CH49 - Rhombus.

Camp Nguyen, B Area Warehouse.

The B Area Warehouse is my treasure trove.

I've filled it with rebar, H-beams, and steel pipes.

Originally, these materials were brought in by the U.S. military to build a port, but they were classified as surplus once I applied the caisson method.

I spent more than half of the money I earned in Vietnam to buy these surplus materials.

Since I bought them at half the market price, I would make a fortune by bringing them into the country.

"Wow, it feels reassuring to have helicopter engines stored here."

Of course, now they are being used as a wall to hide the engines.

"Who would have thought I'd be meddling with gas turbine engines again? I swore I'd never do it again because it was so dirty and exhausting."

Helicopter engines are called turboshaft engines because they drive the rotor blades, not jet engines that generate thrust with exhaust gases, but they are broadly classified as gas turbine engines.

Gas turbine technology is highly versatile.

It can be applied to power plants, aeroplanes, helicopters, ships, even tanks and car turbochargers. So, if you work at a heavy industry company like Daese Group, you would inevitably get involved in such projects at least once.

Of course, Daese Group disbanded after losing a lot of money while boasting about their joint venture with Siemens in Germany.

It wasn't until 2019 that South Korea became the world's fifth developer of gas turbine engines, which shows how difficult the technology is.

The principle of gas turbines is similar to that of jet engines, so only countries that manufactured fighter engines during World War II monopolized the technology.

In the 60s, only four countries in the free world had the original technology: the U.S. (GE), Germany (Siemens), Japan (MHPS, a joint venture between Mitsubishi and Hitachi), and Italy (Ansaldo).

South Korea's history of developing gas turbine technology is very colourful. They failed to acquire Italy's Ansaldo due to the Italian parliament's opposition, were coaxed by Japan's MHPS to increase parts orders if they gave up independent development, were sued by Siemens for technology leakage, and were openly urged by GE to give up, claiming that countries that couldn't make aircraft engines couldn't succeed in developing gas turbines.

Due to direct and indirect interference, it took more than 20 years to develop this national strategic technology.

Of course, I know a much faster and more efficient way.

All I need is money and timing.

I need to wait for the right time while researching basic materials and design.

I lovingly stroked the engine once again.

If I keep disassembling and assembling this guy, I'll find the way, and the time will come.

Click.

I carefully hid the engine and opened the warehouse door to leave.

"Mark, what's going on?"

As I opened the door, Mark was nearby, looking around. He seemed to be looking for me.

"CS! What were you doing here? I've been looking for you."

He ran over as soon as he saw me.

"You were looking for me? Why?"

"Another accident. This time it's An Khe."

"What, an accident? Don't tell me... it's not a fatal accident, is it?"

"Fortunately, it's not a fatal accident. But this time, quite a few were injured. Five people."

"What? Five people?"

"A grenade exploded near the truck and caught fire. They suffered shrapnel wounds and burns."

"Damn it!"

I hurried to the medical tent.

This is already the 16th accident.

It's only been a month since we started the transport operation, but at this rate, it's only a matter of time before we have a funeral.

"Where are our employees?"

"Follow me, CS."

The army doctor personally led me.

"Ugh..."

"The other four patients have broken ribs and shrapnel wounds, but they'll recover if they just rest. But this patient is the problem. He was in the driver's seat."

Damn it, it's Shim Jae-hong, one of our most diligent employees.

He's been working hard to save up for his young sister's wedding.

He seems to have suffered burns, with his whole body wrapped in bandages.

"Is it a burn?"

"Thankfully, it's a burn along his left side. The scars will be covered by clothing. But..."

"But what?"

"He also suffered shrapnel wounds. He was wearing a bulletproof vest, but unfortunately, the shrapnel completely severed his Achilles tendon and shoulder tendons. We had to forgo suturing because of the burns."

Damn, his Achilles tendon is severed. At his age.

"Just tell me straight. Can he walk or not?"

"He can walk, but he won't be able to run or exert strength. The same goes for his left arm."

Damn it, that means he's done as a skilled worker.

"Ugh... Boss... I can work."

"I know. I know, so don't worry."

"I'll get up soon. Deduct today's wages."

"Jae-hong, why are you talking about wages now?"

"I... I need to make money, boss."

"Don't get up."

When Jae-hong tried to get up, the army doctor was startled.

"Jae-hong, don't worry. I'll make sure you can make money. Just focus on recovering."

"Boss..."

"You know I don't lie, right? Stop straining yourself and lie down."

"Ugh..."

Even a slight support made him groan in pain, yet he was trying to get up. I'll send him to Jinhae to manage the lumber warehouse or to the Busan branch to help with exports and imports.

"The other guys won't be fired either, so please lie down. Hurry."

"Yes, boss."

The four others injured in the accident were also hesitating but lay down on their beds after I spoke.

This won't do. At this rate, there will be more accidents.

"Mark, I need to meet with Colonel Godell."

"What are you going to say to him?"

I addressed Sergeant Mark, who was lingering at the entrance of the medical tent.

"Look, at this rate, there will be more accidents. We need more military forces to escort the transport."

"Colonel Godell is in a tough spot too. It's not that he doesn't want to help."

"What's tough about it? It wasn't like this in the beginning. We had enough escort troops. Helicopter reconnaissance was good too. Why is the escort getting worse and worse?"

I finally let out the words I had been holding back.

Although Camp Nguyen is not primarily a combat unit if they neglect the transport escort operation more and more, what are we supposed to do?

They need to protect us who are helping with Camp Nguyen's work.

"Basically, transport-escort orders come from the Saigon Command, not Camp Nguyen."

"Then we can't do our work. Nguyen is a logistics base, but Colonel Godell doesn't have decision-making authority over logistics transport?"

"CS!"

Mark's face turned red, but I couldn't hold it in today.

"Mark! Get a grip. Our employees will die at this rate. We're people too! And civilians at that!"

If civilians die because of a military operation, it's bad for the U.S. military too.

"What do you want to do? Do you have a solution?"

"We need to find a way. That's why I want to talk to Godell."

Colonel Godell, who was always welcoming, has been avoiding me lately.

Today, I must meet him, even if I have to press Mark.

"... This is none of my business. You're barging in on Colonel Godell. It's your responsibility. Got it?"

"Got it. Just get the guard out of the way."

I pushed Mark's back and went to the beach.

It was obvious where Colonel Godell would be.

Mark quickly got the guard out of the way, and I entered the fenced-off beach area in A Area.

********

"Colonel Godell."

"What brings you here?"

"You heard, didn't you?"

"I heard. I was wondering when you'd come."

Of course, he knew.

There was no way the non-commissioned officer didn't report it.

"There have already been 16 injuries."

"You should consider raising the transport fee."

"It's not about the money. If this continues, there will be fatalities. Do you want to announce on the radio that civilians are dying because of military operations?"

"Are you threatening to announce it?"

"Even if I don't, your competitors will. Saigon might not know, but Da Nang or Cam Ranh camps will surely find out. You've swept all the awards so far."

Of course, he swept the awards.

He not only cleared the Viet Cong from the area but also started port operations much earlier than expected.

"Damn it... What can I do? The Vietnamese military is supposed to handle the transport escort, but they're not. Moreover, helicopter reconnaissance is not easy in the jungle. And you, CS, vehemently oppose Agent Orange."

I vehemently opposed the spraying of Agent Orange because it was like saying we should all die together.

Deforestation is the answer, but since I diverted the staff to transport, deforestation has not progressed.

Managing the port, repair base, and logistics transport... It's hard to keep up. The tasks that were progressing well suddenly overloaded.

Even transporting the felled trees was not easy. They had to be moved to Route 19 or Route 1, but there was not enough time and manpower for such efforts.

"The U.S. military should directly deploy combat troops from Camp Nguyen. Honestly, even deploying them around the intersection of Route 19 and Route 1 would make it much safer."

"No."

"Why not?"

"I said no."

"I need to know the reason if I'm to continue or stop this work. Why exactly can't it be done?"

"..."

Despite Colonel Godell glaring at me, I did what I had to do. I neatly sliced the tip of the cigar, placed it in his mouth, and lit it.

I filled his glass with tonic water from the ice bucket. I gave him a look that said, 'Explain why.'

"... Damn it, I can't not talk if you're like this. I'm frustrated too. Frustrated. Even if I request troops, they don't come. Instead, they are pulling our troops away."

"Pulling away the troops?"

"Yes. The combat troops from Camp Nguyen are being pulled to Pleiku, An Khe, and Tuy Hoa. Even if I request combat troops, those places take priority, and our camp is left with just engineers and supply units."

I was speechless.

Considering the logistics volume, there are at least 50,000 troops on the relevant front.

Even with such a large number of troops, they pulled the combat troops from Nguyen?

"Damn, if they took all the troops, they should protect the supply routes too. Why are there so many Viet Cong infesting the supply routes?"

"The purpose of the stationed troops is to cut off the Ho Chi Minh route. It's the most important operation. They need to launch a massive attack to devastate the front."

It was beyond frustrating.

The U.S. military believed that massive devastation operations were effective at the start of the Vietnam War, and it was true.

This war will never end quickly.

Securing the supply routes is the priority.

"No matter how large the operation, the supply routes are the lifeline for the military. Shouldn't they protect the routes with some of the troops?"

"Are you talking about the company-level tactical bases that the Korean military uses? If we divide the troops like that, they will be individually defeated by the Viet Cong."

No.

From what I heard from veterans, the Korean military's tactics, although company-level, were extremely effective.

It was like advancing with bunkers and turrets in a game, making them invincible in guerrilla warfare. The U.S. military admitted the value of the tactics later and adopted them as the formal tactical doctrine called 'Fire Base,' but it was after the Vietnam War ended.

Honestly, it would have been difficult for the mighty U.S. military to follow the strategy of a mere frontier army while conducting the Vietnam War.

"Isn't it a matter of building defence positions? Discuss the operation with the Tiger Division."

"Useless talk. If we could consistently bomb the three areas, it might be possible, but dispersing the troops would significantly reduce supply and attack capabilities."

Wait. Wait. Bombing?

Can Godell operate bombers?

"Wait a minute. Are you saying you can order bombing? Isn't bombing ordered by the Saigon Command?"

"Are you joking? Do you know why the base is here? It's here to bomb the Ho Chi Minh route. If there was an airfield nearby to load bombs, we would have bombed the supply routes too. Do you think I don't know the Viet Cong are hiding along the supply routes?"

Come to think of it, Godell had a point.

If bombers were available, Godell might have the authority to request bombing in the jungle near the supply routes.

Ensuring the safety of the supply routes is the commander's inherent authority at the logistics base.

"Are you saying it's difficult to supply bombs to the bombers, so they can't drop them on the supply routes?"

"Bombers fly from Saigon. They have to bomb a 120km front with the bombs they carry. Covering the supply routes too is impossible."

I learned something tremendous while coming to protest.

Of course, the U.S. military wouldn't be short of money for bombing.

It was physically difficult to supply the bombs.

If an airfield is built at Nguyen to host bombers, it would not only solve the problem but also expand the authority of Camp Nguyen.

This needed confirmation.

"Godell. If we build a runway and a control tower, can Camp Nguyen operate bombers?"

"Are you planning to build it?"

"Godell! I'm serious. Can you do it?"

"..."

Godell was startled as I pressed him with a serious face. I took the cigar from his mouth and put it out in the ashtray.

"CS, are you seriously planning to build an airfield?"

The technical issues are for me to solve.

Money shouldn't be a problem. We saved half of the port costs allocated to Camp Nguyen, and we have all the money left for Agent Orange.

The key was whether Godell could really operate the bombers.

"The important thing is whether you really have the authority to operate the bombers. Tell me."

"I have the authority to request, but not to operate. Not yet."

"Not yet? What do you mean?"

"I could do it if I earned my star."

"How can you earn a star?"

At my question, Godell stood up from his beach bed.

"By making Nguyen the Hong Kong of Southeast Asia."

"Hong Kong of Southeast Asia?"

"It's a term used by the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. They said Nguyen is more strategically important than Saigon. That's why my competitors are even more eager to bring me down

".."

Hong Kong of Southeast Asia? It's not impossible.

If I manage to protect Nguyen and steal the role from Singapore, that would be enough.

Could it be that the message I relayed to the Blue House reached the U.S.?

Or did Van Fleet coincidentally have the same idea as me? He would understand Nguyen's value.

"Ha! What a laughable idea. How can you build an airfield in a swamp? You can't even get asphalt."

"Godell, I'm borrowing the engineers from Camp Nguyen temporarily."

"What?"

"I'll build you the airfield. You get your star and outrank Saigon Command."

"A star? A star!"

If history is going to change, I should be the protagonist.

If someone has to earn a star, it should be you, Godell.

"Let's use this as a blueprint."

I drew a rhombus in the beach sand connecting Nguyen, Pleiku, An Khe, and Tuy Hoa.

Route 1 and Route 19 intersect in the middle, making it look like a cross in a rhombus.

If you want, bombers can take off and land anytime, anywhere, and each base, including Nguyen, can supply bombs at any time.

What else could that be but an airfield?

"CS, can you really do it? Huh?"

Godell shouted excitedly behind me.

I simply raised my fist in the air.

I didn't want to lay roads, but for this once, I'll make an exception.

If we can bomb, my employees will be safe. My plan...

I'm in for some serious work.

Sorry, but I'll need to pull some students from the repair base and Mark's engineering unit.