Perimeter Guard Duty... by Edwin H. O...
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Perimeter Guard Duty... by Edwin H. Ohler, Marine and Vietnam Vet I
was a Marine in Vietnam. I had just turned 19 and was shore
stationed with the 7th Marine Regiment 1st Marine Division Chu lie
Viet Nam waiting to be assigned a permanent battalion. During that
time I was required to do my fair share of perimeter guard duty.
This was my first time and, of course I was a bit nervous. The
sergeant of the guard told us if you see movement at your front do
not fire your weapon, but first throw a grenade. Firing your weapon
would give away your position. Our job was to make sure nobody
passed the wire around our perimeter. We had put a C-Ration can
with a few stones in them to make noise if anyone would get into
the wire. We also tied small strips of white cloth in it so that we
could see the wire at night. It was around 0230 or maybe 0300 when
whe wind picked up and rattled the barbed wire in front of me. The
lizards were barking their unusual bark and the stones were
rattling. I threw a grenade! Nothing happened. The wind died down
and all was quiet except for the lizards and their infernal bark.
Then around 0500 the wind picked up again and I threw another
grenade. Again nothing happened. When corporal of the guard came
around with our day time relief. He asked me where were my
grenades. I told him that I threw them into the wire. He said, "I
didn't hear any thing explode last night." We then walked down the
hill and picked up my grenades with the pins still in them.
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