Sent north to help the Marines, the Army's 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry, fought a nightmarish battle in the shadow of the DMZ.
The assault unfolded quietly at first, but the grunts of the lead company were extremely uneasy as they advanced across the sandy, scrubby fields, the sky clear and hot above them. For one thing, there was scant cover. The terrain was flat and open, interrupted only by dunes and low-lying hedgerows and treelines. In addition, enemy units were suspected of having recently moved into the area. The ground was littered with shell casings and discarded equipment from previous engagements.
The lead company seized the deserted hamlet that was its first objective without incident, then switched point platoons on a share-the-risk principle before pressing on toward the village of Nhi Ha. The platoon leader who had taken the first objective noticed to his surprise that the lieutenant of the platoon replacing his up front was personally on point, his weapon slung around his neck and held ready at his waist. "You're not supposed to be walking point!" the surprised platoon leader called out to his fellow lieutenant. As the pointman continued on, he replied, "These guys are draggin' ass, and I'm going to show 'em how to do it."
