In a firefight 1968 I came from behind and captured three NVA soldiers. I personally had never had the opportunity to capture one before or after ,myself. To my shock one spoke almost perfect English he asked me if I was going to kill them. No, had I planned to ,you would have already been dead. We tied their hands behind the backs and the LT. started asking them questions. They were terrified which surprised me but they were told we would kill them on the spot. I was in the CP getting some supplies that had been delivered earlier and was listening to the questions. The one that spoke English from out of nowhere thank me from not killing them, I took a second to respond, no problem. I loaded up ruck sack and was leaving when the Captain tells me to take the prisoners to the LZ to be transported to rear base camp. I have them sitting with their hands behind their backs, the one that spoke English asked for some water for them to drink.

Sitting together talking as if we were friends caught me off guard. I thought what the hell. He tells me they are more afraid of our artillery then most anything it is so accurate. He ask why are you in my country fighting our civil war, didn’t you have one of your own? I responded that we are here to stop spread of communism. He says something in Vietnamese to one of the other NVA soldier, he laughs a little, then goes back to looking straight ahead, I don’t believe they really thought they were going to live.

Finally the LT. sent someone over to tell me the choppers were on their way. I mention to the NVA soldier how did it feel to be fighting the greatness strongest nation on earth, his response in Vietnam we have fought and defeated the Mongols , who were the greatest army of all time , we fought the Chinese army , the Japanese army and the French Army and never lost our country, we will out last the American army. I could hear the choppers arriving my time with my prisoners was up.

I thought about what he had said ,I only had a few months left in country I was never quite the same. My thoughts were when you believe so strongly in what you are fighting for it makes defeat almost impossible, I hope he lived , he was correct.