We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young

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We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young Page 54

by Harold G. Moore


  In the matter of dates of death, homes of record, birthdates, and, in some cases, places of death, three books, one document, and eyewitness accounts were all utilized. The basic reference was the Casualty Information System, 1961–1981 (machine-readable record), Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, Record Group 407, National Archives Building. Next, the book Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Directory of Names, published by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc., Washington, D.C. (May 1991), was most helpful in cross-checking ranks, birth and death dates, and homes of record. The second book was constructed over several years as a labor of love by the late Sergeant First Class James D. Cumberland, a veteran of the Pleiku campaign. This three-ring, 1¼ inch-thick book of names of 1st Cavalry Division troops killed in Vietnam from August 1965 to March 1967 breaks the casualties down by company and battalion and includes place and date of death, date of birth, home of record, and location of the name on the Wall. The third book, Edward Hymoff’s The First Air Cavalry Division (New York: M. W. Lads Publishing Co., 1967), covers the creation, deployment, and operations of the division through 1966. It provides lists of both killed and wounded by unit and date, as well as lists of awards of valor.

  Other Books and Articles

  Albright, John, John A. Cash, and Allan W. Sandstrum. Seven Firefights in Vietnam. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Army Office of the Chief of Military History, 1970.

  Beckwith, Col. Charlie A. (ret.), and Donald Knox. Delta Force. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1983. Includes a section on the siege at Plei Me camp, October 1965.

  Bowman, John S., ed. The World Almanac of the Vietnam War. New York: Bison Books, 1985.

  Brelis, Dean, and Jill Krementz. The Face of South Vietnam. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1968.

  Brennan, Matthew. Headhunters: Stories from the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, in Vietnam 1965–1971. Novato, Calif.: Presidio Press, 1987.

  Busey, John W., and David G. Martin. Regimental Strengths and Losses at Gettysburg. Hightstown, N.J.: Longstreet House, 1986.

  “Cincinnatus.” Self-Destruction: The Disintegration and Decay of the U.S. Army During the Vietnam Era. Toronto: George J. McLeod Ltd., 1981.

  Clodfelter, Mark. The Limits of Air Power: The American Bombing of North Vietnam. New York: The Free Press, 1989.

  Cochran, Alexander S., Jr. “First Strike at River Drang.” In Military History, October 1984.

  Coleman, J. D. Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1988. Coleman wrote the 1st Cavalry Division after-action report on Pleiku province. His book is based on that report, personal memories, and other sources.

  , ed. The First Air Cavalry Division, Vietnam. Volume 1: 1965–1969. Tokyo: Dai Nippon Printing Company, 1970.

  Davidson, Phillip B. Vietnam at War: The History 1946–1975. Novato, Calif.: Presidio Press, 1988.

  Dunn, Si. The 1st Cavalry Division: A Historical Overview: 1921–1983. Dallas: Taylor Publishing Co., 1984.

  Edwards, Robert H. “Battle at LZ-X-Ray: Personal Experience of a Company Commander.” This unpublished monograph of 42 pages plus 7 sketch maps, dated February 6, 1967, covers Edwards’s memories of the battle and was written as a course requirement for the Infantry Officer Career Course No. 1–67, Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia. It was helpful for quotations and establishing accuracy, and for an appendix that details the organization and unit strength of an infantry battalion of the 1st Cavalry Division in 1965.

  Ellis, Chris. A History of Combat Aircraft. London: Hamlyn Publishing Group, 1979.

  Fall, Bernard B. Street Without Joy. New York: Schocken Books, 1961.

  . The Two Viet-Nams. New York: Praeger, 1963.

  “Field Manual 100–5. Operations.” Department of the Army. May 1986. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. Referred to for accuracy of military definitions.

  Giap, Vo Nguyen. Big Victory, Great Task. New York: Praeger, 1968.

  Griffith, Samuel B. Sun Tzu: The Art of War. London: Oxford University Press, 1963.

  Hackworth, Colonel David H. (ret.), and Julie Sherman. About Face: The Odyssey of an American Warrior. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1989.

  Halberstam, David. The Best and the Brightest. New York: Random House, 1969.

  . The Making of a Quagmire. New York: Random House, 1965.

  Headquarters 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry After-Action Report Operation Silver Bayonet, November 11–26, 1965, dated December 5, 1965.

  Headquarters 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry After-Action Report Operations Lincoln and Mosby, March 31–April 16, 1966, dated April 19, 1966.

  Headquarters 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry After-Action Report Operation Lincoln III Search and Destroy, March 30–April 8, 1966, dated April 22, 1966.

  Headquarters 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division After-Action Report, March 31–Aprill5, 1966, dated April 27, 1966.

  Heller, Charles E., and William A. Stofft, eds. America’s First Battles: 1776–1965. Lawrence, Kans.: University of Kansas Press, 1986. Includes an article by George C. Herring on the Ia Drang battles.

  Hilsman, Roger. To Make a Nation. New York: Doubleday, 1967.

  Johnson, Lt. Col. Richard S. How to Locate Anyone Who Is or Has Been in the Military. Fort Sam Houston, Tex.: Military Information Enterprises, 1991.

  Karnow, Stanley. Vietnam: A History: The First Complete Account of the Vietnam War. New York: Viking, 1983.

  Kinnard, Douglas. The War Managers. Hanover, N.H.: University Press of New England, 1977.

  Kinnard, Harry W. O. “Triumph of a Concept.” Army magazine, October 1967.

  . “Airmobility Revisited.” U.S. Army Aviation Digest (two-part series), June 1980, pp. 1–5, 26, 27; July 1980, pp. 8–14.

  . “Army Helicopters: Why?” Armed Forces Journal, May 1982, pp. 58–61, 98.

  Knightley, Phillip. The First Casualty. New York: Harvest Books, 1975.

  Krepinevich, Andrew F., Jr. The Army and Vietnam. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1986.

  Laird, Jerry P. “The Training, Infiltration and Operations of a North Vietnamese Soldier from 12 April 1963–11 June 1966 in North Vietnam, South Vietnam and Laos (Based on a Personal Interview by a Battalion Civil Affairs Officer).” Unpublished monograph, 1968. Written for Advance Course Class 1968–1, on file in the Infantry School Library, Fort Benning, Ga.

  Lewis, Norman. A Dragon Apparent: Travels in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. London: Jonathan Cape, 1951.

  Mesko, Jim. Airmobile: The Helicopter War in Vietnam. Carrollton, Tex.: Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., 1984.

  Palmer, Dave Richard. Summons of the Trumpet: U.S.-Vietnam in Perspective. Novato, Calif.: Presidio Press, 1978.

  Patti, Archimedes L. Why Viet Nam? Prelude to America’s Albatross. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1980.

  Pike, Douglas. PAVN: People’s Army of Vietnam. Novato, Calif.: Presidio Press, 1986.

  Pimlott, John. Vietnam: The Decisive Battles. New York: Macmillan, 1990.

  Porter, Captain Melvin F. “PROJECT CHECO REPORT ‘SILVER BAYONET’” Simpson Library, Air War College, Maxwell Air Base, Alabama. A declassified U.S. Air Force report, dated February 28, 1966, which covers air support activities in the Ia Drang Valley battles through 5:10 P.M., November 28, 1965.

  Prashker, Ivan. Duty, Honor, Vietnam: Twelve Men of West Point Tell Their Stories. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1988. Includes a section on Ramon A. (Tony) Nadal, class of 1958.

  Register of Graduates and Former Cadets 1802–1990 U.S. Military Academy. West Point, N.Y.: Association of Graduates, U.S.M.A., 1990.

  Sheehan, Neil. A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam. New York: Random House, 1988.

  Shulimson, Jack, and Maj. Charles M. Johnson. U.S. Marines in Vietnam: The Landing and the Buildup, 1965. Washington, D.C.: History and Museums Division, Headquarters USMC, 1979.

  Smith, Jack P. “Death in the Ia Drang Valley.” Saturday Evening Post, January 28, 1967.

  Spector, Ronald H. Advice and Su
pport: The Early Years: The U.S. Army in Vietnam. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1983.

  Stanton, Shelby L. Anatomy of a Division: 1st Cav in Vietnam. Novato, Calif.: Presidio Press, 1987.

  . The Rise and Fall of an American Army: U.S. Ground Forces in Vietnam, 1965–1973. Novato, Calif.: Presidio Press, 1985.

  Summers, Col. Harry. A Critical Analysis of the Vietnam War. Novato, Calif.: Presidio Press, 1982.

  . “The Bitter Triumph of Ia Drang.” American Heritage, February/March 1984, pp. 51–58.

  Sutherland, Lt. Col. Ian D. W. (ret.). Special Forces of the United States Army 1952/1982. San Jose, Calif: R. James Bender Publishing Company, 1990.

  Tolson, John J. “Vietnam Studies: Airmobility 1961–1971.” Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1973.

  Triplett, William. “Chaos in the Ia Drang.” Veteran magazine, vol. 6, no. 10 (October 1986).

  Tully, Major Walter B., Jr. “Company B.” Armor magazine, September-October 1967. Tully, a veteran of the fight at Albany and the attack on LZ Columbus, sets forth his account of the battles.

  Westmoreland, General William C. A Soldier Reports. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1976.

  Williams, Colonel Clinton L. “The Ia Drang Valley Campaign: The Army’s First Battle in Vietnam.” A 39-page paper submitted to the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, on June 16, 1989, as part of course requirements.

  Index

  Ackerman, Spec. 4 Dick, 212, 250, 283, 309–10, 339

  Ackerson, Lt. Col. Frederic, 268, 313

  Adams, Spec. 4 Russell E., 86–87, 88–89, 105, 108–10, 377

  Adams, 1st. Sgt. Warren E., 124, 142, 150, 162, 182, 220–21, 340, 377

  Aerial rocket artillery (ARA)helicopters, 90, 113, 119, 267, 280, 322, 372

  Ainsworth, CWO Hank, 234, 305–7, 378

  Air Assault Divisions, 13, 18, 226

  Airborne Branch, Air Mobility Division, Pentagon, 17

  Airborne Test Section, Fort Bragg, 17

  Aircraft

  A-1E Skyraiders, 89–90, 113, 120, 210, 218, 280–83, 291

  B-29s, 103

  B-52 bombers, 188, 224, 233, 236, 237, 243, 269

  Caribou transport planes, 148

  CH-47 Chinook helicopter, 10, 27, 40, 60, 113, 187, 212–13, 216, 219, 221, 309, 315, 322

  C-123 flare ship (Smoky the Bear), 203, 205

  F-100 Super Sabre jet fighters, 175

  H-13 scout helicopters, 61, 100, 165, 298, 339

  UH-1 helicopters (Hueys), 10, 33, 38, 40, 61–64, 103–4, 113–14, 115–16, 118–19, 121, 124, 135, 136, 142, 147–8, 150, 172, 212, 216, 218, 221–22, 234, 289, 297, 300–1, 304, 306, 322, 339, 374

  Air Force forward air controllers (FAC), 146, 177

  Airmobile divisions, operations, tests, training, 13, 154, 228

  Airmobility Concept Board, 11

  Allen, PFC Melvin, 82

  Alley, 1st. Lt. J. L. (Bud) Jr., 226, 265–66, 272, 283, 291–93, 378

  Allred, PFC Donald, 164, 178

  Amodias, Sgt. Osvaldo, 241, 260

  Amos, Lt. Col. Harry O., Jr., 183

  An, Lt. Gen. Nguyen Huu, 51–52, 53, 66, 100, 104, 112, 133, 188, 242, 249, 271, 313–14, 332, 336, 344

  An, Khe, 17, 31, 42, 49, 53, 71, 91, 194, 226, 229, 236, 244, 322, 339, 341, 343, 346, 360, 368

  Ancient Serpent 6 (See also Bruce Crandall), 38

  Anderson, Sgt. Wayne M., 94, 194

  Ap Bac, 215

  ARC LIGHT strikes, 188

  Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), 12–13, 15, 50

  Joint General Staff, 334

  Arnett, Peter, 210

  Arrington, 1st. Lt. John W., 5, 25, 161, 167, 173

  Associated Press, 145, 210, 331

  Aull, 2nd. Lt. Earl D. (Butch), 283

  Aviation Group (Test), 11

  B-3 Front (NVA), 17, 50, 54, 341, 344

  Baeza, Sgt. Miguel, 275

  Baker, Sgt. Jerry, 263, 274–75

  Ban Me Thuot, 46

  Barker, Capt. Robert L., 113–14, 220–21, 378

  Barrier Line, 28

  Bartholomew, Maj. Roger (Black Bart), 38, 113, 267, 378

  Bass, SFC Charles, 227, 236, 245, 247–48

  Battle of the Bulge, 20

  Bean, 1st. Lt. Roger K., 103, 378

  Beck, Spec. 4 Bill, 84, 86–87, 89, 105, 108–10, 133, 152, 222, 378

  Becker, PFC Lester, 269, 275

  Beckwith, Maj. Charles, 34

  Bembry, PFC Snyder P., 274

  Bennett, Capt. Larry, 181, 185, 188–89, 191

  Benton, SSgt. Ronald, 284

  Bernard, Sgt. Ramon, 132

  Birenbaum, PFC Bernard, 93–94

  Black, Charlie, 145, 213–14

  Blackwell, MSgt. Noel, 153

  Blake, 2nd. Lt. Timothy M., 114, 134

  Blount, SFC Clarence W., 221

  Blythe, Spec. 4 James, 96

  Boswell, PFC Johnnie, 96

  Bouknight, Spec. 5 Calvin, 92, 126–27

  Bowen, Sgt. Loransia D., 245

  Boyt, Capt.Ed, 185

  Bratland, Spec. 4 John C., 245, 260

  Braveboy, PFC Toby, 291, 297–99, 378–79

  Brelis, Dean, 219–20, 221–22

  Bristol, Col. Delbert, 11

  Broken Arrow (code word), 161

  Bronson, Spec. 4 Arthur L., 157

  Brooke Army Hospital, 239

  Brown, PFC Ervin L. Jr., 3, 166

  Brown, Hardy, 222

  Brown, SSgt. Robert, 224

  Brown, Col. Thomas W. (Tim), 18–21, 26, 31, 35–38, 60, 62, 100–1, 124, 129–30, 144, 168, 194, 212, 224–25, 227, 234–37, 242, 266–69, 286, 312, 314, 331–33, 340, 344, 347, 379

  Browne, Sgt. John T., 95

  Bundy, Assistant Secretary of State William, 370–71

  Bungum, Spec. 4 Galen, 70–71, 95–97, 129, 140, 153, 190, 192–94, 338, 379

  Burlile, Spec. 4 Thomas E., 176

  Burton, SSgt. Carl R., 72

  Bush, PFC Fred S., 164

  Byrd, Spec. 4 Nathaniel, 160, 173, 179

  C-4 plastic explosive, 34

  Cambodia, 4, 12, 17, 27, 30, 41, 46–47, 65, 212, 235, 335, 340–42, 370–71

  Camp Holloway, 30, 63, 103, 116, 122, 147–8, 183, 200, 212, 216, 219, 221–22, 224, 229, 268, 288–89, 296, 299, 306–7, 315, 326, 331, 336

  Cantu, Spec. 4 Vincent, 97–98, 150, 169–70, 182, 187, 216, 379

  Caple, SSgt. Walter T., 280

  Carrara, Capt. Robert J., 72, 80, 133, 168, 175, 179, 193, 379

  Carter, PFCA. C., 261

  Cash, Capt. John, 247–48, 267, 380

  Castleberry, Sgt. James P., 3, 166, 178

  Catecka tea plantation, 37, 42, 47, 130, 247, 267, 293, 333, 337–39

  Catholic Relief Services, 361

  Central Highlands, 4, 13–14, 15, 16, 29, 45, 50

  Chapelle, Dickey, 217

  Chau, Lt. Col. La Ngoc, 50, 104, 249

  China Beach, 14

  Chu Lai, 17

  Chu Pong massif, 4, 31, 38, 46–47, 51, 53–55, 59–60, 66, 86, 100, 111, 113, 120, 126, 136, 145, 147, 185, 188, 205, 217, 224, 233, 240, 243, 269, 278, 336, 347

  Citadel (The), 356, 358

  Clark, Spec. 5 James, 82, 176

  Clark, Spec. 4 John, 134, 140, 176

  Clark, PFC Richard C., 338

  Clark Field, 148, 350

  Clausewitz, Karl von, 374

  Cohen, SSgt. Sidney, 157, 159

  Cohens, PFC Lawrence, 261

  Coleman, Capt. J. D., 169, 213–14, 223

  Coleman, PFC James E., 168

  Collier, PFC Charley H., 7, 172

  Columbus (Georgia) Ledger-Enquirer, 145, 213, 217

  Comer, Spec. 4 James, 5–7, 159, 160, 172, 173, 179

  Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, 17

  Cornett, 1st. Lt. Donald C. (See also Ghost 5), 244, 246, 253, 259, 260, 266, 273, 309–11, 324

  Crandall, Maj. Bruce (See also Ancient Serpent 6), 38–40,
43–44, 60, 63–65, 67, 68, 78, 101, 102–3, 114, 115–19, 122, 135, 136, 145, 147–48, 181, 222, 223, 300, 380

  Cremins, Bob, 363

  Crooks, Capt. Ronald W., 185

  Crouch, Maj. Harry, 248

  Curry, SSgt. Wilbur (the Chief), 74–75, 92

  Da Nang, 14, 17

  Danielson, Capt. Theodore S., 30

  Davis, Capt. Donald, 40, 114, 220–21

  De Angelis, PFC Dominic, 106

  De La Paz, Hilario, 169

  Deal, 2nd. Lt. Dennis, 70, 72, 74–75, 84, 91–92, 125–28, 132, 134–35, 185, 190–92, 380

  Defense Language School, Monterey, Ca., 178

  Democratic Republic of Vietnam, 370

  Department of the Army Special Photographic Office (DASPO), 137

  DePuy, Gen. William E., 333–34, 368

  Deursch, Spec. 4 Robert, 82

  Devney, 2nd. Lt. Al, 70–73, 74–77, 84, 91, 125, 135

  Diduryk, Capt. Myron, 130, 136–37, 142, 148–49, 150–51, 157, 174, 177–180, 196–99, 201, 202–7, 210–13, 215, 224, 226, 239, 268, 288–89, 300–1, 305, 309, 312, 314, 339, 343, 345, 380–81

  Diem, Ngo Dinh, 12

  Dien Bien Phu, 11, 52, 216, 311

  Dillon, Capt. Gregory (Matt), 18, 21, 33, 38, 40, 43–44, 90, 106, 117, 124, 142, 145–47, 152, 153, 154, 156, 157, 161, 163, 173, 175, 181, 182, 183, 187, 193, 194, 200, 207, 212–13, 215, 218, 334, 339, 348, 381

  Distinguished Service Cross, 345

  Dong Tre, 373

  Dorman, Spec. 5 Marlin T., 96, 129, 338

  Dougherty, PFC Edward F., 110

  Driver, Sgt. John, 239

  Due Co Special Forces Camp, 16, 30 60, 299, 314

  Duncan, 1st. Lt. Ken, 67, 139, 190, 381

  Dunn, Hank, 255

  Edwards, Capt. Robert H. (Bob), 4–5, 7–8, 22, 40, 78–80, 101, 105, 110, 112, 123–25, 141–42, 148–49, 150, 151, 156–63, 166–67, 173–74, 177–79, 181–82, 186, 196–97, 204, 215, 318, 381

  Elliott, Sgt. Billy P., 132, 351

  Elliott, Sara, 351

  Epperson, Spec. 4 Jim, 228, 245, 254

  Escape and Evasion, 290, 297

  Eschbach, Plt. Sgt. Charles L., 197–98

  Estes, CWO Donald C., 125

  Exercise Air Assault II, 24

  Faba, CWO Ken, 116, 306

  Fantino, PFC Salvatore P., 209, 301

  Ferrell, SFC William A. (Pappy), 252–53

  Fesmire, Capt. John A. (Skip), 219, 226, 237, 244, 246, 253, 259–60, 277, 280, 310, 324, 381

 

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