During the company's participation in operation Vernon Lake II.  We spent several months in the mountainous region southwest of Quang Ngai City.

During this four month operation, Charlie Company (and two other companies) had established a temporary firebase and HQ on the peak of one of the higher mountain tops. Our Weapons platoon was providing close in fire support for the three companies with Charlie's three 81mm. mortars.

Because of the need to maintain and feed three companies on a daily basis, we had amassed quite a large stock of supplies. At the close of the operation we of course had to secure the area and destroy anything that might be of use to any VC remaining in the region.

When the explosions started and GI's started screaming, we immediately hit the ground thinking that we were under fire. We learned a very valuable lesson that morning. You never dispose of cases of C-rations by tossing them into a really hot fire. By the time we understood that we were not under a mortar or rocket attack, quite a few of us were getting burned up by a continuous shower of scalding hot Ham and Lima Beans and other food from the exploding cans. We should have used that junk instead of Napalm.  
-- Larry Marino

A B-52 cell, cleaning up the countryside during our operation.
(or was it the exploding C-Rations?)

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