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Ken Smits grew up in Northern New Jersey, married his high school sweetheart, Sharon, and headed off to Vietnam via the U.S. Air Force at the age of 18. Ken is the author of the book series, Without Glory. A harsh and in depth look at life on the battlefield
WITHOUT GLORY: SHATTERED LIVES Part Two By Ken Smits We continue our journey through Shattered Lives. Part One is in the August issue of FireWatch Magazine. The whishing sound from the rocket-propelled anti-tank round permeates the air. I spin around, looking back down the path. A grayish-white smoke trail gives
By Ken Smits “We’ve got an interesting one this time, guys.” Sergeant Billings’s face is filled with trepidation. We gather around the picnic table behind the barracks as Billings pulls out a small notebook. I look at my watch; it’s 0700 hours. “Heavy enemy contact was made ten kilometers from
“Humankind wuz here” War is brutal for everyone, including mother earth. The two USAF Kaman HH-43 Huskie helicopters sweep down into a large clearing. As we jump out, I can see the landing zone has been man-made—the effects of a tremendous explosion. The jungle is a completely cleared circle one
The members of A-Team sit around our open-bay barracks. Everyone but Billings is drinking. The mood is tense. It’s so thick that the air could be cut with a knife. No one has spoken more than a word or two in the last hour. We suffer within ourselves, unable to
Explore military stories in Veteran Voices, a FireWatch Magazine section. From childhood in Germany to life-size mannequins, discover heartfelt narratives.
“Our Mission is to destroy one 750-pound general-purpose bomb located at 72362,” Billings says. “Execution of task as follows: Demo team, blow the bomb in place with comp C-4 explosives and electrical time fuse. Security element, provide perimeter defense at bomb site. Also, provides point and frontal security in movement
The missions between classes enable us to sharpen our skills further and reinforce our training. We’re hit by sniper fire, which always startles us. It’s frightening to be shot at by an enemy you can’t see. It’s weird not being protected by a classroom environment. We’ve been fortunate so far.
The men of the A-Team sit around the makeshift classroom/supply room. Half of us had our heads on the tables when the door swung open, and Billings and a green beret soldier walked in. He speaks without any intro from Billings, “Gentlemen, my name is Staff Sergeant McMillian. I’m attached
After finishing my NCO leadership course, I was assigned the position of assistant team leader for Sergeant Billings’ “A-Team.” Smitty, Gator, and other men chosen for the Commandoes joined us for several weeks of intensive training. The instruction is not as easily paced as the leadership course was. There are
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