A Buzz Saw & A Bunker

Viet Cong prisoners seldom squeal on their Red buddies, and when they do their information is usually useless. Some are so terrified--and ignorant--that they babble meaninglessly to interrogators. Still others respond to questions with a sullen, defiant stare. But last week two captured terrorists led U.S. troops to some hot and fruitful fighting.

> Near An Khe, a patrol from the U.S. 101st Airborne "Screaming Eagles" nabbed a Viet Cong, who fingered his home base in a nearby, boxlike valley. The 101st promptly ringed the Viet Cong on three sides of the valley, while 2nd Battalion Commander Colonel Wilfred Smith flew his three companies into the valley's portal by helicopter to close the trap. Trouble was, the dried-up quilt of rice paddies chosen for landing was hard by the V.C. camp. So the Screaming Eagles got the hot welcome of a Viet Cong battalion. "I've hit a buzz saw," Smith shouted into his radio as two choppers crashed. Smith lost all three of his company commanders, had 24 of his 28 helicopters hit or disabled, got only half his troops on the ground and into battle. But reinforcements tried again, and in two days of short, brutal clashes, the Eagles rammed the Viet Cong backward into a holocaust of bombs and napalm from U.S. planes, finally turned the field over to the incoming 1st Cavalry Airmobile (TIME, Sept. 24), somewhat bloody but purged of the V.C. For all the hail of lead, U.S. losses were surprisingly light. The Viet Cong left 226 dead, many of them elite troops with red stars on their belts and buckles.

> Near Bien Hoa, a Viet Cong deserter was captured by a company of the 1st Infantry Division--the "Big Red One"--and led it straight to his buddies' bunker. Some bunker. The first U.S. charge was turned back by anti-personnel mines set off electrically. A second, then a third U.S. attack was driven back by withering rifle and machine-gun fire. Finally, the G.I.s called for a flamethrower. It was brought up by helicopter, and Private Wayne Beck of Rolla, Mo., strapped it on his back for a fourth assault. Beck got within 60 ft. of the bunker before a mine and a bullet cut him down. Even as he fell, he sprayed the bunker with fire. Still the V.C. refused to surrender, so the troops called for Air Force Skyraiders, which again and again dive-bombed the cavelike compartments with 750-lb. bombs, napalm and machine-gun fire. With that, the Viet Cong slunk off into the jungle, leaving 14 of their dead in the big bunker.

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