July 4th 1969 A Shau Valley

[Bill Farnie]

At dusk, Dco 1/506 Inf. is picked up after two weeks of humping in the A Shau and heads toward FSB Currahee for a well deserved "rest". As the first lift carrying the 3rd Platoon touches down , Currahee starts taking mortars. Because of the attack the rest of Delta didn't arrive until it was almost dark and it was decided that Alpha Co. 1/506, who were to replace us in the field , would CA out of the firebase at first light so D & A companies shared the duty of securing Currahee.

It was S.O.P. at Currahee to have at least one mad minute during the night and since it was the 4th of July the two Infantry companys made up their minds to also make it a 4th of July celebration. The appointed time for the mad minute came and it was spectacular as the two company's did their best to salute the birthday of The United States of America. The different colored hand flares made excellent substitutes for roman candles. Also the firebases that ringed the A Shau had their own celebrations and gave us on the valley floor a great show. The same scene must have happened all over the RVN that night.

A short time after the firing ceased a tiny flicker of flame could be seen in what looked like the vicinity of the ammo dump that was primarily used to house the rockets of the gunships that were always on station at Currahee. Soon the flicker became a fire and indeed it was in the ammo dump and spreading to the area where two large bladders of fuel for the gunships was located. Lt. Cook , the 3rd platoon leader , came to the bunker we were staying in with an arm full of D-handle shovels so some of us led by the Lt. started towards the fire when the real fireworks began. First the Cobra's took to the air as fast as they could and the wash from their rotors only fanned the fire. We started to hear pop-pop-pop sounds as SA ammo started to go off and noticed that the bladders of fuel were now engulfed with the fire. As we were running as fast as we could away from that side of the perimeter the first bladder blew up with a loud whooshing sound and the heat was so intense I thought I was being burned alive. The second bladder went up a few minutes later.

Then the real fun began as rockets started to go flying every which way and all sorts of rounds M-16 , M-60 , M-79 and the minigun ammo were going off. It must have been quite a sight for the Brigade TOC up at FSB Berchesgarden for they called down to ask if we were being overrun { don't know how our CO explained this one }.For what seemed like an eternity men were crowded into bunkers and fighting positions made for just one company as rockets and rounds were whizzing all over the place. Rocket explosions were everywhere. I remember that Doc Daniels, the combat medic from my platoon, had a close encounter with a rocket as he was trying to get to a wounded man. It went thru his legs skipping along the ground.

It all seems kinda funny now but at the time it wasn't. To this day I've never heard as much praying as I heard that day and that includes my church packed wall to wall at Midnight Mass at Christmas. A very memorable 4th of July to say the least!!!

On the morning of the 5th both company?s had to police the FSB and my company didn?t get its rest. We CA?ed out with Alpha company. I?m sure it was our punishment for the celebration the night before.


PS...I know how the fire got started but I'll never tell.

Hope everyone has a great and safe 4th of July