I was a SP4 with HHB, 6/11th Artillery in Duc Pho in 1969-1970, commo section. Hill 4-11 was readily resupplied by road so we would periodically run up to Chu Lai, load up with HE and drop it off at the hill on our way back. Unfortunately the deuce and a half I drove, chock full of the aforesaid HE rounds, lost its brakes. It could not be abandoned, as it was getting late, and we had no wrecker with us, being short on brains apparently. So they put me on the end of the line and I slowed down by downshifting and running into the truck ahead of me. By the time we got to Hill 4-11, the bumper was gone, radiator was shot, engine was turning red and I was nervous. They parked me outside the perimeter in case it all blew up; I wandered away into the dead zone outside the wire, only to turn around to see everyone waving and shouting something about me being in a minefield or something. Not my best day, but someone in there had a cold beer for me eventually.
Robin Benton
