Everbody had emersion foot to some degree. You can see the pale gray sores on his feet and around the edges of his toes. There is little you can do but try to keep your feet dry. You can imagine how successful we were at that.
At one point battalion told us (well, they told the company commander) that we couldn't medevac anyone for emersion foot. I guess they figured if everybody with foot problems went out they wouldn't have anyone left at all.
From the diary:
October 8
Still in the same place. 1st Platoon was supposed to go on a patrol but by the grace of the god of peons it was cancelled because they couldn't find enough peple that could walk. More rain.
October 9
Today they deceided our feet had been miracuasly cured and off 1st Plt. went. We were supposed to find a gook trail a couple of clicks away. We were sitting on it after we found it when a gook walked up behind us. Tailend Charley opened up on him but missed. While we were all lying on the ground trying to slow our hearts down (the gook skied) three gooks walked up on the front. Brooks, the point man, killed one. Denton caught one and one got away. After that we went back.
The next day they sent the prisoner down to battalion with a guard of 5 - 6 of the guys with the worst feet. The CO told them to see the doctor that was with battalion hoping that he'd see how bad their feet were and medevac them. Don't remember how that worked out. My feet were so sore that I had real trouble walking back when from that patrol. The next day I tried to be one of the guys taking the prisoner back but the Corpsman just laughed at me when he saw my feet and told me I wasn't even in the running.
Where you at LZ Ross when this happened?
Since posting this I have heard from several that were there when this happened.