January 18th 1991

Closest I got was watching 10 NPA rebels walk down a path I was on during a 0200 surveillance op in a Philippine jungle. I was about 10 feet off the path in the bush and I could hear my heart beating..... 10 with AK's and no rules of engagement against me and 2 other Marines in an ambush position..It would not have been a fair fight. :-) luckily we were there just to observe and report. Was a sniper on the roof of the US embassy in Manila in late '88 IIRC for about 6 hours. About a thousand agitators were ready to storm the gates until we showed up in 4 CH-53's landing within the compound. Then in 1989, we were pulling into Hawaii and 7 days libo was canked because the balloon was going up in Panama:, restock and refuel the ships and we were on our way to another nothing burger. Half way there it was over. Got home 2 days early! A big thank you to all who served, voluntarily or not.