Muddy Jungle Rivers

by Wendell Affield

Overview

When Wendell Affield arrived in Vietnam in February 1968, the Tet Offensive was in full swing. Affield, cox'n on Armor Troop Carrier 112-11 and the rest of River Division 112 operated non-stop. They were subjected to ambushes, snipers, North Vietnam Army artillery, and river mines. Vampire mosquitoes, racism, boredom, and a volatile boat captain strained boat crew morale. On a Sunday afternoon, ATC 112-11, the platoon of army troops on board, and the boat crew were savaged in the opening moments of a Viet Cong Main Force ambush.

"I could speak at length here about the merits of Muddy Jungle Rivers: its eloquence, its emotional generosity, its urgent and haunting prose. But the book's enduring virtue is that it records, with utmost fidelity, the unspeakable horrors of the author himself, as a young man adrift in the moral chaos of war."

From the Foreword:

Steve Almond, author of God Bless America: Stories, and many other works

Product Details

BN ID:	2940033098521
Publisher:	Wendell Affield
Publication date:	03/08/2012
Sold by:	Smashwords
Format:	eBook
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

It's one thing to write a book; it's another to live it. Wendell Affield never knew his father. His childhood was punctuated by a volatile mother and an unpredictable stepfather. At twelve, he and his siblings were placed in foster homes, his mother committed to a mental hospital. At sixteen, he rode the rails out west and lived in hobo camps. At seventeen, he enlisted in the navy. At twenty, he was wounded in an ambush while driving a river patrol boat in Vietnam and medevaced home. This lifetime of adventure and instability are the foundation for everything he writes. After being diagnosed with PTSD in the 90s, Wendell began exploring writing as a way to process everything he had experienced. He studied the writing craft at Bemidji State University. Today, he speaks to groups across Minnesota about PTSD and leads workshops to show veterans and others how to use writing as a way to move forward from their experiences.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Maps xii

Foreword xv

Prologue xix

1 The Farm .......................................................... Autumn 1964 ......... 1

2 In the Navy ...................................................... 4 March 1965 ........ 11

3 Riverine Assault Boat Crew Training.................... Autumn 1967 ....... 17

4 Tan Son Nhut, Vietnam .................................. 3 February 1968 ....... 51

5 Dong Tam .................................................... 8 February 1968 ....... 57

6 Life on Tango 11. ........................................ 20 February 1968 ....... 73

7 Northbound to the Demilitarized Zone. ........... 29 February 1968 ....... 91

8 Cua Viet .......................................................... 2 March 1968 ...... 103

9 Marine Chopper Down ....................................... 4 March 1968 ...... 119

10 A Body in the River—Friendly Fire..................... 5 March 1968 ...... 129

11 Tango 7 Mined—One Survivor ......................... 14 March 1968 ...... 145

12 Boat Race. ..................................................... 18 March 1968 ...... 155

13 Memorial Service—Tango 7 Crew. .................... 22 March 1968 ...... 161

14 Man Overboard. .............................................. 24 March 1968 ...... 167

15 Martin Luther King Assassinated ........................... 5 April 1968 ...... 171

16 Farewell Cua Viet ................................................ 2 July 1968 ...... 181

17 Agent Orange. ....................................................10 July 1968 ...... 187

18 Monsoons and Apparitions ...................................14 July 1968 ...... 195

19 U Minh Forest .................................................. 2 August 1968 ...... 207

20 POW and Can Tho Ambush .............................. 10 August 1968 ...... 215

21 Hai Muoi Tam Canal ....................................... 18 August 1968 ...... 237

22 In the Kill Zone .............................................. 18 August 1968 ...... 241

23 Medevaced to USS Colleton ............................. 18 August 1968 ...... 265

24 Army 3rd Field Hospital-Tan Son Nhut. ............... 20 August 1968 ...... 273

25 106th General Army Hospital, Yokohama, Japan .. 22 August 1968 ...... 277

26 Starlifter Flight ............................................... 28 August 1968 ...... 285

27 Greeted by Antiwar Protesters. .......................... 29 August 1968 ...... 289

28 Great Lakes Naval Hospital. ........................ 15 September 1968 ...... 293

29 Convalescent Leave-Return to the Farm ............. 2 October 1968 ...... 301

Epilogue 311

Acknowledgments

Editorial Reviews

"I could speak at length here about the merits of Muddy Jungle Rivers: its eloquence, its emotional generosity, its urgent and haunting prose. But the book's enduring virtue is that it records, with utmost fidelity, the unspeakable horrors of the author himself, as a young man adrift in the moral chaos of war." Steve Almond, author of "God Bless America: Stories" and many other works

"I found this book compelling, chilling and intensely real. The experience of being there with a slice of American youth - good and bad, the tension of frequently being on edge, the horror of battle and being wounded severely is the start, but the rejection upon returning home and carrying all of those feelings for the rest of a vet's life sank even deeper. I found myself profoundly grateful that the author described his experience, and even more so that he was able to get this off his chest. As a fellow author, I understand the catharsis of pulling thoughts from within and describing them for others on a printed page. Congratulations and thank you Mr. Affield." Amazon review, "Harleysmith"

"I read this book because a friend and brother had spent time in the Brown Water Navy. He has never spoken of his service, and I wanted to have an understanding of what he had experienced. I learned that in the pages of this book. Wendell described what was happening in such a way that makes sense of a difficult time in his life, he doesn't pull any punches, or try to make things palatable for a wider audience. Every blue water sailor should read this story for their own edification. Thank you for your service Mr. Affield." Amazon review, Greg Peterson

From the Publisher