It was a clear, peaceful night for A Company 3-1 on their new firebase until the Viet Cong decided to hold an improptu concert and propaganda broadcast for the soldiers there recently.
"It was about 9 or 10 p.m. when I began hearing the song 'Where Have All the Flowers Gone,'" explained 1LT Lewis D. Adams Jr. (West Point, Ga.), artillery forward observer for A Company. "Then this voice came on, asking us why we were here fighting in Vietnam. It was really strange because the voice was very clear and spoke in excellent English."
SP4 James Shelton (Bayton, Mo.), radio telephone operator for the company commander, continued the story. The first song was 'Where Have All the Floweres Gone,' followed by 'Oh Suzanna' and 'North to Alaska.' As far as I could tell, the songs were original versions."
"Then this guy started telling us to come over to his side and help get rid of the troublemakers in Vietnam. He added that this was a special broadcast for all G.I.s, officers, and ARVNs. They must have thought we must have had interpreters up on the hill because part of the time they spoke in Vietnamese."
While the company listened to the broadcast, 1LT Adams called for artillery to silence the talkative Communist PSYOP team which he estimated to be 800 to 900 meters northwest of the firebase.
"I must have directed over 100 rounds into the area" commented 1LT Adams, "and I was sure we had at least scared them away. But soon as we stopped firing, they were broadcasting again. It was really something."
The VC were thought to have been using a large portable PA system carried on the back.
After about 35 minutes, the VC disc-jockey ended his broadcast apparently unharmed. Several of the 3-1 soldiers commented that the broadcast was better than a show.
