Ron, maybe it was some guys from another unit but I remember that two were badly burned and one killed because a claymore went off during the fire. You are right about the spit and polish and bullshit, just no real place for it in combat. You should have seen the 101st in 71-72, talk about BS, I was standing on the skid to clear my chopper into an LZ and a Captain on the ground said if I did that again he would report me. I told him the next time I come to a hover in LZ I will be standing on the skids so go ahead and report me now, it will save you the time and trouble of waiting! When I got back to the Company my CO had just one question, Were you using your Monkey Strap? I said yes and I never heard another word about it. The worst part of that tour was the fraggings and firefights between Blacks and Whites, Lifers and short-timers. It was a war within a war, no wonder I look back fondly to the 119th! Brother Tom