OUR UNIT & ASCHAU MONSOON BY MOE HAAGENSEN
 
Our Unit We had been in the Ashau for so long our superior’s sent us to a beach. Our bodies stunk, along with our minds, and our fingers reeked of gun oil. Nevertheless, here we were on the beach of a cold and salty South China Sea. The day’s sunshine was brilliant and warmed our bodies as we stood in the sand. There was even a lifeguard who sat on a stand. The pulse of the tide secretly controlled our minds with a regular rhythm our hearts were not able to find. We were “grunts”! Grunts fresh out of the jungle! We were “grunts” who had to return by the next day. So I asked the lifeguard what does his job pay? He replied, “I’m just an E-4 and gotta do this again tomorrow. You guys will be gone.” The blades of a helicopter became our alarm clock as we slept on the warm sand. Using rucksacks as pillows holding guns in our hands. Early mornings glow, wrapping around us as we left. *** Aschau Monsoon The nights flew by with no cause intended, By either side! We were soldiers in the rain! We were soldiers who knew we could not fight! Both of us, mere soldiers in the rain.