Wharton directs the Cav team to make several runs along the berm with miniguns from east to west. He was a great soldier, fondly remembered by all who knew him. Embedded with the Soldiers of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, Greenspon caught the moment after an ambush where Soldiers from the company were moving casualties to a landing zone to be evacuated. The airborne infantrymen of the 101st were still needed mostly involved in rapid deployment strategies but the training was shifting with the times, and the times were changing indeed. These men earned his respect and the respect of the nation. 101st Abn. The Virginian-born Boyd read more. Elements of 101st Airborne Division. On June 8, it seemed that little progress had been made. I arrived in Vietnam late January 1968, the beginning of the Tet Offensive.". The Crouching Beast by Frank Boccia. He sends them out 200 meters (220 yards) to the southwest of Delta Companys position to search for a suitable LZ. ", "I was in the point platoon and in the ambush a couple of guys behind me got wounded," said Witenburg. They will run through the smoke and flame just as soon as the Cobra helicopters finish their attack. Discover more Vietnam War resources from the National Archives, or contact us to plan a research visit. Sgt. He enacted a program read more, On July 29, 1909, the newly formed General Motors Corporation (GM) acquires the countrys leading luxury automaker, the Cadillac Automobile Company, for $4.5 million. Lauria died and Valenti was seriously wounded in the first in a series of shootings by the serial killer, who read more, Confederate spy Marie Isabella Belle Boyd is arrested by Union troops and detained at the Old Capitol Prison in Washington, D.C. Opinions expressed by writers are solely their own. General Melvin Zais , commanding General of the 101st United States Airbourne Division greets a fellow American soldier. In Saigon, a 19-man Viet Cong suicide squad seized the U.S. Embassy and held it for six hours until an assault force of U.S. paratroopers landed by helicopter on the buildings roof and routed them. Thurston is wounded and unable to move. Multiple helicopters can be seen on and around the launch pad area. Forty years after the end of the Vietnam War, a collection of 58 photographs taken by the AP is being exhibited for the first time. Hitlers early years did not seem to predict his rise as a read more, By the beginning of 1967, The Doors were well-established members of the Los Angeles music scene. It was the first of three arrests for this skilled spy who provided crucial information to the Confederates during the war. 47 photos in 1 sub-album. They are still suffering effects of heat exhaustion. Find the perfect d day battle image. Larry Gilbertson. 101st Airborne Division arrives in Vietnam, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/101st-airborne-division-arrives-in-vietnam. 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne bunker, 6 March 1968, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Camp_Eagle_(Vietnam)&oldid=1138675542, Installations of the United States Army in South Vietnam, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 10 February 2023, at 23:52. The Soldiers in A Co. didn't know about it until a while after it made the news. A firefight soon ensued between A Company and the NVA and multiple Soldiers were hit. The paratroopers, of the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, were hit by heavy fire from . As Recon makes their way back, they are firing and moving. The airfield is now used as Phu Bai International Airport. It was initially attached to the 101st Airborne and operated in the Hue/Phu Bai area of I Corps Tactical Zone. A fire started by minigun tracers breaks out on the berm. "Considering that I came from a very small town in Maryland, I feel my career was very successful and I am proud to have served our country." 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. He retired from active duty as a lieutenant colonel in 1988. In 1969, the 85th Evacuation Hospital moved from Qui Nhn and was established at the northwest end of the airfield, adjacent to Highway 1. Among the cities taken during the first four days of the offensive were Hue, Dalat, Kontum, and Quang Tri; in the north, all five provincial capitals were overrun. . 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. Tim Witenburg was a Los Angeles, California native who joined the Army partly to stay out of trouble. I got up and started moving up the hill towards the command post. I dedicate it to the 2/501 airborne infantry Commanders: LTC Richard Tallman, Battalion Commander; Captains Reiss, Alpha Company, Nickels, Bravo Company, Denny Gillem, Charlie Company; 1st Lieutenant Cleo Hogan, Delta Company (the Delta Raiders) and 1st Lieutenant Buch, Recon Platoon leader. . "There was a major trail and we had to set up a perimeter for security as the company moved through," said Brown. OnFebruary 2, President Johnson announced that the Viet Cong had suffered complete military defeat. "He was a lead-by-example type of guy, always up front leading the way and making sure we were doing the right thing. In late 1965, The 3rd Marine Division established its headquarters at Phu Bai and would remain there until late 1967, when it was moved forward to ng H. 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. D Company occupied several bombed out buildings, and during the search of the area found large quantities of Vietnamese booze, individual weapons, enemy radios and other supplies.. . All Rights Reserved. On July 29, 1921, Adolf Hitler becomes the leader of the National Socialist German Workers (Nazi) Party. The 1st Brigade (Separate) of the 101st Airborne Division landed at Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam on July 29, 1965. I went to the first sergeant and told him I wanted to go to Vietnam. For six days there was no resupply of food or ammo. The Recon element moves out of Deltas perimeter to see if a long ridgeline running southeast off Hill 376 may be a suitable LZ. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. In the meantime, Littletons security team is told to return, and they make it back without incident. We fought for weeks to destroy the enemy and my company secured the Western wall of Hue City. Rada was well liked by his platoon members. The Battle of Hue took place in the former Republic of South Vietnam and occurred from January 31 to March 2, 1968. They quickly overrun Thurston and Winklers position and are closing in on Recons position. According to a US Army Center for History report on Tet of 1968, "As the 1st and 3d Brigades moved into the corridor along Highway 1 between Quang Tri City and Hue, the 2d Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, commanded by Col. John H. Cushman, redeployed from Cu Chi in III Corps, northwest of Saigon, to Landing Zone El Paso. The offensive was a crushing military defeat for the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese, but the size and scope of the communist attacks caught the American and South Vietnamese allies by surprise. While Recon is still scoping out the potential LZ, the air commander responsible for Charlie Companys movement vetoes the location. "When boots are needed to be put on the ground, the 101 is always called. Published in R&R on the Beaches of South Vietnam. Lets go! The Recon soldiers drop their rucks and sprint as hard as they can go the 100 meters (109 yards) to Deltas perimeter. 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). No need to register, buy now! On June 9, 1969, after weeks of bitter fighting, the 101st Airborne saw victory on the horizon, Courage Under Fire: The 101st Airbornes Hidden Battle at Tam Ky, https://www.historynet.com/turning-point-at-tam-ky-the-101st-airbornes-hidden-battle-vietnam/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot, These 7 Foreigners Helped Win the American Revolution, How Operation Homecoming Was Sprung into Action to Repatriate American POWs. 101st Airborne DIVISION The introduction of the 101st Airborne Division, 1st BDE Long Ranger Reconnaissance Platoon 1966-67 into Vietnam: The platoon's mission is that of penetrating enemy territory for route, point, and area surveillance. C Med: YD 541318: . Shown are the storage facilities and the large helicopter pad for the 101st Airborne Division. Rada is carried by others who have come out to help. During the war, troopers from the 101st won 17 Medals of Honor for bravery in combat. said Brown. 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. misinterpreted the 1968 Tet Offensive as being an overwhelming success for the Communist forces and a decided defeat for It was during this time that Greenspon snapped "Help From Above. Opinions expressed by writers are solely their own. In the autumn, flowers from orchards upriver from Hue fall into the water, giving the river a perfume-like aroma. They are a hundred or so meters from Delta Companys defensive position and safety. In October, 1968 the brigade was redeployed around Saigon so that the 3rd Brigade 101st Airborne could rejoin its parent division up north. Just then, the cavalry arrives, just like in the movies. ALL AMERICANS - Variant Patch - US 82nd . A fatal mistake. 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. Photo Tom Pilsch. Among other honors, the image inspired the poster for the Vietnam War Movie 'Platoon' and graces the covers books and front pages of newspapers. It's either kill or be killed. The constant flow of adrenaline, lack of food, sleep and daily, at times hand-to-hand, combat took its toll on all the men of 2/501st. Probably taken at Camp Evans , 1970 . This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. Each of the former Soldiers is proud of their service and continue to be active with the 101st and the veterans' community. [1][2], From FebruaryAugust 1968, the 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division (FebruaryAugust 1968) comprising. Units based at Phu Bai during this period included: On 20 October 1972 the base was handed over to the South Vietnamese.[12]. When he returned from R&R a few weeks back, he asked to give up his RTO job and be a rifleman in the platoon with the guys. A Shau Valley looking south. As usual, the fires are danger close to Delta Company and the Recon Team. The 101st Airborne Division used Eagle Beach, 6 miles east of Hue in northern South Vietnam as an R&R center, shown in 1970. . ft. 472.3 RECORDS OF HEADQUARTERS OF THE U.S. MILITARY ASSISTANCE COMMAND VIETNAM (MACV) 1958-73 2,270 lin. The weather was rainy and the temperature dropped as low 48 degrees. From their vantage point, both Roy and Wharton can observe the enemy position on the berm about 50 meters (55 yards) away. For more information contact: drswier@gmail.com. 101st Airborne Patch: Screaming Chicken Eagle: Death From Above Patch: 44: Tet 69 Counteroffensive Collage: Agent Orange Poster: 101st Airborne souvenir from Hue: Captured VC flag from Hue: 45: 101st Airborne Patch: Vietnam-If you haven't been there, then shut your mouth Patch: 46: 101st Winged Warriors Patch: 1968 TET Offensive Survivor Patch: 47 Before Tam Ky, he was a top-notch radio telephone operator for Staff Sgt. It is 70 meters (77 yards) long and 8-10 feet high. "Two of us got to go airborne. ZA 184-903 PLEI KLENG Airfield. "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. Located in western Thua Thien province, For once, they have strangely encountered enemy soldiers who cant seem to shoot straight. Both men have enjoyed successful careers and are now retired. The decision was made to move the 101st Airborne Division to the Hue area. [2]:159. In the opinion of most Vietnam combat veterans, the movie was the most realistic depiction of deadly combat. In it, the horrors - and futility - of the Vietnam War came brutally to life through the eyes of 14 American soldiers of 101st Airborne Division as they attempt to capture a heavily fortified Hill 937 under the PAVN control. The next day would be crucial. A Company, 101st Assault Helicopter Battalion, 101st Airborne Division. Pfc. Their early identification of the enemy force moving toward Delta Company saved many lives. . The immediate target is the enemy position on the berm, 50 meters to their front. Roy radios for them to immediately pull back and take cover. Last Days in Vietnam paints a startling portrait of defeat snatched from the jaws of victory by Congress, Film a death blow to vicious lies about the Vietnam War -- 'Believe it or not, we were the good guys' - Dr. Rich Swier. The 90th NVA Regiment was committed to its capture and defense. 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. ", 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. The approved LZ is small and cramped. William Bushard, Sgt. Shot down on FSB Currahee 1969 and awaiting a lift out for repairs. I attended Fort Benning for basic training, Fort Gordon for airborne training. 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. Tet, the traditional Vietnamese New Year Celebration, was to be a peaceful truce. The two medics in Recon, Spc. Early morning events are a bad start for the day. The enemy continues to advance from the northwest on Deltas position, hidden from direct observation from Roy and Whartons position. Taylor and Westmoreland were both former commanders of the division, which was known as the Screaming Eagles. The 101st Airborne Division has a long and storied history, including combat jumps during the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, and the subsequent Market-Garden airborne operation in the Netherlands. On 1 February 1972 in a ceremony attended by Brigadier General John G. Hill Jr., Assistant Division Commander, 101st Airborne Division and Major General Phm Vn Ph, Commanding General, 1st Division, Camp Eagle was turned over to the ARVN. The division chose the 1st Brigade, which went into action with its 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, and 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, along with Americals 1st Battalion, 46th Infantry Regiment. Jay Cope was also identified as the figure standing looking up with maps on his fatigues. 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