The Brutal Battle of Hamburger Hill Ends

After nearly 9 days of constant battle, the din of explosions and gunfire around Dong Ap Bia gradually fades and is replaced by an eerie silence. At off the mountain, the post-battle silence is broken only by the occasional explosion or machine gun fire. Grenades are thrown into caves and bunkers to kill any remaining defenders. Enemy bodies are shot to ensure they are dead. The routed NVA soldiers, who are not killed, flee the battlefield in an attempt to escape to the safety of Laos. The battle is finally over. In the aftermath, Time magazine correspondent John Wilhelm finds a piece of cardboard and a black 101st neckerchief pinned by a knife to a blackened tree trunk. The sign reads, "Hamburger Hill" with, "Was it worth it?" scrolled underneath.