Operation Cedar Falls

January 1967 the US Army launched their 2nd operation directly targeting the Iron Triangle. The Iron Triangle was Ben Suc, Ben Cat and Ben Co villages and if you drew their places on a map it would form a triangle. It was a bad area, the VC support was strong and fighting intense. The first operation was Operation Crimp in 1966 (late I believe) with the 173rd Airborne Brigade and the Royal Australian Regiment to clear the Iron Triangle for the new base being built near by in Cu Chi and future home to the 25th Infantry Division so the new neighbours would have some breathing room instead of being attacked before they unpacked. Cedar Falls was the 25th Infantry Division, 1st Infantry Division and other units like the 196th Inf. Bde. Crimp discovered the Cu Chi Tunnels and disabled them. Cedar Falls was specifically target the tunnels, and thats what I did today on my 2nd trip to Cu Chi.

I asked about a tour to Cu Chi last night as I walked past a travel agency and they had a half day trip to Cu Chi. I asked and the tour was 2-3 hours long which I jumped at, as my last trip was like 45 minutes and was so rushed. I got on the bus and unlike my last tour, this bus was full with about 30 people. Our guide was Mr. Tung and I only remembered that because Tung was a character in a video game I use to play haha. Mr. Tung liked to sing and sung about Cu Chi and Ho Chi Minh. On the way we hit the same disabled person's craft workshop but I didn't pay much attention as I've already done it. Jumped back on the bus and off to Cu Chi.

We were getting close to the tunnels and Mr. Tung was a funny guy and he talked to us about Cu Chi. He was born there in 1946, when the tunnels were first being built as protection from the French. His dad was Viet Cong and worked in Saigon so he moved with him. When he was old enough his dad asked if he loved his country and if he did, that Mr. Tung should join the Viet Cong. If he hated his country he should join the ARVN. How could you refuse? You love your country so obviously he joined the Viet Cong as his friends did. This made sense because earlier he mentioned the 25th Infantry Division and 1st Infantry Division were in Cu Chi and I wondered how he knew haha. It was because Mr. Tung killed troops in those units. He then told us about gunships, Cobra helicopters and their weapons. Mr. Tung knew them well as he took two 7.62mm rounds from the minigun of a AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicopter. One caught him from behind in his left shoulder and one in his left leg and I'll admit, I though "Serves you right..." in my head.

I'm finding that it's one thing to re-enact and educate and take the uniform off, but when you're here, surrounded by history and people you get into it. Personally I support men who volunteer to go off to a distant country to help people like those who volunteered for Vietnam. I'd do the exact same thing. So when I hear someone fighting against the cause I support I naturally dislike it. I didn't hate nice old Mr. Tung or want him to die haha, and I understand he did what he thought was right, which I can't fault any man doing that, but when going against something I support, and possibly killing those that I support, taking a few rounds and surviving to the age of 65 served Mr. Tung right in my opinion dancing with Cobras.

Anyways Mr. Tung was VC, he was wounded and it took him three months to heal up. We got there and it was busy, last time I came at 3pm and it was a ghost town so we had to jumble the order of things. First thing was the trap door to the "wild" tunnel. I say "wild" as there's things living in there, it's dirty, musty and humid. Tung told us to see if we can fit. I told him I wanted to go through and out the other side and he told me we do it later, which I assumed he meant the tunnel everyone can do. I obeyed and then though "Fuck it, I'm not going to Cu Chi for a third time. I'd doing that tunnel now!". I jump in and people take pictures of me. Then I disappeared hahahahaha. I could hear them say "Where did he go?" and this time I had my flashlight, e-tool for killing things and bottle of water. It was a small bottle so I had it in my pocket, which started to leak so I tossed it in a lower one. I got use to my new surroundings and they were tighter than I remembered haha. I thought I could squat but I had to go on my knees. I swept the floor with the flashlight checking for wildlife, then the walls and ceiling. I took a step forward and repeat, and repeat and luckily there were no bats or monster spiders!!! I made it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think that since it was morning and just getting warm out that animals didn't retreat in their yet. By 3pm the last time I was there, there were hours of heat so things would go inside to try and avoid the heat. I jumped out, out of breath and filthy but happy :)

I'll coles note this as I've written about the tour before, so I'll just do the new stuff. Firing Range! We got there and despite being low on funds, the minimum amount of rounds you could buy was 10. So I bought 10 5.56mm rounds for the M16A1 and a belt of 10 7.62mm for the M60! For those that don't know. I've never discharged a weapon that fires above 500fps haha, only BB guns and Airsoft guns and I've never been to a range, let alone one with auto fire haha. It was loud, louder than I expected haha. I wondered how one could be around the massive cracks in combat, or even doing exercises and luckily I was given shooter's ear protectors. First up was the M16A1. If you don't know it's an assault rifle which fires 20 rounds in either one shot at a time, or multiple shots. With a loaded mag I got a pat on the shoulder and opened fire on semi just to get the feel of it, and it felt nice :) It was wired so I couldn't pick it up and move it, but I could still feel a good kick to it. It was enough to know you're doing something with it, but no pain and it doesn't screw up your next shot. I fired 3 more rounds on semi trying to hit my targets and with great satisfaction flicked the selector to automatic, letting off two 3 round bursts :) Next was the M60 and for your own mental image, I couldn't hid my grin while doing all this haha. The M60 is a machine gun, meaning that it fires a lot of bullets(rounds) quickly, it's purpose was to keep the enemy's heads down while other troops moved forward so it doesn't need to be accurate. The M60 was on a tripod, and the tripod was locked in place. I gave my loader my camera and started a video. I think I fired four rounds and he accidentally turned it off. Now because it was on a tripod there was next to no recoil, which I was a little disappointed about haha. Just touching the trigger two rounds disappear. I tapped it once more and two more rounds jumped out. I had to do it, I let off a six round burst and it was over as quickly as it began :( I think 20 rounds would have given me enough to get that fuzzy feeling in my stomach but I knew couldn't. If I could, I would have fired every damn round they had on site muhahaha but would have put myself in some serious debt. I told my friend earlier in my trip I might buy 100rds for the M60 and he reminded me that in a few months(hopefully), I'll be firing all the rounds I want with a C7A1. So I fired my first firearm today, in Vietnam, into a Vietnamese earth wall with Vietnam War weapons so I'm happy! And I might be the only one in the group to have fired both. It could be argued that Tim has as well since he was a C6 gunner, but lets ignore that :)

Then came the "safe" tunnel, safe as it's not wild like the other one. The ground is clean, there's lights in some places, it's not dirty, there's no animals, it's big enough that you don't have to squat or be on your knees and there's an exit every 25m if you get scared. You have the option to do at least 25m to a maximum of 150m and guess what I did? I didn't do it :( and yea...  you got my I'm lyin, I did all 150m! Why? I got something to prove. Now, compared to the 50m wild tunnel, this, even the 150m is a walk in the park. After 100m you have to do it on your knees fine, but you know it's clean, there's no animals in it and you have tons of other people with you. The wild tunnel you know you are the only person in there. Just you and blackness, and it's honestly scary. You don't know what's in there. This is why I have to give even more respect to the Tunnel Rats. It's scary for me with just animals in there. For Tunnel Rats they faced the animals, plus ones there specifically to attack intruders, explosive traps, falling traps and lets not forget the armed people inside trying to kill you. I'd love to meet a Tunnel Rat and shake that man's hand. I've done the closest thing a civilian can do, and it was scary, but to them it would be a walk in the park compared to what they've done before. Massive balls I tell you. I don't know how they can walk. So I did the 150m tunnel which was still rough physically, but psychologically it was a breeze compared to the wild one.

We got back to Saigon, I needed to eat and hit KFC, it was their happy hour so I bought their Snacker as it was on sale for that time and I have to avoid spending money. I take a bite and recoil as it's seafood. I asked and it's suppose to be. In Canada the Snacker is chicken, scraps glued together haha, but still chicken. I got something else and hit Phuoc's shop. Nate asked about a green beret and him and Sam would be interested in ERDL, as I'm sure we all would be haha. I watched "Dr. Strangelove" which considering he's in the movie for 5 minutes seems odd. It's known as Dr. Strangelove, but the other title is "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" which sounds better. By the way, the one B-52 crewmen is James Earl Jones before he got fat and his iconic voice and I found that out after I watched it. One thing I can't get over is how they show the B-52 swinging all crazy like haha. The thing carries 72,000 tons of bombs! You think it's just flying over mountain tops and pulling those high turns? If it did half of one of those turns it would fall 10,000ft in the ocean haha. B-52's are suppose to fly at 30,000ft as at that time Surface to Air Missiles (SAM's) couldn't reach that height. Plus if it really dropped a nuke at 10,000ft and at that speed, it would have 15 seconds before it was caught in the shockwave haha. Now an F-105 Thundercheif could do it, but it's going twice the speed of sound and it barely makes it out haha. Other then that, I though it was good, the scene talking to the drunken Russian Prime Minister though was odd, exchanging chit chat? You have a bomber loaded with nukes about to attack your worst enemy and if that happens you enter nuclear war! Talk about the wife and kids next weekend!!! haha. I went out for dinner at a new place, had a nice Texas chicken burger, salad and orange juice as I have to try and eat better for my guts.

Tomorrow I have to call TD as for some reason my debit card number isn't working (hurray!) and check some stuff out at Cho Dan Sinh. There's two nearby markets I haven't hit yet so I hope I find some stuff there as well. I was told there's a market out by Tan Son Nhut that might have some stuff, which would rock but it would be about an hour walk there and back, which I can do, but probably not tomorrow. I also have to hit Pizza Hut tomorrow night for my Hooray for Tunnel Ratting victory :)

Today I have accomplished more in three hours, than three weeks of my trip, and now with my revisions, this day will be the highlight of my trip, and I think I earned the right to wear the Tunnel Rat patch while re-enacting and educating about Tunnel Rats with pride.