First and Finest . 4 Dallas Brown, writhing in pain. The Organization of the Viet Cong Units in the South never recovered. Handset in each hand. Militarily, the Tet Offensive was a total defeat of the Communist forces on all fronts. Series of villes that straddled QL-1 approximately 22 km Southeast of Hue and from 2-5 km Southeast Phu Bai CB. Once they begin moving again, the Recon team is in danger of being overrun. Nonetheless, the base continued to be used for aerial reinforcement of the ARVN, until it was overrun by the PAVN on 23/24 March 1975. Militarily, Tet was decidedly an Allied victory, but psychologically and politically, it was a disaster. While Recon is still scoping out the potential LZ, the air commander responsible for Charlie Companys movement vetoes the location. The Army Security Agency, operating under cover of the 3rd Radio Research Unit (3rd RRU), established a radio facility at Phu Bai in 1963, 12km southeast of Hu on Highway 1. Should be one around the inside of his elbow. Their weapons are nearby. It appears the firing from the berm began too early, before the larger force was in position to attack. Get down! Light casualties were reported by the command. "During the Christmas holidays, 1965, I received a letter from Uncle Sam stating 'you have been selected to serve your Country' and entered the Army in January 1966. The subject of the photograph, Sgt. Elements of 101st Airborne Division, the 1st Cavalry Division and 5th Marine Regiment were the major units committed in the Battle for Hue. He tells Roy the proposed LZ on the ridge line will expose inbound and outbound helicopters to the enemys 12.7 mm heavy machine-gun fire. From their vantage point, both Roy and Wharton can observe the enemy position on the berm about 50 meters (55 yards) away. On 28 July, Johnson announced that 50,000 U.S. troops would go to South Vietnam immediately. V. After Vietnam, Ed Sherwood served as an infantry officer in assignments in the 3rd Armored Division in Germany, the U.S. Army Infantry School and the 197th Infantry Brigade at Fort Benning, Georgia. An athlete, the physical aspects of the military drew him in. During the Communist TET . Camp Evans, base of the 101st Airborne Division's First Brigade, 14 miles northwest of Hue, was struck by 10 mortar rounds. On January 31,1968, the North Vietnamese Army launches the surprise Tet Offensive, simultaneously attacking dozens of South Vietnamese cities. A 159th aircraft, but no visible markings. Roy radios for them to immediately pull back and take cover. Photo courtesy of Norm Miller, 70-71. 2LT Rich Swier, Tet 1968 Battle for Hue, South Vietnam. Capt. After an intense tenday battle in May, infantrymen of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Mobile) took a ridge in the A Shau Valley that they had dubbed Hamburger Hill. ", "The 101st will always be the only unit in my mind." He points to a prostrate soldier and tells him to plug it into his arm. In the summer of 2017, I was a U.S. Army lieutenant in the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. After establishing a headquarters at Landing Zone El Paso, which continued to serve as the 1st Cavalry Divisions rear logistical area, Colonel Cushman sent the 1st Battalion, 502d Infantry, to Landing Zone Betty on 27 January to beef up Colonel Rattans 1st Brigade. "About six of us from my high school decided we were going to go into the Army." The two medics in Recon, Spc. Behind the team, they catch sight of enemy soldiers moving in the trees and closing in on Recon. After a five-day standoff . Apparently the idea was to make the NV. Movies, television or video games arent even close. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Delta had been fighting for control of the hill since June 3. Phu Bai Combat Base (also known as Phu Bai Airfield and Camp Hochmuth) is a former U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps base south of Hu in central Vietnam. It's either kill or be killed. Thua Thien Province Base Camps/Firebases. They are a hundred or so meters from Delta Companys defensive position and safety. Battle of Dong Ap Bia, AKA Hamburger Hill, Summary Report, 101st Airborne Division, May 1969: On 11 May 1969, a battalion of the 101st Airborne Division climbing Hill 937 found . They will run through the smoke and flame just as soon as the Cobra helicopters finish their attack. Sgt. [8]:9, On 15 February 1968, General Creighton Abrams established MACV forward at Phu Bai to assume direct control of US forces in northern I Corps, which were then engaged in the Battle of Hu, the Battle of Khe Sanh, and the Tet Counteroffensive. . II Corps. from the earliest days of the American involvement in South They were good friends. When asked about the photo and why it became internationally famous, each Soldier cites the fact of how it showed the day-to-day lives of Soldiers in conflict. Whatever it takes. Roy then quickly recommends and gets approval for using a much smaller, one-ship LZ adjacent to his companys position. . While Strand waits for a medevac, his thoughts turn to Rada. A Florida Cooperation. Bodies of US paratroopers lie near a command post during the battle of An Ninh, 18 September 1965. 1970 was a year when the Currahees of the 2d Battalion (Airmobile) 506th Infantry (2/506) stood alone as never before. ALL AMERICANS - Variant Patch - US 82nd . The 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry was assigned on 16 March 1987 to the 2d Infantry Division and activated in Korea. On January 31, 1968, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) launched the Tet Offensive. Despite initial victories by the Communists forces, the Tet Offensive resulted in a major defeat for General Vo Nguyen Giap, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) designer of the Tet Offensive. The links below highlight some of those actions. At the end of April 1968 the 2nd Brigade Task Force (three infantry battalions, one cavalry squadron, artillery, and other units) of the 101st Airborne Division was operating north of Hue. If ever in the Vietnam conflict there was a forward edge of the battle area, Firebase Ripcord in the year 1970 . He has not made it to the tree line with the others. from Laos and enemy threats to the cities of Hue and Da Nang. The airfield is now used as Phu Bai International Airport. For more information contact: drswier@gmail.com. The base was used to support U.S. and ARVN forces fighting in the Battle of Hu. US Army Film by Ted Acheson DASPO C. Opinions expressed by writers are solely their own. Littleton will also take a security team several hundred meters to the west of the LZ to cover the likely direction from which an enemy attack may come. It was later closed, but reopened . The 101st Airborne Division participated in the Division Operations beginning in 1967 when the 506th was deployed to the Republic of Vietnam. The bursting shell kills three soldiers: Sgt. He will survive, but will require hundreds of stitches and several operations. "Several weeks later I received a letter from my parents in Maryland with a newspaper article and picture enclosed with the caption A Co, 101st Airborne Division," said Sewell. Doc, the company medic, bolts out from the company perimeter to the wounded men. The 1st Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment was a direct descendant of Company A, 101st Aviation Battalion. It is close by Delta Companys position and can be covered by fire from the companys perimeter. As the house band at the Whiskey a Go Go on the Sunset Strip, they had built a large local following and strong industry buzz, and out on the road, they were fast becoming known as a read more, Off the coast of Gravelines, France, Spains so-called Invincible Armada is defeated by an English naval force under the command of Lord Charles Howard and Sir Francis Drake. $60.00 + $3.99 shipping. 1969-72. ZA 195-350 C/7/15th 30 Nov. 68 OPCON 2/8th INF. To a large extent, the success or failure of the offen- . This was another example in the Vietnam War of an inaccuracy becoming the perceived truth. Rada is carried by others who have come out to help. "My brother convinced me to go down to the recruiter's office," said Witenburg. "I graduated from high school in 1964 and went to work with my father," said Sewell. The boy was captured and Chicom C54 weapon was captured., In the rubble and along the road leading to Hue were found signs stating, Shoot the American and South Vietnamese aggressors, for a better Vietnam, Long Live Ho Chi Minh., LT Hogan wrote in his memoirs, During the night of 25 February, D Company received sporadic sniper fire from across the river but for the most part things were quiet. In April 1968, Associated Press photographer Art Greenspon took a photograph widely considered to be one of the most telling photos of the Vietnam War that is now titled "Help From Above." said Brown. I got up and started moving up the hill towards the command post. It was the first of three arrests for this skilled spy who provided crucial information to the Confederates during the war. the Black Dragon]. The A Shau Valley was one of the strategic focal points of Roy gives them the OK. As the Air Cav helicopter team completes its attack, Sahrle and a small group of his soldiers higher up on the hill within Delta Companys perimeter can see the Recon Team. Located in western Thua Thien province, the narrow 25-mile long valley was an arm of the Ho Chi Minh Trail funneling troops and supplies toward Hu and Danang. Our company medic was called into action and with the help of some hot water delivered a beautiful baby boy. His rolled-up right sleeve is saturated with dark red blood. Camp Eagle was used to support the 101st Airborne's major operations in the A Shau Valley - Operation Apache Snow in 1969 and Operation Texas Star in 1970. He has never done an IV before. Maj. Baldwin was signaling to the aircraft where to drop a basket for the wounded the moment the photo was taken. We were not able to land until we got to the other side of the valley on an abandoned firebase (Fire Base Rendezvous?). One read more, On July 29, 1996, track and field legend Carl Lewis wins his fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal in the long jump. For once, they have strangely encountered enemy soldiers who cant seem to shoot straight. The LZ has two advantages. ", 101st Airborne Division Soldiers in famous Vietnam photo interviewed for first time, 101st Airborne Division Soldiers in famous Vietnam photo interviewed for first time. ft. 472.3 RECORDS OF HEADQUARTERS OF THE U.S. MILITARY ASSISTANCE COMMAND VIETNAM (MACV) 1958-73 2,270 lin. 101st Abn. He got his wish. The group then remained in the Da Nang area until departing Vietnam. Airborne All The Way! Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. The battalion plan from yesterday to have Charlie Company relieve Delta Company was postponed. The brigade . As a young "butter bar" forward observer attached to A Company, 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division it was the beginning of my travels on the road to hell and beyond. The first 4,000 paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division arrive in Vietnam, landing at Cam Ranh Bay. A nighttime medevac is requested. In early May 1969, the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong were threatening Tam Ky, the capital of Quang Tin province in northern South Vietnam. 1.5 Marines advance with tank support in Hue Citadel.jpg 1,203 739; 55 KB. destruction of the Viet Cong elements in South Vietnam. "Early that morning, Company A moved forward on a search and destroy operation," said retired Col. Tom Sewell, who was a first lieutenant and platoon leader in Company A at the time. Major organization: 101st Airborne Division Service: AR branch of the U.S. Army. "I was sitting on my rucksack eating while we waited and I noticed a tree moving. William Sparks and Pfc. Explore more . When Hue was liberated we found over 7,600 civilians in shallow graves. The ferocity of the Tet Offensive on Jan. 30, 1968, surprised most Americans, including service members manning the American Forces television station in Hue, Vietnam. ZA 184-903 PLEI KLENG Airfield. From Arrival to Ripcord: The 101st Airborne in Vietnam, July 1965 to July 1970. They know return artillery fire will arrive soon. I vividly recall that on the morning of February 26th a small boat pulled up to the A Company CP, located in a three story building along the Perfume River. Gary Tepner, 3rd Platoons former platoon sergeant. Colonel Bui Tin Describes 3 Phases of TET. He calls out to his fellow medic and close friend, Winkler. He sees the Recon teams frantic flight through the heat of the burning berm fire and broiling sun. The 2/501 left Hue in unit formation counting cadence all the airborne way. The buildup of formal U.S. military units had begun on 8 March 1965, when two battalions of Marines landed at Da Nang. U.S. Marines and Vietnamese troops move through the grounds of the Imperial Palace in the old citadel area of Hue, Vietnam, on February 26, 1968, after seizing it from . The combat elements of the division consisted of 10 battalions of airmobile infantry, six battalions of artillery, an aerial rocket artillery unit armed with rocket-firing helicopters, and an air reconnaissance unit. The war was at its height with the constant contact between U.S., NVA, and VC forces. The Battle of Hue took place in the former Republic of South Vietnam and occurred from January 31 to March 2, 1968. It was during this time that Greenspon snapped "Help From Above. He tosses a saline solution bag from his medical kit to Stoner. The biased liberal news media misreported and 1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption - A copy of "Help From Above", which hangs in the headquarters of 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division(Air Assault). The enemy firing from the berm quickly ceases. As soon as the Recon team is clear of the hill, Sahrle and several others open fire on the enemy force with their M16s. Both men have enjoyed successful careers and are now retired. Nothing in the last six days gives any hint that a breakthrough is about to occur. The photo was . The following narrative is courtesy of Special Forces Gear: At dawn on the first day of the TET holiday truce, Viet Cong forcessupported by large numbers of North Vietnamese troopslaunch the largest and best coordinated offensive of the war, driving into the center of South Vietnams seven largest cities and attacking 30 provincial capitals from the Delta to the DMZ. Larry BurrowsThe LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images. Sgt. A Shau Valley looking south. At least, that is the plan. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. ZULU - GRIM REAPER - 101st Airborne - HUE, PHU BAI - VIETNAM WAR PATCH 230. Another unique feature of the division was its aviation group, which consisted of three aviation battalions of assault helicopters and gunships. This road trip began on January 31, 1968 and ended four weeks later at the Western wall of the ancient City of Hue, in the former South Vietnam. the primary military port in the old Vietnamese city of Hue As he and a detail of men drove a vehicle convoy through the . Had it landed on Alpha Company, casualties would be high. The Army gave me the opportunity to explore and serve with the greatest Soldiers in the world, and that's why I wanted to continue serving and helping them after I retired.". Massed fires of three batteries and the Navy destroyer created the most awesome firepower display Delta Company soldiers have ever seen, heard, felt, or even imagined, Sherwood writes and adds: The results of the destructive force of massed artillery fires wont be known until tomorrow. After A/101 Aviation returned from Vietnam, the 101st Battalion swapped assets between A/101 and D . . Roy and Lt. Paul Wharton, the captains crackerjack artillery observer, take up a position on the southwestern edge of Deltas perimeter next to a huge rock that towers over them. ", As the battle raged, the men of Company A moved to a hasty LZ they set up in the jungle after the Soldiers hacked the foliage down so that a basket could be dropped from the air for the casualties. said Brown. From Sahrles position, their easterly movement is from left to right in an attempt to flank Delta Companys position on the north before beginning their attack. Delta Company Commander LT Cleo Hogan recalls, During the night of 24 February, more than 500 rounds of 105MM, 155MM and 8-inch artillery were fired into the vicinity of YD728206 [near Hue]. U.S. forces, including the 101st Airborne Division as well . U.S. 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division base camp where they were attached to the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), in the Hue-Phu Bai area of the I Corps sector, with the mission of protecting the ancient capital of Hue. An incoming 105 mm round falls short and explodes in Bravo Companys position. $21.99. This time they are the ones in danger. Vietnam War: Elements of 2nd Brigade and 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry, 101st Airborne Division 10 miles NW of Hue during Operation Carentan II, 1 May 1968. 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment was de-activated on 17 July 2015 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky as part of the Army Aviation Restructuring Initiative, but its distinguished lineage and legacy will live on as the Palehorse Squadron was reactivated as part of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division on 22 October 2015 at Fort Hood, Texas. To say it is oppressively loud and violent is only a start. He sends them out 200 meters (220 yards) to the southwest of Delta Companys position to search for a suitable LZ. Huge collection, amazing choice, 100+ million high quality, affordable RF and RM images. . They are exhausted. They made a demonstration jump immediately after arriving, observed by Gen. William . 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