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likely enemy approach points surrounding our positions. We were indeed choppered to the top of the high ground we were supposed to secure approximately mid day. The choppers landed disgorging the platoon—one by one the choppers came in —the troops scattered into a perimeter in case of an enemy assault on our landing. As usual we waited until all choppers had delivered the entire platoon. This was the adrenaline producing moment we had been expecting—we were essentially alone on top of this Godforsaken piece of real estate looking into the strange land around us not knowing whether or not it was saturated with VC or simply the animals which inhabit the jungle. We found the geographic location we would establish our platoon HQ and perimeter—The platoon Sgt. and I met with the squad leaders and walked the perimeter— pointing out fields of fire, danger zones, etc.—we then identified an area we would use for our toilet needs . Everyone turned to and cleared the area leaving some vegetation for daytime shade and night time camo. We established squad sectors and assigned two Marines to each fox hole position —which each team began to dig, cleared fields of fire for the machine gun ( M-60 ) units and helped set up their positions. We waited till it was dark in case the VC were watching— we did our best to disguise our positions in daylight then change them after dark. We laid concertina wire in a perimeter further down the hill —next we placed anti-personnel ( Claymore ) mines at strategic locations around the perimeter— these were carefully marked on our platoon map and clearly marked from the friendly side —all troops were shown where these mines were located . Each squad leader controlled the Claymore mines in his assigned sector. Toilet sites
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