The illistration on page 69 is identified as Figure 36. It is a line drawing representing an entire unit caught in a Viet-Cong (VC) ambush. The schematic is followed by textual directions on the proper military response to this situation.
The illustration on page 70 is identified as Figure 37. It is a line drawing representing part of a unit caught in a Viet-Cong ambush. The schematic is followed by textual directions on the proper military response to this situation.
Letter by Christopher Ammons describing a road clearance operation at Thunder IV. Both squads patrolled all day, then took up a night defensive position on armored personnel carriers. He writes about trying to kill a rat ("some as big as cats")...
Letter to his family dated Nov. 26, 1967, begins, "At 9:30 this morning seven of us hopped aboard the truck to take us to the outer edge of the perimeter. We were going for a 3 click (3,000 meters) patrol outside the camp." On his first patrol he...
Three page letter from Thunder IV (Highway 13 was nicknamed "Thunder Road" by US troops). "Our base camp (Lai Khe) has been hit daily by mortars and RPG [rocket-propelled grenade] rounds. Even in daylight Charlie hits Lai Khe." Letter includes...
Three page letter begins, "This is our eighth day in the boonies, and tomorrow we might go back to Lai Khe." He writes of having been a squad leader for several days now ("8 men including myself") because of the illness of another sergeant.
Four page letter from Christopher Ammons to his family about losing his 45 cal. pistol on a 'Road Clearance' operation. They searched for it for hours but in the end had to fill out a statement of loss. His platoon leader told him, he doesn't...
Letter from Chistopher Ammons tells about having seven men killed, including their company commander, and one wounded in a Claymore attack during a patrol. "They killed Capt. Tellers, a Capt. From intel[l]igence, a Capt. From mortar platoon, 3...
Five-page handwritten letter from Christopher Ammons to his family describing a 7-day search and destroy mission in the woods of Song Be. Ammons's company located Viet-Cong base camps and bunkers as they "dug in" six times during the operation. ...
Two-page letter written by Ammons to his family on the day he arrived in Vietnam. He describes conditions and housing at the 90th Replacement Battalion headquarters, 22 miles north of Saigon; the appearance and poverty of the Vietnamese villagers;...
Seven-page letter written by Christopher Ammons recounting a sniper attack on his company the previous day that claimed the lives of four soldiers. While on patrol 6,000 meters southwest of Saigon, Ammons's squad comes under sniper attack, and for...
Two-page handwritten letter by Christopher Ammons to his family describing firing an M79 grenade launcher at two Viet-Cong. He also says that he is known as "the best 'M-79 man' in the Company."
Three-page handwritten letter by Christopher Ammons to his family in which he states that he is now the oldest member of his platoon. He is destined next for a mission between Highway 13 (Thunder Road) and the Song Be River. Ammons relates the...
Four-page letter handwritten letter by Christopher Ammons to his family that announces his promotion to sergeant. He describes his fourth visit to Song Be for another seven-day search-and-destroy mission that ended with the discovery of numerous...
Three-page letter written from Dong Tam, final headquarters base camp of the 9th Infantry Division. Ammons describes an air assault in which the platoon was pinned down in knee-deep water under heavy fire by the Viet-Cong. He writes, "The leeches...
Two-page typed Special Order No. 188 contains military orders for a number of individuals plus a short note to his parents concerning his orders. On page two of the document are the orders assigning Christopher Ammons to his Vietnam unit. The note...
Two-page handwritten letter by Christopher Ammons to his family describing the casualties his company sustained while on their most recent search-and-destroy mission from Dong Tam Base Camp.
Two-page handwritten letter by Christopher Ammons to his family describing his role as a squad leader. He also lists the names and responsibilities of the other men in his squad.
Three-page handwritten letter by Christopher Ammons to his family describing a Viet-Cong mortar attack on the fire support base occupied by his company.
Two-page handwritten letter by Christopher Ammons to his family describing his reaction to the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. He also talks about his platoon leader, Lt. Brown, and about enjoying listening to U.S. music on the radio.
