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Booby Trap Boys

By Dave Beakey

2nd Bn 1st Marines

Echo Company 1968 - 1969

We were running patrols out of Cau Ha. When we walked through the Leper Colony, the villagers eyed us with suspicion and barely concealed hostility. The area was full of tunnels, sand and beaucoup booby traps. The Riviera was a land to fear. Each time a squad or platoon visited Booby Trap Alley, there was a high risk of casualties. We needed a way to neutralize this war of attrition. Captain Eagan devised a plan, which entailed utilizing the skills of the Vietnamese youngsters who often followed us. These kids were mainly orphans and relied on us for food. They loved to wear our gear as well, especially Marine Corps covers. We kept them pretty well fed and occasionally, they would give us hints as to the general location of the VC. They were playing both sides against the middle, but overall, they were just trying to survive. So our CO came up with a good idea. We would pay them to retrieve live booby traps. We gave them MPC, which they converted to Piasters. The kids took to it immediately. I formed a business/friendship relationship with two of them. I met with them every day and they gave me booby traps and I gave them money. Sometimes they would try to scam me by bringing in half of a booby trap one day and the other half the next day. I didn’t care. We started to become close. They would hang around, just outside the firebase.

Then they started bringing in a lot of booby traps. Even at the tender age of 18, I suspected that they might be working for the VC. Or maybe they were becoming reckless. One day, my two friends didn’t show up. I asked their buddies where they were and they said, “They hurt. They try get VC booby trap. VC Number 10!”  I finally located them in a MASH type hospital near Da Nang. They were all bandaged up. One of them said, “You number 1 Marine.” I turned away so they couldn’t see my eyes. The other patients were all civilians as well, mainly villagers who had been caught in the middle, wounded by the VC or us. Mostly accidental injuries, the awful collateral damage of war. Or perhaps they had stumbled upon danger, like the booby trap boys. I sat with the boys for a while and then said goodbye. I walked away wondering how much blame I carried. Did I encourage them to become aggressive? Was the booby trap plan a bad idea? I wasn’t sure, but I was upset and confused. A few days later, a member of my platoon had his foot blown off by a booby trap. The war continued.

* Photo, from 2/1 website. Many thanks to Vinnie Burdziuk, Doc Wilkinson and Dave Stromire!

Dave Beakey