Daily Grind
We may not have been captured, but we were captive—restricted to a fire support base as our lives dragged along second by second. It was a year’s tour –32,672,800 seconds with no place to go. Instead, we spent those seconds firing our howitzers at different times of day and from different places, never stopping for long. It was 24/7, relentless and mind numbing.
Inside, our little circle of strangers dealt with the pressures of a war zone and the politics and the civil rights and anti-war movements back home, all putting a strain on both individual relationships and group dynamics. With no chance at restful sleep, we existed in a state of near collapse and mental fog, evidenced by what we called the 1,000 yard stare.
That we never had a “shoot out” inside the FSB was amazing, as most men kept 15 rounds in their 20 round M-16 clips, with a round in the chamber, Some left the safety off and carried the rifle with them everywhere. In an instant, an impulse could become an act.