LETTING THE ALLIED FORCES SEE THE ATTACKERS FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME POURING FIRE ON ENEMY POSITIONS. THAT WAS THE TURNING POINT. THE BATTLE WAS STALEMATED. WE COULD NOT SURVIVE ANOTHER ATTACK THE AUSTRALIAN CAPT. RADIOED HEADQUARTERS FOR PERMISSION TO WITHDRAW BUT WAS TOLD TO STAY PUT. AT NOON HE RADIOED BACK AGAIN THAT HE WAS GOING TO WITHDRAW, WITH OR WITHOUT PERMISSION,IN ONE HOUR. HE LED HIS MEN INTO THE JUNGLE, WHERE WE CLEARED A HELICOPTER LANDING PAD. WE WERE AIRLIFTED OUT OF NGOK TRAVAK, WHAT REMAINED OF US. ALL VOLUNTEERS. THIS WAS THE WORST SITUATION I WAS EVER IN. I WILL NOT FORGET PAUL AND JOE.