A DOG NAMED BITCH

This is a true story about a dog named Bitch that was my closest companion in VietNam. It all started in May 1969. I had just arrived in Viet Nam and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division. A cherry boy as the new ones were called. Hamburger Hill was being fought at the time. I was not involved with the front line operations but later got to see the top of the hill, as we flew over it. What a sight. I was getting settled into my new home adnd getting to know the guys, and naturally they were giving me hell as the NG "new guy". I had been in country about 60 days when a guy named Hollenbeck came in the "houch' barracks with a little pup. She was skinny and weak. No one knew what to call her and as she got stronger she became rambunctous and a normal puppy. She grew quickly and I named her Bitch. She would sleep on the end of my cot, and I would bring her food from the mess hall. She and I grew into pals. Her hearing and sinceing of danger were very good. She could since when were going to be attacked. One night she woke me up barking and pulling on me, I knew something was about to happen and sure enought we got hit and one rocket hit where I had just been. She saved my life. She would always alert me and the others when something was about to happen. About this time I received my last letter from my "faithful wife" which was very hard, being where I was, we were getting hit at least 3 times a week. Bitch would sit on my bunk and listen to me talk about the things I could not change being 10,000 miles from home. She became my counsler and my greatest ally. As I cried and drank as much as I could to forget the things back home she listened and licked away the tears. As time passed things got better and my company was reassigned to the north, just south of the DMZ. We got packed and ready to leave and went to the airport to get on the military plane. I had Bitch on a leash and we were getting on the plane when and Air Force sergeant in charge of the crew stopped me and said there was no Fn dog was getting on his plane. As I tried to explain my situation and she was my pet, things esculated into a shouting match because I had as much rank as he did, finally I told him what he could do with his Fn plane and Bitch and me returned to our old company area that was already empty. The next day I got a large cardboard box and put Bitch in it and made some air holes and put food in it for her. We finally made it up to HUE and to our new home. This was around the first part of 1970. We had a pretty easy life up north and didn't get hit as much as in the south. As was scheduled to DEROS back to the world I began to get paperwork ready for Bitch to come home with me. About two weeks before we were to leave Bitch got run over by a duce and a half and killed. The driver knowing she was my dog and comming home with me stopped and buried her. She was my friend in a time when friends were really needed. I have some pictures of her and will share them with you on FB. I will always miss her and the friendship we shared in a place most would like to forget. She was a beauty. Bitch this story is for you as I always said I'd tell our story someday. Love you girl.