by Jeff Ping
Copyright Jeffery A. Ping 2015
Words 17,559
58 pages
Chapter 1
The Meeting
Mike Mason had just graduated from high school. He had hated school, and if his mother had not kept after him would have dropped out. Looking back he could see now that his mother had been right to badger him to finish high school. Mike could also see that despite his believing at seventeen he had it all figured out, he had really been clueless. So, in June of 1966, to the utter surprise and amazement of his mother, he did graduate from High school. Mike's grades were so poor that college was not an option even if he had the money. If he had wanted to, he could have improved his grades. But because of an attitude problem Mike just chose not to. He thought no further than graduating and getting a job and moving out on his own.
Mike never really gave much thought about what he would do after graduation. He assumed he would cross that bridge when he came to it. He had worked part time and summers during high school in a family friend’s machine shop. So that was the occupation he assumed he would pursue. But Uncle Sam had different ideas because in late 1967 Mike was drafted into the Army.
The years 1967 thru 1972 were years of America using its young men as cannon fodder. Everyone's goal was for maximum enemy body count. American losses were over shadowed by a high enemy confirmed kills. Vietnam certainly wasn’t the first or last time a war was unpopular but there was a ground swell of public opposition to this war.
The mid to late 1960's were one of the most strife filled and polarizing times in the country. The young men raised on the TV show COMBAT were unprepared for what they found. They were dumped into a hostile country fighting an unwinnable war. The foe they faced had been at war for over a generation, longer than most of the G.I.'s had been alive. Our soldiers were led by inexperienced, poorly trained officers. Soldiers fought a war that was being directed by politicians for TV time and Photo Ops. Despite overwhelming military and technological superiority, like most post WWII conflicts the US had involved itself with, the powers that be were able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
The army was where Mike found his true calling in life. Unfortunately, for many other people, that calling meant their death. As a soldier, Mike found that he could kill with absolutely no remorse. That coupled with his flexible morality gave him the ability to justify his actions to his own satisfaction.
The truth be known, Mike enjoyed his time in Vietnam. After all, he was eighteen and could drink, get high, shoot people and he got paid to do it. How much better could it get? He knew people got wounded, maimed, or killed. But at eighteen, Mike himself was invincible, he never thought about that happening to him.
Mike killed the enemy because it was his life or theirs. He killed others and even fellow soldiers for cheating, lying, putting his life in danger, incompetence and in a few cases, just because they pissed him off. Only Mike knew how many superiors or bullies he fragged (rolled or tossed grenades into tents of sleeping targets) or shot for some injustice as a favor for someone or sometimes just for cash.
Mike was quiet and didn’t bother anyone. He wasn’t aggressive or physically large so he wasn’t a bully and didn’t hassle anyone. But these traits made him a target for the more aggressive types and bullies. They learned the error of that perception, if they learned it through the observation of the results of someone else's mistake they might live. Mike was like a snake, walk around him and you were OK. But if you stepped on him, he could strike without warning and his bite was deadly.
Later in life Mike applied his moral flexibility to kill anyone he was paid to kill. He didn’t kill for fun or any kind of twisted satisfaction or fulfillment, just money.
While on R&R in Bangkok, Mike was sitting in a cafe one night about midnight with some guys he had met after arriving at the R&R center. Over in one corner a fight started. Mike’s new buddies who were sitting with him shouted “FIGHT!!” and jumped up and ran over to join in. Mike didn’t get up and join them. He just sat there drinking his beer. The fight continued to grow in size and intensity. Soon, he decided to move over to a more isolated corner of the room. As he sat down, this short skinny guy that he vaguely recognized walked over to his table ask, “Mind if I join you?”
“Sure have a seat.” Mike said and motioned to the chair across from him.
“Thanks.” The guy said and signaled for a waitress to bring two beers to their table. He then sat down, and picked up one of the new beer bottles when they arrived. After taking a long drink from his beer the guy introduced himself,
“Hi, my names Vincenzo Bassi, call me Vinny. I've seen you around the base a few times. I just joined C Company at Fire Base Delta. I was just transferred up from Saigon. My R&R approval processed just as my transfer came through after I was there five days. I’ve been in country for just over six months.”
“I thought I recognized you. I’m Michael Mason. You can call me Mason, Mike, or Michael.” said Mike.
Vinny extended his hand and Mike took it, grinned and gave it a shake.
“OK, Mikey it is.” said Vinny.
“What’s with these jerkoffs, don’t they get enough fighting in the bush?” Mike said shaking his head.
“I guess they just want a good fight with no one trying to sneak up and kill them.” Vinny said as a thrown chair came through the air and crashed down beside of their table.
“Maybe we should move on before they decide to let us join in.” Mike said.
It was then they heard the sirens and whistle blast and could see the Police and MP’s come pushing in through the door.
“Now I know we should leave! Let’s get out of here! Follow me. I think I can find a way out the back.” Vinny shouted above the din.
“Where the hell are we going?” Mike shouted.
“Come on! Trust me! I think I know a way out of here.” said Vinny as he motioned to Mike with a wave.
Vinny pushed passed three or four waiters and servers standing around the doorway to the kitchen area. They wove around past cooks and kitchen help through the kitchen. Finally, Vinny found what he was looking for, a set of double doors. Vinny swung one door open and pushed Mike into an alley that led out onto the street.
“I grew up around small restaurants. They always have a back service door in the kitchen that exits to the street away from the front entrance. But what about your friends, are they coming with us?” Vinny asks.
“Naw, their just some guys I met at the R&R center. Screw em, they prefer fighting to drinking.” said Mike.
Vinny hailed a cab and hopping in he shouted back to Mike, “Come on, let’s find some place to get a beer.”
Over the next three days Vinny and Mike became fast friends. Four days later they returned from R&R and over the next ten months the two stayed tight and spent most of their free time together.
Their friendship was cemented after Mike solved a problem that really had Vinny worried. As it turned out this was to be a very advantageous meeting for Mike's future.
While drinking at the firebases make shift club one night. Vinny was complaining that he had to crawl into every tunnel or pit the squad found while on patrol. The person that was earning Vinny’s ire was a ROTC wonder with the name 2nd Lt. Benjamin Keepers. The Lt. had been assigned as their squad leader two months before.
“That asshole sends me in every time he finds a hole to crawl into. He has started to call me TR (Tunnel Rat). I need it to stop before I crawl in and find Charlie or a trip wire.” said Vinny.
"Ok Vinny, This doesn't leave this room because I hate the SOB too. I'll take care of it the next time we hump the boonies. I think it's time we got us a new squad leader." Mike said.
