Why I Fight

October, 1967

Today, Captain Seward came in with a television crew. They filmed us all cleaning our weapons, then they ask us why we were fighting in Nam. Lieutenant Carroll said that we had to demonstrate that the United States stood for something. Sergeant Simpson said we were trying to free the South Vietnamese people. Brunner said he was fighting because he hates Communism. Walowick said he was fighting because his country asked him to. Lobel and Brew said something about the domino theory. If Vietnam fell to Communism, then other countries might follow. I told them that if we didn’t fight here in Nam, we would be forced to fight in our own streets. Everyone seemed to like this idea, but I’m not sure that is the only reason that I am here fighting. It is more of everyone’s reasons combined that we are fighting here. Anyway, after they asked us that, we all got into the Hueys, which are really big, choppers, and they filmed us flying for about two miles. Then we landed for about twenty minutes. The television team took a bunch of photographs and we started back to the choppers. Along the way, Monaco, who was at point, opened fire. He said that he had seen a VC, or Vietcong. He stood still for a moment and then began to fire again. This time we all joined in, including me. I pulled the trigger to my weapon, but nothing happened. Suddenly, Simpson ordered us to cease fire. I realized that I had not loaded my weapon. If we had been caught in a fight, I realize that I would have been in trouble. Here in Nam, everything depends on your awareness and reflexes. We are fighting for our lives.