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