Late on the afternoon of the third day the lead squad carefully approached a clearing in the jungle. The surrounding trees were very tall and their foliage blocked out direct sunlight. The undergrowth thinned toward the clearing and became knee high grass with interspersed four-foot high termite mounds. The squad leader, a twenty-year old draftee from Texas, halted his men and positioned them on line facing the open area. He signaled for his radio operator to move up. Retreating back into the undergrowth, he radioed his platoon leader and informed him of the situation. The Lieutenant, a young West Point graduate, told the Sergeant to move across the clearing. He would bring the rest of the platoon on either side of the clearing to cover them. They were to move out in ten minutes. This would give the machineguns time to move up and get on line. The sergeant acknowledged his instructions, swore quietly to himself, and carefully crouching, moved to each of the men in his squad. At his signal they would move out on line and cross the clearing.