The following account has been modified to read in the first person, based on an interview with Rich before he passed away in 2021. The details have not been altered, other than references to who may have fired that night.
In the days leading up to Sept. 3, 1970, we were working in platoon strength and were all on edge because we had had 9 contacts in 8 days. I was startled awake by gunfire.
Waterman had gotten his replacement. He had gone too far downhill and was coming back. A trooper who was not on guard went to the guard position and fired the M-60 in the direction of the noise.
I heard Craig (Thomas Waterman) coming up “God help me!” “It’s me Waterman.” I do not believe Craig did not set off a Claymore as others had mentioned.
I went on a recon patrol the next morning with Jim Garvin looking for a way down the mountain and encountered 2 VC and later 2 NVA while looking for a suitable LZ to extract the body.
Poochie was our Squad Leader at the time. There was also a Shake and Bake E5 named Harry who was the Point Team leader. I recall the skipper at the time was Captain Lynch.
A gook came to get Poochie, I shot him but did not kill.
I was the man on the other end of the litter the day we carried Waterman off the Mountain (with Stan Dillon).
The chopper came in and brought a Log and took out Craig and the trooper who fired that night. Craig and I were good friends.
