Matterhorn (87 page)

46
See CH-46.

47
See CH-47.

60-millimeter mortar
These mortars are referred to as “sixties” or “sixty mike mikes.” The weapon consisted of a 12.8-pound tube 2 feet 5 inches
long and 60 millimeters in diameter; a 16.4-pound bipod; and a 12.8-pound base plate. It could fire a 3.1-pound high-explosive
round in a high arc a distance of just under 2,000 yards at a rate of eighteen rounds per minute until the tube got too hot.
The blast radius of the projectile was about thirty-five feet. All Marine companies in Vietnam carried three sixties, and
the rounds, usually two per man, were carried by every Marine in the company.

81-millimeter mortar
The M29 81-millimeter mortar was a smoothbore, muzzle-loading weapon with a high angle of fire. The mortar platoon was located
in the battalion H & S company and was most often used by the battalion commander to support ongoing operations when air or
artillery was not available. The 81-millimeter could be carried by men on foot if it was broken down into a three-man load:
a fifty-one-inch tube and sight, bipod, and base plate. In total, it weighed about ninety-three pounds. It could fire about
twenty-four rounds in one minute, but because the barrel heated up, its sustained rate of fire was about two per minute. Its
effective range was about two and a half miles. Each round weighed about fifteen pounds.

82-millimeter mortar
The Russian-designed, slightly larger version of the very similar 81-millimeter mortar used by the Marines. It can be broken
down and carried by a three-man crew. There was a rumor that this mortar was designed as it was because in a pinch it could
use the slightly smaller U.S. rounds, but U.S. mortars could not use its slightly larger rounds. An 82-millimeter mortar round
weighs about six and a half pounds and carries a terrific explosive wallop. It has an effective range of about two miles.
It is very effective in hilly terrain, as it shoots
in a high arc. (Standard artillery, by contrast, usually cannot fire in high arcs but has far greater range and even heavier
rounds.)

105
The M101 105-millimeter howitzer was the standard artillery piece used by the Marines in Vietnam. It had a maximum range
of 11.27 kilometers (about seven miles). Its maximum sustained rate of fire was about three rounds per minute. (More than
six rounds per minute would cause the barrel to burn up.) The figure 105 millimeters refers to the diameter of the barrel
(and therefore of the projectile), about 4.1 inches.

120-millimeter mortar
Soviet-designed, it fired a thirty-four-pound round up to three and a half miles. It took a crew of five or six to operate,
and weighed about 375 pounds. It could be broken down and packed by the infantry, but it was often packed on a two-wheel carriage
if the terrain permitted. It was greatly feared because its explosive power was much more destructive than that of the 82-millimeter
mortar.

155
The M114 155-millimeter howitzer. The diameter of the barrel and projectile was about 6.1 inches. The 155 had a bigger range—14.6
kilometers (about nine miles)—than the 105. It also carried a much bigger punch; its projectiles weighed ninety-five pounds,
nearly three times the weight of the 105-millimeter projectile. The 155 was already obsolete at the time of the Vietnam War,
having been put into service in 1942, but its replacement was self-propelled and couldn’t be used in the jungle or easily
transported by helicopter, whereas the older but lighter version could. For every four batteries of 105-millimeter howitzers,
there was one battery of the larger 155-millimeter howitzer.

175
The M107 self-propelled 175-millimeter gun. The diameter of the barrel was about 7.1 inches, and the high-explosive projectile
weighed about 174 pounds. This gun could fire almost thirty-three kilometers (twenty miles). The Marines in western I Corps
most often used Army 175s when there was no other available support, but did not use them for close support because at long
ranges the 175 was not nearly accurate enough. For heavy close support the Marines relied on the eight-inch howitzer, which
fired a 200-pound projectile nearly seventeen kilometers (ten miles), but with far greater accuracy. I once saw an
artillery FO, First Lieutenant Andrew Sullivan, put an eight-inch howitzer round through the slit of an NVA bunker from around
seven miles’ distance with only two adjustments. (Andy was only 300 yards from the bunker.)

782 gear
Standard-issue Marine combat gear, mainly the pack, poncho, utility shovel, ammunition belt, and suspenders.

I would like to thank Barbara Lowe, Ken Pallack, Greg Neitzel, and my wife, Anne Marlantes. There were dark moments when I
felt like quitting but pressed on because of their constant support and encouragement. I would also like to thank: Gisèle
Fitch, for covering so many bases when I was writing the early drafts; Michael Harreschou, who encouraged me when I wrote
well and beat me up when I didn’t; Albert LaValley, Arthur Kinney, Waverly Fitzgerald, and Joyce Thompson, who taught me the
mechanics of writing fiction; Sherman Black, Ladene Cook, Lloyd Hanson, and James Lynch, who taught me to love literature;
Kama, who typed the first clean draft for next to nothing; and Tom Farber, the publisher, and Kit Duane, the senior editor,
of El León Literary Arts, who first brought
Matterhorn
to reality. Finally, I would like to thank Jofie Ferrari-Adler of Grove/Atlantic for his fine editing; Morgan Entrekin of
Grove/Atlantic for seeing the novel’s literary value and taking the risk of publishing it; my agent, Sloan Harris of ICM,
for his support and advice; Susan Gamer and Sunah Cherwin for their fine copyediting; and Don Kennison for his proofreading.
Many of the novel’s characters are named after friends, which explains why some of the above names may look familiar.