Later our section leader Brian Strasser (pictured above) told me he tried to lift one of the bodies and it came apart in his hands. The quartermasters were putting the parts of bodies they found in plastic bags.

The squad we were attached to was later detailed to look for the second downed chopper. We found it not far away in some tall grass at the edge of a rice paddy. We radioed back that we found it. We then went back to the first chopper and set up a perimeter around it and picked out a position to put the machine gun overlooking an open field. Here we would set up for the night. Another squad set up around the other wreck.

That night Mike Coleman woke me up after he stood his watch. Instead of going right to bed, he stayed up to talk for a while. He sat with his rifle propped between his legs and his face close to the barrel squinting into the darkness. I could tell that the events of the day had affected him deeply as they also did me. We talked a little about the days events. He affirmed to me his belief and trust in God in times like this. I agreed with him. He then went over and laid down on the ground and pulled his poncho liner over his face and went to sleep.

The next morning we got up and fixed our C-rations, and drank a cup of instant coffee. The quartermasters had finished their work so we saddled up and lined up on the road. Before we moved out we pushed the remains of the wreckage to the side of the road. My feet were beginning to get sore from all the walking we had done in the last few days. When we got back to the compound we resumed our usual routine.