Chapter 5: Ready, Fire, Aim

Decades before the Internet and the web, years before 24/7 television, it was needful to develop one’s own sources inside the press, and also among diplomats, the military, and intelligence. Even today, it can take a long time for a strategic disaster to be recognized. It can take even longer to recognize that specific events may not presage imminent catastrophe, but it’s hard to see when sinking into quicksand.

The U.S. has long had a tendency to throw resources at problems, including military firepower. It has had more trouble with developing national (i.e. grand) strategy that uses the range of instruments of national power:

• Diplomatic

• Information

• Military

• Economic

• Financial

• Intelligence and covert action

• Law enforcement and lawfare

January 1963

At our daily review, I asked Lorna to review the situation. I appreciated the way she took professorial yet collegial control at the front of the room. She liked to wear comfortable yet flattering shirtdresses when lecturing, which suggested but did not overemphasize her tall, athletic form. Even when in neutral khaki or gray, her bright red hair, which she wore flowing, not in a reserved academic style, still captured the eyes of onlookers. For our audience, however, she took pleasure -- and gave it as well -- by unbuttoning several lower buttons, so her long legs, in suntanned hose, flashed in and out of view.

“Not to beat you to death with dates -- this will not be on the test -- there are some things worth going over. The U.S., as is its wont, emphasizes the materiel in supporting South Vietnam. The strategic aspects are vaguer.

“On 11 December 1961, we shipped the first 33 H-21 helicopters there, with every expectation that they would revolutionize the war. Other equipment delivered including artillery and M-113 armored personnel carriers, the latter a fair approximation to a tank when the opponent doesn’t have any. By the end of 1962, 3,200 U.S. advisers were there at the end of that year, with more arriving every week. “Adviser” was something of a euphemism, although a large part of the contingent did, in fact, advise the Vietnamese. At this time, however, while we don’t have direct ground combat forces there, we do have helicopter crews, including crews for the new armed UH-1 helicopters -- “Hueys”.

“Not acknowledged to the public, we also have a significant number of military intelligence people, especially signals intelligence (SIGINT) personnel from the Army Security Agency, who would intercept and locate enemy radios. Those people are separate from the CIA station and police intelligence specialists with the Agency for International Development (AID). The first American to die

“By no means do I have all the facts about the major event that I’ll mention next. We should be getting more and more as the month progresses. The first trial of the new optimistic approach to combat began with the Battle of Ap Bac took place on 2 January 1963, with Brigadier General Robert York, on the 3rd, saying to reporter Neil Sheehan, “What the hell’s it look like happened, boy? They got away, that’s what happened!” York was not part of the advisory establishment, but headed the Research and Development Field Unit of the DOD-wide Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Joint Operation Evaluation Group, Vietnam. He could report directly to the senior DoD leadership without having his communications pass through the Military Assistance Advisory Group and the Military Assistance Command-Vietnam under GEN Paul D. Harkins.

“LTC John Paul Vann, senior adviser to the ARVN 7th Infantry Division, and the senior American involved at Ap Bac. said “It was a miserable damn performance, just like it always is. These people won’t listen. They make the same mistake over and over again in the same way”. Sheehan’s coverage was not widely publicized at first. Vann may not have wanted the American errors publicized because they might interfere with his advice to the ARVN. General Harkins called it a victory.

A Historian’s Perspective

“Lois, I’m trying to sort out both American and South Vietnamese politics. I’m also trying to sort out what is real and what is wishful. During the Cuban Crisis, we learned quite a few things that won’t be known to the public for a long, long time.

“Harold, may I, as a historian, make a decidedly non-academic observation? History can teach us in the same manner as the practice of anal sex can teach us. With due preparation and cooperation, it can be a transcendently wonderful experience. When rushed and nonconsensual, it can be agonizing.

“And no matter how the participants plan, sometimes a loud fart intervenes.”

“From the preliminary things we’re hearing, Harold, about the Battle of Ap Bac, is that the U.S. and Vietnamese leadership were expecting a transcendental experience, but they may have gotten is diarrhea.

“What we know so far is that the U.S. and South Vietnamese had different objectives and separate command structures. Within the U.S. structure, the aviators and the advisers weren’t talking. Within the SVN structure, the Army and Civil Guard weren’t talking. The U.S. Army and the ARVN had different priorities: The American one was to kill the enemy, while the ARVN wanted to protect against coups and conserve their soldiers, while reducing VC through the Strategic Hamlet and Chieu Hoi programs.

“Right now, we don’t have a good source, other than knowing that we should talk to John Paul Vann or to Neil Sheehan. York could be frank, but he’s over there. Above that level, everyone seems to be spinning it into a victory.

“We have heard that while American helicopters were to have been decisive, only 10 of the 30 needed for the mission were available, and all were damaged including new attack helicopters.”

“Well, Lois, we need to work on developing sources.”

A Visitor

Like CIA Headquarters, we have two dining areas. The first allows us to bring guests, while the latter is only for people cleared for operational identities and secrets. Our fine 24/7 kitchen, part of the apartment complex, allowed us to cater preliminary meetings. We also had public and private discussion areas. Some of us, like Terry, Lois, Vox, and me, had public and private offices.

For dinner one evening, Lorna brought a cardiology fellow from George Washington Medical Center, Mike Halberstam. She told me that we could use his medical insights, but, more to the point, his brother David was one of the most aggressive investigative journalists in South Vietnam. Mike was in casual polo shirt and khakis, while she wore her one of her favored shirtwaists. She had unbuttoned quite a few of its buttons, showing her moderate cleavage, but also long legs clad in tanned hose. Her flaming red hair contrasted with the rich satin blue of the dress, with matching ankle-strapped heels. When she came home, she exchanged her street pumps for five-inch CFM shoes, confident that an observant physician would notice.

Mike had learned of our regional interest, with telempathetic emphasis that it was important and sincere. He told us that David would be visiting in a few days.

While Mike and Lorna flirted, Mike and Shelley really hit it off. “Mike, I know that fellows and residents are pressed for time. Shall we cut through the BS and let me suggest that you spend the night, or most of it, with me, with Lorna, or with both of us?” He did a pleased doubletake.

In her bedroom, she stood, kissing him most thoroughly. “Lorna will entertain you briefly while I make a few adjustments.”

Lorna chuckled. “I think I know what you have in mind. In the meantime, Mike, kiss me, you fool – and I’d like to take advantage of your long legs for some preliminary humping.

Shelley came back, in a much shorter gold skirt and sweater. She now wore black hose. “It’s a running joke about when I first started wearing minis, but didn’t quite understand that they were incompatible with standard length gartered hose.” Still standing, she flashed the stocking bands at him.

She sat on the edge of the bed. “Sit next to me, play with the bands, and then raise the skirt and play with me. Lorna, whose dress covered her stockings until she unbuttoned it, will be on your other side, helping, making herself available, or both.”

“Now, my mouth needs attention.” Shelley flicked her tongue. Lorna moved in and licked Mike’s ear. “By all means, if you’d like to warm up that way, fuck my mouth and cum if you like. I love it, as does most of the group.”

“Group?”

“Yes. Very very briefly, think of it as an experiment within an experimental school under AU. Let’s just say that everyone you see is legal, although some are probably younger than you think. They won’t act it.”

“The reason I asked, Shelley, is that I know a GYN starting out, who would love a staff rather than a practice role.”

Lorna inquired, “Do you know her professionally, Biblically, or both.”

“Now that you asked, both. For that matter, perhaps we should get to know one another like that.

“But seriously, yes, we need medical staff, for both policy and care. When I say policy, I’m mostly thinking of public health in the developing world. but also sexuality and military medicine -- we make love and war.

“Would you like to fuck now? Anything you’d like, but first do let me taste Shelley’s mouth. I’m rather unshockable.”

“Lorna, I’ve been looking at your legs, and want them first around my head when I taste you, and then on my shoulders, heels and hose against my ears, while I go deeply into you.”

“Yum! Sounds wonderful. Oh, when you have me like that, remember I also like it in the ass.”

Things became a pleasant blur for Mike. When he put Lorna’s legs on his shoulders, Shelley twisted around to kiss, and then present him with her warm, muscular, yet soft posterior.

Eventually, the two women switched positions, putting Mike on his back while Lorna rode his face and Shelley rode him cowgirl style. He returned to being lost in pleasant blur.

Not surprisingly for a sleep-deprived physician in training, he eventually drifted off after climaxing. Shaking himself awake, he found two happy faces looking into his. “You did good, cowboy.” Lorna beamed. “We’d like an encore if you want it!”

“Nah. I hated every moment. You two abused me.

“Please abuse me some more. I’m a bad boy.” They broke into shared laughter.

“Before I forget, my gynecologist colleague is Le Thi Trang, or, in Western terms, Dr. Le Trang. I’ll get you in touch.”

Transformations

In the clan, Elaine was blossoming. Every day, she demonstrated more insights in the social sciences. We were learning of her language skills, including near-native French, fluent Spanish, and Italian and German for opera and stage.

While Elaine had been competent with her own makeup, Vox had been doing her face recently, taking it into the range of artistry. After applying foundation today, Vox got a puzzled expression. “I wasn’t sure of it before, but today I am. Happily, you never had a heavy beard.

“Today, though, it’s gone. There might be some rough spots, but that’s it. I’ll bet they are going away.

“Let me check a couple of things while we dress you.” For makeup and hair, Elaine wore a beauty shop smock. Having just gotten out of the shower, she only wore panties. When she was Vox, they were ordinary if silky, not the gaff type that concealed male organs.