The Army engineer's worst enemies in Viet Nam are sand, heat, rain and the Viet Congin that order. Sand sifts into the clutches, bearings and grease seals of vital construction equipment that is needed 20 hours a day, seven days a week. The days are so hot (sometimes reaching 125°) that concrete must be poured after dark. The muggy, rainy tropical climate silently, incessantly erodes everything from spanners to cranes. And there is the ever-present threat of Viet Cong snipers or a full-scale enemy attack.
No previous assignment in its history has taxed the Army's 70,000-man Corps of Engineers more...