Fire Base Maxwell was really Hell, and not many people do I tell.

The ones that were there, they know it well,
and as I told you, it was real Hell.

Patrols in the morning, Ambushes at night,
when out on Ambushes you pray things go right.

The Gooks in the mountains to our surprise,
had us highly out-numbered and many in size.

Two Regiments were ordered to take us down,
but 28 days later we’re still around.

They blew our Ammo Dump late one night,
putting all of us there in a terrible fright.

As Rockets and Mortars came at us all night,
at daybreak that morning we continued to fight.

Charlie will run and hide in the day,
so we patrol and do sweeps to keep him away.

But at night it is certain that he’ll be back,
to continue his Rocket and Mortar attacks.

A neighboring Hill we always patrolled,
fire fights broke out each time we would go.

We lost three men when we climbed that Hill,
and couldn't retrieve them with all our skill.

We backed up, we regrouped, we devised a plan, we went back up there and recovered one man.

The sad thing about it was two more were lost,
this neighboring Hill is starting to cost.

We went back up that Hill again,
recovering one more of our men.

Leaving three bodies on top of that ridge,
we knew Charlie had us and we couldn't win.

In sight of the bodies you could see,
the enemy used them, they were the key.

Charlie was dug in and dug in to stay,
the enemy knew for us there's no way.

The bodies laid out there like bait on a hook,
we couldn't get to them the last time I looked.

The Fire Base and Equipment were Air-Lifted out, but the bodies still lay there, couldn't get them out.

The fighting grew stronger as sundown came,
the Gooks were playing us just like a game.

We finally decided that there was no way,
after three days of fighting, those bodies would stay.

We flew off that mountain and as you looked down,
you saw thousands of Charlies all over the ground.

Like millions of Ants they were climbing the Hill,
that moments ago we occupied still.

The choppers flew us off this site,
I’ll never forget that very first night.

Charlie refused to give up the fight,
they Attacked and Probed us throughout the night.

Puff and Spooky were with us that night,
their guns a blazin' throughout the fight.

The Loom was dropped for us to see,
as Charlie was there behind every tree.

Early that morning we continued our move,
as Charlie's fighting was in the groove.

We hadn't eaten in several days,
fatigue was showing in every way.

This day we moved a Click or Two,
Away from that Hill we were trying to elude.

Now receiving sniper fire,
that only lasted about an hour.

Choppers flew in some re-supplies,
you never seen such happier guys.

The food we ate when it arrived,
had made it taste good through our strife.

An Hoa was the scuttle-but, and soon we were there.

We looked so ragged, so tired and so beat,
but Charlie couldn't knock us off our feet.

An Arc Light was ordered for that Hell of a Hill,
a few days later Capt. Burns asked, "Who will? "

I believe six men answered right away,
30 min. later they were on their way.

Back to the mountains of Fire Base Maxwell,
and that neighboring Hill we all knew as Hell.

When the Captain returned with his six brave Marines,
they recovered those bodies without a game scheme.

No enemy was present at their arrival,
made the recovery, and their survival.

Cpl. Douglas Maier
Vietnam 68-69, M/3/5
7/8/00

Background and enhanced picture by Roby LaPorte, www.wowizowi.com. Thank you, Roby! 

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