O’Donnel’s proposed operation may or may not have been stupendous but it was certainly large. The whole Battalion minus heavy weapons – mortars and 50 calibers – was going out to sweep the countryside and hopefully persuade Mr. Charles to do the gentlemanly thing and stand and fight. With four companies, over five hundred men, I had serious doubts that Charlie would be that foolish, but he’d have a field day with snipe and run. Why is the Brass incapable of understanding that the other side will generally try not to do what you want and will play by their own rules?
Author: John Koelsch
John M. Koelsch served as a Combat Platoon Leader in Vietnam in 1968. An excerpt from his novel, Mickey’s War, won the 2015 Meringoff Writing Award in the Essay. He’s had 4 of his short stories published. His poetry has been published in Clinch Mountain Review (twice), South Carolina Writers Workshop Anthology, Pass In Review, and other publications. He’s received 10 Gold Medals, 7 Silver Medals, and 5 Bronze Medals in the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival Competitions from 2009-16. He was invited to the Festival in 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2015. He performed his work on stage in 2013.