On January 31,1968, the North Vietnamese Army launches the surprise Tet Offensive, simultaneously attacking dozens of South Vietnamese cities. Brown, who has the photo hanging in his house, along with the Screaming Eagle flag, explained why it was so memorable in his eyes. In late November 1967, the base was named Camp Hochmuth in honor of Bruno Hochmuth, Commanding General, 3rd Marine Division, who was killed in a helicopter explosion north of Hu. It is an illusion. The delayed muffled booms rapidly echo across the mountainside. The base remained in use until early 1969.[4]. "The photo signifies what warfare is all about." detailed map of Phu Loc and near places. The Recon team is done. Because of its importance to the North US Army Film by Ted Acheson DASPO C 99 /r/combatfootage, 2023-02-22, 19:29:23 Permalink Hue: March 1968: Carentan II (Lam Son 216)* Hue: Apr-May 1968: Deleware* A Shau Valley: Apr-May 1968: Nevada Eagle (Lam Son 224 . In the meantime, Littletons security team is told to return, and they make it back without incident. 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. "A lot of things back in the 'world' as we called it didn't matter out there. Jokingly, Doc tells Stoner, Ill put you in for a Combat Medic Badge! Stoner smiles and gives a quick, No thank you! Quietly, he is glad he could help. It was later closed, but reopened . The 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne was based at Camp Eagle from December 1969 until December 1971,[2]:156 when the following units were detached and remained at the base: The 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne was based at Camp Eagle from September 1970-February 1971 and finally from MayDecember 1971. At 3 a.m., Alpha Company is shaken awake by the booming of 15 enemy 82 mm mortar rounds exploding in rapid succession. This shows the 101st returning to the A Shau Valley on April 14 and 15th for a very short visit called Operation Fury. The A Shau Valley was one of the strategic focal points of "He was a lead-by-example type of guy, always up front leading the way and making sure we were doing the right thing. 11 of 22. In June or July 1968, U.S. Special Forces established Forward Operating Base 1 (FOB 1) at Phu Bai. The conflict continued, but by 1969 Sewell, Brown, and Witenburg had completed their tours and returned home. The Marines were pinned down behind this wall near the old citadel and radioed for support. Sgt. The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) is the only air assault division of the United States Army. They will run through the smoke and flame just as soon as the Cobra helicopters finish their attack. Bastogne was constructed in 1968 by the 101st Airborne Division. It was during this time that Greenspon snapped "Help From Above. It brought a tear to my eye when I saw that. The photo speaks of the volume of the 101st Airborne Division's and U.S. Army's commitment to anywhere in the world to defend our liberties and those of others. Behind the team, they catch sight of enemy soldiers moving in the trees and closing in on Recon. The 1st Brigade, which consisted of 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment; 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment and 2-327, had arrived in Vietnam in 1965 before all the other elements of the division, who arrived in 1967. The bursting shell kills three soldiers: Sgt. Roy decides to put them on the next helicopter out. The immediate target is the enemy position on the berm, 50 meters to their front. "Two of us got to go airborne. Pfc. 1.5 Marines enter Hue Citadel.jpg 1,211 732; 100 KB. It takes more than a few minutes since Clouatre is bleeding badly from multiple shrapnel wounds. A Company 326th Medical BN supported the 1st Brigade 101st Airborne Div. 4 Terry Rada and Pfc. If ever in the Vietnam conflict there was a forward edge of the battle area, Firebase Ripcord in the year 1970 . Time and again well-bunkered NVA soldiers survive such attacks, but not this time. What is obvious immediately is the enemy attack hasnt and wont reach Delta Companys position. Operation Lamar Plain officially ended on Aug. 13. I remember thinking that God is sending a message that life goes on even among all the carnage we had witnessed since January 31st. The road to hell made a turn for the 2/501 troopers to reopen QL 1 or Highway 1, also known to the French as the Street without Joy and then due West into the A-Shau valley (the Valley of Death) and triple canopy jungle. Take the needle and stick it in the biggest vein you see.. The burning berm is between Recon and Delta Company. When Hue was liberated we found over 7,600 civilians in shallow graves. Gary Tepner, 3rd Platoons former platoon sergeant. The Virginian-born Boyd read more. 4 Nov 1968 Army Reporter Vietnam Communiqu for the period Oct 16-22 Hue, Thua Thien Province, I Corps-- In a week of light action paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division reported killing 20 enemy soldiers.During a reconnaissance-in-force operation eleven miles south of Hue, B/1-506th Infantry discovered an enemy basecamp composed of several huts and bunkers. The Organization of the Viet Cong Units in the South never recovered. Major South Vietnamese population centres and installations targeted by the Viet Cong during the 1968 Tet Offensive. It is close by Delta Companys position and can be covered by fire from the companys perimeter. 101st Airborne Division, guides a medevac helicopter through . The loyalty we had to each other was profound.". The air reverberates with ear-splitting sounds. Run for it! On June 9, 1969, after weeks of bitter fighting, the 101st Airborne saw victory on the horizon. At the north end of the valley was the major North Vietnamese Army (NVA) staging area known as Base Area 611. It appears the firing from the berm began too early, before the larger force was in position to attack. Wounded Marine Gunnery Sgt. "Watson Baldwin was the finest platoon sergeant I had when I was in the Army," said Wintenburg. Larry BurrowsThe LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images. The base was used to support U.S. and ARVN forces fighting in the Battle of Hu. 2LT Rich Swier, Tet 1968 Battle for Hue, South Vietnam. U.S. marines are keeping low because of intense sniper fire from communists units which seized two-thirds of the ancient imperial Capital 2/4/1968. Patrick McGuire, the company commander, has his forward observer call for artillery in the area from where they suspect the mortars were fired. Thua Thien Province Base Camps/Firebases. I vividly remember being in a makeshift bunker on a knoll when all hell broke loose on this very day forty-six years ago on January 30, 1968. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. Located in western Thua Thien province, Militarily, the Tet Offensive was a total defeat of the Communist forces on all fronts. 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. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. This United States military article is a stub. Camp Evans, base of the 101st Airborne Division's First Brigade, 14 miles northwest of Hue, was struck by 10 mortar rounds. The enemy doesnt return fire. Opinions expressed by writers are solely their own. The objective: to find, engage, and kill the 29th NVA Regiment on Hills 937, 900,. 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. The war was at its height with the constant contact between U.S., NVA, and VC forces. 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. On the other phone is the artillery fire direction net. Huge collection, amazing choice, 100+ million high quality, affordable RF and RM images. The Fall of the A Shau Special Forces Camp (March 1966), Operation Dewey Canyon (Base Area 611, February-March 1969), Click here for a detailed map of Base Area 611 (1:50,000), 101st Airborne Div. Firebase Bastogne was a United States Firebase in South Vietnam, at (MGRS 48QYD620095). The Vietnamese Airborne Division began as companies organized in 1948, prior to any agreement over armed forces in Vietnam. 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.. Among the soldiers in what was officially called Operation Lamar Plain was Lt. Ed Sherwood, a platoon leader in Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry. . Before Tam Ky, he was a top-notch radio telephone operator for Staff Sgt. Attempts by Hue Approach Control to reestablish contact were unsuccessful. Elements of the 101st Airborne made clearing sweeps in the mountains and valleys along the route. said Brown. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. I remember Art Greenspon was on one knee crouching and I had a strange feeling that something was behind us looking. 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. AND LOCATIONS USED BY THE 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION (AIR CAVALRY/AIRMOBILE) 1968-1972. Nicknamed the "Screaming Eagles," the 101st has consistently distinguished itself by demonstrating the highest standards of military professionalism since its activation at one minute after midnight, Aug. 16, 1942. Photograph by Carl Gernazio. 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. It is an ominous, unwelcome sound. The decisive moment a favorable turn in a battles outcome occurs is often not recognized by those in the throes of fighting. Rada is sitting down for a short break. Doc, the company medic, bolts out from the company perimeter to the wounded men. said Brown. I dedicate it to men like SSG Joe Ronnie Hooper and SSG Clifford C. Sims, Delta Company, 2/501, both of who were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, SSG Sims posthumously. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The officer would continue to serve for 24 more years after the conflict retiring in 1996 at the rank of Colonel. Rada could easily carry his 50-pound rucksack and 35 pounds of radio and batteries even in mountainous terrain. A fatal mistake. The needle is in. "I'm extremely proud of Soldiers today and how professional they are. 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. They know return artillery fire will arrive soon. Let us never forget their shedding of blood, sweat and tears. We lined up by company and marched out of the city to our next mission. The DrRichSwier.com is a not-for-profit news forum for intelligent Conservative commentary. For reference purposes the book Where We Were by Michael P. Kelly, Hellgate Press, 2002, provided much of the information. The Cav team is to keep its fires along the berm and not extend its firing beyond the two ends of the berm. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. 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. The LZ has two advantages. This article was published in the February 2022 issue of Vietnam magazine. According to aUS 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. After a short time at Fort Bragg, I was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell. 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 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. But that also is another story for another day. Many believe Vietnam is a tropical paradise, yeah right. "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. 1969-72. ALL AMERICANS - Variant Patch - US 82nd . The two actors reportedly met on a blind date in 1998 and quickly became favorites of the tabloid read more, A fire on a United States Navy carrier stationed off the coast of Vietnam kills 134 service members on July 29, 1967. That is what good soldiers do. Rosson exercised operational control over the 3rd Marine Division (Reinforced), the 1st Cavalry Division, the 101st Airborne Division (Reinforced) and assigned Corps troops. ft. and 1,654 rolls of microfilm. 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. Later, the division distinguished itself by its defense of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. From their vantage point, both Roy and Wharton can observe the enemy position on the berm about 50 meters (55 yards) away. Doc reassures him, Ill talk you through it. One step at a time, Stoner follows the medics instructions, Put the tourniquet on his upper arm good and tight. Rain fell in a soft drizzle as a C-130 aircraft settled to the airstrip at Hue-Phu Bai, and the Screaming Eagle band struck up "Rendevous with Destiny." The following 116 files are in this category, out of 116 total. They normally are at or near the rear of Recon when the unit is moving. [10], The 45th Engineer Group moved north to the Phu Bai area in February 1968, where it assumed general construction support missions for the I Corps Tactical Zone. As usual, the fires are danger close to Delta Company and the Recon Team. His slight, wiry frame and average height belied his strength. Wharton uses the berm to direct their fires. It's either kill or be killed. Each of the former Soldiers is proud of their service and continue to be active with the 101st and the veterans' community. Of course, no one knows it. He has not made it to the tree line with the others. Hamburger Hill was the scene of an intense and controversial battle during the Vietnam War. He is also setting up and sequencing artillery fires. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! The 1st Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment was a direct descendant of Company A, 101st Aviation Battalion. "That's who we were carrying when the photo was taken, and I had lost my helmet on the way to the landing zone due to all the action going on. I could see clouds of dirt jumping as the bullets hit and I barely dove out of the way. They are still suffering effects of heat exhaustion. from the earliest days of the American involvement in South These pictures of the Hue Citadel were taken from the front, gunner's seat of a cobra from D-158-101st Abn Div, 1970 Images courtesy of Tom Kehoe: Various views along the bank of the Perfume River flowing through Hue Images courtesy of Tom Kehoe: Soc Trang Airfield from the air Image courtesy of Milton Lowden 121st AHC: The Road to Soc Trang . Photo Tom Pilsch. The Hueys can approach the LZ from the south and fly out on the same route. I was a young 2nd Lieutenant with A Company, 2nd Battalion 501st Airborne Infantry, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam when the Tet Offensive began. The base was originally established by the 1st Cavalry Division in January 1968, 7 km southeast of Hu and 9 km west of Phu Bai Combat Base. I went to the first sergeant and told him I wanted to go to Vietnam. After A/101 Aviation returned from Vietnam, the 101st Battalion swapped assets between A/101 and D . Stoner looks at the bag, the soldier and then back to Doc. The Recon element is still out. Then, on July 29th, 1965, the 1st Brigade landed at Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam, and the 101st adapted to their new role in the jungle. Phu Bair Rear; Cpt O'Brien on sign. They are heavily camouflaged with vegetation stuck in their helmets, web gear and packs, and practically invisible until they move. One read more, On July 29, 1996, track and field legend Carl Lewis wins his fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal in the long jump. Fortunately, the enemy is not positioned on the military crest of the hill. Hue was considered vital to the NVA because of its history of Buddhist activism and Communist sympathy. The NVA felt that Hue was second only to the capitol city of Saigon as a political foothold in South Vietnam. The Battle of Hue took place in the former Republic of South Vietnam and occurred from January 31 to March 2, 1968. Units based at Phu Bai during this period included: On 20 October 1972 the base was handed over to the South Vietnamese.[12]. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.. . Rattan used the paratroopers to protect his brigade headquarters, freeinghis cavalry units to commence search-and-destroy missions. OnFebruary 2, President Johnson announced that the Viet Cong had suffered complete military defeat. As Recon makes their way back, they are firing and moving. Jim Littleton in 3rd Platoon to provide a three-man team with machetes. They are still not wanting to disclose their position in the trees as they close in for the attack. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. Baldwin passed away in 2005, but in interviews conducted recently, Winteburg, Brown, and Sewell spoke about their experiences before, during, and after the war. 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. Baldwin was also very compassionate. They are also now without their equipment and radio. 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. General Melvin Zais , commanding General of the 101st United States Airbourne Division greets a fellow American soldier. In the opinion of most Vietnam combat veterans, the movie was the most realistic depiction of deadly combat. In case a Recon soldier is wounded, they can easily go forward to treat the soldier. They are a hundred or so meters from Delta Companys defensive position and safety. We fought for weeks to destroy the enemy and my company secured the Western wall of Hue City. 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. II Corps. 472.3.1 Records of the Office of the Secretary of the Joint Staff. Links to pages on battles and bases in the A Shau Valley: Click here for the location of the A Shau Valley within South Vietnam. said Brown. Their early identification of the enemy force moving toward Delta Company saved many lives. . Theyve performed a vital mission. I was the first name on the list.". Pride in themselves, pride in each other, pride in their unit. Shown are the storage facilities and the large helicopter pad for the 101st Airborne Division. . One held to each ear. This was another example in the Vietnam War of an inaccuracy becoming the perceived truth. The enemy gunners have overshot Alpha Companys position, but not by much. "A lot of the jobs didn't interest me, but I saw a picture of a paratrooper behind the recruiter's desk and he noticed I was big into football and weight training back then and he said I'd make good airborne material. (UPI photo). Had it landed on Alpha Company, casualties would be high. The first relief force was dispatched from Phu Bai to the MACV Compound in Hu City. Delta had been fighting for control of the hill since June 3. In the process, we set up an LZ and began withdrawing the injured.". Tim Witenburg, glances back toward the camera as he carries a wounded comrade. Multiple helicopters can be seen on and around the launch pad area. Ronald Sahrle, who is leading the remnants of 1st and 2nd platoons, takes on the task of clearing brush to widen the LZ and enlists Sgt. The A Shau Valley was one of the strategic focal points of the war in Vietnam. B Company "Varsity" 159th Aviation Battalion, 101st Airborne. On 14 April Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines replaced Task Force Alpha at Phu Bai. A trooper of the 101st Airborne Division attempts to save the life of a buddy at Dong Ap Bia Mountain, near South Vietnam's A Shau Valley on May 19, 1969. 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. Thurston is wounded and unable to move. If he is right, the battle action on Hill 376 will soon get more intense. Strand is standing 6 feet behind him, Clouatre is standing near to the side of Rada. But now, 50 years later, they relish opportunities to reunite with fellow 101st Airborne . It seems capable of handling five or six helicopters at a time, and it will take 15 Hueys to bring in Charlie Company. Nothing could be further from the truth. . Once bandaged, Strand is surprised when Doc tells him he will also go out on the next medevac. The enemy attack from the berm seems to have been a diversionary attack, a planned distraction to allow the larger enemy force to make a surprise attack from a different direction. 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. He sends them out 200 meters (220 yards) to the southwest of Delta Companys position to search for a suitable LZ. Dallas Brown, a Mount Juliet, Tennessee native, was inspired by the famous ballad of the Green Beret to enlist. As each of Charlies lifts arrive, Delta will load up the empty helicopters with their own men for extraction. While we tried to maneuver our way back to Vietnam, through the valley we were constantly taking fire. At 1328 hours, Hue Approach Control received a call from Playtex 866 stating that he was declaring an emergency. He has never done an IV before. The easterly movement by the main enemy force indicates they are getting into position to attack Delta Company from the north. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. Winkler stops and quickly decides to stay with Thurston. [2]:159. Next, find a vein on his arm below the tourniquet. In late 1969, the 101st Administration Company (101st Airborne Division) was moved from Bien Hoa Army Base to Phu Bai. said Sewell. It may be more than expected. 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. 4 Dallas Brown, writhing in pain. A Florida Cooperation. Operations in A Shau Valley 1 May - 31 July 1969, Operation Apache Snow (Hamburger Hill, May 1969), Operation Apache Snow After-Action It was located along Highway 547 halfway between the city of Hu and the A Shau Valley, a feeder route from the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The group then remained in the Da Nang area until departing Vietnam. $60.00 + $3.99 shipping. See Phu Loc photos and images from satellite below, explore the aerial . Crowned in 1878, King Umberto became increasingly authoritarian in the late 19th century. A recently captured enemy soldier reported their casualties had reduced their companies to around 60 men. Soon after first light, Roy adds several Delta Company soldiers to the attached Reconnaissance Platoon (now no bigger than a reinforced squad). Later, it is estimated the enemy is a reduced-in-strength battalion from the NVA regiment defending Hill 376. The 90th NVA Regiment was committed to its capture and defense. A few rounds were also fired by the Battleship USS New Jersey [a.k.a. George Washington had complained vociferously about the flood of questionable foreign volunteers. They made a demonstration jump immediately after arriving, observed by Gen. William Westmoreland and outgoing Ambassador (formerly General) Maxwell Taylor. The suppressive fire from Deltas perimeters keeps them from improving their position. For more information contact: drswier@gmail.com. 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. Warren M. Winterbottom/AP. Vietnam: Military History Branch, Office of the Secretary . the narrow 25-mile long valley was an arm of the Ho Chi Minh Trail Leland Roy hears the enemy mortars hitting Alpha Company over the battalion radio net. In the boat were a Vietnamese man and his very pregnant wife who was in labor. SSG (later Captain) Hooper was second only to Audie Murphy in the number of awards and decorations with 37 compared to Murphys 38. Likely, the enemy mortar crews have already moved. In 1968, HQ of 101st Airborne Division and in Apr 70, home to B-2/501st, 45 miles North of Danang. 1.5 Marine cleans his M-16 during the Battle of Hue.jpg 1,023 705; 122 KB. Sponsored. The year 2018 is the forty-ninth anniversary of the 1968 Tet Offensive. The new Corps also co-operated closely with the ARVN 1st Division in the area.