Yesterday, my squad left the camp for an important patrol near the border where Laos, North viet Nam and South Viet Nam meet in a triangle. We walked many hours in the hot forests and hills. We passed though some poor villages, but met only old men, women, and small children. Their young men were in the army or in the Viet cong. One old woman told us that she saw some Viet cong near her village. As we moved close to some trees, we saw a man running. We started to go after him. Suddenly I heard a loud noise. I felt a hot blast and I found myself lying on the ground. My right foot hurt, but when I looked down, I could not see my foot, only places of bone, meat and blood. Helicopters took me to the hospital in fifteen minutes. Now I must wait a long time before I can fight again.