The Monkey Man

In the jungle covered mountains of the Central Highlands of South Vietnam prowl many a strange creature.  This is the story of a chance encounter between two such beings.

In order to move a number of men through the densely covered mountains of this magnificent Central Highlands rain forest, we traveled in single file.  The first person in the column was the point and the man behind him was his slack. 

Dwight Lane was walking point for the recon platoon known as Tiger Force.  While winding their way up an especially thick portion of terrain, the order came around to stop.   Dwight was exhausted from fighting the nearly impenetrable foliage.  He stepped around a tree and sat down next to another individual who appeared to be enjoying a meal. 

Thinking him to be his slack man Dwight started a conversation but was totally ignored.  Then the order came up to move.  Slightly irritated by now and without ever looking directly at him, Dwight told the individual he was in the way and slapped him on the shoulder. 

Immediately, the individual jumped up and landed directly on Dwight’s chest.  A few yards away, Bob Campos heard one hell of a commotion and looked in Dwight’s direction.  Bob saw, what he later described as an enraged child violently shaking what looked like a Raggedy Ann Doll.  Amidst the thrashing and jumble of arms and legs he could hear Dwight screaming, “Shoot it!  Shoot the thing!”

Compos, not knowing whether to yell, shoot or spit, watched in astonishment as the scuffle ended as quickly as it had begun.  Battered, bloodied and totally bewildered, Dwight picked up his M-16 and ran into the jungle swearing and firing at the six foot, 200 pound orangutan that had accosted him.

T.J. McGinley
Tiger Force
1/327/101  Abn.Div. VN – 68-69