The Ho Chi Minh trail was the super highway for supplies heading south along the Cambodian border until it crossed over into Vietnam. Lying between this strategic border crossings and Saigon the capital of South Vietnam lies the small village of Cu Chi. Just 25 miles north of Saigon it was astride a direct supply route needed by the Vietcong to fortify their upcoming Tet Offensive. The Vietcong leaders decided to construct a complex to support the surrounding area and made their headquarters underground at Cu Chi.
Dense clay made it possible to construct a series of tunnels three and four levels deep with interlocking chambers making it a military engineering marvel. Containing hospitals, classrooms, armories, kitchens, and living quarters it stretched for hundreds of kilometers. Ventilation shafts allowed occupants to remain underground with well concealed trap doors at key locations for fast entry and exit. Containing many hidden doors and passages it was a tremendous Vietcong tactical advantage to have such a complex so close to Saigon.
Life in the tunnels was difficult even under the best of conditions. Infested with ants, centipedes, scorpions, spiders, and vermin along with scarce supplies of food and water made it necessary to stay for only short periods of time. Most times soldiers would spend the day in the tunnels resting and come out at night for food and engaging the enemy. During heavy bombing or American troop movement Vietcong were forced to remain underground for longer periods of time. Malaria was rampant for the occupants and became the second largest cause of death next to battle wounds for the Vietcong. Half of most Vietcong units had malaria and almost 100% had intestinal parasites.
The Tunnels of Cu Chi were discovered in January 1966 by elements of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division along with 173rd Airborne Brigade and it suddenly became apparent the challenges tunnel warfare would impose. When the 25th Infantry Division set up headquarters in Cu Chi they assumed the responsibility of clearing the tunnels and it was a daunting task. For a month the units were attacked from the rear by Vietcong emerging from various holes in the ground as they tried to set up camp.
Underground classrooms, hospitals, sleeping quarters, and munitions depots were so well constructed they have stood the test of time.
Life underground was difficult for the Vietcong and exemplified a determination unmatched by the Allied Forces. These narrow tunnels are only three feet high in some places.
Guerrilla Warefare, hit and run tactics, an enemy hiding in plain site, and now tunnel warefare was added to an arsenal of a relentless enemy. Vietnam was a new type of war and we were flying by the seat of our pants and not doing a very good job of it. The United States tried tear gas, acetylene gas, and explosives until they finally realized they had no idea how to deal with the tunnels and thus the Tunnel Rat was born.
Born out of necessity the Tunnel Rat was an off shoot of the infantry and one of the most unique jobs in all the military. Only the U.S. Army's 1st and 25th Infantry divisions maintained formal units that were very small and contained only two squads each. Squads were no more than a dozen men specially trained for underground warefare. Each team had a radio telephone operator (RTO), a medic, and two former Vietcong acting as advisors and translators. The rest of the team were underground fighters capable of transversing the small dark musty clay packed tunnels with nothing more than a handgun, a knife, and a flashlight. Standard procedure required three men in a tunnel at any given time. In the case of Cu Chi the men were down in the complex for half the day inching their way past intersections and secret passages in darkness. Most Tunnel Rats were wounded at least once but the psychological pressure of the job was overwhelming.
On display in THE ART OF WAR EXHIBIT exhibit. Vietnam relies on tourism as a major industry. It cost 65,000 Dong, about $3.00, for entry.
On display in THE ART OF WAR EXHIBIT exhibit. Vietnam relies on tourism as a major industry. It cost 65,000 Dong, about $3.00, for entry.
Tunnel warefare was not exclusive to Cu Chi. Vietnam was catty combed with tunnel complexes and our area of operation was no exception. After leaving BMB we were headed into the Vietcong's backyard where many of the routes of the Ho Chi Minh Trail filtered through. Here storage depots and tunnels were the norm. Delta was the 199th's best unit but we were not equipped to deal with tunnels and tunnel work was just what we needed in this new area. Command knew what we were up against so before we left we were blessed.
Army issue Bible circa 1965,
This Bible was handed out during a field mass and I carried it for the duration of my tour.
On display at THE ART OF WAR exhibit
It was spring and rather than spring showers and blooming flowers we were given a Christian Easter send off. Headquarters knew what was in store for us so they sent their best Chaplin and handed out mini Bibles. The entire event was documented by a reporter. The service was familiar to me being raised a Catholic and I assumed the non-Christians were there for the festivities. This article hit New Yorks Newsday April 7,1969 and was Delta's big send off.
THE ART OF WAR ARCHIVE
received Chaplin Burleson's blessing.
THE ART OF WAR ARCHIVE
Looking down at my M-16 with one hand and clutching my new Bible with the other I received my blessing from the Chaplin in anticipation for this offensive. Not knowing when and where an attack would come we were always on alert. The Chaplin spoke of courage during battle and the need to keep one's fate in the face of adversity. He asked God to lead us to victory as I suddenly awoke from my religiously induced trance trying to make the connection between God and killing humans on the battlefield. Was the battlefield the key I thought, was that the difference between killing someone in everyday life and being blessed before I kill someone on the battlefield? Was killing someone I know worse than killing a total stranger as long as it was sanctioned by a Chaplin. I had his blessings so I assumed it was a go. My mind meandered in and around thoughts catching fragments of his sermon then suddenly it hit me. Was the Vietcong simultaneously having an epiphany with their deity, were they assembled under outstretched hands praying for victory, if so, would the stronger God win the battle? If that were the case then why not let the Gods fight it out and I could go home. That was the moment I lost religion.
The call came and we hit the ground running. Our sister unit was pinned down with no visible way out and recieving heavy casualties. Artillery and air support were not an option due to the helter skelter scattering of the unit and close contact with the enemy. There was only one way in and that was to fight our way in but we had to get there first. They were trapped in a low lying wet area of triple canopy jungle at least a full days march away.
THE ART OF WAR ARCHIVE
In full gear and armed to the teeth we hacked our way through heavy jungle until we broke through then forced marched eating on the go. Half the day and half the night we pushed on needing all the blessings we could get. Tom our radio operator was always in contact with the unit as cries for help came through loud and clear. Their radio operator was alone, separated from his unit, and pinned down with darkness setting in.
His name was Kelly and Tom talked him through the ordeal reassuring him help was on the way. His pleas for help and the sound of gunfire filled Toms head with horror as we pressed on. Tom refused to let him off the radio and that was just fine with Kelly because he was shacky and losing control. Tom continued talking and reassuring him, he needed to hang on as exhaustion set in. We were beyond feelings of pain with full gear and extra ammo. The added sweltering heat and bugs was a nightmare in progress as we pressed on throughout the day and into the night. Under the hood, as we called it, was how we read our coordinates and we were careful not to expose any light. A poncho was draped over one of our heads as we read the compass by flashlight and adjusted our course accordingly.
As we approached a swampy lower lying area of jungle we knew we were close, it was dark now and the fighting had stopped. Grateful we didn't have to fight our way in we found Kelly and Tom attended to him as the rest of us spread out in the wet undergrowth. Totally drained of all energy we paired up with a soldier from the other unit that was already asleep. In total darkness we waited till dawn.
At first light the horror of our world was realized, we were sleeping with dead soldiers. Death and destruction permiated the damp musty morning air as half the unit was killed in this makeshift watery grave and there was more to come. Our only recourse to elude the fate of our sister unit was to regress the way we came in. Some of us carrying the dead soldier we slept we now had the extra burden of dead weight.
A dead soldier was sacred under all circumstances and cared for as such. We didn't know their names we only knew they were going home with or without the Chaplins blessings.Today was a bad day.
Selfie in new growth jungle.
As I walked through the area entrance and exits to the underground complex were clearly marked. This hole connected two tunnels that led in different directions.
Descending 60 feet deep into the bowels of the earth the last chamber coincided laterally with the Mekong River water level. As the water table of the river rose so to did the near bye ground water supplying the third chamber with fresh water. Cooking areas were designed with muffler chambers to contain the smoke .until the proper time. During the morning the smoke was slowly released into the misty jungle air and blended in. Five foot high ant hills were a common site in the jungle and a natural occurrence. Bamboo air shafts were burrowed through the core hiding them from view and allowed the Vietcong to breath underground.
These once bare holes contained lids covered with leaves for camouflage.
Nick, an ex UK Matine shows the overall size of the tunnels.
The scope and enormity of the complex was impressive but what impressed me most was the strength this engineering marvel had. The bomb craters were still visible and allowed you to see their penetration. B-52's left 500 pond bomb craters that may have reached depths deep enough to destroy normal bunkers but this was no normal bunker. The second and third chambers were not touched allowing the Vietcong to continue fighting and had to be cleared by hand.
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