It was the fourth night we were in Vietnam. My squad was deployed into a heavily forested area, and we were supposed to make it to a Vietcong supply camp by sundown. At the time we were deployed, it was about 16:00. We hit the ground with our gear and headed to the Jeep. We took some ammo out of the back and began advancing. The men in our squad included me, Jones, Ramirez, and my friend Kennedy.

 At around 16:50 we made it to a river. Luckily the river was mapped out for us, so we could follow it to find our target. As we were walking across a small wooden bridge, we heard something moving in the water. Thinking it was nothing more than a fish, we decided to continue. Out of nowhere somebody came out from under the bridge and charged Jones with some sort of makeshift machete. Ramirez fired off 7 shots only 4 landed but that was enough to do them in.

We arrive at what looks to be a village, it is quiet and it appears there is nobody there. We walk through the village and arrive at the supply camp. Nothing seems out of the ordinary until we enter the main area, we hear whispering and immediately get ambushed. Jones gets behind cover and Ramirez is shot and drops instantly. Me and Kennedy return fire hitting 3 enemies. There are too many of them for the 3 of us to handle so we call for backup. 

The chopper arrives and the gunner starts firing but the pilot gets shot and the helicopter smashes into a building taking out a couple more of our enemies. I look to my right and scream “JONES LOOK OUT!!” A grenade lands right next to him and goes off. Hee is blown to pieces right in front of me. Me and Kennedy return fire and decide to retreat. 

We are running from the enemy soldiers when we hear the jets. The entire area is getting carpet bombed and Kennedy trips. I go back to get him, and then everything goes black. I open my eyes, and I’m up against a tree. Everything hurts. I yell Kennedy’s name but get no response. Jones and Ramirez are next to me and they say to follow them. I try to get up, but I can’t. I wake up and get up from the ground struggling to walk as I hear screaming mixed with the sound of fire crackling.

 I’m walking through the rubble around me and Kennedy runs out of the fire and grabs me by the shoulders. He yells at me saying it’s not my fault. He is completely charred and lifeless yet standing in front of me, staring through me as if he can see for a thousand yards.

 I blink, and Kennedy is gone. I rip off part of my pant leg and tie it around my leg to stop the bleeding. I sit there for hours before a heli finally arrives to pick us up. I’m the only one there, I make it back to HQ, and I get called to the main tent and the captain says I succeeded on my mission. But I didn't succeed “It’s not your fault, it’s not your fault.” I keep hearing it in my head.

Every night I hear his voice.