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We had been in Cambodia about 8 days and it was time to be resupplied, but this forest was really a forest and to create an LZ, a huge tree would have to come down. It was located about the edge of our company sized perimeter on the side opposite my location. A groove of sorts was cut into the tree and packed with some C-4. We covered our ears and hoped for the best as "Fire in the hole" was yelled out 3 times. When the C-4 went off, the big tree shuddered, I am sure, but it did not topple, so more C-4 was collected. However much more was added, it was enough. This time after the huge blast came the sound of a giant crashing to the forest floor taking lesser growth with it. It seemed like a successful endeavor, but our mood changed as gradually the word came around the perimeter that Bob Cote had been struck by one of the big branches and killed. He was with the CP behind a tree and I seem to recall hearing that he looked out to watch the tree come down.
--Kon

Because of the large trees in our AO, a good LZ was hard to find and possibly because of what happened to Bob Cote, it was decided that our next resupply would occur at our last log site, where Bob was killed. We set up around the perimeter as before with each squad in about the same location. As you recall, when the log bird comes in, representatives of each platoon go out to retrieve the resupply and Dennie Carnett, a second tour man, was there from his platoon. As the log bird was settling vertically, one or more shots rang out and I can't recall how long it took us to realize that it wasn't our fire, but the perimeter did open up until cease fire was called. Again, on that same log site, word gradually came around that one of our own had died. A sniper had the site marked and avoided detection by our OP's. An FNG on the log bird was wounded before he ever set foot on the ground and never came back to the field. Platoons swept around the perimeter after cease fire, but nothing was found.
--Kon

Bu Dop is located very close to Cambodia in Phuoc Long Province and we were operating close to it. On this date, we had been moving all day and it was getting dark, so we set up in an old NDP. Just before darkness closed in, a flare shot over our position, so three of us, platoon Sgt., Ray Purifoy, myself and I think Mark Creg went out of the NDP to see where the flare had come from. We found some kids who had located some abandoned supplies. That was a warning that we should have moved the NDP. Later that night, we were hit with 81 mm mortars which they walked up and down the company position. Two men were killed, Sgt. Purifoy and our medic, Gary Harwell. The entire 3rd platoon CP was wounded plus several members of each rifle squad as were most members of the company CP.
--Mike Paestella