Fragging of Captain Smitz

I learned the meaning of the term fragging in 1966 while serving in Vietnam. It means when one pulls the pen on a hand grenade then throws it at a target. The result is an explosion ten seconds releasing many small fragments traveling at high speed. The grenade is designed to cause great body damage or multiple deaths in a small radius of several yards - a perfect weapon to destroy the enemy in an open formation, fox hole or a machine gun nest.

Why was Captain Smitz the subject of near fragging? The history of Captain Smitz and I emanated in Europe in 1958. He had a problem addressing me as a part of the integrated armed forces. This problem carried by Captain Smitz over the years into the Vietnam war. He was relieved of his duty as a Company Commander in Vietnam and assigned to Vong Chow Mountain near Qui Nhon,Vietnam as an out of sight assignment until his rotation to the United States. I was the Area Communication Chief on Von Chow Mountain with 94 men operating various communication systems.  I was drawing on my graduate training at The Southeastern Signal School at Fort Gordon, Georgia in operating systems from Vong Chow mountain such as HF radio (high- frequency radio), UHF radio and VHF radio Carrier Systems, microwave systems, wire system, Vietnam first TV station, 13 sites in various part of Vietnam and all other communication for the military to include satellite systems.

Captain Smitz had very sensitive radio equipment moved out of one of the many vans into a moisture prone tent, exposing the sensitive radio equipment to guaranteed destruction within one or two days.  He freed the van to use as his sleeping quarters. I did not like Captain Smitz action and reported it to higher Headquarters. This resulted in Captain Smitz getting another bad efficiency report.  My troops did not like the way Captain Smitz treated me and three of them planned to frag him when he sacked out in the van. One Team Chief informed me of the planned action. The plan was to use a sock-size opening on the van to roll a hand-grenade under Captain Smirz bunk when he was sleeping. I was alarmed and gratified at the same time. Knowing my troops thought of me in such a high regards as to commit a crime to protect me was gratifying, but I had to stop this act immediately in a manner that higher headquarters did not hear about it, because all of us would be court marshaled for planning this crime. I met with the three men and directed them not to carry out the plan and be quiet about their thoughts. Forty five quiet years have passed and now the true story can be told. At age 84, I cannot remember the three soldier’s names, but I do remember that the year 1966 was a very stressful time later causing PTSD (post –traumatic stress disorder).