They Marched Into Sunlight

by David Maraniss

  Summers, Harry G., Jr. The Vietnam War Almanac. Presidio Press, Novato, Calif., 1995.

  Turner, Fred. Echoes of Combat: Trauma, Memory and the Vietnam War. Anchor Books, New York, 1996.

  Weigl, Bruce. Archeology of the Circle. Grove Press, New York, 1999.

  Wells, Tom. The War Within: America’s Battle over Vietnam. University of California Press, Berkeley, 1994.

  Williams, William Appleman, ed. America in Vietnam: A Documentary History. Norton, New York, 1989.

  Wilson, George C. Mud Soldiers: Life Inside the New American Army. Scribner, New York, 1989.

  Acknowledgments

  COUNTLESS TIMES while I was writing this book, I read the eighteen lines of “Elegy.” The poetry of Bruce Weigl inspired me, and I apologize for inverting his phrase in the title.

  For three months in the summer of 2001, my wife and I moved back to Madison, our hometown, so that I could report the Wisconsin side of the story. Many generous friends helped us while we were there, foremost Kim Vergeront and Andrew Cohn, who proved to be a master in finding documents; Judy and Ben Sidran, who brought music to our summer; Doug and Bette Moe, the great provisioners, who helped us find our rental home and our way; and also Dave Zweifel, Ron McCrea, John Nichols, and the staff of The Capital Times; and Dan Siebens, Dave Foster, Suey Wong, Steve Marvin, Sam Schwartz, Bob Freed, Sue Brausen, Linda Berman, Chris Hall, and Jim and Julie Hopson.

  I come from a family of librarians and editors and have immense respect for all librarians and archivists. They were, as always, invaluable as I researched this book. The University of Wisconsin and the State Historical Society of Wisconsin contain world-class archives on the sixties. Helping me at Wisconsin with various collections were James Danky, Harold Miller, Steve Masar, and Bernard Schermetzler. Also generous with their time and knowledge were Blake Kellogg, Lawrence Lichty, Jack Cipperly, Liz Beyler, Alfred W. McCoy, Sam Mermin, Jeff Smoller, Stuart Levitan, Bob Newton, Mike Fellner, and Glenn Silber.

  At archives around the country, pointing me in the right direction and offering helpful research advice were Dr. Timothy Nenninger and archivists Susan A. Francis-Haughton and Rich Boylan at the National Archives at College Park; Lieutenant Colonel Edwin M. Perry, David Keough, Richard J. Sommers, James T. Baughman, and Nancy Baylor, at the U.S. Army’s Military History Institute; John M. Carland at the Center of Military History; Dr. John F. Votaw and archivist Andrew Woods at the First Division Museum; Alan Aimone at the United States Military Academy special collections; Nancy Barr at the Military Sealift Command; David L. Petree of the National Personnel Records Center; and Mike Parrish and Linda Seelke at the LBJ Library. At various points in researching this book, four industrious young men helped me track down documents: Dan Alexander, James Alexander, Michael Penn, and Anthony Broadman.

  Researching the Vietnam side of this book was made immeasurably easier, and more pleasurable, by the selfless assistance of Fred Kirkpatrick and Tom Hinger, whom I’ve described as one-person search engines, and by the ebullient goodwill of Jim Shelton, my fellow author, and the other Black Lions from the November Nightmare—Tom Grady, Joe Costello, Steve Goodman, and Carl Woodard. Thanks also to Diane Sikorski Kramer, Jim George, Michael Arias, Greg Landon, Rick Calef, Ray Albin, Eleanor Schroder Clark, Mike Taylor, Mike Dinkins, and Mike Troyer for sharing their letters, photographs, and tapes.

  This book would not have been possible without the unending generosity of my employers at the Washington Post, including chairman Don Graham, who took time from his swamped schedule to read the manuscript and provide sound advice, publisher Bo Jones, executive editor Len Downie, and managing editor Steve Coll. Researchers Madonna Lebling, Bobbye Pratt, and Margot Williams, and transcriptionist Carol Van Horn are treasures of the Post. Sarah Cohen saved me from a computer disaster. Thanks also to friends Maralee Schwartz, Valerie Strauss, Ellen Nakashima, Anne Hull, Bill Hamilton, Bob Kaiser, Bea Harwood, John Feinstein, Bob Woodward, Michael Weisskopf, David Von Drehle, Henry Bryan, and Chip Brown. Rick Atkinson, my fellow scribbler, opened the doors to the military world for me and lit the path from beginning to end. The philosophy of Pat Toomay was always thought-provoking. When I think of the Vietnam experience, I think first of two good men, my dear old friends Michael Norman and Tilt Meyer, and of Beth Norman. Jim Warren, Blaine Harden, and Whitney Gould were careful readers, again. I consider myself lucky to have Rafe Sagalyn as my agent, and Simon and Schuster as my publisher. Alice Mayhew, my editor, has meant more to me every year, and I cherish our professional relationship and personal friendship. Dealing with her trusty right hand, Roger Labrie, is a pleasure. Thanks also to the copy editors, Peg Haller and Loretta Denner, and to Simon and Schuster’s Carolyn Reidy, David Rosenthal, Victoria Meyer, Aileen Boyle, Rebecca J. Davis, and Anja Schmidt.

  Nothing gives me more satisfaction than sending chapters to Milwaukee for my parents, Elliott and Mary Maraniss, to pencil their way through. They are great editors, and offer extemporaneous comic relief when they start arguing points of grammar between themselves and forget that I’m on the other end of the line. Since I was a young boy, I’ve been awed by the intellect of my older brother and sister, Jim Maraniss and Jean Alexander. I write with a photograph of my sister Wendy nearby.

  The journey to Vietnam was a highlight of my career, made especially rewarding by the people who came with me in what we called the Saigon Seven: Clark Welch, the great soldier, Consuelo Allen, the soulful daughter, Rob Keefe, the bright comic, Connie Doebele, the good-natured book chronicler, and Kyle Horst, the multilingual Eagle Scout. It is an understatement to say that Kyle is the best guide and interpreter around. Madam Ha, our handler from the foreign ministry, could move the earth, and often did; unlike many press officers, she was more interested in getting us what we wanted than in keeping things from us. The other member of the Saigon Seven was my wife, Linda, who embraced this book with her boundless warmth and exuberance and was with me all the way, taking photographs, offering insights, reading every word, making invariably good suggestions. With Linda at my side, and with the love of Andrew, Sarah, and her Tom, no one could ask for more sunlight.

  Index

  abolitionists

  Ackley, Gardner

  Agent Orange

  airborne squads

  Albin, Ray: letter home after battle of October 9; letter home after battle of October 17; in operation of October 17; and personal effects of dead soldiers; in return to battlefield on October 17; and Schroder after operation of October 16

  Allen, Bebe

  Allen, Consuelo: family informed of father’s death; at father’s wake; grandfather gives combat booklets to; on grandmother as military wife; as image of her father; naming of; at “November Nightmare,”; at place where her father died; in Vietnam

  Allen, Jean Ponder

  Allen, Mary Frances

  Allen, Samuel E.

  Allen, Terry de la Mesa, Jr.; becomes Black Lions’ commander; Cash’s investigation into death of; in Colorado Springs; death of; disillusionment with military; drinking by; emergency leave in June 1967; father Terry Allen, Sr.; funeral of; in Germany; and Hay; his officers respecting; Johnson’s letter of condolence for; name on Vietnam Memorial; Newman and Coleman criticizing; and Newman disagreeing about tactics; newspaper reports of death of; nominated for Distinguished Service Cross; Officer Efficiency Index of; and operation of October 15; and operation of October 16; and operation of October 17; in operations of early October; as operations officer for Black Lions; as polo player; as under pressure; recovery of body of; and Shelton; wake of; and Welch; as West Pointer; wife Jean Ponder Allen

  Allen, Terry de la Mesa, Sr.; ambition for his son; checking on his son in Vietnam; Hay and; at his son’s funeral; informed of his son’s death; mental deterioration of; in retirement; Shelton and; trying to find out what happened to his son; in World War II

  Alpha Company (of Black Lions): barber as VC informant; George becomes commander of; Grady as executive officer of; at Lai Khe; men in eva
cuation hospital; new men joining; in operation of October 14; in operation of October 17

  Alsop, Joseph

  Amant Militaire, L’ (Goldoni)

  antiwar movement: abolitionists compared with; CIA investigation of; North Vietnamese and; nuclear disarmament movement; Vietnam Summer. See also antiwar protests

  antiwar protests: conservative backlash against; against Dow Chemical Company; Hanoi newspapers on; Johnson as obsessed with; Kauffman encouraging; Oakland Induction Center demonstrations; at University of Wisconsin; Washington rally of October 1967

  Apple, R. W.

  Archer, Sandra

  Arias, Michael: arrives in Vietnam; after battle of October 17; in Bien Hoa area; daughter marries Dave Wagner’s son; letter home after battle; in operation of October 17

  Arias, Theresa

  Army Math Research Center bombing

  Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)

  atomic bomb

  Aubrac, Raymond

  Bablitch, William

  Badger Herald (newspaper)

  Baez, Joan

  Barnett, Robert

  Barrow, Clarence (Bud); at Black Lions reunions; evacuation from Vietnam; in evacuation hospital; meeting fresh troops; and Miss South Carolina; in operation of October 16; in operation of October 17; recovery of; and Welch; Westmoreland pins Purple Heart on

  Ba Tri

  Beckmann, Tom

  Ben Cat

  Bernstein, Daniel

  Berrigan, Philip

  Berry, Dave

  Beutel, A. P. (Dutch)

  B-52 bombers

  Big Red One. See First Infantry Division

  Binh Gia, battle of (1964)

  Binh Long province

  Bivins, Charles

  Black Lions (of Twenty-eighth Infantry Regiment): alleged Viet Cong bounty on; Allen as operations officer for; Allen becomes commander of; ambush of; battle of October 17 reported to Johnson; in Bien Hoa area; Cash’s investigation of operation of October 17; day after the battle of October 17; as division’s ready reaction force; estimate of VC killed on October 17; first officer to die in battle; Hanoi newspapers on ambush of; history of; at Lai Khe; media coverage of battle of October 17; memorial service for the dead; Menetrey becomes commander of; men killed on October 17; movements October 14–17; networks of veterans of; new members of; notifying dead soldiers’ families; officers changing in; operation of October 15; operation of October 16; operation of October 17; operations of early October; Pacific Stars & Stripes account of ambush; personal effects of dead soldiers; posthumous awards for; recon platoon of; return to the battlefield on October 17; reunions of; Westmoreland and operation of October 17; Westmoreland visits wounded. See also Alpha Company; Delta Company

  Blackwell, Jim: death of; identifying body of; in operation of October 17; recovery of body of; and Shelton

  Blaik, Earl W. (Red)

  Bo, Mai Van

  body counts

  Bolen, Jackie E., Jr.

  Boll, James: and Cohen plea bargain; as defendant in Soglin suit; at Dow Chemical protest; Hanson calls; in Stielstra prosecution

  Bollenbeck, Joseph

  Booker, Joseph Otis

  Bradley, Omar

  Branch, Ben

  Brandes, Stuart

  Brandt, E. N. (Ned)

  Bratislava meeting

  Braver, Rita

  Breeden, Clifford Lynn, Jr.

  Bright, Margaret

  Brooks, Jack

  Brotman, Allenn

  Brotman, Jane Beth; in demonstration on October 21; at Dow Chemical protest of October 1967; later career of; letter home after Dow Chemical protest; misses her French examination

  Brown, Randy

  Browne, Malcolm W.

  B2 Front

  Buentiempo, Ernest (Goodtimes): at Arias-Wagner wedding; at Black Lions reunion; and new lieutenant; in operation of October 17; in search-and-destroy missions

  Bundy, McGeorge

  Bundy, Williamn

  Bunker, Ellsworth

  Bunn, Peter

  Burrows, George

  Buss, Kenneth

  Byrd, Dwayne

  Caisson V

  Calef, Rick

  Califano, Joseph

  Calvin College

  Cameron, Eugene

  Capital Times (newspaper)

  Carrasco, Ralph

  Case, Clifford P.

  Cash, John A.

  Cater, Douglass

  Cates, Richard

  Catton, Bruce

  Celler, Emanuel

  Center, Charles

  Central Intelligence Agency. See CIA

  Central Office for South Viet Nam (COSVN)

  Century, Hyman

  Cheney, Lynne

  Cheney, Richard B.

  Chieu, Nguyen Dinh

  Chilsen, Walter

  Chomsky, Noam

  Christian, George

  Christopher, Warren

  Chuong, Phom Van

  CIA: antiwar movement investigation of; in Diem assassination; Helms; National Student Association funding; recruiting at Wisconsin

  Cipperly, Jack: at Dow Chemical protest of October 1967; Kauffman’s meetings with; role in student demonstrations

  civil disobedience

  Civilian Irregular Defense Group

  civil rights movement

  Claprood, Dick

  Clark, Ramsey

  Clausen, Aage

  Cleary, James

  Clifford, Clark

  Clingan, Dean

  Coffin, William Sloane

  Cohen, Robert: beatnik appearance of; as caricature of a radical; and Connections newspaper; convicted of disorderly conduct; at Dow Chemical protest of February 1967; at Dow Chemical protest of October 1967 “never let a crowd go,”; at sit-in over the draft; in Soglin’s action against Kauffman; on suspension list; Wisconsin State Journal on

  Cohon, Peter

  Colburn, Thomas; at Black Lions reunion en route to Vietnam; identifying bodies; in operation of October 17; as traumatized by events of October 17

  Coleman, William: Allen ordered to walk by; Allen reprimanded by; on lessons of October 17; at memorial service; as paying special attention to operation of October 17; as under pressure; in return to battlefield on October 17; Welch meeting with

  Committee of Solidarity with the American People

  Committee on Student Rights

  Connections (newspaper); distributing in public schools; Gabriner as editor of; and meeting of students, Hanson, and deans; mime troupe associated with; special edition on the Dow Chemical protest; staff members at Dow Chemical protest of October 1967; staff members at Washington demonstration of October 1967; Stielstra comes to office of; Wagner associated with

  Coonly, Genevieve (Bebe)

  Costello, Joe: in evacuation hospital; at Lai Khe; in network of Black Lions veterans; in operation of October 15; in operation of October 17; recovery of; Silver Star for

  C Packet: arrives in Vietnam; divided among two units; en route to Vietnam; at Fort Lewis; members at Black Lions reunions; men in operation of October 17

  Cron, Doug; at Black Lions reunion; en route to Vietnam; in operation of October 17

  Cronkite, Walter

  cross-over point

  Crowley, Jim

  CS gas

  Curti, Merle

  Cutlip, Scott

  Cygan, Gerard

  Da Nang

  Daniel, William E., Jr.

  Dateline: Vietnam (Lucas)

  Davis, George R.

  Davis, Ronald Guy

  DeBenedetti, Charles

  Debord, Guy

  defoliants

  Degelman, Charles

  Dellinger, David

  Delta Company (of Black Lions): base at Lai Khe; combat readiness test of; first sergeant Bud Barrow; Grosso as new commander of; men from C Packet joining; Miss South Carolina visits; operation of October 15; operation of October 16; operation of October 17; operations of early October; Welch as commander of;
Welch training

  DePuy, William E.

  DEROS

  DeStatte, Robert

  Diem, Ngo Dinh

  Dien Bien Phu, battle of

  Dietrich, Cathy

  Dirksen, Everett McKinley

  Dixon, Bill

  Doan, Donalda

  Doan, Herbert Dow (Ted)

  Doan, Lee

  Donovan, Hedley

  Doran, Madeline

  Doty, Leonidas

  Dow, Alden

  Dow, Herbert Henry

  Dow Chemical Company; Agent Orange made by; antiwar protests against; napalm controversy; public relations campaign of; record number of students sign up for interviews with; visibility as tied to napalm; Wisconsin faculty approves recruiting by; Wisconsin protest of February 1967; Wisconsin protest of October 1967

  Dowling, Francis

  Doyle, James J.

  draft, the: Berrigan protests; draft cards returned; Hershey; Johnson’s view of resistance to; methods of evading; Peace Corps as alternative to; as racist; student deferments; University of Wisconsin sit-in over

  Dratch, Howard

  drugs

  Duncan, Phil

  Durham, Harold Bascom, Jr. (Pinky): joins Delta Company; killed on October 17; Medal of Honor for; in operation of October 16; in operation of October 17; and Welch

  East, Leon

  Eastern Nam Bo

  Eastman, Phil

  Edelson, Betsy and Morris

  Edwards, Peter J.

  Eisenhower, Dwight

  “Elegy” (Weigl)

  Ellender, Allen

  El Paso (Texas)

  Elson, Edward Ben

  Emery, Wilbur; congratulatory letter to Hanson; defending his officers; and Dow Chemical protest of October 1967; reports on antiwar activists to; and sit-in over the draft

  enlisted men: battle as seen by average infantryman; feeling used by Vietnamese and their own government; officers not trusting; and official report on Black Lions’ ambush

  Enthoven, Alain

  Epstein, Leon

  Erwin, Bill: on Allen; in operation of October 14; in operation of October 15; in operation of October 17; in return to battlefield on October 17