Four Marines guarantee
last paycall for paymaster
by LCpl. Tom Judge
DONG HA -- While a reinforced platoon of I Company Third Marine Regiment was moving to a blocking force position for a sweep operation southeast of the "Rockpile" before first light, point men Private First Class Homer B. Cassada and Lance Corporal Rodney W. Consalvo spotted lights a short distance ahead.
The lights were coming from a campfire and a flashlight in a village believed to be abandoned. The two 3rd Division Marines also heard talking and a cough coming from one of the huts.
Second Lieutenant Robert E. Schrader sent Corporal Frederick A. Tenuto, first squad leader, and machine gunner, Lance Corporal John S. Knight, with the point men into the hut. Meanwhile, the lieutenant deployed the remainder of his men in an ambush formation around the house.
Tenuto, sneaking up to the hut, caught an enemy soldier brushing his teeth, and captured him.
'Simultaneously, the others entered the hut from three sides, surprising five uniformed North Vietnamese soldiers within.
The Marines kill all five.
The Marines also captured six weapons, including three sniper rifles with high-power scopes, six field packs with full equipment, and 17 hand grenades.
One of the men in the hut was believed to have been a paymaster - a pay roster and 20,000 piasters was found along with a map indicating positions where groups of five or six of the enemy apparently were to gather.
