From America and Me: The Rosebud Chronicles
Chapter 12
Carson's Retreat
Just before dawn and there is total quiet in the jungle. No birds calling. No insects calling. No breeze in the trees. Nothing! Just blackness and a roaring quiet in my ears. We are all creeping forward as the Lieutenant told us to do. Each of us hardly breathing. Trying not to make a sound. The new guy, the man to my right, Walowski, the dumb ass Polack, is shaking so hard he drops his M16. His weapon crashed to the ground with a clatter that could be heard for 100 miles. In front us, a bunch of VC with AK's open up. The whole jungle erupts with hot metal, noise and smoke. We all dove into the mud trying to hug the earthworms and leeches.
I hear the whining voice of the LT. Berdan, calling, " Keep moving. Keep moving forward. God dammit keep moving." Those that kept moving crawled right into body bags for the flight back to the world. Those of us who knew better lived to fight one more day. I could hear the dustoff coming in low and on my right...
Then the morning sun lit up Carson's eyes to end another night of reliving a familiar dream. Carson dragged himself out of bed and headed to the shower. Carson, clenched his teeth, as he turned on the cold water trying to erase the nightmare. He would always remember that the new Lieutenant was named Greely. Everyone had hoped Greely would be smarter then Berdan. But he only lasted 4 weeks. The only positive thing about the entire mess was when Greely stepped on the mine Carson got a field Commission to 2nd Lieutenant and that changed his life. But Carson could not ever forget poor LT. Berdan, the man had these higher aspirations, he thought the important thing was "not to achieve, but to strive". He must have read Aldo Leopold at West Point. Berdan often used to preach, "Men I want you to try. I want you to strive to complete the mission. I will be the judge if you have achieved the goal all you have to do is to strive to meet the goal." After 46 years, Carson could still see Berdan's face and hear the dead man's voice.
Mike Reagan
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