Carlos R Hatcher, Chinese Bandit 13 Rear Security 1965-66

Carlos R Hatcher, Chinese Bandit 13 Rear Security 1965-66

By Ranger Conners, Chinese Bandit 13

In February 1965 the US Airbase located outside of Pleiku had been attacked resulting in American casualties and additional US troops were assigned to improve security at the base.  During the Battle of the Ia Drang Oct-Nov 1965, the Chinese Bandit 13 reconnaissance scout squad of the Chinese Bandit Recon Platoon patrolled the wooded areas around the tea plantations surrounding Pleiku…a large NVA attack was expected at Pleiku but did not materialize, however the security of the area remained a concern and the Jumping Mustangs 1^st Bn (ABN) 8^th Cav deployed to the hills above the large lake north of the city in December.

All three Chinese Bandits recon scout squads conducted patrolling around the assembled battalion bivouac site and the Montagnard village located on the far side of the lake.  During this period the Jumping Mustang Battalion conducted parachute jumps from UH-1 helicopters and celebrated Christmas.  On 30 December the Chinese Bandit 13 Scout Squad was inserted by helicopter onto a clear and barren field adjacent to the Montegard village and immediately came under small arms fire from positions within the village.  During combat assaults the scout squad responded with an assault team lead by the scout squad leader and a support team led by the scout team leader.  However, during the rapid response, I was in the position to best lead the assault team and Frank Spickler the support team which included the M60 machinegun.  Our response required an aggressive execution and Carlos R Hatcher, the Chinese Bandit 13 original rear security man, took possession of the M60 and Frank Spickler and Raymond Carley maneuvered towards the main ‘street’ that was the entrance to the fence lined village.  Spickler, Hatcher and Carley were members of the original recon platoon formed from the Ft. Benning based 11^th Air Assault and they worked together as a team in any crisis, often ‘leaving the others behind”.  The persons firing on the Chinese Bandits withdrew as the assault team advanced and ‘crashed’ through the thin wooden fence.   Only three bullets were fired at the assault team during the rush towards the village and the shooting stopped when we entered the village.  The Chinese Bandit 13 Scout Squad members had only superficial injuries and no one was wounded during our assault and we were directed by radio to depart the village and continue the originally planned patrol route. 
That evening we arrived at the Chinese Bandit Recon Platoon’s bivouac site.  After a short debriefing a meeting was held where the acting Platoon Sergeant, SSG Robert Grimes, Jr. announced that the Chinese Bandits were to be reorganized and persons reassigned.  I was promoted to Scout Squad Leader of the Chinese Bandit 13 scout squad, and selected Frank Spickler as my Scout Squad Team Leader and Raymond Carley’s request for the M60 machine gun was approved.  Carlos Hatcher would remain the rear security man.  Louis Tyler’s request to join the point team with Big and Little Hall was also approved.   Terry Stevens was ‘persuaded’ to remain the Chinese Bandit 13 radio operator with the understanding that his major responsibility included forward observer and calling for fire support duties.  The next day the Chinese Bandit 13 Scout Squad resumed patrolling around the lake and training of those having new squad assignments.  I spent most of day helping Tyler develop his needed tracking skills and Stevens preparing ‘dry’ fire missions and memorizing the necessary fire commands.  The area was open with only shrubs for concealment and the men remained about 100 meters apart during the patrol.  On several occasions I was able to see Hatcher trailing the patrol and scanning the area with his binoculars.  He was often almost 1000 meters from me and I used my binoculars to watch him and others in the patrol.  He was curious about everything, outwardly more so than any other Chinese Bandit and requested a set of binoculars which many reconnaissance type units did not issue for the rear security slot; however I encouraged others to carry them also, only half of the men did and no one used them as often as Hatcher and no one enjoyed exploring the hills and valleys as much as he did.   I had learned during the patrolling in late November and December that he loved South East Asia and I believed more so than anyone other than maybe myself.  I gave him copies of the issued Vietnamese phrase book and he and I spent time attempting to learn the language.
When we returned from patrolling, SSG Grimes notified me that we the three scout squads would begin rotating patrolling duties with two of the squads patrolling and one in ‘stand done’.  The patrolling would be limited to the area only around the lake and routine enough that no preparation of warning orders, operations orders, etc was required since few changes were to be made in the patrolling.  Therefore, we decided to use the day of from patrolling resting in the Chinese Bandit bivouac site. 
Beer was available and the Chinese Bandit 13 Scout Squad members set around camp fires drinking the free beers that were provided.  I did not join my men but set apart drinking from a large bottle of beer looking down at the lake and ‘hatched’ a plan to take an unauthorized trip to Pleiku.  We had been briefed and observed of the frequent South Vietnamese military vehicle conveys that moved along the highway to and from Pleiku where the city was NOT consider a safe secure area and US and South Vietnamese military personnel were not given ‘free rein’ to visit.  After walking in darkness back up to the ‘make shift’ NCO club near the Jumping Mustangs CP and returning with another beer, I stopped and listened to the squad members talking around the fire.  “Now we get to operate like we wanted,” Hatcher said.  There morale was high and I departed back to finish the beer where I decided that I would go into Pleiku the next day.  I returned to where the men were still talking and ‘put an end’ to the beer drinking and gave a short briefing on the training and preparation for the planned patrolling where Frank Spickler would be in charge and that I was going alone into Pleiku. 
The next morning we ate breakfast and I spent some time getting Frank Spickler ‘lined out’ on what was to be done while I was gone.  I watched Spickler and the men for awhile and Hatcher approached and inquired on how I was going to get to Pleiku and what I intended to do in the city.  I told him that I would link up with one of the convoys and once in the city that I would walk around and maybe eat in a restaurant or bar.  The scout squad members knew that I had lived in SE Asia before the war and interested in the culture.  “Yes, there should be prostitutes at some of the bars”, I said.  Hatcher indicated that he wanted to go also. I sent Hatcher back to continue working with Spickler.  After a few months, I told Hatcher to get a .45 pistols and belt set up and that would be all that we would be carrying.  I do know why I agreed to take him with me…probably due to his interest in Vietnam and wanting to learn everything about the country and the people.  He was a true scout. 
Hatcher and I walked towards the highway where we waited less than 15 minutes and were able to hitch a ride with an ARVN unit…in the back of a 2 ½ ton truck.  I sat down but Hatcher stood up holding on to the wooden side panels where he could see as much as possible.  Several times he tugged on my fatigue shirt to point out something of interest.  When we arrived in Pleiku we both stood up near the back of the truck where we could better observe the city.  Somewhere near the center of the city where a Y-intersection occurred, I saw a young woman wearing the white traditional Vietnamese long dress and hat walking away from us down a street lined with shops and two story buildings.  I yelled for the vehicle to stop and Hatcher and I jumped to the pavement.  When we did so the woman in white stopped and looked over her shoulder at us, smiled and then resumed walking. 
I told Hatcher that she may be prostitute.  He did not believe me and said that she looked more like a rich school teacher and wanted to know why I thought so.  I told him I wasn’t sure but we would follow her down the same street and look for a restaurant or bar as I was trying to interpret the small signs displayed by some of the shops.  We did not walk more than two hundred feet when the women stepped from the sidewalk into a building that displayed a Coke Cola sign.  We were only abut fifty feet behind her and in a few more steps could see the front of the building had a large opening and in a few more seconds could see tables and chairs and one wall of the room that looked to be a high bar counter.  It was only mid morning and no one was in the bar, yet it was ‘wide open’.  We entered and stood for almost a minute, talking about why I thought the place was a bar more than a restaurant, before a man entered, smiling, though a side door at the base of an open air staircase to the second floor.  “Do you have beer?” I attempted to say in French.  He did not immediately answer me but said something in Vietnamese in the direction of doorway that he had come through and upstairs and then produced a bottle of Coke Cola.   I ignored the beer vs. coke situation and turned towards the sound of females laughing and talking as they entered the room from the same door as the man had used.   We smiled; they smiled and were led to one of the tables near the entrance to the street.  I told Hatcher that I was very certain that the girls were prostitutes.  They were young, very attractive and varied in ages that I thought to be 18 to 25.  Hatcher continued to doubt that I was correct.  He and I and the four young women sat around the table where we bought the soft drinks and tea for ourselves and the girls.   The girls had already tried to give their names before we sat down and Hatcher continued to ask me questions about what the girls were doing there while he attempted to speak to them.   The girl that we had followed was not present and for a few seconds I thought she may not be involved with the bar but she appeared minutes later, this time dressed in dark slacks and a colorful short sleeve shirt similar to what the other girls were wearing.  She appeared to be the oldest.  Her name was Bic Linh.  I immediately teased her by saying something that sounded like “My darling I love you” in French, a phrase I had memorized in high school.   She and the other girls laughed and we continued flirting with each other.  When I sat down and she sat on my lap, I told Hatcher that I was 100% sure that they were prostitutes, he remained unconvinced.     
We continued trying to talk and flirt with the girls while Hatcher continued to comment on how beautiful and friendly they were.  It was obvious he was attracted to one of the younger girls who was also the most beautiful with long black hair that reached the small of her back.  She had slide her chair as close as she could to where he sat and although the he and the other girls attempted to talk with one another,  it was obvious that he only wanted to be with her.  After a few minutes our language barrier resulted in the girls obviously talking about us and us talking about them.  Bic Linh and I kept looking closely at each other and I attempted to say “Cheri shev vous zek”, my effort to say ‘sleep with you’.  Again the girls laughed speaking amongst themselves.  Bic Linh simply replied, “Boom boom?” while moving closer with her nose almost toughing mine.  I responded yes in English and lifted her up as I tried to stand up.  I took her hand and she turned toward the staircase.  I turned back to Hatcher and told him not to pay more than $4 and that he should pick one of the girls and follow us.
An open doorway at the top of the stairs led to a large room with only two small open windows, wooden floor and exposed sheet metal roof.  There were eight wood beds along the walls with thin mattresses having mosquito nets suspended from the roof.  Bic Linh led me to one of the beds at the far end of the room near the window.  It was hot with only one ceiling fan located near the far doorway.   We discussed money for a few moments while she undressed and then bathed from a large jar that collected rain water.  I removed my cloths and the .45 pistol from my shoulder holster and set the pistol at the head of the bed nearest the wall.  She smiled at me and held a dripping wet sponge in her hand.  I approached and she bathed me as she had herself from the jar containing rain water.  She was very beautiful, clean and affectionate.  The morning sun beat down on the metal roof and her hair was soon soaking wet. 
I heard Hatcher and one of the girls enter the room and I glanced in the dim light to see them take a bed at the opposite end near the stairs.  Hatcher said, “Sergeant Conners, I can not believe this.”  I did not answer.
We only stayed at the bar for about four hours where we had a rice and vegetable dish, more Coke Cola and another trip upstairs with the same two girls.  Each time we came downstairs, Hatcher walked around examining everything in view.  The girl he had chosen watched him closely and then joined him and the two spent much of the time in a corner by themselves.  We left in the mid afternoon hoping that we could catch another convoy.   Neither of us wanted to return and instead spend the remainder of the day and night with the girls but we did not discuss it.   I held Bic Linh closely for a few moments and held her hand and looked at her trying to memorize the way she looked.  She stopped me from leaving and left the room returning with a black and white photograph of herself.  I did not know if I would see her again or any beautiful girl again.  We never returned to Pleiku during my tour but I have not forgotten her…but her photograph was ‘given up’ months later.  Hatcher and I spoke often of that day.  We would have other opportunities to spend the day with beautiful young women at AnKhe but catering to large number of military troops had quickly hardened the girls and the time we had spent in Pleiku would remain our best days ‘in combat’.
Again we did not wait long before getting in another truck headed north and back to our camp at the lake and this time I stood beside Hatcher and we observed the countryside and its people.  He said, “Can we go back sometime?”  It was not a request, only a question.  I told him that I did not think we would have another break in our patrolling before we were scheduled to return to AnKhe.  “Would those girls marry a GI?” he asked.  I replied yes.
We were not fired on again at Pleiku and the Chinese Bandits loaded UH-1s for the flight to AnKhe.  We had our own landing zone, Mustang LZ, near our squad tents at AnKhe and after landing were able to use the hot showers down by the river later in the afternoon.
I was informed the next morning that the Jumping Mustangs battalion would perform helicopter rappelling training for the replacements that had been assigned since the unit had arrived in Vietnam and that my Chinese Bandit 13 squad would conduct the training.  The decision was in large part due to Hatcher’s interest and expertise in helicopters and rappelling from them.  His special duties included the storage and care of the rappelling gear that he kept in a special conex container near the Mustang LZ.  Steel cable loops were fabricated using cable clamps and the loop was attached to the mounting rings on the floor of the UH-1 using 2000 lb snap links and other quick release hardware.  The 250 foot lengths of rappelling rope, ‘Swiss seat’ rope sections and boxes of snap links were also stowed in the conex.  Hatcher was a ‘rappel master’ and would be the primary leader during the rigging of the two helicopters that would be used for the training and would be also responsible for the ground crews that assisted the men rappelling when they reached the ground and insure that the ropes and other gear was clear when the helicopter descended to pick up another ‘stick’ of troops that would rappel.  The entire Chinese Bandit 13 scout squad participated in setting up the landing zone markers and other equipment using the two pathfinder rucksack ‘kits’ that were maintained by the Chinese Bandits.  Again Hatcher and the other ex-11^th Air Assault troops ‘took charge’ and had the landing zone ready for use.  I observed but did not need to give orders of any kind.  Hatcher and Stevens communicated with the helicopters during its approach and landing.  The men worked with Hatcher and readied the UH-1s for rappelling after the rotor blades stopped turning.  The lead pilot gave a briefing.  Hatcher knew one of the copilots well enough to discuss him being allowed to sit in the copilots seat and fly when the UH-1 performed the ‘cooling runs’ that were done during the training to prevent the aircraft engine from overheating and ‘scorching’ the paint on the UH-1’s tail boom.   After the briefing Hatcher and I discussed some coordination details but more importantly that Hatcher could fly the UH-1 during the ‘cooling runs’…something that he had done with these same flight crews when training at Ft. Benning.  Hatcher had already told me of his intentions to re-enlist to go to flight school.   I never met anyone that loved the UH-1 like he did and never anyone that wanted to fly one more than he.
The rappelling training went well with only one person requiring hospitalization and Hatcher made several cooling runs and the last one was not a short flight but longer to give him more ‘stick time’.  I have a UH-1 model made of Coke Cola cans hanging from the bar in my home…rarely does a day go by without my looking at that model and thinking about Hatcher.
We had known for a couple of weeks that we would be making a helicopter assault ‘going into Cambodia’ but that operation was redefined and limited to air assaults along the Cambodian border by the Jumping Mustangs.  In early January we were inserted and the Chinese Bandits began reconnaissance patrols along the border to locate the large size NVA units that had been detected by aerial reconnaissance forces.   The Chinese Bandit 13 scout squad was in the lead when we discovered the NVA hospital area and we did not detect the enemy positions until we were ‘in harms way’.  I yelled “Contact…enemy front” and the Chinese Bandits dashed through the trees as they maneuvered to transition from a file to line formation facing the buildings that were hidden in the triple canopy jungle.  Again my responsibility was to lead the assault team which positioned itself to my left and Frank Spickler was to lead the support team which was positioned on line to my right.  Hatcher had been running as fast as he could when he had heard me yelling and I could hear charging from the rear and dove to my right about 10 meters from where I was laying.  “They are all on line.” Hatcher spoke not so quietly and I could hear him breathing heavily.  “Go!” I yelled and the assault team executed our ‘football play” for maneuvering on line in the trees with the enemy at our front…specific men low crawling and advancing in a specific order.  It took three or four minutes to discover that the buildings and other positions were not occupied by the NVA; however fresh tracks were everywhere.  During those few moments when we anticipated a fire fight with the NVA, it was important that Hatcher would be fighting on my right, between Frank Spickler and I…if either Frank or had been killed then Hatcher was to assume our role as one of the two leaders of the Chinese Bandit 13 Scout Squad.  We were told to burn the buildings and return to the landing zone where the Jumping Mustangs CP was located. 
When we arrived at the Battalion’s CP, SSG Grimes was notified that the Chinese Bandits were to prepare for extended patrolling adjacent to the Cambodia border located to the west.  We studied our maps, aerial photos and other intelligence information that has been provided and otherwise readied ourselves for what was expected to be a certain NVA contact operation.  We did not sleep but talked though out the night.  Hatcher and I talked about the girls that we had met at Pleiku and the possibility of ‘taking trip to Pleiku” when we returned to AnKhe.  At that point, I was ‘sold on the idea’.
We departed the landing zone with Ranger Lawson’s Chinese Bandit 12 Scout Squad leading the Recon Platoon towards the river and at one point our scout squad was ‘bring up the rear.’  During halts I moved back to check on Hatcher knowing that he would be back tracking to insure that we were not being followed and on several occasions I did not link up with him.  As rear security he did not merely follow the patrol but investigated points of interest along our route from an appropriate distance behind the remainder of the scout squad.  When Lawson’s men discovered the large NVA bivouac site near the river on the border of Cambodia, we remained spread along the trail that we had been following for several hours and I went back to locate Hatcher.  I found him searching for tracks along the knoll on our right flank.  I briefed him on the enemy camp and that Lawson was in a position near enough to observe any activity in the NVA bivouac site.  We laid our topographic maps on the ground and discussed possible routes that the NVA may be using along the river and where we could best locate observation teams to monitor the enemy’s movements. 
When LTC Mertel ordered the Chinese Bandits to return to the CP, I saw Hatcher again when we turned around and reversed our route.  I did not have to tell him to remain well behind and insure that we were not being followed.  He did not rejoin the platoon for several hours after we had met with LTC Mertel and I positioned several of the Chinese Bandits along the perimeter to minimize any chance that others from the Battalion might mistakenly shoot him when he approached.  When he found me he simply said, “Nothing, not even a sound.” 
Later than evening, the Chinese Bandits retraced their steps towards the river and the NVA bivouac site.  After determining the site was not occupied by the enemy the Chinese Bandit 13 Scout Squad established an ambush site where the point team and rear security team were position on the flanks where they could monitor the NVA approaching or departing that the single trail that accessed the NVA bivouac site.  We did not intend to fire upon any large enemy force but only capture one or more of the NVA if we had the opportunity to do so.  The ambush site was intended as a prisoner capture area only and in the event of an unavoidable engagement with the NVA, the Chinese Bandits would withdraw to predetermined rendezvous points which were easily identified in the dark.  I visited both the point and rear security teams during the night and found Hatcher using his binoculars scoping the tree line on the other side of the river.  We all expected enemy contact and were disappointed when morning came and the NVA had not returned.
When we airlifted from the operation along the Cambodian border and arrived back at AnKhe, we had already been informed that the three Chinese Bandit Scout Squads would resume patrolling with different areas assigned to each scout squad.  I was given our mission by SSG Grimes and we performed our warning and operation order preparations and rehearsals.  The Chinese Bandit 13 members had different duties as we prepared for each patrol.  Each member had the opportunity to perform the leadership roles required when planning and implementing a patrol that would be conducted far from our base camp at AnKhe.  Despite the importance of these preparations, we had the opportunity to visit the newly established “Sin City” located in AnKhe and did so between patrols. 
Sin City was an enclosed compound where the entrance off the main street of AnKhe was guarded by military police.  Many bars, single story separate buildings were located along the perimeter of the compound and each served alcohol and was occupied by about eight girls who were very attractive and friendly.  The most significant difference in the bars was the type of music that was played. 
We loaded into a 2 ½ ton truck and the entire Chinese Bandit 13 scout squad accompanied me to Sin City.  We arrived early and walked along the right side of the compound until we came to what we thought were the prettiest girls to be found and joined them in their bar.  The front of the building had no wall, similar to the one Hatcher and I visited in Pleiku and tables and chairs were scattered around the room and could easily sit 30 people.  A single doorway at the back of the bar lead to a bathroom and the

separate bedrooms having tall walls, a ceiling fan, no window, one bed without mosquito net.  Everyone was surprised that the girls were beautiful, some more than the others, and most of the men wanted the same girls.  We never went to a single bar for that reason again and when arriving at Sin City would disperse to locate our favorites.  Hatcher and I always remained together and arrived early to spend as much of the day with one of the girls as possible.  We still wanted to return to the girls we met in Pleiku but after a time the importance of doing so faded.

The patrolling in January 1966 was done in many areas near the border and interior of the Central Highlands and in rural locations where the NVA were not expected but that fact needed to be confirmed.  Everyone knew where the large NVA forces were operating preparations were underway where we ‘go after them’.   The Chinese Bandits did not capture any of the enemy and only found caches of rice and encountered small cartoon pamphlets that read “Do not be cannon fodder for President Johnson” and similar statements.  However, the few weeks provided the time to further improve our patrolling skills and the Chinese Bandit 13 scout squad could “run through the jungle like Sitting Bull ran through Custer”.  It was also during this time that the Chinese Bandit logo was designed by Spickler, Hatcher and Carley…the cobra image surrounded by the ‘Chinese Bandits’ - ‘Sudden Death’ motto.  Everyone was in excellent physical condition despite being what as considered very underweight.  Malaria, amoebic dysentery, pungy stake wounds and regular cuts and bruises were the norm but few were hospitalized.  Nevertheless the squad size increased from nine to over 20 men to fill in for those that were temporarily absent or assigned but not ready to perform the patrolling that was required.  I had arrived in Vietnam weighing about 180 pounds and by this time had lost 40 pounds…this was also the norm for each member of the Chinese Bandits.  Despite the stateside long runs, push ups, sit ups, and other conditioning, the heat, humidity and diseases had taken its toll.  However, we could and did patrol 25 kilometers each day and performed as well in the night time as the day.   We regularly drank from streams and ate the wild fruits that we found on patrols and had become acclimated.  When we were not searching for the NVA, we were tracking animals, catching snakes, large forest scorpions, different aquatic animals, and patrolling remained an exciting experience in a land that was a tropical paradise.  We were very talented and our reputation at the highest levels of the military was being established.  No unit was able to patrol the long distances that we regularly performed.  Morale was very high.
BongSon is a beautiful place on the map and on the ground.  The town is spread out along the beach with tall coconut trees scattered everywhere.  The soils are sandy not only on the beach but also inland for several hundred meters.  Many of the flat fields were less cultivated and covered in grasses that were grazed by small herds of cattle.  The majority of the houses were small wooden huts that were positioned along small sandy roads and trails.  Chickens, ducks and pigs were commonplace among the buildings.  The area was surrounded by mountainous terrain.  The entire areas had been and remained a communist stronghold and large NVA units were sighted in the area surrounding town.  In February 1966, the Jumping Mustangs Battalion air assaulted into BongSon. 

The Chinese Bandit Recon Platoon had not fought near a large civilian populated area until that time and we were accustomed to patrolling in the jungle not farmlands and villages.  We were initially deployed in the mountains above BongSon searching for the NVA units but none were located and we were airlifted to a position near the beach and the Battalion’s main CP where we were ordered to patrol the areas extending from the foot of the mountains to and thru the more rural areas of the community.

We were again airlifted to the foothills and the Chinese Bandit 13 Scout Squad fanned out into a line formation to ‘sweep the area’.  I was toward the center of the formation with Hatcher to my right and Stevens with his radio trailing behind me.  The large coconut trees gave the appearance of walking in a park and the small but elaborately decorated Buddhist Wats contributed to the feeling.  We did not anticipate encountering an organized NVA or VC attack but the possibility of sniper type activity kept everyone alert.  Despite the beauty of our surroundings, it was dangerous and we all preferred the relative safety of the thick jungle.  We arrived by at the Battalion CP without incident and were told to occupy part of the Battalion’s defensive perimeter which ran perpendicular to the beach front and on the outer edge of the village where a line of coconut trees were growing towards a small hill to the west. 
We were told that a large NVA force was expected to attack our position that night and we spent the day digging foxholes in the soft sand.  Only the M60 machine crew and I and Stevens dug two man holes, everyone else fought from one man foxholes, including Hatcher who was located about 10 meters to my right.  Once the holes were dug, I worked with Spickler and Hatcher planning and position other defensive devices and during this time we discussed that it felt like being in a resort somewhere in Florida.  Although our reconnaissance patrols indicated that no enemy force was near enough to attack that night, the battalion’s staff had ordered that indirect fire be registered in the area in front of the Chinese Bandit’s defensive line where the NVA were expected to attempt to ‘break through’.  We had a standard policy and practice that we would not adjust fire closer than 500 feet from our position; however, without notification, the battalion staff ordered fire to be adjusted within 200 feet.  We were in our foxholes when the round detonated behind Hatchers’ foxhole.  People in the distance were yelling ‘cease fire’ which occurred.  I jumped from the hole and noticed the crater that had been formed behind Hatcher and ran towards his foxhole as did Frank Spickler.  Hatcher was lying slumped over in the hole with a section of the back of his head removed.  Frank and I slide him out of the hole and laid him on the ground.  I saw a piece of his scull and placed it in place to cover his brain that was exposed.  Hatcher was unconscious but breathing.  Stevens had already called for a medivac helicopter and one of the medics assigned to the Chinese Bandits joined us in time to help carry Hatcher a short distance to where we would land the helicopter.  Hatcher regained consciousness but could not speak and could barely move his head and arms.  He looked at Frank and his other Chinese Bandit friends.  We tried to encourage him and I said “you will be alright”.  As we placed him aboard the helicopter he looked up at me.  I knew him well enough to know that he wanted me to go with him, but I did not.  As the aircraft flew away, I regretted the decision to remain with the scout squad.  We were notified that he died that night.  The night when no attack occurred.  We were airlifted from BongSon from the small hill located above where we had dug our defensive line and the helicopter that I was in flew low over where Hatcher had been hit.  A three foot tall white cross was erected behind his foxhole…Frank Spickler and others had seen to that task.
After arriving at our Mustang LZ, the Chinese Bandit 13 Scout Squad members that would form the memorial honor guard for Hatcher, broke out their one pair of starched fatigues, cleaned up for the ceremony while Spickler, Carley and others polished Hatcher’s jump boots.  The honor guard marched towards the chapel that had been built using a camouflaged parachute for a roof.  We filed in quietly, the Chinese Bandits filling the chapel with LTC Mertel and Chaplain Spears standing in the front where Hatcher’s jump boots were placed on the alter and the Chinese Bandit 13 honor guard stood beside them.  Both Chaplain Spears and LTC Mertel spoke but I did not listen, I thought of what went wrong, what I should have done differently and when those thoughts passed, I thought of that day in Pleiku. 
Footnote:  Frank Spickler and I (with our wives) visited Hatcher’s gravesite and his family in 2004.  He had sent many photographs home to them while we were in Vietnam.  Some wounds never heal.  I know that Hatcher’s days in Vietnam were his best as were mine and many of the Chinese Bandits and that few men ever enjoy life to the extent that we did but it has been now too many years without him and too many changes to not face the reality of his death and the void.  He served in that early era of the Vietnam war that proceeded the wide and nearly 100% drug use by American forces by 1968 and the other decadence and incompetence that was to become common place in all units and ranks of the US military.  He served with the only unit to receive two Presidential Unit Citations in a single combat tour of duty.  The Presidential Unit Citation is the nation’s highest unit award for extraordinary Heroism and Hatcher typified the level of commitment that was necessary for being so decorated.  His was a time of hot cocoa, jungle chocolate candy bars, Coke Cola, the affection and happiness shared with the Vietnamese girls and patrolling in the tropical paradise of the Central Highlands where we enjoyed tracking the NVA and the ‘creatures of the night’.