The Argument
by Lenard Blachly
W
hen I first got to the Nam there was this guy that sort of adopted me.
His name was Jimi DelGiorno and he was a New York talking, M60
carrying, Hamburger Hill veteran grunt. When I first got lifted out to
the field he grabbed me and said "you are mine..." This was 1st squad,
1st plt. Bravo Co 2/501 in June of '69, right after Dong Ap Bia.
He decided he was going to square me away, he told me he was not "gonna
die" and that I was there to make sure of that. I never expected this
talk from anyone but went along for the ride (what could it hurt). Jimi
was a fast talking guy that made sense to me. Taught me how to act,
smell and how to see, all these things that I needed for my "job" in Nam.
One thing he could not teach me was "walking point..." as he had never
done this. I learned myself. Oh he made me think and feel, to be aware
of all things, to listen to the vets who had walked point, just not how
to "walk point". He shed the M60 when Bro Brown got there (about two weeks
after me). Now you have to understand that Jimi would be two guys behind
me when I walked point, sometimes he would be my slack man, not often
though. Jimi would whisper when I walked point and he was slack...I
could hear him and it felt like no one else could...We were in each
"NO SOUND", or "hear that worm in the hole moving..." "Don't worry it is
just a butterfly he would say..."
Now I really had no problem with this, as I knew it was just him being
aware of what and he how he made me feel things...This whispering did
was hearing him whispering to me all these things you know like "don't
walk there..." look out on the right... see that... don't go down that
too far back for me to hear and he had stopped doing this anyway. So I
knew something bad was going to happen, until I realized he really was
and very loud at that.
Needless to say I stopped and asked him what the fuck are you doing? We
were somewhere in the Ashau it was around July '69 and I knew Jimi well
enough to know it was not normal behavior. He said that I was fucking-up
and not listening to him...
Well we got into a very loud and close argument right there in the middle
of Nam. It took awhile to build-up but it was one "grand argument." The
rest of the platoon just sat down and waited...That's right, just sat
down and waited. I know this sounds hard to believe but it
happened...The plt. leader and squad leader just waited...You have to
understand the feeling of these two people at this time...The Lt. and
Sgt. Jordan knew what was happening and precautions were taken, still the
argument went on...
After about 30 minutes of "You don't know where the fuck you are
going..." "I know exactly where the fuck I'm going..." I finally got
the gist of what it was all about...He was not believing that I was his
savior (he had a strange mind). He was saying I didn't have what it took
to save us all...Well I convinced him I knew enough of walking point that
no one or thing could stop me...He was just trying to get me to believe
in my ability to walk point, (I was already a badass motherfucker in my
mind at least). We had a few fire fights before this time but it seemed
to be more intense now...We were to leave the Ashau sometime in late Aug
I believe. "I was born to walk point" I told him, "it was in my bones
and I wouldn't let any fucking NVA surprise me or the squad..."
Jimi always felt that it was at this time that I became the best point
man in Nam (pure prejudice). Just by convincing him I was "OK." he felt
safe...I have always felt he was the best all around grunt in Nam (pure
prejudice again). Jimi left Nam in Nov. '69. Still talk to Jimi after
33 years. He stills lives in NY...Never had anyone question my ability
at "point..." except Jimi...Still have all those voices in my
that..." "Pull the trigger..."
End
Lenard Blachly
Bravo 2/501