2A NUI BA DEN ASSIGNMENT

The ringing in my ears from the ammo dump explosion took over a week of healing before I could walk in a straight line again. (53 years later my ears still ring!) The doctor in the Tay Ninh aid station told me it was “nothing to worry about” and all I needed was a week off.
In just under three months, I had survived the Caribou crash, the Loach helicopter almost crashing, the French fort sniper incident, the CIA ambush, and the French fort ammo dump explosion. I wondered what the next nine months had in store for me.
On April 5, 1969, I was ordered to Cu Chi to meet with the battalion executive officer concerning a new assignment in III Corp. I was given two choices; stay in Cu Chi base camp as a platoon leader (and put up with rear echelon bullshit) or I could take another field assignment on Nui Ba Den.
On the mountain, I would assume the executive officer position for the infantry company who guarded the perimeter and the signal officer slot for the 125th Signal Battalion. My choice was a no-brainer for me, I was going mountain climbing.