Vol 3 No. 21 TROPIC LIGHTNING NEWS May 20, 1968
Index
Unit Page | Unit Page | Unit Page | Unit Page |
1st Bde S-5 1 | 1/27 Photo 6 | 25th Avn 6 | 4/9 8 |
1/5 Photo 3 | 2/12 1 | 25th Inf 1 | 4/9 Photo 8 |
1/5 3 | 2/12 6 | 25th Med 4 | 4/23 4 |
1/5 3 | 2/14 3 | 3/22 3 | Customs Rules 2 |
1/5 6 | 2/22 6 | 4/9 3 | M-16 7 |
1/8 Arty Photo 6 | 2/27 1 | 4/9 3 | Malaria Pills 2 |
1/27 Photo 1 | 2/27 Photo 1 | 4/9 7 | MARS 1 |
1/27 6 | 2/27 8 | 4/9 Photo 7 | Memorial Day 7 |
AT WHITE HOUSE
Two
Wolfhounds Win Medal Of Honor
Two former 25th Inf Div soldiers were presented the nation's highest award
for heroism by President Johnson in ceremonies at the White House May 1.
CPT Robert Franklin Foley, 26, and SGT John Franklin Baker, 22, received
Medals of Honor for a single combat action when both were assigned to Co A, 2nd
Bn, 27th Inf (Wolfhounds).
The action occurred November 5, 1966 when Co A came upon a Viet Cong force in
well-fortified positions, just south of Dau Tieng.
During the ensuing battle Foley and Baker, then a PFC, moved to the head of
the company and, despite a hail of enemy sniper and automatic weapons fire,
fought to turn the siege away from the hard-hit unit.
Foley led his men in continuous assaults on the enemy positions. Knocked
down and badly wounded by an enemy grenade, Foley refused medical aid and by the
end of the battle had been credited with single-handedly destroying three enemy
bunkers.
Meanwhile, Private Baker repeatedly entered the enemy field of fire to drag
out American casualties. Also knocked off his feet by an enemy grenade, Baker
succeeded in relieving most of the sniper fire, killing seven snipers, and
destroying four enemy bunkers.
Johnson said Foley and Baker "fought because their nation believed
that only by honoring its commitments, and denying aggression its conquest,
could the conditions of peace be created in Southeast Asia."
Foley, of Newton, Mass., is now stationed at Ft. Belvoir, Va., and Baker, of
Moline, Ill. is based at Fort Jackson, S.C.
NATION'S HIGHEST - Two "Wolfhounds" receive the Medal of Honor from President Johnson in a White House ceremony. At left is CPT Robert Foley. SGT John Baker is being decorated. (AP Wirephoto) |
White Warriors Whip VC; Capture Stronghold
3RD BDE - Seizure of more than 800 pounds of
rice and a confirmed body count of 28 marked a recent overnight operation near
the Cambodian border by members of the 2nd Bn, 12th Inf.
The "White Warriors" of the 3rd Bde, 25th Inf Div came upon a fortified enemy
base camp which stretched for 40 kms of dense jungle northwest of Tay Ninh.
Greeted by a hail of automatic weapons fire, two companies of the battalion
were pinned down for three hours before pulling back to call in artillery and
air support.
As night fell, the battalion established a perimeter about 1,000 meters from
the enemy stronghold, absorbing a twilight barrage of enemy mortars and RPG
rocket rounds. This was answered with new air and artillery strikes.
A dawn assault by the Warriors reduced the enemy fortress, driving out a Viet
Cong rearguard. The fortified base camp revealed a network of tunnels,
well-camouflaged spider holes with overhead cover, a swimming hole, four wells
and what appeared to be a mess hall.
The enemy camp also included ten adobe hutches and a rice storage hutch, in
which was found the huge cache of the enemy staple. More reinforced bunkers,
connected to the camp by tunnels, were subsequently found in surrounding jungle.
The entire complex was destroyed by demolition engineers with assistance from
the Warriors.
TV To Salute Armed Forces
A special television salute to the Armed Forces will be included in the
varied public and military festivities that will mark Armed Forces Day around
the nation this year.
May 18, the third Saturday this month, is set aside annually by presidential
proclamation to recognize the role of the individual serviceman and to promote
understanding of the military services.
This year "The Mike Douglas Television Show," a nationally televised daytime
variety show will be devoted entirely to the military service during Armed
Forces Week.
Food For Thought
President Dwight D. Eisenhower said, "In the final choice, a soldier's pack
is not so heavy a burden as a prisoner's chains."
Canal Crossing - Members of Co D, 1st Bn, 27th "Wolfhounds", cross a small canal during a reconnaissance in force sweep 10 kms west of Saigon. (Photo by SGT Ross Roessler) |
Sgt Has Love Affair By Air
"Honey, I've got a real important question to ask you," said a young 25th Inf
Div sergeant stationed at Cu Chi, Vietnam, to his sweetheart in Georgia, "and I
want a truthful answer, over."
"Go ahead and ask me the question, over," she replied via MARS hookup.
"Take your time but you have 30 seconds from the time I say over .
. . Will you marry me, over?"
It only took five seconds for the answer. "Yes, yes, yes,
yes, over."
SSG Billie Joe Anderson was a happy man.
He finished his 18 month tour in Vietnam, but had an additional surprise in
store when he arrived home.
The 25th Div coordinated Anderson's DEROS date with the deadline for the
television show "To Tell The Truth" viewed May 1 by millions of stateside
viewers.
He was flown to New York City, arriving April 26 at the Ed Sullivan Theatre
where his fiance was appearing on the TV game show. She had absolutely no
knowledge of his arrival or scheduled appearance.
At the conclusion of the segment, Anderson was introduced and the audience
went wild as the couple raced to each other's arms. They had not seen each
other in over 6 months.
But that was not the only surprise. The show's master of ceremonies, Bud Collyer, was presented a bound certificate from the 25th Inf Div, stating that
due to his sincere concern for the romantic pursuits of one of their own, he was
made an Honorary Member of the 25th Inf Div. It was signed by MG F. K. Mearns,
Division Commander.
The love affair which spanned more than 12,000 miles and ended on a New York
television state was assisted by the Military Affiliate Radio System which
consists of military and civilian ham radio operators.
The more than 22,000 civilian MARS members in the United States handle most
of the traffic in the new "phone patch" system allowing GIs in Vietnam to make 5
minute person to person calls home.
Any short wave radio turned to the MARS frequency can pick up the radio
portion of the "phone patch" conversation like the one Anderson spoke over.
The type of messages transmitted speak for themselves.
One of the members said, "sure, the calls involve a great deal of time but
it's the least I can do for the boys, considering what they are doing for me."
SSG Anderson presents to Bud Collyer a bound certificate, making him an honorary member of the 25th Inf Div after being reunited with his fiance on TV. (USA Photo) |
Page 2 TROPIC LIGHTNING NEWS May 20, 1968
Decorated
BRONZE STAR (HEROISM | |
PFC Thomas Champa, Co C;, 4th Bn, 9th Inf PFC Fred V. Jurado, Co C, 2nd Bn, 22nd Inf PFC Robert L. Puckett, Co A, 1st Bn, 5th Inf PFC Leslie A. Carmen, Co C, 2nd Bn, 27th Inf PFC Mark T. Welling, Co D, 2nd Bn, 27th Inf PFC Robert N. Lee, Hq and Svc Btry, 2nd Bn, 77th Arty |
PFC Paul Rivera, A Btry, 2nd Bn, 77th Arty PFC Charles E. Powell, Hq & Svc Btry, 2nd Bn, 77th Arty PFC Thomas S. Oldcorn, B Btry, 2nd Bn, 77th Arty PFC Anthony W. Mojica, Co C, 2nd Bn, 22nd Inf PFC Darrell D. Rodgers, Co B, 4th Bn, 9th Inf PFC Delwin W. Ritter, Co B, 4th Bn, 9th Inf |
ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL (HEROISM) |
|
LTC Alan M. R. Dean, HHB, 1st Bn, 8th Arty CPT Fred F. Marty, Svc Btry, 6th Bn, 77th Arty CPT Phillip A. Blackwell, 9th Cml Det CPT Gordon D. Bacon, HHC, 1st Bn, 5th Inf 1LT John J. Langan, HHC, 3rd Bn, 22nd Inf 1LT Kenneth W. Simpson, C Btry, 2nd Bn, 77th Arty 1LT William C. Ruha, Co A, 2nd Bn, 22nd Inf 1LT Charles Q. Weatherford, A Btry, 6th Bn, 77th Arty 1LT James H. Hughes, A Btry, 6th Bn, 77th Arty 1LT James E. Moore, D Trp, 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav 1LT Frank S. Owne Jr., Co B, 25th Avn Bn 1LT Charles W. Lykins, Co C, 2nd Bn, 14th Inf 1LT William R. Rice, Co B, 1st Bn, 5th Inf 1LT Douglas P. Ryan, C Btry, 2nd Bn, 77th Arty 2LT Gary J. Stevens, Co D, 2nd Bn, 27th Inf WO1 Ferenc J. Szerzo, Co B, 25th Avn Bn WO1 James P. Barry, Jr., Co B, 25th Avn Bn WO1 Joe F. Shipes, Co B, 25th Avn Bn WO1 Patrick J. Bilyk, HHC, 3rd Bde MSG Morris E. Cash, HHC, 3rd Bn, 22nd Inf SFC Ivan E. Taylor, Hq, H&S Btry, 7th Bn, 11th Arty SFC Louis Reising, Co C, 2nd Bn, 22nd Inf SSG Frank R. Haithcox, B Trp, 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav SSG Robert E. Block, Co C, 2nd Bn, 22nd Inf SSG Wilford Thomas, B Trp, 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav SSG William L. Holmes, Co D, 2nd Bn, 27th Inf SSG Anthony Ruffin, Co D, 2nd Bn, 27th Inf SP4 Harold C. Byrd, HHC, 3rd Bn, 22nd Inf SP4 Larry D. Hurley, HHC, 3rd Bn, 22nd Inf SP4 Royce Rainwater, HHC, 4th Bn, 9th Inf SP4 Walter D. Dula, Jr., Co B, 2nd Bn, 27th Inf SP4 Leroy Brown, HHC, 725th Maint Bn SP4 Richard D. Fox, B Trp, 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav SP4 Donald Haines, B Trp, 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav SP4 Alvin L. Tucker, B Trp, 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav SP4 John R. Bulka, B Trp, 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav SP4 Terrance W. Dew, HHC, 3rd Bn, 22nd Inf SP4 Phillip T. Hamrick, Co C, 1st Bn, 5th Inf |
SP4 Lyn R. Dunlap, HHC, 2nd Bn, 34th Armor SP4 James P. Cahee, Co C, 1st Bn, 5th Inf SP4 Glenn Raye, Co A, 2nd Bn, 22nd Inf SP4 Kenneth Y. Fowler, B Trp, 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav SP4 Ruben S. Castaneda, Co B, 2nd Bn, 22nd Inf SP4 John M. Summer, HHC, 3rd Bn, 22nd Inf SP4 Francis E. Sigmon, C Btry, 2nd Bn, 77th Arty SP4 Hugh D. Keith, Co A, 2nd Bn, Co A, 2nd Bn, 22nd Inf SP4 Omar C. Lockridge Jr., Co C, 2nd Bn, 22nd Inf SP4 Douglas D. Lawrence, HHC, 2nd Bde SP4 Sammy G. Forrester, C Btry, 2nd Bn, 77th Arty SP4 Ronald R. Mathis, C Btry, 2nd Bn, 77th Arty SP4 Andrew J. Bruecker, Co C, 3rd Bn, 2nd Inf SP4 Douglas E. Olsen, D Trp, 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav SP4 Stuart M. Rounds, Co C, 4th Bn, 23rd Inf SP4 Carl F. Davis Jr., Co B, 2nd Bn, 27th Inf SP4 Lawrence W. Bower, HHC, 2nd Bn, 22nd Inf SP5 Wayne I. Parker, C Btry, 2nd Bn, 77th Arty SP5 Jerry D. Guy, Co A, 2nd Bn, 27th Inf SP5 Ronald Detmer, Co B, 2nd Bn, 27th Inf SP5 Robert H. Gurley, HHB, 25th Inf Div Arty CPL James E. Devor, HHD, 25th Avn Bn CPL Roosevelt Spencer, A Btry, 1st Bn, 8th Arty CPL Larry D. Edwards, C Btry, 2nd Bn, 77th Arty CPL Richard F. Patterson, Co A, 2nd Bn, 22nd Inf CPL Douglas T. Carroll, C Btry, 2nd Bn, 77th Arty SP4 Delbert Smith, Co B, 1st Bn, 27th Inf SP4 James E. Owens, B Trp, 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav SP4 Larry D. King, Co A, 2nd Bn, 22nd Inf SP4 Verlon I. Phillips, Co B, 2nd Bn, 22nd Inf SP4 David W. Garrod, B Trp, 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav SP4 Melvin Nelson Jr., B Trp, 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav SP4 James B. Baxter, B Btry, 6th Bn, 77th Arty SP4 Pete R. Canales, HHC, 1st Bn, 5th Inf SP4 Worley T. Minor, B Trp, 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav SP4 Peter A. Karl, HHD, 25th Avn Bn SP4 Russell L. Wiggs, Co A, 2nd Bn, 22nd Inf SP4 Lon L. Zimmerman, Co B, 2nd Bn, 14th Inf |
KNOW CUSTOMS RULES BEFORE MAILING GIFTS
Sending a gift home?
There are some important things you should know about customs rules.
There are two different customs exemptions for bona fide gifts you mail from
Vietnam. One, the $10.00 exemption, applies to members of the Armed Forces of
the United States and authorized users of the Armed Forces Postal Service. It
pertains to PX purchased items or items on the economy.
The second, a $50.00 exemption which only applies to servicemen serving in
Vietnam or other combat zones designated by the President, is applicable only to
items purchased through the PX.
Only bona fide gifts not exceeding $10.00 in value will be discussed here in
detail.
These items that are not otherwise prohibited or restricted for import to the
U.S. are exempt from duty. Items worth anything more than $10.00 are subject to
duty on the entire amount. For example, a $15.00 item would be subject to duty
on the whole $15.00.
No perfume containing alcohol (except where the total value of all
merchandise in the shipment is not over $1.00) or tobacco products are exempt
from duty.
The total combined value of articles received by one person on one day and
exempted from payment of duty cannot exceed $10.00. If it does exceed this, the
Post Office at home may be required to collect duty.
Gifts for several persons may be combined in one package and addressed to one
person, but each individual package must be separately wrapped and addressed.
Each must be endorsed "Bona Fide gift not exceeding $10.00."
The customs declaration form is addressed to the person shown on the larger
parcel and the contents will be itemized on the customs declaration form to show
the individual recipient of each gift enclosed in the large parcel.
If you prefer not to list the contents on the outside of this, or any other
package, you may affix the upper part of POD Form 2976, a small, green sticker,
to the outside and include the list inside on POD Form 2976-A. This requires
payment of first class postage.
When only POD Form 2976 is used and sufficient space is not available,
itemize the contents on the parcel and refer to this on the declaration itself.
A POD Form 2966, a tag, may be used and then contents are itemized on the list
of contents side.
Any gift that is a set (sugar and creamer etc) may not be split to qualify as
individual gifts.
It is not necessary to list the actual purchase price of bona fide gifts
which do not exceed $10.00. The above mentioned endorsement will be placed on
the declaration in lieu of the value. When the POD Form 2976 is used, the
endorsement will be on the parcel close to the form
Malaria
IT'S YOUR HEALTH
CU CHI - Have you noticed there are more
mosquitoes in the air these nights? Have you been planning to acquire more
repellent? Do you know how to protect yourself, or have you forgotten?
With the arrival of the wet season, there has been an obvious rise in the
mosquito population. Several species of Anopheles have been caught on Cu Chi
base camp in increasing numbers.
There has been a slight upward trend in the incidence of malaria, several
cases reported in the last two weeks. They got it admittedly because they were
not adhering to malaria discipline.
ROLL your sleeves down an hour before dusk and do not roll them up until an
hour after sunrise.
USE INSECT REPELLENT
Insect repellent should be used as directed in the evening or any time you
feel you will be in contact with a large mosquito population. You know where
that might be. Remember all that training you've had?
TAKE YOUR C-P PILL WEEKLY
The large, orange C-P pill should be taken by everyone, every Monday unless
there is a written medical exception in each case. You didn't take it? Here's
what to do. Take the pill as soon as possible after you missed the dose, BUT NO
CLOSER THAN FOUR DAYS APART.
This pill is taken weekly for eight weeks after leaving RVN.
The Dapsene tablet, a small white tablet, is taken by certain units daily
while in an endemic area, and for 28 days after leaving the area. Current
division policy is for units operating north of the 60th grid line and the field
units out of Dau Tieng and area to take the pill.
This is especially important in suppressing the more serious falciparum
infestation.
USE your mosquito bar at night, especially in field situations.
SPRAY AREAS
SPRAY sleeping area at night before retiring using individual cans of
insecticide.
Unit measures are very important in the control of malaria. PA&E sprays each
of the three base camps, but this does not absolve the individual units of the
responsibility of taking steps toward malaria prevention in each unit.
Utilize the field sanitation team.
Why all the fuss? Malaria is a dangerous, potentially fatal, disease, but it
can be prevented.
There is no single method of eliminating the disease, but a combination of
drug prophylaxis, individual malaria discipline and unit control measures can
dramatically lower the incidence of the disease.
'Parachute Owners' Get Wings Clipped
GI's have found that parachutes are multi-purpose. They float to the ground
and they do a fine job of providing shade from the sun. For all lucky chute
owners, the heat is on.
If you are one of the fortunate few, you better have it cleared through the
property disposal channels. This means having a valid DA Form 1150-1, Request
for Issue and Turn-In.
To keep things cool for yourself and your unit, have those parachute
sunshades authorized.
The TROPIC LIGHTNING NEWS is an authorized publication of the
25th Infantry Division. It is published weekly for all division units in the
Republic of Vietnam by the Information Office, 25th Infantry Division, APO U.S.
Forces 96225. Army News Features, Army Photo Features, Armed Forces Press
Service and Armed Forces News Bureau material are used. Views and opinions
expressed are not necessarily those of the Department of the Army. Printed in
Tokyo, Japan, by Pacific Stars and Stripes.
MG F. K. Mearns . . . . . . . . . Commanding General
MAJ Andrew J. Sullivan . . . Information Officer
21LT Don A. Eriksson . . . . . Officer-in-Charge
SP5 Terry Richard . . . . . . . . Editor
SP4 Don Brown . . . . . . . . . . Editorial Assistant
Page 3 TROPIC LIGHTNING NEWS May 20, 1968
MEDCAP - SP4 Herbert Crandall, of Angwin, Calif., a medic with the 25th Inf Div's 1st Bn (Mech), 5th Inf, treats a Vietnamese child with a head cut during a MEDCAP 10 kms west of Saigon. (Photo by SP4 Jake Southwick) |
Fuel, Engines Found During Jungle Sweep
3RD BDE - An apparent Viet Cong boat landing and
storage depot were recently found by a unit of the 3rd Bde, 25th Inf, while on a
jungle sweep northwest of Dau Tieng.
Patrolling near a small river, Delta Co, 3rd Bn, 22nd Inf, came upon what at
first appeared to be a deserted enemy base camp. Careful probing around the six
abandoned bunkers, however, met with surprising results.
The "Regulars" troops unearth two gasoline powered engines and two 55 gallon
drums full of gasoline, all buried in separate caches.
"This place looks like a stopping off place for enemy boats," remarked CPT
Gerald J. White, company commander from Fresno, Calif. "But those engines
could have been used for any number of things."
5TH INF AMBUSHES ENEMY NEAR SAIGON
2ND BDE - Two ambush patrols from a 25th Inf Div
company killed five Viet Cong in separate actions on the outskirts of Saigon.
CPT Robert S. Hoop of Lubbock, Tex., commander of Co A, 1st Bn (Mech), 5th
Inf, said his unit wiped out a three-man enemy patrol and captured most of the
equipment of a Viet Cong demolition team in the two actions.
Hoop ordered the patrol to open fire when the lead Viet Cong came within 15
feet of the ambush site. Within a minute, the patrol had killed all three enemy
and captured three AK-47 assault rifles.
In the second ambush three days later, the company commander reported his men
killed two of seven well-dispersed Viet Cong who filed by their position.
The next morning, the operation Toan Thang soldiers located 500 rounds of
small arms ammunition, three sets of combat web gear, a dozen hand grenades, and
25 pounds of high explosives and other demolition equipment.
Hoop added that numerous blood trails indicated several other Viet Cong had
been wounded but managed to escape the brief fight.
Item Of Interest
The Vietnamese people worship ancestors, venerate elders, hold families as
the keystone of society. They are quieter, less excitable than Westerners,
place high value on harmony, good manners and tradition.
Troops of 25th Help ARVN Win Race With
Rains
2ND BDE - Troops of the 25th Inf Div helped a
South Vietnamese rifle company stationed near Saigon win a race with the
monsoon.
Elements of the 1st Bn (Mech), 5th Inf, had been working with the 198th
Regional Force Co. at Vinh Loc, several kms west of Saigon.
The Vietnamese troop had assisted the Americans in several cordon and search
operations and in detaining enemy suspects and infiltrators attempting to enter
the capital.
After several weeks of joint operations, LTC Thomas C. Lodge of DeLand, Fla.,
learned the allied unit was conducting what appeared to be a losing race to
rebuild it compound before the monsoon set in.
Lodge ordered a bulldozer from the Div's 65th Engineers to aid the ARVN
unit. In a day's work, the bulldozer cleared most of the land the Vietnamese
troops would have had to level by hand, Lodge reported.
In addition, the battalion commander sent a team of communications
specialists to revamp the compound's communications system
Manchus, 37 for 14
1ST BDE - Soldiers of the 25th Inf Div's
1st Bde engaged local Viet Cong communists; killing 37 during 14 days of
fighting. The 4th Bn, 9th Inf "Manchus", was on a reconnaissance in force mission around Trang
Sang where the action occurred.
"We combined daily sweeps of the area with night ambush patrols to stifle VC
activity in the area," said Lieutenant Colonel Richard Simpson, battalion
commander, of Westminster, S.C.
The VC avoided contact when possible. The "Manchus" constant aggressiveness
and determined efforts was the catalyst that forced the action with the VC.
Sprained Ankle Saves Soldier From Snipers
1ST BDE - Patrolling three miles west of Trang
Bang, a 4th Bn, 9th Inf, soldier luckily fell and sprained his ankle, as he came
under enemy sniper fire.
SP4 Thomas McDermott, a squad leader for the 3rd Plt recalled the story of
painful good luck.
"Three men and I were going to check out a hedgerow about 75 meters to the
front of my platoon," recalled McDermott. "I looked back and I saw that
PFC Kevin Sullivan was behind, so I waited for him to catch up while the other
two men continued."
"When Sullivan was parallel to me, we moved on. As soon as we
were in front of an opening in the hedgerow a Viet Cong opened up on the two of
us with an AK-50, firing all tracer rounds."
"Both of us hit the dirt on the first burst. Sullivan crouched low and
started to run for cover when he tripped and fell to the sounds of a second
enemy burst. I could see the bullets miss Sullivan's head by inches as he
fell," continued McDermott.
McDermott and Sullivan crawled to safety as the other two men ahead of them
raked the VC position with small arms fire.
VC SAMPAN STEAMS INTO STORMY SEAS; AMBUSHED
1ST BDE - The capturing of a 25 foot motorized
sampan netted the members of a 25th Inf Div rifle platoon several enemy weapons
and supplies during a recent ambush 35 kms northwest of Saigon.
Members of the 3rd Plt of Charlie Co, 2nd Bn, 14th Inf, captured an enemy
sampan after ambushing two North Vietnamese soldiers from positions along the
bank of the Saigon River.
"We spotted two 'Charlies' in the boat as it came by a couple hours earlier,
but we couldn't get a clear shot," said SGT Danny C. Hatmaker.
"It had been pouring down rain and we were waist deep in water but we knew
that sampan was coming back and we were going to be ready," added Hatmaker of
Welch, W. Va.
"We called for illumination from our heavy mortar platoon and we could see
that the sampan had jammed against the bank of the river, we felt that the motor
had probably choked out as it crashed," remarked SGT Charles J. Behm. "We
stopped firing and kept a close watch on the sampan till dawn."
As soon as daylight came, all the platoon of Charlie Co joined the 3rd Plt
and Hatmaker and Behm volunteered to swim across the 100 meter river and
retrieve the boat.
Two new AK-50 assault rifles, two sets of web gear with ammunition loaded
magazines, 15 NVA ponchos, 10 pounds of rice and various supplies were found in
the hole filled sampan.
"Blood stains on the web gear indicated that we probably hit the VC, but I
guess we will have to be satisfied with his equipment this time," concluded Behm
of Marion, Ohio.
Page 4-5 TROPIC LIGHTNING NEWS May 20, 1968
PHOUC TAN RISES AGAIN FROM THE ASHES OF WAR
VILLAGERS AIDED BY 1ST BRIGADE
1ST BDE - With American help the farming village
of Phouc Tan, two kms from the Cambodian border, is rebuilding after being
caught in the devastation of war.
The Viet Cong had attacked the small village and overrun its defenses. After
the communists were driven from the village, only half the town's buildings
remained unscarred from the shelling and fighting.
The people could rebuild their homes and barns, but materials were needed to
complete their task. Tay Ninh Province could provide the cement and tin roofing
needed, but because of the remoteness of the village, transportation of the
supplies seemed monumental.
The 25th Inf Div's 1st Bde S-5 section offered its help in getting the cement
and tin roofing to the isolated province town. MAJ Arthur Seabrock and CPT F.
L. Fly of the Brigade's S-5 section arranged for US Army Chinook helicopters to
transport the building materials from the Tay Ninh East Airstrip to Phouc Tan.
The brigade's civil affairs team, with members of the 4th Bn (Mech), 23rd Inf
Support Plt, gathered cargo nets and packed up the cement for airlift to Phouc
Tan. A MEDCAP team from the 25th Med Det at Tay Ninh base camp, rode with the
first lift into the village and instantly set up a station to treat the local
residents.
The airlift of 1300 bags of cement was planned for a three day phase. The
first and third days of flying would bring in 8 flights by the Army
helicopters. The second phase would fly in six separate loads.
The whole village turned out to watch the large Chinooks hover over a field
close to the town and drop its cargo of cement. The load was packed in piles
and when the young children weren't climbing on the bags of cement or talking to
the Americans unloading it, the people were handed their products for a new
start.
Story And Photos By SP4 Rick Adams
A destroyed home at Phouc Tan is a challenge taken by villagers. | |
SP4 Larry Haggard inspects a model airplane given to him by children at Phouc Tan. | |
The people of Phouc Tan pick up the cement to begin the task of rebuilding. | |
At the Tay Ninh Airstrip, the cement is prepared for airlift to Phouc Tan. | |
A Chinook from Tay Ninh brings in another load of building materials near Cambodia. |
Page 6 TROPIC LIGHTNING NEWS May 20, 1968
25th Avn Saves Patrol
CU CHI - With the helicopter's belly crushing
down the tree tops and the men hoisting themselves up on the landing skids of
the chopper, the 25th Inf Div's 25th Avn Bn plucked a patrol trapped by heavy
enemy fire from a densely wooded area north of Cu Chi.
CPT James Jaap, Co A "Little Bear" operations officer, received word that a
Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) was in contact with a much larger enemy
force.
Jaap immediately diverted 25th Avn choppers from other operations to extract
the besieged patrol. Two Little Bear troop-carrying choppers and two helicopter
light fire teams and a helicopter "smoke ship" from Co B "Diamondheads" rushed
to the scene.
The helicopter gunships began suppressing the enemy fire with their rockets
and machine guns as the smoke ship laid a heavy screen of smoke to cover the
landing of the two "slicks" that would pick up the patrol.
The first chopper made it OK.
But the second chopper couldn't land; the trees were too tall and too dense.
The pilot brought his Little Bear chopper to a hover, then lowered it until
its belly crushed and forced down the trees, the rotor barely clearing the tree
tops. He held his craft in position despite enemy fire as the remaining members
of the patrol got aboard.
One man leaped up, grabbed the helicopter's landing skid, and hoisted himself
into the chopper. Then, leaning out on the skid, he and the crew chief pulled
the remaining soldiers up.
They were all safely aboard just as the "Diamondhead" gunships made their
last pass at the enemy's positions with only ammunition for their door guns left
to fire.
ARTILLERY - A 105mm howitzer of the 1st Bn, 8th Arty, fires in support of the 2nd Bde, 25th Inf Div, troops during Operation Toan Thang, 15 kms north of Saigon. (Photo By SGT Ross Roessler) |
FO Pitches No Hitter Against VC
3RD BDE - A forward observer for Alpha Co, 2nd Bn, 12th Inf, had to bring to
bear some hand-hurled artillery during a reconnaissance in force some 10 kms
west of Saigon.
The "White Warriors" of the 3rd Bde, 25th Inf Div, ran up against a
"U"
shaped complex of Viet Cong tunnels and reinforced bunkers. Enemy forces were
well dug in and opened up on the company gaining fire superiority.
Commanding his men to draw back, the company commander requested that
immediate artillery fire support be ordered by his forward observer 1LT Martin
Beach.
Beach found himself unable to comply with the request, however, because his
radio-telephone operator was pinned down by enemy small arms fire.
Seizing an armload of grenades, Beach charged the enemy complex, scattering
fragmentation devices into the Viet Cong spider holes, bunkers and tunnels.
Lending fire support to the lieutenant's charge were SSG Nat Taylor and 1LT
Charles Mohr of Glenview, Ill.
At the conclusion of the action, the unit had been successful in blotting out
the enemy stronghold, with a confirmed body count of 18. In the action the
company captured three AK_50 and five AK-47 assault rifles and a 175mm
recoilless rifle.
Asked what had happened to his artillery, Beach replied, "It was
all the artillery I had, Sir."
CAUTION REALLY PAYS:
TRIPLE DEUCE PATROL
PULLS SWITCH ON VC
3RD BDE - Caution paid off for an ambush patrol
from Co B, 2nd Bn (Mech), 22nd Inf, as it moved from the company's night
perimeter to its ambush site.
The 3rd Bde, 25th Inf Div, patrol, led by SGT Gerald Graham, Los Angeles,
California, set out at dusk from the company perimeter in the Crescent to set up
an ambush some 800 meters away on the south side of the Dau Tieng-Tay Ninh
highway.
The patrol had broken out of the jungle and was walking along a rice paddy
dike when two shots in the jungle rang out. Instantly the men took cover behind
the dike.
A quick radio check informed them that the shots had not been fired by any
friendly elements. The shots hadn't been fired at them but they weren't very
far away.
They seemed to have been some sort of warning. Being cautious, Graham
directed his men to crawl from their position to a better concealed position 25
meters closer to the road, rather than proceeding on their original path. Then
they waited.
Suddenly a man stepped out of the jungle, looked around, and stepped back
into the trees.
A few minutes later he reappeared and started walking along a rice dike
parallel to the patrol some fifty meters away. Then came a second man, and a
third, and so on until 13 Viet Cong had emerged from the jungle.
The Triple Deuce patrol opened up, and saw several of the enemy fall as
tracers stitched through the night. All at once the patrol received heavy
automatic weapons fire from their left flank, the area they would have walked
had they continued on their original path.
Later, reflecting on the action, one member of the patrol said, "You know,
Charlie was waiting for us. If he hadn't fired those two shots, we'd have
walked right into his ambush."
VC ICEMAN GETS COOLED
2ND BDE - A man who hours before had been
selling ice to 25th Inf Div soldiers was killed when he attempted to probe their
night location near Saigon. The 1st Bn (Mech), 5th Inf, reported killing
the vendor and capturing two automatic weapons and a rocket launcher in a night
attack on his position.
VC FOLLOW WIRE, FIND AMBUSH AT END
2ND BDE - A trio of North Vietnamese soldiers
walked into a 25th Inf Div ambush near Saigon recently when they decided to
follow the wire of a Claymore mine.
Members of Co A, 1st Bn, 27th Inf, killed one enemy and detained another.
The third managed to escape when the Americans opened fire.
PFC Allen B. Woodard, 20, of Delevan, Wisc., noticed the three enemy walking
toward him through an open area.
The "Wolfhound" alerted the rest of the patrol, then watched as the North
Vietnamese followed the Claymore wire leading to his position.
When the lead enemy came within ten feet, Woodard opened fire with his M-16
rifle. Other members of the ambush patrol threw hand grenades at the enemy.
A search the next morning revealed the dead North Vietnamese, one enemy who
the patrol detained, and three automatic weapons.
Documents identified the enemy as belonging to the 7th NVA Div.
TOAN THANG - "Wolfhounds" of the 1st Bn, 27th Inf, 25th Inf Div, file through a village 10 kms north of Saigon during a reconnaissance in force mission. (Photo by SGT Ross Roessler) |
Page 7 TROPIC LIGHTNING NEWS May 20, 1968
M-16 Answers VC Question
1ST BDE - A 25th Inf Div Kit Carson scout had a
conversation with two Viet Cong; his parting remarks were spoken by his M-16
which resulted in one dead VC and one detainee.
Co A, 4th Bn, 9th Inf "Manchus", was on a night ambush patrol near Trang Bang
when the action occurred.
Son Nguyen Van, a Kit Carson Scout for Alpha Co, was walking flank security
on the way to the ambush site.
Son relates that he saw somebody off to his left about ten meters walking
parallel to him. He spoke out in Vietnamese and asked, "Who are you?" The Viet
Cong replied, "Let's go. You and I are same. We are VC." Son answered with a
long burst of fire from his M-16, killing the VC.
Heavy machine gun fire was placed in that direction wounding the other Viet
Cong. Two AK-47's were found and the Viet Cong detainee was taken back to a
fire support base to be given medical attention and interrogated.
"The two Viet Cong were sent out to make contact with another Viet Cong force
that was moving into the area," said CPT Elcie Adams of Columbus, Ga.,
commanding officer of Alpha Co.
"I guess that the VC mistook us for that force, when Son spoke to them in
Vietnamese," said Robert McDaniels of Indianapolis, Ind.
"Yes, but there was no misunderstanding that M-16," stated Adams. Son
smiled, and nodded his agreement.
Future Expansion Seen In M-16 Rifle Production
Department of the Army is selecting two additional sources to produce the
M-16 rifle presently used by United States armed forces, mostly in Southeast
Asia.
In a March 30 statement, the Department of Defense said, "The
rifles will more quickly meet the increasing needs of Free World Military
Assistance Forces in Southeast Asia and U.S. logistics and administrative
troops."
Army has requested the present M016 manufacturers, Colt's Industries, to
expand production from 30,000 to 50,000 rifles per month. Increased production
is expected to begin in May.
Selection of the additional sources for the M-16 production will be made
primarily on the basis of production capability, together with a high level of
confidence in the producer's ability to meet an accelerated schedule and
maintain quality.
CAPTURED VC WEAPON - Son Nguyen Van, a Kit Carson scout for Co A, 4th Bn, 9th Inf, displays the AK-47 he took off the VC he killed while on a night ambush patrol. PFC Oliver Kissling of Roosevelt, Utah, looks over the weapon. (Photo By SP4 Steve Graves) |
MEMORIAL DAY: AMERICANS LOOK
INTO FUTURE, REMEMBER PAST
"...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in
Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it
tolls for thee."
On Memorial Day, the bell tolls for us all. It tolls for those who live and
those who hear that sound no more. It tolls because we are diminished by those
who have died in our wars. Our loss is personal. Those who died at Appomattox,
at San Juan Hill and Meuse-Argonne, at Anzio or Pork Chop Hill, those who are
dying in Vietnam - they are our fathers, brothers, husbands, sweethearts and
sons. And their sacrifice was and is personal too.
Those we honor today were much involved in mankind. They were committed to
its preservation, to its freedom, to its dignity. They know that when freedom
dies in one place, it is diminished throughout the world. That when there is a
travesty on human dignity in one spot, human dignity suffers everywhere. They
have seen it in Vietnam. And they who saw so much were so very young.
Soldiering is a young man's job. They were young men who marched in the
armies of ancient times. They were young men in the conquering forces of Sparta
. . . in the legions of Rome. They were young who fought and died, and are
fighting and dying in our own wars.
At Arlington, at Shiloh, at Gettysburg, you see the white marble crosses or
headstones. But if you look closer, you also see the dates on those stones.
They were so young. They still had so much to give, yet they gave so much.
As the soldier is young, so he fights for the young. He fights for their
future. He dies that they might live. For a soldier cannot die for a
superficial world that is not of his making. He dies, instead, for the future.
He dies, as he lived with a hope - a hope expressed during the dark days
of
World War II by Marine Corporal Vin Cassidy, who wrote:
I fight and pray
That wars shall cease;
That his shall be
A world at peace;
His dreams, my dreams
And all his plans.
His name - my son,
And every man's.
We set aside one day to honor such men - men who died so young that the young
might have a future. Men, like Roger Young. Roger Young was a World War II
sergeant, a platoon leader and a good man, but his eyesight was bad. Worried
about the effect this would have on his leadership and fearing that his
difficulty in seeing might bring harm to his men, Roger Young asked to be
reduced to a private. No longer a leader by rank, he was still one by example.
And, in spite of his eyesight, Roger Young won the Medal of Honor posthumously
for courage in battle above and beyond the call of duty.
How then do we honor the Roger Young's and the faceless thousands who have
sacrificed so much for their country? How do we remember what they knew, what
they saw, what they did?
For peace has come to Shiloh and Manassas. The water runs clear through
Antietam.
Only in Vietnam can we see the grim realities of war - the sucking, sloshing
mud, the rain soaked jungles, the closely fought battles, the dead and dying.
And yet Vietnam is a 6 p.m. serial, remote from reality, something we can't or
won't accept in its total horror - unless we have been there to see, and touch
and smell the war.
How, then, can we remember the battlefield - when so few have seen and
touched and smelled? Here, where horror is common place, the common place is
but a passing dream. Here, in this province of poverty, wealth is measured in
bullets and bread - prestige in courage. It is a world known but to the few.
For it is a world apart.
But all of us remember the hustle and bustle of war. We remember the legions
marching - the bands playing. We remember the songs of the "Blue and The
Gray," "Dixie," "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," "Bonnie Blue Flag," and
"Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground," - songs of the innocent setting forth to
battle.
We remember the songs of the "Great War." Our boys sang of their buddies and
the beautiful women of France. They gave their regards to Broadway.
They told the enemy that the Yanks were coming and that they wouldn't come
back 'til it was over, over there.
Now, there are no more battle cries, no more slogans, no more innocent songs
sending young men off to war. There is no joyous victory in :"These Boots Are
Made for Walking," no commitment to war in "I Left My Heart In San Francisco."
And while the old songs still stir our hearts, they no longer fit the harsh
realities of war. Our songs of glory on the battlefield were muted in the dark
jungles of Bataan, on the snow-covered hills of Korea, in the steamy rice
paddies of Vietnam.
How, then, do we remember when our memories are so few, and those we have
hold little meaning for today? We remember, first of all, with honor. And this
is the whole tradition of Memorial Day. Honor paid to those who have so
absolutely honored their country. It began with the honoring of Civil War dead
in several places throughout the country.
One of the most famous of these incidents took place in Columbus,
Mississippi, in 1867. Several women had gone to the cemetery to decorate the
graves of the sons and husbands of the South who had died fighting for the
Confederacy. When they had finished placing the flowers, they looked across to
the graves of the Union soldiers - unattended, drab, and forgotten. Touched by
the sight, they couldn't bring themselves to ignore those graves where Northern
men lay. Carefully, they decorated those graves until there was nothing to
distinguish them from those of the Confederates. Thus honor went to those who
had died honorably.
This and similar incidents, touched the hearts of the Nation, giving hope
that a country torn asunder by civil war might once again be united in spirit.
In response, the Union's veteran organization inaugurated May 30 as Decoration
Day. Ceremonies were sponsored throughout the North, while similar rites were
held independently in the South.
In the early 1800's, Decoration Day became Memorial Day to describe more
fully the sentiment of the occasion. And with the passing years, Memorial Day
has become a salute to the military dead, not only of the Civil War, but of all
of our wars.
Thus today, we remember through honoring. We join together to commemorate
all those who have served the nation in uniform, who faced the armed enemies of
the United States. And especially, we honor those who fell in battle. Those,
mostly young, whose lives were cut short - those who, but for the chances of
war, might have lived to build the future rather than providing its foundation.
But honor can be a shallow cup from which to bring remembrance. Our
Memorial Day must be more than sad eulogies and nicely turned phrases of praise.
President Lincoln used the phrase "so that these honored dead shall not have
died in vain." But how could they have died in vain? If our Nation had lost
its wars, rendered its freedom naught, these dead would have sacrificed all for
but a passing vision of glory. But our wars were won, our freedom preserved.
Perhaps, however, this is not all that Lincoln had in mind. Perhaps he also
meant that our honored defenders would have died in if we had let them die in
battle while we lived on in peace - safe, secure and untouched by their
sacrifice. They will have died in vain if we neglect their vision - their
American Dream. They will have died in vain if we confine our respect for their
memory to strewing flowers on their graves on Memorial Day. Moreover, they will
have died in vain if we forget their involvement in mankind, if we refuse to
take up their commitment to the future.
Memorial Day, then, is a time for dedication to the future. It is a day when
we show publicly our awareness that we did not build this Nation by ourselves,
that it was forged nearly 200 years ago by brilliant and selfless men, and that
the building process had continued ever since by many generations of
enlightened, hard-working Americans. We were their future to whom they
dedicated themselves. Likewise we must commit ourselves to our future.
And in today's troubled world, there is much that requires commitment. There
is the awesome presence of nuclear weapons. There is the whole web of
complexities spun by the struggle for civil rights - a struggle that oscillates
between the rational and the emotional, and sums up in itself all those
frailties of human prejudice. There is the traumatic birth of new nations
-
some coming to term in violence; others born peacefully, but faced with severe
pains of growth. There is the specter of hunger hanging over half the human
race; the grim presence of disease; the paralysis of human poverty that saps
ambition and drains away hope. There are all these problems and more. It is a
future that will require much dedication.
There are many avenues for this dedication - many useful ways to serve one's
community of fellow men. Those we honor here today committed themselves on the
battlefield. But building toward the American dream requires brains as well as
brawn. It demands wisdom and moral courage as well as physical courage. It
takes steadfastness in dark hours, as well as elation in the glory of success.
Some day, if men become wiser, nations may learn to settle their disputes by
employing reason, not violence. The tragedies of poverty, ignorance and disease
may no longer dominate the world state. And young fathers, as well as their
sons, may live out their dreams. That is our commitment. That is our
remembrance of those we honor on Memorial Day.
In this cause, we must look toward the future, toward a better world. We
must build on the past, not in it. We must continue to produce those fine young
men who are willing to do a bit extra, to commit themselves, to strive for what
is needed, not only by ourselves, but by the whole American community, and by
those who, like us, would be free. It is by virtue of the gallant sacrifices of
such men that we remain free to pursue the American vision of a still greater
America and a world in which all men are free to determine their destinies.
And so, on Memorial Day, we pay tribute to our war dead - to those who have
died for the future - our future, and that of our children and our children's
children. And those men have not died in vain. Not so long as we honor them in
deeds as well as words. Not so long as we shoulder the commitment for which
they so dearly paid. No, they have not died in vain. Not so long as we
remember that we, too, are involved in mankind.
Page 8 TROPIC LIGHTNING NEWS May 20, 1968
Hoc Mon Link Guarded By Wolfhounds
2ND BDE - Acting on the possibility of a second
offensive in the Saigon area by the Viet Cong and NVA forces, elements of the
2nd Bn, 27th Inf "Wolfhounds", have been assigned the task of protecting the
vital Hoc Mon bridge, situated on Highway 1, between Cu Chi and the village of
Hoc Mon.
The bridge, which is the main route for 25th Inf Div convoys to and
from Saigon, is a reinforced concrete structure, and has been recently rebuilt.
The original bridge was destroyed during the recent 'Tet' offensive by Viet Cong
'Sappers.'
Co C, 2nd Bn, 27th Inf, charged with protection of the bridge and is in the
process of building fortified bunkers and fighting positions in the vicinity of
the bridge.
"So far the enemy has not tried any overt aggressive activity here at the
bridge," said CPT Walter Everheart, Charlie Co, "but the battalion has had some
contact in this area and our own patrols have seen signs of him," the Atlanta,
Ga., officer continued.
According to SSG Richard Schultz of Pocatello, Idaho, "This bridge
would be vital for the displacement of troops and supplies to the Saigon area,
in the event of another offensive there by the Viet Cong."
Along with the protection of the bridge itself, the Wolfhounds have the job
of denying access of the bridge to Viet Cong infiltrators attempting to smuggle
arms and equipment into Saigon. Vehicles and individuals are searched day and
night, making it impossible for the Viet Cong to use the bridge as a means of
getting to Saigon.
Write A Letter; Win $
How well can you write? Can you write a good letter?
Well, here's a chance to win some decent prized for your views in the
Freedoms Foundation contest going on now until the deadline, November 1st.
Subject matter is "A free ballot - a free Country". Letters must not exceed
500 words.
First prize for active duty personnel is $1,000 with second place awards to
50 persons at $100 each and 50 third place awards of $50. Separate figures of
the same amount hold for reserve components.
In addition, the top active duty winner in each of the five military services
will be invited to the Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 20,
1969.
The awards for other active duty and reserve component winners will be
forwarded through channels for presentation at local ceremonies.
The Freedoms Foundation is an independent non-profit organization dedicated
to building an understanding of the spirit and philosophy of the Constitution
and the Bill of Rights, to inspiring love and freedom and to supporting the
spiritual unity born of the belief that man is a dignified human being.
It is not affiliated with any sectarian religious group or political party.
Those letters selected by the independent jury are spotlighted, distributed and
published, providing "more ammunition in the struggle of free men for personal
liberty and dignity against every totalitarian . . . force."
The creed, "A free ballot - a free Country" has permeated American thought
and literature since the arrival of the first colonists in their new land.
During the more than 300 years since, it has been expressed in many ways and by
many of the country's leaders.
Now it is your turn, based upon your many new experiences and new outlook on
life through your tour in Vietnam. Your ideas are wanted and will be listened
to.
More detailed information can be obtained from the Awards administration at
Freedoms Foundation.
Mail entries to: Freedoms Foundation, Valley Forge, Pa. 19481 U.S.A.
BIG FOOD FIND IN VC CACHE
1ST BDE - An element of the 25th Inf Div took the Viet Cong by surprise
killing six while detaining three VC. They also captured 5,000 pounds of rice,
2,000 pounds of powdered milk and six mines.
The 3rd Plt of Co C, 4th Bn, 9th Inf "Manchus", was attached to Co A of the
2nd Bn, (Mech) 22nd Inf, when the action unfolded in the Boi Loi Woods.
"We swept down to the Saigon River and then started down the side of one bank
when we came upon VC bunkers," recalled SGT Gregory Smith of Greenwood, W. Va.,
first squad leader.
Smith relates that his point man, PFC Samuel Rodgers of Dallas, Tex., came
back telling of enemy positions up front. Smith quietly moved his squad forward
taking the Viet Cong completely by surprise.
"I saw the VC, who were wearing blue uniforms, sitting around their bunkers.
I took aim and hit one in the shoulder and then the rest of the platoon opened
up. The enemy ran to the river and I shot another as he tried to swim away,"
related Smith.
Three detainees were found, one a woman who was thought to be a nurse.
ON LINE - Members of the 4th Bn, 9th Inf, prepare to enter a wood line while on a reconnaissance in force mission 80 kms northwest of Saigon on Operation Toan Thang. (Photo By SP4 Steve Graves) |
Thanks to:
Dwight Davis, 4th Bn., 9th Inf "Manchus",
for sharing this issue,
Butch Sincock, Past President, 25th Infantry Division Association for scanning
and processing the issue,
Kirk Ramsey, 2nd Bn., 14th Inf. for creating this page.
This page last modified 06-17-2011
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