Christmas Day 1966

submitted by: Alva Leon Matheson

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On Christmas day 1966, we were in that temporary cease-fire thing. I was out VRing the edge of the Iron Triangle along a road just below Ben Cat when I spotted a VC brazenly hiking right down the middle of the road. For the occasion, I had taped together one red and one green smoke grenade together with that old green pre duct-tape stuff. I made what must have looked to him like a roll-in for a rocket marking pass, pulled the pins, and dropped the grenades. The harassee immediately jumped off the road and took cover, but when he saw the beautifully streaming red and green smoke trail he stepped back onto the road, looked up, and waved at me. I could almost hear a “Merry Christmas.” So much for hate. I think he knew that I bore him none, just two guys doing their jobs. I still have one of those grenade pins. I gave the other to a young lady who broke down and cried when I told that story a couple of years ago at a Christmas party. Mine hangs on my tree, and she hangs hers’ every year also. Merry Christmas to all, and God bless.
Editor’s Note: Noel Wilson posted this vignette on the Facnet over the Christmas Season, 2002, and Charlie Pocock extracted it for this Book.