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John Maynard began to share some stories of serving as a Gunnery Sergeant aboard a Swift Boat on the Cua Viet River in Vietnam. Ed was very interested. He had become very close to Gunnery Master Michael Smith and he knew a lot about the story of how he came to be in the service of the Atlanteans.

Ed inquired, “John. When did you serve on the Cua Viet River?”

John Maynard replied, “I was there for over a year. I served from June 1967 through to August 1968 when I was transferred out!”

Ed probed, “So, John. We’re you a hot shot Gunner on your Swift Boat?”

John smiled and responded, “I like to think I was really good at my job! So, in answer to your question, yes. I could be called a hot shot!”

Then Ed inquired, “Was there anyone else in your unit that could hold a candle to you at all?”

John’s face became very serious as he inquired, “Why are you asking me about that?”

Ed answered, “Well, as you know, we are looking for solid trainers and I thought maybe someone else who served with you might be worth recruiting!” 

“There was a handsome and fresh-faced young kid who was really good. In fact, really good doesn’t even begin to do him justice! I use to call him prodigy because there was nobody who could shoot as well as he did!”

Ed commented, “He sounds perfect! What’s his name and where can we find him?”

“His name was Michael Smith, but he’s not available!”

“Why not? What happened to him?”

“His boat was destroyed in a battle. His body was never recovered so he was declared MIA and presumed dead!”

Ed entreated John Maynard, “Please tell me more about this Michael Smith! He sounds like an interesting man!”

“I may have said too much already. The incident with his boat was classified at the time and remains so to this day!”

Ed equivocated commenting, “I’m not asking about the incident at all. I am interested in your impressions of the man!"

John Maynard was pensive. The discussion reminded him that he had an obligation to Michael’s family that he had yet to complete. He had always been filled with guilt over Michael’s Smith’s loss. Michael had had a premonition that something bad was going to happen and he had communicated it to John. He had told Michael that everything would be fine. When they ended up in the battle, John’s boat had lagged behind and hadn’t come to the support of Michael’s boat in time. He still felt guilty. 

Maynard commented, “Gunnery Sergeant Michael Smith was just 19 years-old when he went missing on the Cua Viet River in Vietnam. They made him a Gunnery Sergeant at this young an age because there was no one better in the United States Marine Corps at handling a machine gun, a rifle, or a hand gun than he was!

“He came from Kansas City, Missouri and he was the son of one of America’s greatest World War II heroes, a Congressional Medal of Honor winner named Herald Smith. He had the qualities in him to be one himself. I had no doubt of that. He was one of the most intelligent young men I had ever met. He was more knowledgeable than any of our Officers in strategy and tactics, despite the fact that most of them had graduated from the Naval Academy! He remained cool under fire and he was never trigger happy.

“Our river patrol assignments were a crap duty though. I used to tease Michael that serving as a Gunnery Sergeant on a Swift Boat probably wouldn’t put him in much of a position to become a hero like his father! Do you know what he told me in reply?”

Maynard laughed and mimicked Michael’s voice, “He said, ‘I’m not here to be anyone’s hero. I’m here to do my duty for my country. Whatever that turns out to be!’ I told him that he was an idealistic young snot and he was likely to get his ass shot off for nothing! I’m sad to say, I was right! Every man we lost in Vietnam died for nothing because we lost the war! And he was one of the best of us, which makes his loss even more tragic!”

Ed complained, “That’s your tribute to Michael Smith and all the other men you fought with? They died for nothing!”

John Maynard responded, “That’s America for you! They don’t like losers. We won every single battle that we fought in Vietnam, but the American people grew tired of a war with so little purpose, so the country quit! I never did though. I put in twenty-seven years as a United States Marine. I did my duty the best I could. In the end, it didn’t matter. All of us who were Vietnam Veterans are regarded in the same way. We are a bunch of sad sack losers!”