Title
Marlantes Vietnam journal excerpt
Description
Pages excerpted from one of Karl Marlantes' journals from his time in Vietnam. Includes a section of entries appearing to detail an attack from different perspectives and ephemera tucked between pages of the journal (newspaper clippings and Marlantes' "bunker pass").
Subject
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--personal narratives, American
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
For questions about rights statements, or access to the original document please contact Lewis & Clark College Special Collections and Archives http://specialcollections.lclark.edu
Full Text
[PAGE 1]
PFC Verneth J. Melville
H+S Co 106 Plt. 1-4
On watch around 2400. One round came too close. Called "Short Round over + out. Off cliff near wire. [Illegible] 3 [illegible] inside. Started checking people. Found LPs were hurt. Brought people to assist. Found radio + riffles damaged, not more than five feet from kid hit[?]. 3 men hurt by shrapnel. [Illegible] came and took over. Found one crawling towards lines (Brown) and the other by wire (Dorsey[?]). Anty was firing[?] a mission when I hollered short round.
[PAGE 2]
PFC Bell, Robert L. 2453923
"C" 1-4
about 2400 just off watch in hooch. Had worked [illegible]. Heard first round. Heard Melville[?] holler short round. Came out hooch [illegible] but inside wire, then [illegible] night after. Roberts said he was hit but OK. Checked w/ light came lock out [?]. Heard CP was hit went to help. Matthews[?] had Brown in, [illegible] w/ [illegible] for Dorsey. Then corpsmen. Anty[?] was firing[?] a mission.
[PAGE 3]
LCpl Steven A Potenza
"G" Battery 3-12
Were firing T.O.T's I heard 60's go off. Sounded like shooting a small charge. Rounds landed down the hill 50 meters. Heard a guy scream, + then shout yelling for Corpsman[?]. Heard incoming[?] over phones. Heard screaming after rounds hit. Corpsman went down. We got end of mission went down to help.
[PAGE 4]
L/Cpl H+S Co 1-4 FAC [illegible]
Dennis L. Morgan 2342528
19th Dec.
About 23:50. Was on radius watch at 1st plt C.P. 500 [illegible] were firing outside lines [illegible] west finger earlier in night. Rob sounded normal. [Illegible] Popped one then waited a couple seconds then four more after the first hit then heard a lot of hollering [illegible] "short round." I called [illegible] to see if anyone was hurt. Called all troopies[?], heard all key[?] their hand sets, all checked in. Checked with Potenza[?] on phone. [Illegible] were about 10 meters from holes. Passed word to check fire the 60's but rounds were already in the air.
Lt. Marlantes sent me up to
[PAGE 5]
water the gun. Sent the man on the gun to get Sgt. Wright. Bowman came up to gun + [illegible] on gun. He said the range was 250+ probably 300. He said I paraphrase "the bubbles[?] weren't on exactly but if it was [illegible] it could have taken it out farther."
[PAGE 6]
Missing accents
[PAGE 7]
The National Front For Liberation and The Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam humanely treat their enemy soldiers who have
surrendered them. You are now captured, we do not kill you. Just follow our command!
We will have your arms tied up and take you to a safe place. Stand up and follow us right now! Only then can your life be assured and you be soon untied. Should you hesitate or refuse to go you would probably get killed as a result of the air raids and artilleries from the American side we should fight as the [lacking] troops come, then your [lacking] is hardly safe.
[PAGE 8]
[Image description: Pen drawing of an eagle holding a branch in one claw and arrows in the other. A shield is positioned over the eagle's body labeled "BUNKER PASS"]
[PAGE 9]
This entitles lSTLT Karl A. MARLANTES to the use of S-1 bunker facilities during attacks by hostile forces.
This pass is not a right but rather a privilege granted by the S-1 bunker
committee. The following rules are enforced for the benefit of all involved.
1. R.H.N.P. rank has no privileges.
2. No admittance unless showered within the last month,
3. No hogging foam rubber cushions.
COMMITTEE
PFC GALLUCH L.
(the mooch)
LCPL MACK
(numb nuts)