Abandoned

ABANDONED

During a skirmish with enemy sources in a rice paddy in Vietnam, I was suddenly cut off from my platoon and receiving heavy firepower.  I felt so utterly alone and deserted by my fellow soldiers.  My instinct told me to seek the nearest cover available and return fire with hope that my platoon would circle back to rescue me from possible capture by the Viet Cong.   My ammunition was running low which added to my feeling of being discarded like a broken toy might be tossed aside by a child.  Thoughts ran rampant through my mind.  Had my platoon forsaken me?  Had they forgotten one of their own?  Had they utterly vacated the mission out of fear for their own life?  I felt as though they had simply dropped off the face of the earth.  Suddenly, I heard the drone of a helicopter in the distance.  As the sound became louder, I realized it was coming directly toward my position.  It  came in low over the rice paddy and opened fire.  The enemy began to scatter in every direction to escape the menacing overhead attack, but none were able to do so.  The chopper landed on a small knoll nearby and every man whom I thought had deserted me and left me to die poured out of that chopper like a bunch of ants out of an anthill.  We hugged, hollered, high-fived and hopped around like kids on Christmas morning.   We suffered no casualties in that particular skirmish and after the celebratory action subsided, we knelt in prayer to our Sovereign God and Creator for delivering us from the hands of the enemy.  Additionally, we prayed for the families of the Viet Cong who died that day in a war of sheer hell that should never have lasted for so long and leave numerous American families without fathers and husbands.  A senseless war that is still a blight on the most beloved country on earth.  It is with gratefulness and by the grace of God that I survived and I now act as a counselor for men who are still dealing with combat fatigue with no possibility of ever being whole once again.  WAR IS HELL!

16 June 2020 for the contest sponsored by Dear Heart

Copyright © | Year Posted 2020



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Date: 7/17/2020 3:47:00 PM
Im glad you are ok! Take care, the best to you and yours.
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Mcguire Avatar
Timothy Mcguire
Date: 7/17/2020 3:48:00 PM
thank you
Date: 7/15/2020 10:11:00 PM
Are you out there Curtis? Just checking on you.
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Moorman Avatar
Curtis Moorman
Date: 7/16/2020 4:04:00 AM
Now, I can continue editing, revising, etc. and get my 2nd book ready for printing, You will receive the first complimentary copy, my friend! Thank you for checking on me, Tim! Your friendship over the years has bee, and will continue to be, invaluable! God Bless you, my friend!
Moorman Avatar
Curtis Moorman
Date: 7/16/2020 3:56:00 AM
Still here, Tim! What an honor to know I am missed. I sometimes have periods where I don't write because of some facts of life take over. In May, I had a computer problem and thought all of the poems of my second book were forever lost. Last night, a friend was successful in retrieving them!
Date: 6/24/2020 7:47:00 PM
Curtis, congratulations on your win in my abandon contest _Constance
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Moorman Avatar
Curtis Moorman
Date: 6/25/2020 8:57:00 AM
Thank you, Constance, for sponsoring such an interesting contest with so many possibilities, and thank you for selecting my entry for a winning placement.
Date: 6/22/2020 8:27:00 AM
This brilliant story surely needs to be read and allowed to sink gradually. Sheer truth of such experiences reflects from your honest words Curtis. Congratulations on your win :)
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Moorman Avatar
Curtis Moorman
Date: 6/22/2020 7:00:00 PM
Thank you, Aditi! I appreciate your comments and your support!
Date: 6/17/2020 11:55:00 AM
What an important story Curtis! That war, all wars are indeed hell, Glad you made it !!
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Moorman Avatar
Curtis Moorman
Date: 6/18/2020 3:05:00 AM
Thanks, Mike! It's been a awhile! Hop;e you have been well and safe during the pandemic. Good to hear from you.
Date: 6/16/2020 7:19:00 PM
Thank you for the truth or your story. I lost an Uncle, 19, on Anzio. I can relate. well done
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Moorman Avatar
Curtis Moorman
Date: 6/16/2020 11:15:00 PM
Thank you, Tim! My condolence on the loss of your uncle. No matter what war one may have fought in, it remains just as I ended my narrative, WAR IS HELL! You and Tom are usually without fail the first two to respond to what I write, and you both have comments I enjoy hearing because I know they are sincere, and not empty words!
Date: 6/16/2020 4:46:00 PM
A gripping story Curtis, thank god you survived the hell that was Vietnam. Hope you're keeping well. Good luck in the contest Tom
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Moorman Avatar
Curtis Moorman
Date: 6/16/2020 6:02:00 PM
Thank you so much, Tom! It is good to hear from you! I haven't been writing much of late nor entering contests. Consequently, I have been out of touch with a lot of special friends such as you. All is well with me, and I pray that it is with you also. God Bless!
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