Happy Birthday Marine!!

Far to the north Dong Den OP
“Pssst…wake up motherfucker. You’re on watch next, get yer ass up!”
He woke with a slight start, momentarily wondering where he was at, then remembered. He was deep in the Annamese mountains of the Quang Nam Province, northwest of Danang City. Inside a reinforced ‘pup tent’, corrugated steel covered with sandbags. Sitting up he pulled on his boots and field jacket, grabbing his rifle, bandoliers of ammo and web gear. He crawled out and stood up, looking around at the starless night.
It was 1:30 in the morning, on top of the highest peak, Dong Den Observation Post (OP). Overlooking the Elephant valley and the entire Danang Vital Area below, Dong Den was manned by a dozen Recon Marines who were mostly ‘so short they could walk under a door’. He was the “unlucky 13th man” and some were not happy about his presence. Lacing his boots up, he pulled on a stocking cap against the chill, pulled on some gloves, stumbled after the Sergeant to the north bunker. After giving him instructions the Sergeant turn back to the young Marine.

“Oh, happy birthday!” 

The Korean War Baby celebrated his birthday yesterday by hiking into some hills near his home in Ansan City, KyongGi-Do province, 90 minutes southwest of Seoul. He took the day off and grabbed the dog, some food and water, left the cell phone at the apartment. Reflecting on his life, the past, present, and the future. Can it really be 58 years?! How many more? Oh, well…just take it one day at a time. What else can we do, in this life.
Happy Birthday to me!