Category: Battles and Soldiers
Koh Tang Island: The last battle of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War
As May 15, 1975, dawned, the last wave of American troops in the Vietnam War, 210 leathernecks, set foot on Koh Tang Island - 18 didn't survive. Their task was to rescue 39 sailors on board the merchant vessel SS Mayaguez, seized by the Khmer Rouge, a Cambodian political group responsible for 1.5 million deaths 1975-1979. President Ford's demand for safe release of the sailors and ship had fallen on deaf ears. The veterans of America's last battle in Vietnam haven't forgotten that day - and they haven't forgotten each other. The men meet as often as they can.
by washtimesherald.com :: 2008-08-01 :: Battles and Soldiers
Australian Officer Dave Sabben's account of the Battle at Long Tan draws praise
Dave Sabben has created a 50-slide animated Powerpoint presentation on the Battle at Long Tan. It can be downloaded from www.dave-sabben.com and Dave - one of 3 platoon commanders in the battle - would like to see it sent to schools and military institutions. The presentation has attracted the attention of military historians, teachers and military leaders. Long Tan was the most strategically important battle for Australian troops during their 10-year Vietnam conflict. The presentation re-creates the battle in which 105 Australian infantrymen met a force of over 2000 enemy troops in a rubber plantation near Long Tan village on 18th August 1966.
by australia.to :: 2008-06-08 :: Battles and Soldiers
Robert Haldane dies at 83 - His unit discovered the Cu Chi tunnels
Robert Haldane, an Army officer who led the battalion that exposed Cu Chi tunnels during the Vietnam War, died at 83. He was in charge of the American infantry contingent of the 8,000-man U.S.-Australian Operation Crimp. His troops came under fire as soon as they landed and were baffled when the enemy soldiers vanished in open terrain. The battalion found a large trench, and the area was clearly home to a regiment-size force, but few Viet Cong were seen - and yet snipers harassed the Americans. It wasn't until Sgt. Stewart L. Green sat on a nail, attached to a wooden trap door, that a camouflaged tunnel entrance was found.
by washingtonpost :: 2008-03-12 :: Battles and Soldiers
Small teen becomes hero, first to shoot down an American aircraft
Dismissing advice that he was too small for military service Pham Ngoc Lan enlisted. For the first 4 years he was the contact person for Dak Lak Police Department, assigned nearly every task except for active duty. After begging his commander for the action, he was allowed to join a regiment. "I actually arrested a French soldier," Ngoc Lan said, his eyes sparkling as he recalled the first few days as a "real" soldier. After filing for a tank driving course in 1955, Ngoc Lan was sent abroad for flying lessons. General Vo Nguyen Giap ordered Ngoc Lan and his fellow pilots into battle on April 3, 1965...
by thanhniennews :: 2007-12-22 :: Battles and Soldiers
First soldier killed in Vietnam - Captain Harry Griffith Cramer Jr.
History now regards Captain Harry Griffith Cramer Jr. - West Point Class of 1946 - the first American soldier killed in Vietnam. That wasn't always the case as the circumstances surrounding the explosion that killed Cramer remain murky. On Oct. 21, 1957 (2 years before the unofficial launch of the Vietnam War) he was commanding a U.S. Army Special Forces team training South Vietnamese soldiers near Nha Trang. Someone threw a block of TNT Cramer's way. The Army called it an accident, caused by an old French explosive that detonated early, but Cramer's comrades have suggested otherwise. The practice ambush was used by the Viet Cong to target American GIs.
by recordonline :: 2007-10-25 :: Battles and Soldiers
Vietnam vet remembers: War is hell
Jerry Ramirez still remembers the look on his father's face when, as a boy, Jerry asked him about war. "Like a lot of kids, I had this romantic vision of being a soldier. But when I asked my dad, he got this serious look in his eyes that kind of shook me up, like maybe I had done something wrong. He said, 'Son, if you don't have to go to war, don't. War is hell.'" Pasqual Ramirez had to go to war. And like all our Vietnam veterans, he came home to a country that didn't give a damn about them any more. An unpopular war had ripped the country apart and tainted the men who fought it - made them feel like pariahs.
by dailynews :: 2007-05-28 :: Battles and Soldiers
Battle near Khe Sanh
April 24, 1967, Marine Paul Kaspar was on a reconnaissance patrol at Hill 861, about a mile from the base at Khe Sanh, South Vietnam. His platoon ended up in a 2-and-a-half day battle with North Vietnamese regulars that left them with a 60% casualty rate. There was one company of Marines, 3 platoons, based at Khe Sanh. "There are 3 rifle platoons to a company, and the way we worked it, usually 2 platoons stayed in camp at Khe Sanh for security and one went out for reconnaissance... We were due to do a reconnaissance up on 861. We ran into the NVA up there... On other bases, things were built above the ground. At Khe Sanh, everything was underground."
by leatherneck.com :: 2007-04-25 :: Battles and Soldiers
Reunited soldiers tell about war in Vietnam
The last time Oscar Carroway saw Parker Johnston was in 1968, when both men were in intensive care in a military hospital in Vietnam. Last night, they looked in much better shape, despite the passage of 39 years. Mr. Johnston, who won the Silver Star for gallantry in action, has been inducted into the Hall of Valor at Soldiers & Sailors National Military Museum & Memorial in Oakland. May 28, 1968, his team was dropped close to what turned out to be a large enemy base camp near Vietnam's border with Cambodia. "We saw what looked like the entire North Vietnamese Army. Then everybody started shooting...."
by post-gazette :: 2007-04-07 :: Battles and Soldiers
The first black Medal of Honor recipient of the Vietnam war
Article no longer available from the original source.
Milton Lee Olive III was just shy of his 19th birthday when he jumped on a grenade sacrificing his life to save others in a heroic act that made him the first black Medal of Honor recipient of the war in Vietnam. His bravery will be remembered when a historical marker in Holmes County is dedicated to his memory. According to Olive's Medal of Honor citation, he and four others were in a battle Oct. 22, 1965, when a "grenade was thrown into their midst. Olive saw the grenade, and then saved the lives of his fellow soldiers at the sacrifice of his by grabbing the grenade in his hand and falling on it to absorb the blast with his body."
by shealanc :: 2007-04-01 :: Battles and Soldiers
The most decorated Native American soldier of the Vietnam War
Full blood Cherokee Billy Walkabout, Airborne Ranger of the 101st, died at 57. He was the most decorated Native American soldier of the Vietnam War. He received a Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest U.S. decoration for gallantry in combat, for his actions in Nov 1968. "After a long range reconnaissance patrol southwest of Hue... Sergeant Walkabout's team radioed for immediate helicopter extraction. When the extraction helicopters arrived and the lead man begin moving toward the pick-up zone, he was seriously wounded by hostile automatic weapons fire. Sergeant Walkabout quickly rose to his feet and delivered steady suppressive fire on the attackers..."
by usatoday :: 2007-03-10 :: Battles and Soldiers
Medal of Honor urged for Vietman vet Joseph T. Getherall
Joseph T. Getherall blocked out details from the Vietnam War for 40 years. He served 2 tours with the U.S. Marine Corps and was wounded 3 times. He pulled a wounded soldier to safety despite being wounded himself and saved members of his unit by throwing an enemy grenade back. It wasn't until 2004, after a Marine Corps reunion, that he was reminded of his actions. Prompted by members of his unit, Grace Napolitano introduced a bill requesting that the president award Getherall the Congressional Medal of Honor. "The fear is indescribable. ... The carnage and the bloody bandages that were there from dragging away the wounded and the dead was incredible."
by lapd :: 2007-02-19 :: Battles and Soldiers
Australian War Memorial marks anniversary of Vietnam battle
The Australian War Memorial will mark the 40th anniversary of one of the fiercest battles during Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War. The battle of Operation Bribie involved soldiers based at Nui Dat, and claimed the lives of 8 men. They were sent to intercept Viet Cong forces who had attacked a South Vietnamese outpost. Historian Ashley Ekins says fighting took a terrible toll on B Company's 5 Platoon. "Two soldiers were awarded military medals... That single platoon's losses were terrible, six of the 8 soldiers killed in the battle and 12 of those 27 wounded were from that one platoon of 28 men so the platoon was basically devastated."
by abc :: 2007-02-18 :: Battles and Soldiers
Ellis W. Williamson, who led troops in Vietnam War is dead at 88
Maj. Gen. Ellis W. Williamson, who led the first Army combat troops into South Vietnam, died on Jan. 28. He participated in the D-Day landings in Normandy in WWII and the Inchon landings in the Korean War. In 1963, he reactivated the 173rd Airborne Brigade. For two years, his 3,500 troops trained in Okinawa. They began arriving in Vietnam on May 5, 1965. Their first mission was to secure Bien Hoa Air Base. Then 47, General Williamson developed tactics for a war with no defined front. Fighting with South Vietnamese troops, he had his men penetrate the countryside surrounding the base and then worked to expand the perimeter with day and night patrols.
by nytimes :: 2007-02-10 :: Battles and Soldiers
Friendly fire happened in Vietnam war with disturbing frequency
According to Lt. Col. Charles R. Shrader, deaths of fighting men in Vietnam due to friendly fire happened with "disturbing frequency." He concluded that such death occurred when visibility was poor or due to servicemen's nervousness or fatigue under fire. It also occasionally occurred that a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom aircraft passed overhead of the military action on the ground and misinterpreted a signal from the ground - causing the pilot to release a missile at the signal. Invariably, the missile would track the radar signal to the ground and explode, killing Marines in that vicinity.
by milforddailynews :: 2007-02-07 :: Battles and Soldiers
Vietnam-era Marines recall siege of the Khe Sahn Combat Base
Three former Marines who survived the Vietnam War's Siege of Khe Sanh told American History students that the experience forever cemented them as brothers. The Khe Sahn Combat Base was a remote American outpost that came under sporadic attack by North Vietnamese forces in 1967, only to come under full-scale siege by Jan 1968. Eventually, American forces drove through to rescue the embattled Marines by April 1968. Though credited as a military victory for the US, the strategic significance isn't fully understood today. Some historians suggest the siege was a diversion for the Tet Offensive, others say the North Vietnamese planned to replicate victories at Khe Sahn.
by leatherneck :: 2007-02-07 :: Battles and Soldiers
Tank commander Reneau remembered as war hero
A star fell, leaving behind a legacy of heroism. In 1967, Thomas A. Reneau received a Silver Star - the third highest American military award - for continuing to fire from his flaming battle tank during a Vietnam war battle. He was first assigned to Germany, then to Vietnam as a tank commander in the 25th Infantry Division from July 1967 until July 1968. "The night of the 12th, about 8:15 p.m. my platoon, the 1st Platoon, was hit by a Viet Cong ambush. Then fire started coming from both sides of the road we were on. The tank was hit five times, caught fire but we stayed and fought until the last minute."
by beloitdailynews :: 2006-11-23 :: Battles and Soldiers
Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia: A history of Enlarging the problem
Even its name, the Vietnam War, contains an omission: The war was against 3 countries: Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. In all 3 countries, the U.S. military waged sustained war for years upon end with indiscriminate savagery. American planes dropped over 8 million tons of explosives - force equivalent to 640 Hiroshima bombings and is over four times the tonnage of all bombs dropped by all sides in WWII. Washington tried everything: coups, napalm, death squads, and so on. In the end none of the strategies or tactics worked. The Vietnamese wanted the U.S. occupiers out of their country. The U.S. lost the war, plain and simple.
by pslweb :: 2006-10-17 :: Battles and Soldiers
Operation Medina - Vietnam War with the U.S. Marines
The smell of battle in a hot and humid jungle lingers with Mike Robinson. It's difficult to shake a life-changing experience. He is a vet of the Vietnam War with the U.S. Marines and has vivid recollections of a "search and destroy" mission against the North Vietnamese called Operation Medina. It was a hard-fought, 3-day battle in October 1967 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. The casualties were high on both sides and it remains an epic chapter in the Vietnam War that's not forgotten. He is a principle character in a book aptly titled "Lions of Medina" written by Doyle Glass and set for release this fall.
by thenorthwestern :: 2006-09-20 :: Battles and Soldiers
Vietnam clash that became a legend - Battle of Long Tan
Article no longer available from the original source.
The Battle of Long Tan, on August 18, 1966, defined the way in which the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong would respond to Australians for the remainder of the war. The battle took place not long after the Australian Task Force had established at Nui Dat in Phouc Tuy Province. Until then, the Viet Cong had dominated the area, with little resistance from the South Vietnamese Army. Given the presence of the Diggers, the enemy's aim was to overwhelm Nui Dat before it could be established as a permanent base for operations. To that end, a reinforced NVA Regiment was sent to conduct a major operation.
by townsvillebulletin :: 2006-08-17 :: Battles and Soldiers
Bond between paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division
The paratroopers of the 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division fighting in the Vietnam War were among some of America's best-trained soldiers - They fought shoulder-to-shoulder against a enemy thousands of miles from home. Jarrett Goodman's duty in Vietnam ended in 1971 after losing a leg from a landmine explosion. He helped research a book written by Jerald Berry. "My Gift To You" offers a glimpse of the young men's lives and about the Currahee deaths in Viet nam. Berry, too, served with the unit and was wounded in 1968 at the Communist Tet Offensive. Berry worked as a combat reporter and photographer. "I took a lot of the last pictures of these guys."
by gazetteextra :: 2006-08-14 :: Battles and Soldiers
Strategic Marine Corps base battered in a 77-day siege
Two former Marines and a retired Army colonel nicknamed "Bulldog" sat around a table, reminiscing about their service at Khe Sanh in the Vietnam War. Khe Sanh was a strategic Marine Corps base close to the border separating South Vietnam and North Vietnam when it was battered in a 77-day siege by enemy forces. The base, manned by some 6,000 Marines and assorted other American forces, was surrounded by more than 20,000 North Vietnamese Army troops. "It was an unbelievable experience," said David C. "Bulldog" Smith underwent the entire siege while a major at Khe Sanh. "We were attacked by rockets, mortars, howitzers -- by everything.
by leatherneck :: 2006-07-03 :: Battles and Soldiers
Marine Corps colonel: leading an armored task force
In September 1967, Joseph O'Brien was leading an armored task force through enemy territory when it came under attack. Exposing himself repeatedly to enemy fire, he helped move the wounded to safety while getting burns on his hands and face. Later in firefight, he saw wounded Marines being dragged away by enemy soldiers. He rushed to protect them, killing several men with his pistol and an enemy rifle. Though wounded by enemy hand grenades, he refused medical treatment. After spearheading a successful assault on the enemy position with hand grenades, he collapsed from his wounds.
by nctimes :: 2006-06-26 :: Battles and Soldiers
Vietnam War images still haunt Sisto Sandoval
As he drifts off to sleep, Sisto Sandoval sees the colored flare of rockets. He hears the sound of mortars and canons. "Sometimes, I still fear going to sleep, thinking I'll wake up in Nam again." He was 22 when he enlisted. He thought he was indestructible. He was assigned to the US Army Strategic Command, Long Lines Battalion South. He regularly went to a Vietnamese barber, who used a straight razor for the shave. One day after a firefight, it turned out the barber was a Viet Cong. "After that, I never trusted anybody with a straight razor." Supply delivery was made by any means necessary: planes, helicopters, boats, trucks, even elephants.
by havasunews :: 2006-06-04 :: Battles and Soldiers