Blue Eyes

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by Wayne Hastings

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E very time we came to this certain ville the kids would come running out begging for c-rats.

This one little girl, maybe nine or ten, had round blue eyes. She must have been half French or maybe early American. Anyway she always singled me out cause she knew I was a soft touch. I had a niece about the same age, and I could see her begging for food everytime I encountered little blue eyes.

I remember the day she gave me one of those cheap gook bracelets. Gave not sold.

One time we came around and set up a perimeter for log on the edge of the ville in the paddie. We got our mail and ammo and had a hot meal. Meanwhile, someone found an unexploded white phosphrous artillery round. The decision was made (Pape I think) to blow it to get rid of it. We packed it with C-4, gave it a watch it blow. All the village kids were scrounging our sight. We waved them away but they just waved back.

Willie Peter makes a kind of spectacular show when it blows. We just turned and walked away. I never saw little blue eyes again.

Wayne Hastings
Grunt, B/1/501