Into the Fray

FOB Saigon, 17-08-1965

Just an hour before her watch would alarm, somepony knocked on Twilight’s door. She stumbled out of bed and answered the door to see the Commanding Officer for the 2nd ID.

“Hey, I know it’s on short notice, but I really need your platoon’s help. You see, on of my platoons was able to kiss ass their way to a beach RnR Station, and the battalion they’re in is having to patrol a village and surrounding areas just outside of Saigon. Normally I would go to 3rd for this help, but as they were deployed yesterday, I thought I’d come to the cavalry. I’ve already talked to your colonel and he’s approved your platoon deploying with us if you accepted,” said the officer.

Twilight didn’t hesitate to answer. “Of course, when and where is the rallying point sir?”

The officer grinned. “That’s what I like to hear. After Cav’s breakfast, have your platoon gear up and report to the helipads. We’ll be waiting,” he said.

“Yes sir,” said Twilight. After the two saluted, the CO left and Twilight threw her Class B on and left to tell Applejack about the change in plans.
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Chút ít Làng, 17-08-1965

Members of the 2nd Infantry and 1st Cavalry were patrolling a tiny village on the outskirts of Saigon. There were rumors about FC being hidden in the village. The objective was to search every square inch of the village, arrest any FC member they found, and destroy any munitions they found. So far they hadn’t found anything. After an hour of searching, they were finishing up. All they had to do was march to the other side of the village. Just a three minute walk. Twilight was happy that it was almost over. Carrying their gear was exhausting like Applejack said it would be because of the gear’s weight. Twilight was also considering not wearing her fragmentation vest like most others because it was hot. The choppers could be heard coming inbound. Twilight thought it would be worse over in Fillynam. So far all she’s gotten is sweat, bugs, and rifle cleaning supplies. She was thinking about what she’d say in her letter to Celestia. She almost didn’t notice. Notice the sniper shot. Notice the blood mist emit out of the nineteen year old Lance Corporal in front of her’s head. Notice the loud thud she made as she dropped like dead weight. She was dead and she was weight, fitting. It even took awhile for her to realize what happened, even as she was throwing herself to the ground yelling for the others to do the same.

About twenty M16 shots could be heard in front of her before somepony shouted out “Sniper down!”

“MEDIC!” Twilight yelled as loud as she could, rushing to the soldier that was shot.

When she got there, all she saw was a gory hole about half the size of her head and brains and blood pouring out. She was dead. No medic could fix that, it had already been done. When the medic, along with a few others, arrived, they used the medic’s poncho as a makeshift gurney to get the body to the LZ. The choppers had arrived and were starting to land when they got to the field that was named the LZ.

“Load her up on our slick,” Applejack said over the sound of the rotors to the incoming team carrying the dead.
Like they were told, they loaded the body onto 1st Squad’s Huey. Those who were in other squads went to their chopper as 1st Squad, Applejack, and Twilight got onto the chopper with the body. Applejack crawled to the body and fastened a squad leader’s poncho to the medic’s so that it created a makeshift body bag. By now the bleeding had stopped. Twilight wanted to keep her eyes aimed at the city below, but she couldn’t look away from the ponchos that held a young member of her platoon. Her name was Starfire. She had two younger brothers, a fiancé , and four best friends at FOB Saigon. She always wanted to be in the army to be a band member. Whenever she went in, though, the only available job was infantry. It felt like forever, but Twilight could feel the helicopter lower. She looked out and saw a MUTT awaiting at the helipads. When their chopper landed, two medics approached and put it in the MUTT. They drove off with what remained of Starfire. All Twilight could do was watch as they drove off.
“Don’t let it get to you,” Applejack said after approaching Twilight. “As a leader, you have subordinates sacrifice everything. It’s hard at first, and you never get used to it. C’mon, let’s get this gear off and get some coffee if it’s not flank-poor.”
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FOB Saigon, 22-08-1965

“Starfire’s replacement just arrived,” Applejack said entering Twilight’s office.

“Alright,” Twilight said. “Take them to their squad, I’ll be making a statement later today and will meet them then.”

“Alright, I reckon that’ll work,” Applejack said, leaving Twilight’s office to meet up with the new soldier.

Half an hour passed before Twilight’s phone rang. She picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Sparkle, Colonel Moore, we found out who was responsible for Starfire’s death. We were able to collect the body of that sniper, and turns out he was a part of the Fillynam Army’s sniper school. Intel is still being found, but it’s believed that he had orders to attack. His rifle and ammunition were all registered to the Fillynam Army.”

“Thank you colonel,” Twilight said.

“And Sparkle, if you need to talk, about Starfire, or coping with the death of anypony, don’t be scared to talk to me. I’m always closeby.”

“Yes sir,” she said before hanging the phone up.
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Ke Sanh, 24-08-1965

News of the army soldier killed by a Fillynam Army sniper had spread quickly, especially to Ke Sanh. Marine and Army Hueys were constantly landing to refuel and rearm. Hueys and their crews had been going on gun runs (since there were M60s on either side of the chopper) for the past few days. Nopony knew what their targets were, but most figured it was sniper training areas and known FillyCong hideouts. Nothing else had changed though, other than one thing. Those in Camp Charlie and another company from in Ke Sanh were swapping. This meant a few things for Rarity, mainly positives except for one thing. She would have to start patrolling out in the jungle now that she wasn’t a part of the base’s perimeter. When she got settled into her new hooch, which she thought was better than her tent from Camp Charlie, she and Carrot Top headed to their favorite spot in Fillynam, Dash’s hooch.

“I’m so excited you guys finally got moved down here!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed when they arrived

“Yes, as am I. I get to actually sleep in a bed. It’s been dreadful sleeping in an inflatable bed. Though I dread patrols more,” Rarity said back.

“Eh, you get used to it. Hey, come in before the bugs get you, they’re bad this time of day,” Dash said.

They went into the hooch and talked like they usually did when they could leave camp. That’s all Rarity had done in this country really. She got into one small fight and one small patrol. The rest was standing in a tower, cleaning her rifle, doing PT, and being in Dash’s hooch.

Somepony knocked on the screen door and walked in, it was Mikey. “I found out some news, and a few of you won’t like it,” he said. The hooch was dead silent. “The soldier killed was Starfire, a member of the 1st Cavalry Division, her platoon sergeant was a mare named Applejack and her officer is a new lieutenant named Twilight Sparkle.”

Rainbow Dash and Rarity were both silent. Neither of them knew how to react.

“Dash, Rarity, Carrot, or anypony, if you need somepony to talk to, I’m always in my hooch.” With that, Mikey left.

Rarity’s eyes were glued to the floor. Hearing of two of her friends losing somepony in their command made her think of what would happen. Who would be next? Would it be her friends? Would it be her? For the first time in years, Rarity started wanting to get back home as much as possible. She looked at Carrot Top. Her face was showed just as much worry as Rarity had.

“Hey, I know it may seem tough, and it may sound terrible, but it’s war,” Dash said to Rarity. “Ponies die, and we all take that risk, even if all we do is sit around all day. You’ve seen it before, football turned into a few ponies going home in boxes. The chances of it happening to you are one in however many soldiers we have over here.”

Rarity couldn’t speak. She silently rose and left. She went to her hooch, grabbed her gear, and went to the on-base tactical range known as “The Pit” to train. Carrot Top quickly joined her. Until MPs dragged them out of The Pit they trained. They trained in as many ways as possible, with the help of regulars to The Pit. They learned tactics to keep them and those alongside them alive. Sleep wasn’t to come easily, though. When they got back to their hooch, a notice was posted on the door. It said that their battalion was patrolling an area believed to be high traffic for government supply trucks in three days. Rarity and Carrot Top vigorously trained until that day.
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47 Miles south southwest of Ke Sanh, 27-08-1965

There was one road and seven off-road trails in the AO. Charlie company had remote detonated C4 on the main road. Bravo company had the trails to the north. Alpha company, Rarity’s company, had the trails to the south. Her platoon had set up claymore mines along the trails, and were in the brush on the sides away from the blast areas waiting for anything. Rarity was in a bush, and Carrot Top was behind a tree to Rarity’s right.

“Psst, hey,” Carrot Top whispered to Rarity, since they were supposed to remain silent, “Do you think we’ll catch anything?”

“I don’t know,” Rarity replied.

They spent hours hiding in the brush. After three and a quarter hours in the field, an explosion was heard to the north. Before anypony could say anything, they heard rustling in the brush south of them. They figured it was the platoon below them, as they were the farthest south. They thought that, until small arms fire broke out.

Rarity was next to the RTO and platoon leader. She could hear the radio. “1st platoon, we are under attack! I say again, under attack! There’s at least a battalion of tangos!”

“Roger 1st platoon,” the company commander said. “2nd platoon (Rarity’s platoon), hump it to 1st platoon and relieve them. I’m contacting battalion commander now.”

“Copy that!” said the RTO from 1st platoon.

2nd platoon’s RTO spoke up into the phone, “2nd platoon moving out.”

“Alright, strap up!” Her platoon leader started yelling out. “1st platoon is under attack, and we’re moving to them to relieve pressure until reinforcements arrive!”

“I want 1st and 2nd squad with me and 3rd and 4th with LT!” Yelled the platoon sergeant.

Rarity, Carrot Top, and 1st and 2nd squad regrouped on their gunnery sergeant.

“Alright here’s the plan, we run like hell into the fray, take cover, and spray the woods. Stay low, and stick to my ass. Oorah?!”

“Oorah!” replied the squads.

“Alright, let’s go!”

They charged. It wasn’t long before Rarity could hear rounds smacking the trunks they ran past and saw dirt fly from rounds hitting the dirt. Eventually they made it to the defensive line without any casualties. They took cover and started firing.

Rarity just sprayed. She didn’t even bother aiming. She just sprayed. The sound was absolutely horrendous. There was firing from them, firing from the enemies, brush being shot, ponies screaming in pain, NCOs and officers trying their best to lead and comfort. Rarity was looking left while reloading and saw a young looking squad leader get shot in the throat while he was dragging an even younger looking PFC out of a danger zone. She looked right and saw Carrot Top engaging. Her face was a mixture of dirt, sweat, and condensation of the smoke that had gathered over the battlefield.

Rarity had fired off all of her magazines when she heard a jet fly overhead. Then a second, third, and finally fourth, all the same time napalm was exploding in the brush up ahead. It just added a new sound, an immense roaring sound. The smoke started to form a wall that couldn’t be seen past, and they didn’t appear to be under fire.

“Cease fire,” Carrot Top said to Rarity, who passed it down the line.

Some ponies stood up, trying to figure everything out.

“Stay down!” Rarity yelled at them, remembering that the guys in The Pit told her to always stay down and make sure those around her did the same.

They all quickly squatted back down, thinking it was an NCO. 5 ton trucks could be heard arriving but they stopped.

“Alright 1st platoon, get these mines up, trucks are trying to get in!” yelled 1st platoon’s gunnery sergeant.

It took about ten minutes, but all of the mines were finally collected. The trucks came in with soldiers and supplies. When they were offloaded, the dead and wounded were loaded up. It looked like seventeen-ish dead and wounded from Rarity’s perspective. Once they were loaded up, the trucks left, leaving those able-bodied behind.

It was a busy scene after the trucks left. Soldiers moving which way and back, getting water, ammunition, and trying to figure out what to do. The freshly arrived soldiers had set up the defensive line. Once her platoon was cleared to leave to restock, she and Carrot Top first left to get water. They drank all of the water from their 1 quart canteens and refilled them, then they resupplied on ammunition. Rarity noticed that the troops who came in on trucks didn’t use M16s, yet, they used M14s, like what they trained with at boot camp.
“Odd, how we use the 16 and they’re using the 14,” she said to Carrot Top who nodded her head in response.
There were rumors that counter-offensive was about to take place. Rarity looked around for her platoon leader. When she found him, she went up to him to ask him to not fight again.

“Lieutenant Compass, sir.”

“Yes?” He said.

“Is it possible for us to stay out of combat again? I heard rumors of a counter-offensive.” She asked.

“I’m not sure, we’re, the officers, are about to have a meeting and talk with HQ to see what to do. It may, it may not happen. I’ll let all of you know as soon as I can.”

“Yes sir, thank you, sir.”

Compass walked about after that, leaving Rarity standing there.

“Hey,” said Carrot Top, approaching her battle buddy. “Try to not run off on me again. I’m lucky I found you in this crowd.”

“Sorry about that, I was seeing if we were to counterattack,” Rarity replied.

“Oh okay. Are we”

“I don’t know Carrot, I don’t know.”

Two Hours Later

Rarity’s platoon was gathered around their sergeant and lieutenant.

“Alright, listen up everypony,” their lieutenant called out. “The reinforcements that came by truck will be counter-attacking whoever was out there. We’re going to follow them. Ou-”

“BULLSHIT!” A colt yelled from in the platoon. “I almost got blown to bits, and you expect me to fight again?!”

“Why don’t you grow a pair and fight you goddamn motherfucking cunt ass weak flank pussy!” Yelled the platoon sergeant.

“All of you!” the platoon leader yelled. “Get your shit together. We won’t be serving as front line. We’re behind them and our primary job is getting supplies to the front lines and pulling out. I want complete cooperation. If anypony gets confused or needs to relay me something, find the pony with the radio pack, we’re setting up a command post on the other side of the path. Stick with your squad leader, and squad leaders keep in touch with the platoon sergeant. Buck, stay with the platoon’s RTO and make sure your squad leaders know what their squads’ jobs are.”

...

Her head was ringing. Rarity had just regained consciousness. She couldn’t remember anything and she felt sore. She slowly opened her eyes and saw the ceiling of her bedroom. She got up and tried to walk to her door, but she fell down. She got back up and hobbled towards it. She opened the door and proceeded down the stairs. She went past the kitchen, but she began to smell something burn. She went back and entered the kitchen, the sound of fire was roaring. She saw her stove engulfed in flames. All she could do was stare at it. When she looked away from the flames, she saw Carrot Top looking down at her. Then she remembered everything.

She and members of her squad were running from the supply staging area to a squad of Marines pinned down. They were going outside their role to aid the pinned Marines since her squad had automatic rifles and their squad weren’t allowed to use the automatic feature on their M14s. As she was approaching the squad, a mortar round exploded ten feet in front of her, knocking her backwards. As she was being thrown back, she could feel her chest feel compress and shrapnel hitting her vest, face, and helmet. By now, she had regained full hearing. The battle she was in was tremendous.

“What happened?!” She asked Carrot Top.

“You were hit by shards of an enemy mortar! The medics gave you morphine and searched you for wounds! The only injuries you got were three smalls sites to the face and five to both arms! You’re not bleeding; we need to go!” Carrot Top replied.

She helped Rarity up and they ran back to the staging area. Just as they arrived, jets could be heard above. Rarity counted three jets that looked like Thunderchiefs, but she was sure that there was at least one more. Once again, the sounds of napalm exploding filled her ears. This time the explosions were more distant and more muffled. There also wasn’t a roar to them.

She was just about to ask a question to Carrot Top, but as she opened her mouth an A-1 Skyraider flew right overhead and began firing its guns.

“What the hell is going on?!” She asked.

“There’s a ton of them! We were almost overrun! They called in all available air support within ten minutes of here!”

Two Super Sabres flew overhead by 500 feet and delivered four 500 lb bombs.

After an hour of continuous low altitude bomb runs, Rarity’s platoon gathered around their Lieutenant.

“Alright, listen up. Some of you know, others don’t. Rarity, Saddlebrook, Wave, and Longshot were all injured, all minor. But that’s not why we’re here. Candy Stripe was killed.”

Utter silence fell over the platoon. Some began to tear, others from Stripe’s squad began to softly whimper.

“I know that some of you knew him, others didn’t. But either way, we’re all family here, and we just lost a brother. But let that not hinder us, for if we continue to mourn, we will add a second to that list. So instead of mourning, let us continue our operation, our minds clear. Tomorrow we have the day off, we’ll hold a ceremony for everypony who’s died from Ke Sanh at the parade grounds. In the meantime, we still have a job to do. 1st platoon has taken over the role of transporting supplies. We now are on guard of the flank for the staging and command post areas. Though I tried getting them and their BBs out of guard duty, those who are injured need to be on guard duty.” He ran down the list of who goes where. When he finished Rarity and Carrot Top went to their area. They guarded that area for three more hours until trucks arrived to take them and 1st platoon back to Ke Sanh.