Blanco's platoon is point, in the middle of the action. They are in the villages on the fringes of Phan Thiet just southwest of the city cemetery. They find that fighting in populated areas is different than in the mountains. This is their first time fighting in a populated area. There are civilian casualties here. They all know and understand this chilling fact. As a hardcore grunt put it, "If you went in there worrying about women and children, you couldn't do your job" (Edward Blanco, 2000).

They approach an inconspicuous section of huts and the enemy open fire. Blanco's platoon retaliates and moves forward into the village. They see a peasant get woun

As they move, Blanco hears crying coming from inside a hut. He goes over to investigate and inside he finds a dead old woman with a bullet hole in her head surrounded by hysterical children. Blanco describes his reaction by saying, "The dark anger welling up inside me became suppressed rage" (Edward Blanco, 2000). As they proceed onward they pass two dead VC. Seeing their lifeless bodies makes him feel better because they are killing the enemy. They pass by a captured enemy soldier wounded in the thigh. They have heard he is a political officer. Next to the prisoner, the medic is tending a member of Blanco's platoon, Aguero, because he was shot in the arm.

I have a great respect for men like Edward Blanco. He is a brave man by serving our country and returning home. It is a shame that so many lives were lost in this war. I now wonder how many lives could have been saved, by using alternative methods to guerrilla warfare. At that time it may have been thought to be the most efficient way but this has proved otherwise. Edward Blanco's story is a testament to the insanity, senselessness, raw nature, and passion of this type of combat.

As Blanco walks through the bushes from where the enemy emerged, he comes upon a wounded enemy soldier. He looks into the man's eyes. Blanco knows that this man is aware he is about to die. The last thing this dying man will see is his enemy. To Blanco, this is not a man. This is an object. He tells himself that by shooting the enemy soldier, he is putting him "out of his misery" (Blanco,

Some topics in this essay:
VC Seeing, Edward Blanco, Phan Thiet, Tet Offensive, Messy Business, Edward Blanco's, Ed Blanco, blanco 2000, enemy soldier, edward blanco, blanco's platoon, fighting populated, edward blanco 2000,