| Lewis arrived in Vietnam 1968 and was assigned to 3rd Platoon. He presently lives in Dunn, NC. |
I had been in the hospital for awhile from an injury and had recently returned back to my
platoon. While I was away the platoon had received a lot of new replacements as it had
taken heavy loses on a recent mission. I was appointed the 3rd squad leader and we had
just climbed a tall mountain. While we were preparing to set up perimeter, I was ordered
to take my squad back down for reconnaissance.
All my men were inexperienced so I took the point and followed a rocky wash back
down the mountain flanking the trail we followed up. I did this in case the enemy had set
up an ambush somewhere along the trail. About three fourths the way down the rocks
became very damp and slippery. I lost my footing and landed on my butt and slid the rest
of the way down holding my M-16 high overhead and going off a ten to fifteen foot
ledge landing in a big pool of water about chest deep.
This 18 and 1/2 foot Burmese Python was coiled up in the bottom waiting for
unsuspecting prey coming up to the pool of water for a drink. After our encounter, I
figured he must would spring up out of the water and snatch the unsuspecting prey. I
had never expected to encounter something like this so I don't know who was more
surprised me or the snake. He didn't like me invading his territory nor standing on him
and we immediately went into hand to hand, well hand to snake combat.
I kept using my M-16 to shield his attacks coming up out of the water and loudly
blowing and hissing water right in my face, however it didn't take long for him to gain
the advantage and get a coil around me. My squad had caught up by then and began
trying to help me. The snake was just too strong. By the grace of God I had the presence
of mind to jerk my sweat towel from around my neck and wrap it around his eyes blind
folding him. He went limp and loosened his coil around and my men finished loosening
his grip and freeing me.
We pulled him on out of the pool of water and were amazed at how long he really was
and how heavy he was. After talking it over with the platoon leader, I was ordered to
bring the snake back up the mountain alive. We lifted him up on our shoulders and made
the long climb back up, exhausted however successfully.
These pictures were taken just after we made it back up. A chopper was sent out and he
was hoisted up in a mail sack and taken to the rear area. I don't know what happened to
him or where he went or what kind of stories were told about him, however you have
the truth from the squad leader whose squad captured him and the pictures to prove it.
Story by Perry Lewis
platoon. While I was away the platoon had received a lot of new replacements as it had
taken heavy loses on a recent mission. I was appointed the 3rd squad leader and we had
just climbed a tall mountain. While we were preparing to set up perimeter, I was ordered
to take my squad back down for reconnaissance.
All my men were inexperienced so I took the point and followed a rocky wash back
down the mountain flanking the trail we followed up. I did this in case the enemy had set
up an ambush somewhere along the trail. About three fourths the way down the rocks
became very damp and slippery. I lost my footing and landed on my butt and slid the rest
of the way down holding my M-16 high overhead and going off a ten to fifteen foot
ledge landing in a big pool of water about chest deep.
This 18 and 1/2 foot Burmese Python was coiled up in the bottom waiting for
unsuspecting prey coming up to the pool of water for a drink. After our encounter, I
figured he must would spring up out of the water and snatch the unsuspecting prey. I
had never expected to encounter something like this so I don't know who was more
surprised me or the snake. He didn't like me invading his territory nor standing on him
and we immediately went into hand to hand, well hand to snake combat.
I kept using my M-16 to shield his attacks coming up out of the water and loudly
blowing and hissing water right in my face, however it didn't take long for him to gain
the advantage and get a coil around me. My squad had caught up by then and began
trying to help me. The snake was just too strong. By the grace of God I had the presence
of mind to jerk my sweat towel from around my neck and wrap it around his eyes blind
folding him. He went limp and loosened his coil around and my men finished loosening
his grip and freeing me.
We pulled him on out of the pool of water and were amazed at how long he really was
and how heavy he was. After talking it over with the platoon leader, I was ordered to
bring the snake back up the mountain alive. We lifted him up on our shoulders and made
the long climb back up, exhausted however successfully.
These pictures were taken just after we made it back up. A chopper was sent out and he
was hoisted up in a mail sack and taken to the rear area. I don't know what happened to
him or where he went or what kind of stories were told about him, however you have
the truth from the squad leader whose squad captured him and the pictures to prove it.
Story by Perry Lewis
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Read Lewis's account of July 20, 1068