CAMBODIAN MERCENARIES

Cambodian Mercenaries, 10 x 6 inch  ink and watercolor painting by George C. Clark    Collection of the Artist

I HAD ONLY BEEN IN COUNTRY A SHORT TIME WHEN A COUPLE HUNDRED OF THESE CAMBODIAN MERCENARIES LED BY AMERICAN "SPOOKS" IN UNMARKED UNIFORMS CAMPED OUT OVERNIGHT ACROSS THE AIRSTRIP FROM US.  WE WERE NEVER TOLD WHERE THEY WENT OR WHAT THEIR MISSION WAS, BUT A WEEK LATER THEIR CASUALTIES CAME BACK SLUNG UNDER HELICOPTERS IN CARGO NETS.  THOSE WERE THE FIRST DEAD BODIES I SAW IN VIETNAM.

Comment:

One of the American "spooks" visited the fire direction center and had coffee with us.  When someone asked him where they were heading, he replied (I swear this is true and the first time I ever heard this line), "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."  Is it possible that was an actual C.I.A. joke before it became a TV sitcom joke?