Rising nearly 1,500 feet above the jungle below, Hill 488 was just 25 miles west of Chu Lai, Vietnam, and it was the perfect place for a Marine Corps recon team but for just a couple of factors...it was deep in enemy controlled territory and surrounded by massive enemy buildups.
It was June 12, 1966 and S/Sgt. Howard, 15 Marines and 2 Navy Corpsmen were let out on the top of Hill 488. Their job was to call in artillery and air strikes against the enemy below. For two days Howard and his men did their jobs well. The North Vietnamese control of the area was disrupted by the effectiveness of the American firepower. It did not take long for the enemy to figure out that there had to be someone in the area watching them. directing the fire upon their every move. By the 3rd day the enemy began to send 200-250 well trained and armed soldiers up Hill 488 and it was too late for Howard and his men to escape. Somehow they would have to survive the coming assault.
Everyone in the patrol knew it was coming. S/Sgt Howard placed his men in strategic positions around the summit of the almost barren hilltop, with orders to pull back into a tight perimeter the moment the enemy struck. That is just what the Marines did.
The enemy swarmed the hill amid gunfire, grenades, mortars and support from .50 caliber machine guns. Back-to-back Howard's men began to defend their small area of 20 yards, counting on each other to work as a team to do the impossible.
S/Sgt Howard moved among his men, encouraging them, directing their fire, shoring up the weaknesses in the perimeter. For most of the Marines it was their first major test of combat. Huddled in the darkness amid the crash of grenades and mortars, the sky filled with tracer rounds, and outnumbered more than 10 to 1; the leadership and inspiration of S/Sgt Howard was all that sustained the men.
Suddenly quiet engulfed the hill as the enemy pulled back, their fanatical human wave assault initially repulsed. S/Sgt Howard looked around him. Every one of his young Marines and both Corpsmen had been wounded in the initial attack and several were dead. Worse, he knew the enemy would return in force again at any moment. He also knew no rescue could take place until dawn.
From down below the enemy began to taunt the few survivors shouting into the darkness, "Marines, You die in an hour." Over and over the North Vietnamese yelled, "You die in an hour."
One of Howard's men asked, "Can we yell back at them?"
With nothing to lose Howard told his brave young men, "Sure yell anything you like." They did, and soon their taunts back to the enemy were met with gunfire. The enemy was preparing to swarm the hill again. The beleaguered Marines caught the enemy off guard as they joined in a "horse laugh"' The enemy suddenly stopped shooting and there was stoned silence. They could not understand how a group of men terribly outnumbered could be laughing.
S/Sgt Howard knew the silence would not last long. He surveyed what remained of his Marines and found that ammunition was running low. The grenades were gone, expended during the first wave of the assault. So he issued one of the most unusual combat orders in Marine history...
"Throw rocks!!"
As incredible as the order sounded, it worked. When the enemy soldiers began to push their way through the sparse brush and knee high grass to probe the perimeter, Howard's men threw rocks at them. Mistaking the rocks for grenades the enemy soldiers would move quickly out into the open, allowing the defenders clear shots that made every round of remaining ammunition count.
The Marines held the hill for another 5 hours and were finally rescued shortly after day break. After the 12 surviving men were safely back at Chu Lai it was discovered that among them they only had 8 rounds of ammunition remaining.
Isn't this like our personal lives? Aren't there times when you feel like all you have to defend yourself is some pebbles? Aren't there times you feel completely surrounded by the enemy?
Here are three lessons I got out of the story of S/Sgt Howard and his men.
1. Know your enemy.
In Ephesians 6: 10-12 we are told that God is strong and He wants us to be strong. We are encouraged to take everything the Master has given us. That our fight is not against people made of flesh and blood, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world. Against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.
S/Sgt Howard and his men knew their enemy and their tactics and we need to study our enemy and know the tactics he will use against us.
The good news about our fight against these mighty powers is found in Job 1. Their power against us is limited by what God allows them to do. In James 4: 7 we are told to submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee you.
2. Know our equipment.
Ephesians 6: 14-17 Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News, so that you will be fully prepared. In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. Put on salvation as your helmet.
S/Sgt Howard and his men knew their weapons and that is an example for us to get to know and use our weapons.
3. Know who has your back.
Ephesians 6: 18 In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.
S/Sgt Howard knew that if they watched each other's back they were more likely to survive the battle and that is an example for us. If we cover each others back Satan will less likely be able to pull off an effective attack. Of course our ultimate back watcher is the Holy Spirit and we need to call upon Him when faced with overwhelming odds.
Today someone reading this is facing a giant or enemy that appears larger than Goliath. It could be cancer, unemployment, even a sin or it may be a giant so small you can't see it like discouragement, wrongs thoughts, wounds. Whatever you or a friend are facing your S/Sgt, God, wants to lead you through the battle and His Holy Spirit wants to guard your back.
If you are facing a giant and you feel like the only thing you can do is throw rocks, leave a message so that we can pray for and with you.
It was June 12, 1966 and S/Sgt. Howard, 15 Marines and 2 Navy Corpsmen were let out on the top of Hill 488. Their job was to call in artillery and air strikes against the enemy below. For two days Howard and his men did their jobs well. The North Vietnamese control of the area was disrupted by the effectiveness of the American firepower. It did not take long for the enemy to figure out that there had to be someone in the area watching them. directing the fire upon their every move. By the 3rd day the enemy began to send 200-250 well trained and armed soldiers up Hill 488 and it was too late for Howard and his men to escape. Somehow they would have to survive the coming assault.
Everyone in the patrol knew it was coming. S/Sgt Howard placed his men in strategic positions around the summit of the almost barren hilltop, with orders to pull back into a tight perimeter the moment the enemy struck. That is just what the Marines did.
The enemy swarmed the hill amid gunfire, grenades, mortars and support from .50 caliber machine guns. Back-to-back Howard's men began to defend their small area of 20 yards, counting on each other to work as a team to do the impossible.
S/Sgt Howard moved among his men, encouraging them, directing their fire, shoring up the weaknesses in the perimeter. For most of the Marines it was their first major test of combat. Huddled in the darkness amid the crash of grenades and mortars, the sky filled with tracer rounds, and outnumbered more than 10 to 1; the leadership and inspiration of S/Sgt Howard was all that sustained the men.
Suddenly quiet engulfed the hill as the enemy pulled back, their fanatical human wave assault initially repulsed. S/Sgt Howard looked around him. Every one of his young Marines and both Corpsmen had been wounded in the initial attack and several were dead. Worse, he knew the enemy would return in force again at any moment. He also knew no rescue could take place until dawn.
From down below the enemy began to taunt the few survivors shouting into the darkness, "Marines, You die in an hour." Over and over the North Vietnamese yelled, "You die in an hour."
One of Howard's men asked, "Can we yell back at them?"
With nothing to lose Howard told his brave young men, "Sure yell anything you like." They did, and soon their taunts back to the enemy were met with gunfire. The enemy was preparing to swarm the hill again. The beleaguered Marines caught the enemy off guard as they joined in a "horse laugh"' The enemy suddenly stopped shooting and there was stoned silence. They could not understand how a group of men terribly outnumbered could be laughing.
S/Sgt Howard knew the silence would not last long. He surveyed what remained of his Marines and found that ammunition was running low. The grenades were gone, expended during the first wave of the assault. So he issued one of the most unusual combat orders in Marine history...
"Throw rocks!!"
As incredible as the order sounded, it worked. When the enemy soldiers began to push their way through the sparse brush and knee high grass to probe the perimeter, Howard's men threw rocks at them. Mistaking the rocks for grenades the enemy soldiers would move quickly out into the open, allowing the defenders clear shots that made every round of remaining ammunition count.
The Marines held the hill for another 5 hours and were finally rescued shortly after day break. After the 12 surviving men were safely back at Chu Lai it was discovered that among them they only had 8 rounds of ammunition remaining.
Isn't this like our personal lives? Aren't there times when you feel like all you have to defend yourself is some pebbles? Aren't there times you feel completely surrounded by the enemy?
Here are three lessons I got out of the story of S/Sgt Howard and his men.
1. Know your enemy.
In Ephesians 6: 10-12 we are told that God is strong and He wants us to be strong. We are encouraged to take everything the Master has given us. That our fight is not against people made of flesh and blood, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world. Against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.
S/Sgt Howard and his men knew their enemy and their tactics and we need to study our enemy and know the tactics he will use against us.
The good news about our fight against these mighty powers is found in Job 1. Their power against us is limited by what God allows them to do. In James 4: 7 we are told to submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee you.
2. Know our equipment.
Ephesians 6: 14-17 Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News, so that you will be fully prepared. In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. Put on salvation as your helmet.
S/Sgt Howard and his men knew their weapons and that is an example for us to get to know and use our weapons.
3. Know who has your back.
Ephesians 6: 18 In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.
S/Sgt Howard knew that if they watched each other's back they were more likely to survive the battle and that is an example for us. If we cover each others back Satan will less likely be able to pull off an effective attack. Of course our ultimate back watcher is the Holy Spirit and we need to call upon Him when faced with overwhelming odds.
Today someone reading this is facing a giant or enemy that appears larger than Goliath. It could be cancer, unemployment, even a sin or it may be a giant so small you can't see it like discouragement, wrongs thoughts, wounds. Whatever you or a friend are facing your S/Sgt, God, wants to lead you through the battle and His Holy Spirit wants to guard your back.
If you are facing a giant and you feel like the only thing you can do is throw rocks, leave a message so that we can pray for and with you.
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