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Message: <blockquote data-quote="scourger" data-source="post: 3893148" data-attributes="member: 12328">[Mission 5 - Rollin’ on the river][You guys overcame the RPG team, picked up the other squad, and made your way back downriver.  Sanchez blew up the wrecked PBR on orders from the other Cpl.  One h*** of a storm blew up, and you had to fight for control of the boat.  Really creepy.  But, it cooled off the temperature.  The ride back was tense but uneventful.]   [You determine that the prior squad of 4 marines met a similar RPG ambush the prior day.  Their PBR was fired on by 3 RPG teams--the damage wrecked their boat, but their sarge was able to run it aground on the riverbank.  They had a battle with some late support by a helo that was unable to pick them up.  The helicopter was damaged by an RPG attack and had to leave.  The sarge was killed.  Things were quiet until you showed up, but they're grateful.  They are silent as to their original mission.]  [The chief is pretty p***ed off at the loss of 1 PBR and yours being "shot all to h***."  Since you can't get a lift out after sunset, he makes you shine his boots.  But he also gets you all a hot meal of meat & potatoes with vegetables and a bunk to sleep until you are able to get out in the morning.  One of the marine security guys, the one Sanchez gave the rifle, gets you all up before revelie with a hot breakfast and tells you they found nothing else on their patrol.  These Navy dudes must have a good cook and decent supplies from downriver because the chow is pretty good.]   [Back at your base, Doc gave the picture to the Captain, who said he would look into it.  The presence of the sniper remains a mystery.  You & Sanchez were cited for bravery.  Doc got a Silver Star.  No promotions, though.]   [Later intel reveals that a VC education squad moved downriver the day of your operation.  They are thought to have delivered a load of propaganda & weapons that are making life difficult for the sailors & marines at that river base.  You catch hell from the Captain for that.  But, there's no proof that you let them slip through, so no court martial.  You're given some pretty s****y details for a while, though.]  river rescueLocation:  Buon Me ThoutMission:  Rescue stranded PBR crew of Marines            Secondary: Investigate river traffic   PBR crew of 4 Marines were set upon by several rpg crews.  Their boat was struck several times and caused to crash into the shore.  The Marines survived the crash, but were involved in a heavy fire fight.  My team, including Pfcs Sanchez, Gump and myself, was chosen to rescue said Marines and return them to base.  The mission was on such short notice that we didn't have time to find an experienced river guide or boat captain, so we did what all good Marines do - adapt and overcome.  I was forced to pilot an unfamiliar boat on an unfamiliar river to get to our 4 brothers in arms before they were overrun.  While trying to beat the clock and save 4 marines, the navy was also hoping that we could do some routine river patrols and check all river traffic for smuggling activity.  When we arrived on the scene we were attacked by another rpg crew.  Our boat was struck, but we were able to get the PBR turned around to make a run at the beach and extract the team.  Pfc Gump stayed on the bow gun and fired upon the enemy combatants killing several, while Pfc Sanchez laid down a suppressing fire for the evacuating Marines (who were also firing on the enemy position).  All 4 Marines were extracting, but unfortunately their Sgt had been killed some moments before we arrived.  The lives of the 3 remaining Marines were saved in part by the fact that we did not encounter any smugglers or other river traffic to slow us from our primary goal.  With all Marines on board we headed back to base, but were set upon by a freakish storm.  It was all we could do to control the PBR.  We didn't see any other boat traffic on the river during our return trip, but I suspect that the monsoon that we encountered would have been perfect cover for a VC smuggling venture.  I'm sure the navy sent out a patrol to watch for just such an occurrence.Cpl. Jack Johnson</blockquote>

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