Chasing Charlie

Richard Fleming volunteered for the Marine Corps in 1967. Following basic training at Parris Island, Advanced Infantry training, and Recon Indoctrination he completed Army Airborne School to become a Marine paratrooper. When he first arrived in Vietnam he was assigned to 1st Battalion Recon and then transferred to 1st Force Recon where he spent the remainder of his 13-month tour as a Marine scout with an eight-man long range reconnaissance team. He lives in Freeport, Maine.

• Table of ContentsPreface 1—Monsoon2—One Way Ticket to Nam3—Da Nang4—Battalion Recon5—Pack Mule to the Rescue6—Chief7—The Club8—Gear Up9—Morning10—Mount Up11—Alone on the LZ12—Sniper13—Leaving Battalion14—Welcome to Force15—The Firing Range16—Mortar17 —Contact18—Golden Wings19—Toothpaste20—Hospital Visit21—The Coop22—Jonah23—The New Jersey24—Sic ’Em25—River Rat26—The Red Corvette27—An Hoa28—Buzzard Bait29—A Christmas Carol30—A Close Shave31—Hell’s Half Acre32—Wounded33—Cam Ranh Bay34—Gassed35—The Pit36—Grunts37—The Quick and the Dead38—Blessed Sleep39—Rats40—Sink or Swim41—Hot Water42—Elephants on the LZ43—Foresight…Foresight…44—Everything Is ­Samee-Same45—The Bucktoothed Sergeant46—The Silken Boudoir47—CAP48—The Dog and Pony Show49—The Fight50—Truckin51—Tiger52—Don’t Blink53—Sentry Post Alpha54—Murder55—Short Timer56—Trinkets57—Ho…Ho…Ho Chi Minh58—HomecomingEpilogueReconnaissance CreedNavaho BlessingChapter NotesRecommended ReadingIndex