Originally Posted by M Richardson

RU - I give you Dong Ap Bia, part of my playground when I was growing up. Before and after our "play date":

My first thought was napalm, but nothing is burnt. 2nd thought artillery, but no craters.

There was plenty of arty and mortars, plus air support. Most of this, however, is the result of days and days of small-arms fire.

Originally Posted by rustyshackleford

Those pics are crazy, Richardson.

Yeah... wow.

I wish the pictures were mine. I didn't have the presence of mind to take a camera with me into the field. Besides, most of my pictures would have been of the dirt six inches in front of my nose.
I arrived in-country on April 12, 1969. Assigned to the 525 Military Intelligence Group, when Hamburger Hill started on 5/10, I was the fresh meat, so when the 101st requested additional Intel Specialists, I was the most expendable. I was with 3/187th from 5/12 until the unit was relieved on (I think) 5/22. US forces had 72 KIA and 372 MIA. Actual body count (not the inflated counts that became the norm later) of enemy KIA was 630. It can be assumed that enemy WIA would have been at least that high, and probably higher. I did a quick look-up in one of my books and it indicated that there were 450 tons of bombs and 70 tons of napalm dropped during the 10 days of combat. Mars only knows how much arty and mortar was fired. It was, as we so delicately put it, a prime cluster-fxck. It was my introduction to being shot at. It was also the first time I had to pick up the body of a friend and carry him down off a fire-zone to the HLZ. The troopers of the 101st were absolutely magnificient. Over 40 years later I am still in awe at their bravery and their dedication to duty. The leadership, however, should have been taken out and shot for wasting those wonderful young men.