NARRATOR
Two US Marines, a young sniper on his first mission and a seasoned spotter on another of many missions, disembark from a Huey helicopter gunship in the Landing Zone three miles from the target’s jungle camp. They silently make their way through the jungle and across rice paddies to a bluff overlooking the encampment. As the sun rises, the veteran Sergeant and rookie Corporal settle in for the long wait for the scheduled meeting of the Vietcong General and his staff.
CORPORAL
“Sarge.”
SERGEANT
“Keep it down, Marine.”
CORPORAL
“Sarge... Do you think we’re gonna get out of this alive?”
SERGEANT
“What you mean? Of course we are.”
CORPORAL
“It’s just the two of us surrounded by VC. The odds ain’t in our favor.”
SERGEANT
“Stop talking that way, Marine. It’ll get you killed, both of us killed.”
CORPORAL
“Okay, Sarge. Okay.”
SERGEANT
“Concentrate on the mission, nothing else.”
CORPORAL
“...Sarge, what did he do that Command wants him taken out?”
SERGEANT
“The General’s troops overran our base. Now, it’s payback time.”
CORPORAL
“He’ll get what’s coming to him. I’ll get him.”
SERGEANT
“...Quiet... There’s movement.”
CORPORAL
“I see them, Sarge, two VC at 10 o’clock... What’s the range?”
SERGEANT
“1,200 yards.”
CORPORAL
“Should I take them out?”
SERGEANT
“No, only if we have to... Wait for the General.”
CORPORAL
“Okay, Sarge. I’ll keep them in my sights just in case.”
SERGEANT
“They’re moving away.”
CORPORAL
“... Sarge...How long we been waiting?”
SERGEANT
“We landed at 0400; it’s about 1430... Meeting’s scheduled for 1800.
We’ve a few hours more to wait.”
~ ~ ~
NARRATOR
Slowly, the hours tick by, the sun beats down on them, and the heat and humidity are nearly unbearable in their camouflage suits. The seasoned Marine has been through this many times before and waits, patiently, silently. The young Marine is fidgety and restless.
CORPORAL
“Damn, these camouflage suits itch.”
SERGEANT
“Will you knock off the chatter?”
CORPORAL
“...Sarge.”
SERGEANT
“What now!”
CORPORAL
“...I have to pee.”
SERGEANT
“You won’t find a latrine anywhere around here.”
CORPORAL
“You mean I should relieve myself here.
Like, right in my uniform?”
SERGEANT
“That’s exactly what I mean.
It’s better than getting shot.”
CORPORAL
“...Sarge...Hey, Sarge.”
SERGEANT
“For the love of...
Now what?”
CORPORAL
“Something’s crawling up my leg.”
SERGEANT
“A big something or a little something?”
CORPORAL
“Feels little, Sarge.”
SERGEANT
“Then, don’t worry about it.”
CORPORAL
“But, it tickles.”
SERGEANT
“Ignore it.”
CORPORAL
“.. Ouch!
...It just bit my butt.
SERGEANT
“Whatever you do, don’t move...
I see several VC milling around.”
CORPORAL
“It burns like fire.”
SERGEANT
“Bite your lip.
Do whatever it takes just don’t move.
You’ll get us killed.”
CORPORAL
“Okay Sarge...
Wait a minute; did you see who just arrived?”
SERGEANT
“I see him, an officer of some kind...
Looks like a Colonel.”
CORPORAL
“Sarge, should I take him out, too?”
SERGEANT
“Can you get two from here?”
CORPORAL
“I can drop them before they knew what hit them, Sarge.”
SERGEANT
“At what range?”
CORPORAL
“1,300 yards.
SERGEANT
“We’re 1250 yards away.
General’s a sure kill, probably the Colonel, too.”
CORPORAL
“...Damn, my butt aches.
I wonder what bit me.”
SERGEANT
“For Pete’s sake, I’ll buy you a bucket of ice to sit in when we get back.
Just don’t move...
Keep quiet.”
CORPORAL
“Okay, okay, Sarge.”
SERGEANT
I hate missions with rookies. All they do is talk, talk, talk.
Someday, one of them will get me killed for sure.
CORPORAL
“...Sarge...
How much longer?”
SERGEANT
“It’s almost 1800 hours.
General’s due any moment...
Get ready.”
CORPORAL
“I’m ready.”
SERGEANT
“How’s your nerves.”
CORPORAL
“Like steel, Sarge, hard and cold as steel.”
SERGEANT
“... A vehicle’s coming, must be the General...
Sight in and take your best shot.
General first, and then the Colonel. Got it?”
CORPORAL
“Sure, Sarge, I got it...
General’s getting out... I ... I have them both sighted in.”
SERGEANT
“Take the shot.”
CORPORAL
“...I got crosshairs on the General.”
SERGEANT
“Take the shot. Kill him.”
CORPORAL
“...The General’s a woman, Sarge.
I didn’t know the General’s a woman.”
SERGEANT
“Damn that. Take the shot!”
CORPORAL
“I ... I can’t shoot a woman.”
SERGEANT
“Yes, you can.
Squeeze the trigger.
Take the shot.”
CORPORAL
“But I ... I can’t.”
SERGEANT
“If you don’t, I’ll shoot your good-for-nothing butt and leave it right here to rot.
Now, complete your mission, Marine.
Get the job done.”
CORPORAL
“Okay, Sarge. Okay.”
SERGEANT
“Sight on the General and take her out, then the Colonel.
You got that, Marine?”
CORPORAL
“I got it, Sarge.”
SERGEANT
“...Good shot, she never heard it coming...
Now, get the Colonel.”
CORPORAL
“...Got him, Sarge, he’ll bleed out soon.”
SERGEANT
“They see us, Marine.
Here they come...
I dropped two, maybe three...
Ditch the suits and grab your gear...
Let’s move out.
They’re almost on top of us.”
CORPORAL
“...Sarge, I’m hit. I’m hit.”
SERGEANT
“Where?”
CORPORAL
“Chest...
Near my left shoulder...
Damn, it hurts.”
SERGEANT
“Is it bad?”
CORPORAL
“I can still move my arm...
Having trouble breathing.”
SERGEANT
“Can’t stop, we gotta move.
I’ll help.”
CORPORAL
“Sarge, I’ll just slow you down.
I’ll cover while you make for the LZ.”
SERGEANT
“Hell no, Marine, we don’t leave our own behind.”
CORPORAL
“But you were going to shoot me and leave me.”
SERGEANT
“No, I wasn’t. I knew you’d come through. So, let’s go, Marine”
~ ~ ~
NARRATOR
The Sergeant takes the Corporal’s arm and slings it around his neck. The two of them hobble across the hilltop and down the other side with the Vietcong in close pursuit. They reach the rice paddies and follow the trail into the jungle. They stop, rest, and fend off their pursuers.
CORPORAL
“Sarge, I can’t breathe so good...
Leave me.”
SERGEANT
“Come on Marine. I’ll carry you.”
CORPORAL
“I’m too heavy. You won’t make it.”
SERGEANT
“Yes, we will, Marine; let’s go.”
~ ~ ~
NARRATOR
The Sergeant, carrying the Corporal, emerges from the jungle into a grassy field, the Landing Zone. Three Huey gunships approach. One Huey peels off and fires on the pursuing Vietcong. The enemy flees back into the jungle but fires at the Huey. A second Huey sends a barrage of exploding rockets, briefly silencing their weapons. The third Huey descends.
CORPORAL
“We have to stop, Sarge...
I ... I can’t catch my breath.”
SERGEANT
“No time...
We’re almost there.
Hear the rockets, the explosions?”
CORPORAL
“I ... I can’t hear them, Sarge.”
SERGEANT
“The Hueys’ are coming for us...
Can’t you hear them?”
CORPORAL
“No... I... hear singing.”
SERGEANT
“A few more yards...
Huey’s landing...
Can you hear it?”
CORPORAL
“No, Sarge...
I... I hear Angels singing...
Can... you...”
SERGEANT
“Don’t give up, Marine; they’re waiting for us...
Don’t close your eyes, Corporal, stay with me...
Wake up, son; we made it...
Son!”
~ ~ ~
NARRATOR
The Huey gunship lifts off, and the crew congratulates the Sergeant on the mission’s success. But he ignores them. He withdraws to a corner of the crowded fuselage and is grateful that the roar of the chopper’s engine is camouflaging his inconsolable sobbing for the fallen, young Corporal lying at his feet.
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