In 1968 under Operation STABILIZE he was assigned as a scout and interpreter to the 720th MP Battalion, Ambush Teams and worked for some time with Ambush Team #76

       SGT Xichs and his family lived in An Hoa Hung Village. He was several years older than us very professional and somewhat of an introvert until he got to know us better, and then developed a good sense of humor. With our squad he had to. His name in english was pronounced "Shits" so it caused a bit of a controversy at first and he took a lot of good natured ribbing. Then one day out of the blue he told us that "Shits was number 1, you no shit, you die." Enough said. He too was a very dedicated and fearless PF when it came to VC hunting.

Ambush Team #76 & SGT Xichs in late 1968

Always Listen To Your Scout On a bright moon lit nigh in January 1969 we were assigned to set up an ambush several hundred yards south of Long Binh Post Gate #11. We were first out and by the time the 3/4 ton truck returned from post with the second ambush team we had already set up at a small knoll in the center of a large field of rice paddies. The second team was to cross past our field of fire to the south and set up at the end of a stream bed on the Buong River to our west, well out of our field of fire. We saw the truck stop and waited for their radio message that they had safely crossed our field of fire. Several minutes passed when we observed a squad 50 yards to our south east passing in front of a large culvert under the roadway where the truck had just left five minutes before. I got on the radio and called SGT Stone to verify it was his ambush team and to inquire why he had yet to move to his position. SGT Xichs insisted it was a squad of VC. I insisted it had to be SGT Stones squad. I called several times on the radio without receiving an answer so I stood up and shouted, "Stone what the hell are you doing." A Vietnamese voice shouted

 back "do mau my," which is Vietnamese slang for "mother fu--er," and we immediately opened fire. SGT Xichs was right, it was a squad of VC, the 274th Main Force VC Battalion who we found out later were conducting a recon for their upcoming 22 February attack on Long Binh post and Gate #11.

      Minutes later SGT Stone inquired as to our firing and reported their radio was accidentally turned off. They didn't discover it until they heard our shooting. Battalion TOC gave me a pass on my decision not to open fire but SGT Xichs made me pay for my decision, and in turn I made SGT Stone pay for his mistake, over and over and over.   Journal Of CPL Thomas T. Watson, B Company, 720th MP Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, March 1968-March 1969.

Use Your Browser Button To Return