"We have been in a fierce fight with NVA. Our platoon started off with 35 men but winded up with 19 men when it was over. We lost our platoon leader and a whole squad… The NVA soldiers fought until they died and one even booby trapped himself and when we approached him, he blew himself up and took two of our men with him.
We couldn’t retrieve the bodies of our men or ruck sacks and when we brought air strikes, jets dropped napalm and explosives that destroyed everything that was there.
We took in lots of casualties and death. It has been trying days for me and my men. We dragged more bodies of dead and wounded than I can ever want to forget… I felt bullets going past me. I have never been so scared in my life. Well I better close for now before we go in again to take that hill.
This is a dirty and cruel war but I'm sure people will understand the purpose of this war even though many of us might not agree.
If Dad calls, tell him I got too close to being dead but I'm okay; I was real lucky. I'll write again soon…" - Sgt. Steve Flaherty, 101st AB, Killed in Action, A-Shau Valley, March 25, 1969 at the age of 22. #reality #war #hardcore #vietnam #stayzero #zerofoxtrot #airborne #military