Naturally, I asked him about his current assignment.

 

“What unit are you serving with?” I asked.

His answer was an unexpected stroke of luck. He was assigned to an Army boat transportation company, and one of his company’s boats was scheduled to leave for Dong Ha in just three days. The vessel would be carrying a pontoon bridge, which meant there might be room for additional cargo.

Here was a possible solution to my PX container problem.

There was, however, one complication. My new acquaintance explained that his company commander would have to approve the additional cargo. According to him, the captain was a tough character who would expect something in return for helping us.

I decided that the following morning I would meet this supposedly difficult commander and see what could be arranged.

After all, I had nothing to lose. Perhaps the tough captain was not quite as tough as advertised.

And, of course, there was that little matter of the shipping restrictions.

DAY TWO

The following morning, my acquaintance and I visited his company headquarters, where I was introduced to the company commander, a captain who appeared very confident in himself and his authority.

I began with a friendly conversation, hoping to understand his attitude and determine what he might want in exchange for allowing the PX containers aboard his boat.

Eventually, he revealed his request.

He wanted a 3.5-inch rocket launcher.

I was surprised by the request and tried to explain the hazards associated with such a weapon, particularly aboard a vessel. However, the captain remained determined to get one.

I finally assured him that, although obtaining the item might be difficult, I would see what I could do.

His eyes lit up with anticipation. For a moment, I could almost have sworn that his baby-blue eyes had developed vertical pupils.

With that understanding in place, we spent the next couple of hours discussing plans and coordinating our efforts.

I returned to the BOQ courtyard feeling optimistic about the possibilities. Perhaps the PX containers would finally make their journey to Dong Ha.

While walking around the courtyard, I noticed another first lieutenant sitting at one of the tables. I introduced myself and asked what had brought him to Da Nang.

He explained that he was trying to secure a replacement electric generator for his battalion. He had located one that was scheduled to be returned to the United States and had been told that he could obtain it after normal working hours, provided he brought along a couple of bottles of liquor.

The generator was due to be shipped out in approximately three days.

Unfortunately, the lieutenant had been unable to arrange transportation to move it.

I told him I might be able to help. I contacted our PX clerk and explained the situation, asking him to find out whether our unit could assist.

The response from our personnel was heartwarming. They offered to provide a truck and driver over the next couple of days. They also agreed to secure the generator until the lieutenant’s unit could arrange transportation.

We agreed that the operation would take place the following night.

By the end of my second day in Da Nang, I had become involved in two questionable capers.

One involved three PX containers that could not officially be shipped. The other involved a generator that was about to be sent back to the United States.

I began to wonder whether I was exceptionally good at solving problems or simply very lucky.

I supposed I would find out soon enough.

As the saying goes, “You never know what you can’t do until you do it.”

DAY THREE

As the day slowly gave way to evening, our plan to retrieve the generator began to unfold.

Our Da Nang battery provided a truck and a Jeep. The truck was positioned approximately half a mile from the Navy entrance, while the Jeep driver collected my friend and me from the BOQ and transported us to the truck.

The lieutenant rode in the truck to the Navy staging area to ensure that the correct sailor was on duty. Everything appeared to be proceeding as planned.

The generator was loaded onto the truck and transported back to our battery area.

The lieutenant joined me outside the gate, and our driver returned us to Camp Tien Sha.

The following day, we went back to the battery area to oversee the unloading of the generator. It was placed in storage until the lieutenant’s unit could arrange its onward transportation.

That mission had gone smoothly, thanks to cooperation, timing, and a little good fortune.

But my primary assignment remained unfinished.

The three PX containers still had to reach Dong Ha.

Now it was time to return to the original problem.

DAY FOUR

By midmorning, the Army boat was positioned at the shore-loading area, its ramp lowered and ready to receive cargo.

Navy personnel responsible for shore operations were discussing the loading arrangements with our boat skipper. I suspected that the skipper was also being reminded of the prohibition against transporting non-combat-essential materials.

Shortly after the loadmaster left the area, the skipper called for the trucks carrying our PX containers.

A Navy forklift operator transferred the containers to the aft end of the boat’s cargo area. Soon afterward, the pontoon bridge was loaded in front of them, reducing the containers’ visibility.

Everything appeared to be going well.

Then came an unexpected complication.

The Army boat company captain arrived, intending to travel to Dong Ha to ensure that he received his promised 3.5-inch rocket launcher.

Things became even more interesting when the loadmaster suddenly returned.

The captain quickly ducked into the boat’s cabin to conceal himself. If the unauthorized cargo was discovered and the captain was found aboard, someone would certainly have to accept responsibility.

Fortunately, the loadmaster did not realize that the captain was on the boat.

He also faced a practical problem. If he ordered the PX containers removed, the pontoon bridge would have to be taken off first and then reloaded afterward.

The loadmaster and the skipper became involved in a heated discussion. Eventually, the loadmaster departed without ordering the containers removed.

The skipper then directed the crew to their duty stations and moved the boat away from the shore-loading position.

We remained in the harbor for several hours, anchoring to rest before continuing the journey to Dong Ha.

The containers were finally on their way.

Or so I hoped.

DAY FIVE

We departed the harbor sometime between midnight and 3:00 a.m. and arrived near the river entrance around noon.

The crew spent approximately an hour transitioning to combat readiness. Our destination at Dong Ha was about fifteen miles upriver.

When we reached the landing area, we found a suitable place to beach the boat. The loadmaster informed us that unloading would not begin for another four to five hours, after which the skipper returned to the boat.

I used the radio to contact my unit and request a Jeep and driver.

Meanwhile, the Army captain decided to search for an old friend who was stationed somewhere in Dong Ha. Unfortunately, he had no idea which unit his friend belonged to or where to find him.

Good luck, Charlie.

While waiting, I turned my attention to the rocket launcher.

Finding one was not difficult. We had nearly thirty of them in our supply hut. In fact, I had known all along that obtaining one would not be a major problem.

After retrieving the launcher, I headed back to the boat landing to deliver it to the skipper for the captain.

To my surprise, the boat had already finished unloading and was backing away from the landing to return to Da Nang.

I shouted to the skipper, “What about the captain?”

He shouted back, “Captain who?”

I then asked about the rocket launcher.

“We don’t want it. You keep it,” he replied.

And so I did.

As I made my way back to my battalion area, I reflected on the situation. I had no idea how to locate the captain, and he probably had no idea how to locate me either.

The entire episode struck me as deeply ironic. What had begun as a simple arrangement to get some containers shipped had ended with a missing captain, an unwanted rocket launcher, and a story that was far more entertaining than the original assignment.

I had a feeling I would be telling this story far more often than the captain would.

EPILOGUE

The entire mission had taken only five days, which was not bad considering the complications involved.

In the end, everything had come together almost flawlessly. The success was the result of good fortune, resourcefulness, and, above all, the cooperation of the people involved, particularly the Army boat company personnel.

I allowed the PX clerk to take a couple of days off to spend some time with our local battery in Da Nang and enjoy a little in-country rest and relaxation.

As for the captain, he received a two-day pass, a free boat ride to Dong Ha, and a free airplane ride back to Da Nang.

Unfortunately, he did not receive his rocket launcher.

I never learned whether he found his old friend, but I suspect the experience taught him something about making arrangements and relying on others to deliver what they promise.

Eventually, I returned to the matter that had started the whole adventure: the shipment of the PX containers.

When Colonel House asked how I had managed to get everything shipped so quickly despite all the restrictions, I gave him my most innocent smile.

“Professional secret,” I replied.

Then, with the same smile, I added, “Restrictions? I must have missed that directive.”

He gave me a nod and a smile that suggested he was neither fooled nor surprised.

Looking back, the entire episode remains a reminder of how unpredictable military life could be. A routine assignment could turn into an adventure involving unexpected friendships, improvised solutions, unusual requests, and more than a few moments of uncertainty.

Sometimes success depends on careful planning. Sometimes it depends on teamwork. And sometimes, when circumstances seem determined to make life difficult, a little creativity and a generous helping of luck can make all the difference.

In the spring of 1968, I set out to solve a shipping problem.

Five days later, I returned with a story involving three PX containers, a generator, an ambitious captain, and a rocket launcher that nobody wanted.

And that, as far as I am concerned, is the real story of the Contraband Caper.