View Full Version : Credit to the " Little People".
Reading "Secret Commandos" and the section on "Toe Poppers". reminds me that sometimes we get all of the credit for our recon operations.
The montagnards were more than just extra guns. They were, in many ways, my teachers. I was on the ground for less than 24 hours when I became an instant 1-0. When it came to moving and surviving in the jungle I was a willing student.
The Yards would survey a site/trail and place a toe popper where someone just had to step. They would even rearrange the landscaping to channel someone to the "proper spot". Their success was evidenced by the sound of the detonating mines.
I think they actually had one of them assigned to keep me straight. If I touched a tree or limb he would correct me and then demonstrate how the vibration of the leaves could indicate our presence.
They covered our trail constantly. If someone in front bent a twig or grass, the next man would bend it back the other way. Like deer or other wild animals their senses were much sharper than mine. They could hear and smell things long before me. While I heard nothing, they would tell me how many people were approaching. They even got me to smoking montagnard tobacco.
I would show my 0-1 where I wanted to go and he would get us there, usually departing 180 deg off track and arriving by a circuitous route.
Even with the 1-0 school (before my time) we learned the technical skills of communications, insertion/extraction, etc. but we were still the rookies. Most inherited teams of indig with years of experience. The most important phase was building up a mutual respect and raport with one's team. Mine even followed me to town and stayed outside the bars in case I overloaded my mouth and needed bailing out.
One evening the White Mice confiscated my 0-1's .45. I led the team, loaded for bear, downtown to the station and took it back.
I believe that in all honesty, I may not have been so successful and maybe not even be here if it weren't for the skill and loyalty of my "Little People". :lifter
NousDefionsDoc
01-22-2005, 09:39
Great post Terry
As always I love reading the stories and insights of the Quiet Professionals here. Thank you for sharing them.
Maybe one of the Mods/Admins can move this to Briefback so it doesn't get "lost"?
The Reaper
01-22-2005, 10:01
Great story and lesson.
Thanks Terry!
TR
Team Sergeant
01-22-2005, 10:04
Great reading Terry! Better than the History channel!
Jack Moroney (RIP)
01-22-2005, 12:07
The montagnards were more than just extra guns. They were, in many ways, my teachers.
And that's a fact. We had a series of indigenious rations we used to issue to the little people, one of which was dehydrated rice in a hermetically sealed plastic bag.The usual method of carrying the days ration was in one of the cargo pockets on the tiger fatiques and right before you crossed the last stream (we were in the mountains of the central highlands) they would punch holes in the bag and let the water run thru the cargo pocket and rehydrate the rice. Our standard procedures on our patrols prior to holding up for the day consisted of a recon of the RON, putting out ambushes and claymores and ,weather permitting, cooking up some water for chow after we were sure no one was anywhere near enough to pick up the scent of the smoke . The little people slit open their rehydrated rice, ate what they wanted and rather than trying to tie off the top of the plastic bag they would take a small piece of bamboo, slit it lenthwise, slip the top of the open plastic bag thru the slit and then, with another piece of burning wood, heat seal the bag closed for the next day.
They also, as Terry stated, could read the jungle like a book and could tell you what as going on long before we could detect it. I cannot begin to even count the number of ambushes, booby traps and unfriendly critters we avoided. They also could be over protective. During the first fire fight I got in I found that I was dragging two yards up the hill behind me as they we hanging on to my web gear holding me back to ensure that I did not get shot. Damn near got a hernia trying to carry them with me. Of course, you also had to understand that they were animists and had some serious gods with which they dealt as well as customs and beliefs. Moving thru the undergrowth towards an target site we had reconned from the air I noticed a lot of dead bamboo vipers sort of mangled and hanging out of the branches of the small trees. They were all on the left side of the route we were following and none on the right. I caught up with my recon leader, Beaucoup Kilo as he was known to us, and asked what the hell was going on. Beaucoup, without breaking a stride, told me that snakes on the left side of the line of travel were number 10 but the ones on the right were number one. Sure as hell, there were just as many on the right as on the left, however the ones on the right were very much alive.
Great people, thanks for bringing back some things I haven't thought about in years Terry. I think I could fill up the website about the little people. And you are absolutely right, a lot of us are alive today in spite of ourselves thanks to the yards.
Jack Moroney
The Reaper
01-22-2005, 12:14
An excellent charity and info site.
http://www.montagnards.org/
Beaucoup, without breaking a stride, told me that snakes on the left side of the line of travel were number 10 but the ones on the right were number one. Sure as hell, there were just as many on the right as on the left, however the ones on the right were very much alive.
What is "number 10" and "number one" if you don't mind my asking?
I think I could fill up the website about the little people. And you are absolutely right, a lot of us are alive today in spite of ourselves thanks to the yards.
I could read a whole website about "the little people", especially by skilled storytellers such as yourselves.
The team members were numbered so we could refer to them in the clear if necessary.
The U.S. were numbered 1-1, 1-2, 1-3 etc. The 1-0 being the Team leader, 1-2 his asst. and 1-3 the RTO.
The indig were numbered 0-1, 0-2, etc, 0-1 being the indig TL and on down the chain of command.
In addition the indig gave approval ratings from one to ten. I only heard two used: Numba fucking one (outstanding) or numba fucking ten (bad). :D
The team members were numbered so we could refer to them in the clear if necessary.
The U.S. were numbered 1-1, 1-2, 1-3 etc. The 1-0 being the Team leader, 1-2 his asst. and 1-3 the RTO.
The indig were numbered 0-1, 0-2, etc, 0-1 being the indig TL and on down the chain of command.
In addition the indig gave approval ratings from one to ten. I only heard two used: Numba fucking one (outstanding) or numba fucking ten (bad). :D
LOL. Even better.
edit to add: since I have seen those signifiers before, I'd better fill out an ID-10T form.
Roguish Lawyer
01-22-2005, 13:12
Great thread. Thanks.
An excellent charity and info site.
http://www.montagnards.org/Thanks for the link, TR. We participated in a fundraiser back in May 2002 to help a group get set up here in the US. I lost track of them.
Like the others, I love reading these stories. Thanks for sharing them with us.
BMT (RIP)
01-22-2005, 18:02
Damn you had to love the Little People. The only time I had any little people under me was an HF Co. on the border. I only had 2 weeks left in country an went on an ops with the Co. I was on the first chopper into the LZ! Platoon interperter saw me and ask wasn't I going home soon,yes in 2 weeks. He said"Pop Top" no worry you go home. We moved out and occuppied a patrol base and 1 platoon crossed the border.
Seems like anytime I moved outside the perimiter I had atleast a fire
team that needed to do what ever I was doing.
Small tiger tripped a claymore one night and I was almost killed by 6 Cambodes trying to protect my position.
We were given 200 lbs of rice per month on the launch site to feed them and $1.37 a day to buy meat,veggie's and bread. Hooked up with 2 Mess Sgt's from the 1st Cav and got all the extra meat and veggie's. One of our civillian workers brought in fresh bread every day. The O-1's would tell the 10's to ask for Quan Loi targets. The 10's would say "you crazy too many VC" and the O-1 would say"many many VC number 1 chop chop."
RT Nail had a 'Yard whose wife had a baby. The 'Yard ask his 10 what did GI's do when their wife had a baby, 10 explained about giving out cigars. After he had given out all his cigars the 10 ask him did he save one for Pop Top. Poor guy also freaked out and said no, 10 went to the PX an got 6 Dutch Master to calm him down.
BMT
Ambush Master
01-22-2005, 19:39
Myself, having grown up on the Texas Gulf Coast, was quite at home in the "Bush" !! The Yards were rather impressed with the way that I could move and navigate in a "Stealthy" manner.
I liked the Indig Rations and had a rather startling expierence with them.
We were about 2-3 days out and I mixed some water with the rice before we moved out at first light. Come chow time, I remove the bag of rice from my ruck and it was the most brilliant PURPLE that you can imagine !!! The water that I had used had been treated with Iodine, to purify it, and that reacted with the starch to give it the WILD coloration.
The Yards qot a chuckle out of my reaction to it.
CPTAUSRET
01-22-2005, 19:51
Great thread!!
Terry
NousDefionsDoc
01-25-2005, 18:41
Mas please
Jack Moroney (RIP)
01-26-2005, 12:18
Mas please
Okay.
We got our yards from the local surroundings which consisted of 6 villages and for all intents and purposes had just about everyone, with the exception of the village chiefs, the very old and the very young in one of our 6 companies. We realized that we needed to start a training program for those youngsters that were coming of age and started an "F" Troop of youngsters. We trained the recon platoon to perform as trainers under our supervision and ran a 8 week program and for the graduation exercise the "F" Troop graduates would accompany us on an operation . Now remember these kids are really kids, I'm talking 12 years old to 14. On the first operation we went into an old abandoned Phrench plantation area that had an abundance of grapefruit trees, pineapples and assorted other stuff. We moved in, set up a perimeter and checked the area out, showed them how to secure the area, set up ambushes and plan a covered withdrawal. After we were satisfied that they had grasped the basics we sent them on to man a resupply LZ and brought up the rear sterilizing the area as we left. The main body was about 10 minutes ahead of us before we pulled out. As soon as we hit the surrounding jungle we noticed shreds of grapefruit rinds littering the way. They evidently felt that had earned the right to relax as no one was in the area and it was like following the yellow brick road until we closed on the end of the damn column and caught the perpetrators. Kids are kids in every culture and the yards were no exception. We did make contact shortly after that and they responded perfectly.
Jack Moroney
CPTAUSRET
02-17-2005, 10:57
I don't want this thread to die a slow death.
So how bout some more stories, Terry?
Terry
On an operation which we ran in the Ben Het area we got into some real deep shit. We ended up in a clearing and in a "wagon wheel" type defensive position with me in the middle. We really had stirred up a hornet's nest. When I got back to Kontum the FAC told me there were over 200 bodies in the open and as many coming up the ridge for us. I knew where the troops had come from. There was a village just over the ridge from us. I told the Covey rider and said they needed to take out the lvillage, which they did a good job of.
I remember when we were being extracted I was grabbing the little people by the pistol belt anf collar and literally throwing them into the chopper. I'm surprised I didn't throw some in one door and out the other. :rolleyes:
A few days later one of my little people came and said he had to go home to attend a funeral. I said to go ahead and arranged leave for him. After he had left my interpretor informed me he was from the village we had trashed. He was going home to check on his family. I figured that was the last I would see of him -- understandably. I was surprised to see him return in a few days. Nobody ever mentioned the incident and he remained a loyal troop.
This operation may have prevented a major offensive on Pleiku. We wandered into something major. I was debriefed by the 4th ID CO and G2 and upon my intel and recommendation an arc light was diverted to this target. There were still secondaries a week later and the 4th ID ran a successful sweep of the area and even recovered the body of a chinese advisor whom my men had seen. If we could have recovered him it would have been a trip to CCK for me and beaucoup "P" for the little people. :lifter
It was written right in the contract that our little people would only be treated in U.S. facilities.
One day we got word that one of the HF troops had been mistakenly sent to a VN hospital in Pleiku and they wouldn't release him. Rather than launch a major rescue mission from the Yard Camp in Kontum, a few of us drove op to Pleiku to pick up the Yard. The Vietnamese refused. We saw him stashed in a corner and being totally neglected. We went to the "B Co" Mike Force and explained the situation. They mobilised a Company and went and got back our Yard, whom we took to the U.S. FH. :cool:
BMT (RIP)
02-17-2005, 16:09
God you had to love the "LITTLE PEOPLE!!!!
One morning at CCS one of the 10's had gate guard. The guys on the list going to Ban Me Thout had departed. The S-4 and air ops guys were at East field waiting on the morning Black Bird. The BB came and departed and everyone was back on the compound.
He said all of a sudden he had to take a dump. Explain to his man no one else was coming or going and he had to take a dump. The SCU smiled and said ok sarge I guard.
We had a one holer at the gate and he took off running. Got inside dropped his web gear and weapon. Dropped his drawers and got on the one holer. About that time he had one hanging as long as his leg. All of a sudden a jeep drove up.The SCU said you no can come. The guy driving the jeep said" I am a Cpt. in the US ARMY and I'm coming in. SCU said you come I shoot. More loud mouthing by the Cpt. Poor 10 still had that one hanging when he heard the charging handle on an M-16 and the SCU said again "you come I shoot"
By the time he got back to the gate the jeep had departed at a high rate of speed.
Later our CO had a call from the Province Sr. Advisor and wanted to know what happened at our gate. CO explained what had taken place.
To make a long story short here is what happened:
This young CPT. had been assigned to the advisory team in BMT. That morning the Col. fixed him up with a map and jeep and told him to tour the units around BMT and explained to him when he got to East field there was a LSA unit, composite Arty battery and a SF unit. He was told to not even drive up to our gate,the Col. explained our CO was a LTC and he was a Col. and he could not get on our compound unless invited.
After the incident at the gate theyoung CPT. flew back to BMT and told the Col he was almost ambushed. The Col. said"my God man show me on the map where you were shot at". Cpt. showed him the road to our front gate and said"Sir I was at that SF unit and the gate guard was going to shoot me.
PSA later told this story at a meeting.
BMT
TerribleTobyt
02-18-2005, 05:33
As John Plaster preceded me on RT California, I had the distinct honor and privilege of working and going to war with those Montagnards. Their pics are posted at "TerribleTobyt and Friends" thread.
What magnificent men, WARRIORs to be sure, but gentle souls who had known nothing but war in their lifetime. Always willing to give everything they had to their USSF buddies.
It was my pleasure to have known these men, and all that I am today, I owe to these guys and the men of Special Forces.
Toby
Folks, the feelings are mutual:
MDA Inc
Invitation
Montagnard-American and Green Beret Family Reunion
May 28, 2005
Dega Ashboro Project Site
Asheboro, North Carolina
To the Honorable Members of Special Operations Association
Dear Jake and Members
Please accept our invitation to attend the Montagnard/Dega and US Army Special Forces Memorial Day ceremony and Family Reunion on Saturday, 28 May, 2005 at Asheboro, North Carolina to honor the fallen thousands of Montagnard soldiers and their American Special Forces leaders killed side by side while fighting for freedom in the Vietnam war.
We are the very proud Americans who first came these United States as refugees. We have strived to become worthy citizens of this great land that has welcomed and adopted us. We and our children are so grateful to be Montagnard-Americans. Many of our children are proudly serving in the U.S. military services.
We humbly ask you to join us Saturday, 28 May, Memorial Day weekend so that we may honor you and America as we pay tribute at our Montagnard and U.S. Special Forces fallen warrior's memorial celebration and family reunion.
You are also invited to the "Dega Annual Cultural Heritage Day" on Sunday, 29 May,2005. Hopefully you have already received that invitation.
Respectfully yours
Y Juen Eban
President
Folks, the feelings are mutual:
Montagnard-American and Green Beret Family Reunion
May 28, 2005
Dega Ashboro Project Site
Asheboro, North Carolina
Gentlemen, thank you for writing about your experiences. Wondering if anyone made the trip to NC.
magician
05-29-2005, 13:35
the best thread that I have read here in about a million years.
:)
I put my Bru through Jump Training at the Yard Camp in 1968. Here are some pictures of them doing PT. It was a real trip. A whole new meaning to "In cadebce . . . ". :D
Just like their american counterparts, they couldn't resist shouting "Leg" at every Leg in the camp. I have some 8mm film I am trying to get diditized, We gave them Brithsh Commando knives and I think they kept them on 24 hrs a day. You can see them in the pictures but the film shows the knives bouncing against their elbows while running in place. :lifter
Bill Harsey
05-29-2005, 19:04
My history classes in school failed me.
You guys are providing the real education.
Many Thanks for this thread and others like it.
Well the thought of this thread dying woke me up.
I worked exclusively with the Bru. When I first got to CCN I was assigned to a Bru HF platoon that was scheduled for an operation the following week. I decided that I had better learn the language before leaving on the operation. (First let me expalin that we had two interpetors in the platton. A Chinese-Vietanamese that translated from English to Vientamese and then a Bru interpretor that translated from Vietnamese to Bru. A linquistic goat **** to be sure. ) So I spent every waking moment in the Bru barracks.
Soldiers the world over are the same. First they teach you the BAD words then they teach you the rest. Well I became real adept at the BAD words in a hurry. Then the next game was teach me to say the BAD words to the Vietnamese. That they really enjoyed. Then to make the game REAL fun they would translate the BAD words to the Vietnamese. (no problem I didn't really get along to good with some of them anyway.)
After a while I became alot more fluent in Bru (with some early help from "Hippy" Harve Saal. I thought I was pretty good at it until one time I had to go to the main Bru village at Mai Loc to pay the family of a SCU that had been killed on an operation. I went with our recon team interpretor. When we arrived at Mai Loc he took me aside and said, "Tonsi, you stay here you don't speak Bru. They old people they don't like Bru like you speak!" Needless I was slightly offended by that statement. OK but I tried to keep my mouth shut. TRIED but failed. Anyway I was the hit of Mai Loc because I spoke only GOOD Bru while I was there. (My interpretor was relieved).
This interpretor was a pretty famous guy in Recon. He was in the second group of Bru ever recruited in CCN. By the time I got there he had been in recon about 4 years or so. Right before coming on our team, he was on a team that got wiped out and was one of three survivors that walked back through 50 kms of enemy territoryto get home. So when I find out he was assigned to our team I went over to pay him a visit. I entered his hooch and he was asleep on the bed. So I shook the bed and said to him in Bru "Get up Get up your really lazy!". He came off the bed with his fist cocked ready to knock down the impollite Bru who woke him up and saw my smiling face. I wish I had a camera to record the look on his face. It was so funny....
I had a lot of fun with the Bru, to echo earler posts. I owe my life to these guys, they had some much savy in the jungle it was incredible. Their loyalty was something you never had to question. In fact I told them point blank one time if I was badly wounded to leave me. They looked so shocked that I would even say that. I taught them all first aid including giving IVs. I taught our interpretor to use the radio and read maps. i also taught them to Box (that is another story). For that I was rewarded with a team that I could take through the gates of hell and they would walk out smiling on the other side.
I remember Saal. IIRC he was at Khe Sahn in 68 while I was there .
Yes he ran recon out of Khe Sahn with one of my commo instructors (can't remember his name) so I heard his name before I got there. He was still there when I got there. I was with him on trip to Danang airfield one day when a guy from Saigon handed him his extension. Said this is your last extension Harve.
Didn't see him again until late '90s spent all night at his house reading the first draft on his History of SOG (2000 pages). Did update of his drawings for the Quang Tri Launch site.
Great guy, he got me started with the Bru language and understanding the Bru culture.
He married "Mad Dog" Shriver's sister.
Thank you Vietnam Vets for sharing these great tales of serving with the Montagnards. It is a part of our history more people should be aware of.
Thomas_Leo
03-03-2006, 07:52
Great reading Terry! Better than the History channel!
+1;)
http://www.secretwarinlaos.com/
Sirs, Thank you for this thread.
Currently Antiterrorism Immigration legislation has denied refugee status to a number of Montagnards. An effort is underway in the Senate to solve the problem. I have emailed my Senators and asked that they remedy this oversight.
How Not to Treat Friends, The Washington Post. Friday, April 28, 2006; Page A18 (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/27/AR2006042701917.html)
How antiterror laws harm the world's vulnerable, By Frederick Barton, The Christian Science Monitor. April 17, 2006 (http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0417/p09s01-coop.html)