Operation Serendipity

or,

The Marine Colonels' Incountry Vietnam War Revolt of 1969

Introduction

"Readers familiar with United States Marine Corps history are doubtlessly likewise familiar with the hilariously true story of one of the most succesful conspiracies ever conducted within the ranks of the active duty United States military anywhere in the final years of the first half of the Twentieth Century.

"Unlike the Marine Colonels' Revolt of 1969, which took place almost 100% in Vietnam's I Corps during wartime, this earlier conspiracy most likely took place mostly within the Washington DC area of the United States in peace time.

"It was a conspiracy composed mostly of junior field grade officers, but we suspect today that it was also abetted by some ambitious and dedicated young captains and first lieutenants with recent WW II (1941-1945) combat experience in the Pacific Theater.

"A little over twenty years later these same young captains and first lieutenants would have become field grade officers themselves and in a position to play a key role in Vietnam, and with the wisdom gained in their earlier success.

"While we might say that identity of some of the 1969 conspirators is well known, the identity of others is not. Thanks to the shattering success of the so-called Marine Colonels' Revolt in the battlefields of Vietnam in 1969, though, I think those of us who were there can surely guess which ones participated in the earlier go-around!

"Now, the cover name employed the earlier conspirators used in the 1947 to 1948 conspiracy was a real classic.

"Moreover, it was a cover name inspired most likely by the Greek story of Ulysses, the ship-wrecked mariner and his marine sea-faring crew of antiquity.

"Now, as the story is told by Ancient History, hallowed in turn by that sacred tradition of continuity that has for so longed inspired Marines everywhere, and before even them the Roman Legions, Ulysses, who I suspect was some sort of Super Warrant Officer found himself in a tight spot, along with his crew mates.

"But they were equal to the task. Because when Cyclops, the one-eyed man-eating monster got hungry, these ancient proto-marines did a job on his one eye ball with a burning cedar fence post, most likely the same kind of cedar fence posts we often use to fence in South Texas ranchos.

"First, however these same Marines did their basic intelligence drill in which Ulysses, who never seems to have ever really trusted this one-eyed clown in the first place, lied in the performance of his higher duty by introducing himself to Cyclops as No Man. Yep! Just like it sounds: No Man!

"So, the next thing you know, Cyclops beats feet right out of his cave rubbing his sore and blistered eye socket (whatever's left of it), and gets maybe half a block down the street towards his nearest neighbors.

"At this point, the shock has worn off and the pain has began to really suc*. Big Time! Cyclops loses it now. And he begins doing some kind of noisy song and dance routine, screaming his guts out in pain and just about raising all kinds of hell, much as certain politicians turned US Army generals were about to start doing at the Pentagon in 1948 (or thereabouts).

"Now, we have to remember that the Cyclopean Neighborhood Watch were a lot like the American Congress was in the years immediately following World War II (1941-1945), busy doing all kinds of things, so in turn they contented themselves with yelling back at Bellowing Buddy (or whatever Cyclop's name was in Cyclopean Tribal Jive) with something that roughly translates today in Early 21 st Century English as Hey, what's with all the noise?

"So Cyclops bellowed his answer right back:

It's Noman. Noman's doing it to me. Help! Listen to me. 'Cause I'm trying to tell you all something! Noman and all his guys all su*k! Noman's fixing to kill me good.

"But, alas, gentle reader, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, all of 'Ole Cy's yelling and screaming was in vain.

"Because his Cyclopean neighbors throughout the hood just shook their heads with incredulity, like many congressmen and senators did a few thousand years later.

"Instead of rushing over to help poor 'Ole Cy, they more or less advised him, Since you keep raising all kinds of hell about how No Man is your problem, just go on back home and either sleep it off, or at least do us all a favor and shut the f*c* up!

END PART I OF THE INTRODUCTION!
TO BE CONTINUED...