April - June 2022, Issue 103 See all issues to date at the 503rd Heritage Battalion website: Contact: [email protected] http://corregidor.org/VN2-503/newsletter/issue_index.htm This amazing and beautiful planet of ours Russia Elektro-L No. 1 Earth image is so undeserving of war. 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / Apr.-June 2022 – Issue 103 Page 1 of 79
A Couple Photos For You Americans Eager For An Uncivil War In Your Country Will these ladies and that child be your mother, your wife, your daughter? Then have your civil war, but understand, they very well could be. A woman reacts as paramedics perform CPR on a girl who was injured during shelling, at city hospital of Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. The girl did not survive. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) Natali Servriuykova reacts next to her house following a rocket attack in the city of Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. (Emilio Morenatti, AP) “War is at best barbarism…Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, more vengeance, more desolation. War is hell.” Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, his statement in 1879, a decade after he led Union forces to victory in our Civil War. (Read more about General Sherman on Page 48-49 by Mitchell G. Lingenberg, Postdoctoral Fellow and Instructor of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations, United States Army War College) 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / Apr.-June 2022 – Issue 103 Page 2 of 79
Incoming!!! ~ Second to None ~ Hey Smitty, I hope all is well with you. My question is, do you know where this picture was taken on the cover of Issue 47? Thanks, Paul Littig, AATW D/2/503, ‘67-’68, RVN Cover photo & caption, Issue 47: “On a dusty knoll near Dak To, survivors of Hill 875 stood in salute. Before them, arranged in the Army tradition, were 98 pairs of boots – one pair for each man of the Second Battalion, 173d Airborne Brigade, who died on that hill and nearby ridges. In all, the month-long battle of Dak To had taken the lives of 280 Americans – and 1,641 North Vietnamese. As the battalion commander read aloud names of the dead, a sergeant who had lost four buddies collapsed and sat weeping in the red dust.” Our Reply: Hi Paul. The “Ceremony of the Boots”. Caption says near Dak To, but I don't know the exact location. Copying Wambi Cook who might have an answer for you. ATW brothers! Smitty From Wambi to Paul: This image was captured in Dak To on November 24, the day after the Hill was taken. I’m certain of the date because I and several others from 2nd Batt remained on the Hill with the 4th Batt while the ceremony was taking place on that day (Thanksgiving.) I recognize the individual officer leader as well, CO Jerry Jackson. He assumed command of A 2/503 where I was his RTO until I DEROSED February 1967. Wambi Cook A/2/503, RVN ~ Correction ~ Having di-di’d the scene in December ’66, I missed the combat jump by a couple months, or would have known they were C-130s our guys blasted from in February ‘67. On Page 64 of Issue 102, I picked up a caption with the photo below stating the planes were C-123s, and didn’t take the time to check, and should have known. Without taking away a stripe (which I can ill afford) or ordering pushups, combat blaster Ken Kaplan corrects the record here. It’s guaranteed this error will not escape the attention of other of our combat jump wing awardees. Xin Loi, Ed From Ken: As always, a great publica- tion. May I offer some tidbits: On page 64 is a photo of our jump on 22 Feb 1967. We did not jump from C-123s. Those planes were much too small and it would have taken a slew of them to drop Ken, on left, with his the 2nd Bn plus the many trusty RTO, the late strap hangers. Dave “Griff” Griffin. We jumped from C-130s, thirteen to be exact. The aircraft flew in a “V” or “V” formation, three aircraft followed by another three and another three, etc. Company B was loaded on the first three a/c based on how we were to set up on the DZ. I was in the lead plane but didn’t jump first. General Deane and his Bde SGM (Mrsich) were first out of the left door. Lt Col Sigholtz and his Bn SGM (Proffitt) were first out of the right door. I and my RTOs followed General Deane and his Bde SGM out of the left door. Somewhat belated, happy new year. Ken Ken Kaplan, CO B/2/503, RVN ( incoming continued….) 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / Apr.-Jun. 2022 – Issue 103 Page 3 of 79
~ It Was A Dark And Stormy Night ~ The picture of LZ Zulu Zulu on Page 90 (Issue 102) of the latest newsletter sure looks a lot bigger than what I remember when we were trying to lower ourselves down into it. It got even tighter when the .51 cal shooter was taking pot shots at us. Sure was a day RTO Wayne Hoitt’s photo of to remember - 16 March 66. our 2/503 arriving LZ Zulu- A former bureau chief of Zulu on 15 Mar 66. Aviation Week & Space Tech- nology, William Scott, just put a book together of some of the outstanding cases of combat for Army, Navy, AF and Marine pilots. The book Tony’s bird which he inten- is called Combat Contrail tionally allowed to be shot Vietnam. He included my down inside our LZ so he story titled Scrambled Eggs - could live his life-long Vietnam Style.* That story dream of fighting in ground seems to be getting a lot of combat with the 2/503d. Ed mileage. (* See June 2012 Issue 41, Pgs. 42-44 for Tony’s great story). Another friend of mine wrote a book last year about all the airmen who were shot down during WWII and survived. Amazing what some of our airmen had to do to get back to friendly territory. Title: The Blister Club - The extraordinary Story of the Downed American Airmen who escaped to safety in WWII, by Michael Lee Lanning. Lew, you’ve got enough material in your newsletters to come up with a half-dozen books. The only thing you have to do is get passed, “It was a dark and stormy night” beginning. Think a little bit out of the box when you get your book together. When Kurt Vonnegut Jr. came home from the war he thought he would have a WWII story in him. His wife warned him into not telling the same old macho story others writers used. As a result of his out-of-the-box thinking, he came up with Slaughterhouse-Five. I’d like to see what you’ve got Mister Smith. Poll some of your buds to see what would make an unusual Vietnam story … then tell it. Cheers, Tony Tony Geishauser, Maj. (Ret) Cowboys Pilot, RVN, Honorary 2/503 Trooper Reply to the Cowboy: Book, Tony? We don’t need no more stinking Vietnam books! But the good news is, much of our 2/503 VN history is captured in the pages of our newsletter for all time. Thanks, Cowboy, you and Pam keep well. Smitty ~ A Note About Preserving Our Newsletter ~ I’m uploading Issue 102 now, and it should be there by the time you read this. I’m a few years younger than you guys are, but that’s no guarantee I won’t fall off the perch. I have lived by the belief that, “If you want a guarantee, buy a toaster.” I’m fully vaxed, and with the booster too, but there’s no guarantee, as I say. We don’t always get a warning, sometimes it happens fast, like, “Watch out for that bus!”, “What bus?”, “Splat!!” Can we contemplate some form of succession plan, such that all the newsletters can be “donated” to a service library which can preserve & maintain them? Obviously, we’d have to get some of the new generation involved. I expect that I would have to give someone the ability to acquire the entire VN2-503 subdirectory. I have no idea how this would work (ie the command that would do it). It was my son who created the current hosting (503rd PRCT Heritage Battalion website), which is via AWS (Amazon Web Services). I slavishly follow his instructions, and my level of understanding is about 1%. I don’t think this would be an easy thing, and we would need to have to do it at a fairly senior level. Regards, Paul Paul Whitman Web Manager & Host of our 2/503d VN Newsletter on his 503rd PRCT Heritage Battalion website https://corregidor.org/VN2503/newsletter/issue_index.htm ~ Our Reply to Paul ~ Hi Paul: Our newsletter is maintained on the University of Florida’s Digital Military Library, and on Texas Tech University’s Vietnam Archives website maybe, I’ll need to check the latter (one of our 2/503 troopers said he provides it to them), among other websites in addition to yours. The senior command group of our battalion in Italy also receives it. Once released to the internet I suspect it’s out there forever and no additional preservation efforts would be needed. Thanks for your great and dedicated web hosting work over all these years. ATW! Smitty Birthday Wishes To The CO And to the force behind our news- letter and all things the editor is allowed to do, Happy Birthday to Frau Regine (Reggie) Smith, friend to and housemom of Sky Soldiers from throughout the country and the world! (Her rank awarded by the late Mike Photo by RTO Wayne Hoitt Sturges A/2/503). ( incoming continued….) 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / Apr.-Jun. 2022 – Issue 103 Page 4 of 79
~ George or Scotty, but Always a Brother to Me ~ On page 54 (Issue 102), where it is said that Lt. Bodine’s point man spotted a bunker, that point man was me. You have a copy of my Bronze Star citation; it read that I “moved forward and laid down a heavy volume of fire enabling a defensive perimeter to be establish- ed.” So when it says that Lt. Bodine and I received a couple of rounds of sniper fire it was actually a full-on George Colson assault by, I would estimate, 100-150 aka “Scotty” NVA’s. Just want to set the record straight. By the way, love ya Bud. George “Scotty” Colson HHC/B/2/503, RVN Note: As two young kids from SoCal, George and I were hooch buddies in the commo platoon with HHC/2/503 in ‘65/’66, and we called him “Scotty” then – he will always be Scotty to me. Finding life with civilians at the time was not to his liking, he volunteered to return to Vietnam and the 2/503, serving with the Bravo Bulls during the battles at Dak To where he exhibited himself with distinctive valor during those horrid battles on those slopes. See Scotty’s BSV citation in the July-Sept. 2020 Issue 93, Page 32 of our newsletter. Not unlike those boys on Corregidor you read about in Issue 102, Scotty is one of those patriots who risked all for his country. Ed ~ Photos of a Good Buddy & Great Sky Soldier ~ In our last newsletter, Issue 102, on Page 67, we bid farewell with a tribute to Lloyd “Wayne” Tuttle, C/2/503, who left us on January 15, 2022. The photo shown in connection with the tribute to Wayne was picked-up from the web. Since that newsletter was distributed, Iva, Wayne’s bride, sent in these photos of him with the accompanying caption below. Thank you dear, Iva. Ed “Our favorite picture of him in Vietnam. And a more recent.” Iva Tuttle ~ Father of All-American Trooper ~ Another great issue. Thank you for including the photo of Matt. It put a smile on my face. There were plenty of great photos with a lot of good reading material in the issue. The “observations” near the end were poignant. The bio of Paratrooper and Hero Rick Rescorla was very welcome. I’ve heard it said that when he led the QRF into the fight at LZ Albany, his aggressiveness was just what was needed to turn the momentum against the NVA ambush. When I attended the GWOT Monument dedication at the National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning in OCT 2017, I visited the Walk of Honor that you mention in your article, where Rick Rescorla’s fellow soldiers commissioned a statue in his memory. I have attached a photo I took (below). The rest of the monuments in the garden were to Units. Rescorla’s was the only one to an individual. Undoubtedly, he saved many lives on 9/11. Keep up the good work, my friend. ATW, Bob. Bob Sandri Father of Matt, KIA 3/20/04, 82nd Abn (Photo by Bob Sandri) 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / Apr.-Jun. 2022 – Issue 103 Page 5 of 79
U.S. Provided More Than $1 Billion in Security Assistance to Ukraine in Past Year March 4, 2022 / By C. Todd Lopez, DOD News Contents of the most recent security assistance package approved for Ukraine — valued at $350 million dollars — is on its way now and is billed as "the largest presidential drawdown package in history," a senior defense official said during a briefing today at the Pentagon. The official said, $240 million of that package, which includes things like anti-armor capability, has already been delivered to Ukraine to support them in their fight against an unprovoked and illegal Russian invasion. Over the past year, the official said, as much as $1 billion in aid has been delivered to Ukraine, though not all of that may have been classified as "drawdown." A "drawdown," according to documentation available from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, allows the president in certain circumstances — including for such things as peacekeeping operations, narcotics control, international disaster assistance, antiterrorism assistance, nonproliferation assistance, migration and refugee assistance — to withdraw existing weapons, ammunitions and material from existing U.S. military stocks and provide that to other nations. The process of delivering this kind of aid, the official said, begins with the State Department requesting drawdown authority from the president, and also the Defense Department doing an analysis of what the Ukrainians need — in consultation with the Ukrainians — and then seeing what is actually available. "Because drawdown is taken from the stocks of the services," the official said, “we're not going out on the market and purchasing new items. We have to actually have it in hand to be able to deliver it." Back in August, the U.S. provided just such assistance to Ukraine, valued at $60 million. Already, the entirety of that assistance has been delivered. In late December, the official said, another $200 million drawdown package was approved, and most of that package is now in the hands of the Ukrainians, though the official said the U.S. is still delivering some portions of that package — including ammunition. The official said that typically, the back-end processes for making security assistance happen might take weeks or even months, but that for Ukraine the department has been able to significantly compress that back-end process into hours or days — which has helped greatly to expedite the effort to provide the Ukrainians the assistance they need. The U.S. is not alone in assisting the Ukrainians, the official said. In fact, some 14 other nations have also been helping. "Since the invasion, we have seen ... 14 separate countries actually deliver security assistance to Ukraine — and some of these countries don't have a record of providing as substantial assistance to Ukraine," the official said. "That also represents a real bureaucratic feat for their ministries of defense to be able to move that quickly, so I think we have to give credit to our allies and partners here." The official said security assistance to Ukraine will continue and that the U.S. will continue to work with Ukraine to find out what is needed and how the U.S. can help. "We are always ... looking at what Ukraine needs, and we've been doing this for years now," the official said. "We have just accelerated our process of identifying requirements and accelerated our consultations as well with Ukrainians — talking to them daily, as opposed to periodic meetings that we did before this crisis." The official said the administration has made a request for additional funding, and the department plans on continuing to provide presidential drawdown assistance to the Ukrainians. Additionally, the official said, the department is seeking assistance from Congress to replenish the stocks that were drawn down to provide the assistance already rendered to Ukraine. "This will continue, and as President Biden has stated, we will continue to support the Ukrainians moving forward," the official said. 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / Apr.-Jun. 2022 – Issue 103 Page 6 of 79
You've Got to Be Carefully Taught "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" (sometimes "You've Got to Be Taught" or "Carefully Taught") is a show tune from the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific. South Pacific received scrutiny for its commentary regarding relationships between different races and ethnic groups. In particular, "You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught" was subject to widespread criticism, judged by some to be too controversial or downright inappro- priate for the musical stage. Sung by the character Lieutenant Cable (played by John Kerr), the song is preceded by a line saying racism is "not born in you! It happens after you’re born..." Rodgers and Hammerstein risked the entire South Pacific venture in light of legislative challenges to its decency or supposed Communist agenda. While the show was on a tour of the Southern United States, lawmakers in Georgia introduced a bill outlawing entertainment containing "an underlying philosophy inspired by Moscow." One legislator said that "a song justifying interracial marriage was implicitly a threat to the American way of life." Rodgers and Hammerstein defended their work resolutely. James Michener, upon whose stories South Pacific was based, recalled, "The authors replied stubbornly that this number represented why they had wanted to do this play, and that even if it meant the failure of the production, it was going to stay in." Cover versions: The song has been covered by Michael Johnson (known for his beautiful acoustic guitar arrangements) on his landmark 1973 LP ‘’There is a Breeze’’; Iain Matthews on his 1979 LP Stealin' Home; by Barbra Streisand on her Live in Concert 2006 album; by John Pizzarelli on his 2008 album With a Song in My Heart; by Billy Porter on his 2017 album The Soul of Richard Rodgers; and by James Taylor on his 2020 album American Standard. Musical theatre veteran Alvin Ing performed the song in his final public performance before his death in 2021, as a way to protest the increased violence against Asian Americans during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The song is also referenced in the 2015 musical “Hamilton” in the song “My Shot”, with the line, “I’m with you, but the situation is fraught. You’ve got to be carefully taught; if you talk, you’re gonna get shot!” “It’s not born in you! It happens after you’re born...” You've got to be taught to hate and fear You've got to be taught from year to year It's got to be drummed in your dear little ear You've got to be carefully taught You've got to be taught to be afraid Of people whose eyes are oddly made And people whose skin is a diff'rent shade You've got to be carefully taught You've got to be taught before it's too late Before you are six or seven or eight To hate all the people your relatives hate You've got to be carefully taught You’ve got to be carefully taught LT Cable (actor John Kerr on right) sings You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught in the 1959 musical South Pacific. [Sent in by a thoughtful 2/503 Sky Soldier Company Commander of Vietnam vintage] 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / Apr.-Jun. 2022 – Issue 103 Page 7 of 79
Infantry Officer Recalls Sounds, Smells of Gunfights March 29, 2021 / By Skip Vaughn / DoD News John Reitzell went to Vietnam in the spring of 1970 as a 23-year- old second lieutenant in the Army infantry. The year-long experi- ence was as challenging as one would expect. "It was not very pleasant. There's nothing worse on Earth than a nasty gunfight, and I was in multiple combat close-quarter battles," the now-retired colonel said. He was a rifle platoon com- mander in the 3rd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, in the central highlands, the mountain jungles. He spent the last eight months of his tour as an operations officer for N Company, a long-range reconnaissance patrol company, with the 75th Rangers, 173rd Airborne Brigade. Spotlight: Honoring Our Veterans "I was actually wounded four times, but three of them were minor," Reitzell, who received a Purple Heart, said. He was wounded twice in the same fight about an hour apart in the jungle northeast of An Khe, Aug. 26, 1970. "This was just a meeting engagement. Two forces just ran into each other," he said. Reitzell can give a vivid description of what it's like to experience a firefight. "The cacophony of sounds is debilitating," he said. "And then you can turn to the smells. You begin to stink, and your mouth turns cotton. You're always feeling for your ammo pouches. You can hear when a bullet hits a man. The smells are horrible, and everybody's afraid.” But as a young platoon leader, he learned that "it's up to you to ensure that your men know that somebody’s in charge and you’re equipped to fight." "Everything went into slow motion," he said. "And I made a valiant effort to touch everyone and let them know 'Hang in there, Smitty.' You learn how to lead by learning how your people respond to you in a gunfight." “I wanted to serve my country because my Dad had. That was in my DNA. I was going to serve my country at the point of the spear.'' One of his men with N Company, Patrick "Tad" Tadina, became a jungle fighting legend. Tadina, the Vietnam War's longest continuously serving Ranger, died May 29, 2020, at age 77. "He had 109 kills. I can vouch for that many," Reitzell said. Besides the Purple Heart, Reitzell has three Legions of Merit, five Bronze Stars (two with “V” for valor), the Joint Meritorious Service Medal, five Army Service Medals, five Air Medals and the Joint Service Commendation Medal. During his tour, he spent three weeks in the hospital recuperating from his wounds before returning to the field. He came home in the summer of 1971. He said he was treated "shabbily" when he returned to the United States. He didn't get spat on, but he did get called "baby killer" by a female protester at the Seattle airport. Reitzell received a welcome reception when he got home to Monroe, Louisiana. The son of a World War II veteran, Reitzell graduated from Northeast Louisiana State College, now called Louisiana-Monroe, in 1969 with a bachelor's in pre-med with a specialty in chemistry. He was commissioned through the Army ROTC. He became a master parachutist in 1972. His 28 years in the infantry included serving in Special Operations. He served in Vietnam, Korea, Germany and the Iraqi desert. In Tom Clancy's book "Shadow Warriors: Inside the Special Forces," Reitzell is depicted as "Maj. Johnny." Reitzell retired as a colonel in 1997 serving as chief of staff of the Army Infantry Center and School at Fort Benning, Georgia. After working for 10 years at Dynetics Inc., he retired as the department head for cybersecurity and systems engineering in 2017. He received his master's in systems management fromWebster University in 1982 and a master's equivalent in national security strategy from the Army War College in 1990. He and his wife of 49 years, Glenda, reside in Huntsville, Alabama. They have two children and four grandchildren. Their son, Mike, is a lawyer in West Palm Beach, Florida, and their daughter, Robyn O'Dell, is a senior executive for a large corporation in the Atlanta area. At 74 he hasn't played golf for a year because of knee problems resulting from his nearly 1,000 parachute jumps. He is a life member of the Association of the U.S. Army, a former board member of the National Defense Industrial Association, a board member for two companies in defense contracting and he serves on the Huntsville Police Citizens Advisory Council. Reitzell shared his thoughts on this nation's commemoration of 50 years since the VietnamWar. "Well I think it's great," he said. "Finally some recognition for so many people that got spat on and so many years we were called names and so forth." (Skip Vaughn is an editor at the Redstone Rocket at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama.) 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / Apr.-Jun. 2022 – Issue 103 Page 8 of 79
Assault Follows ‘Book’ But Reds Have Vanished By Ward Just Washington Post Foreign Service (25 March 67) PHUMTAMONG, South Vietnam, March 24 – Early in the morning there had been a short round of artillery, and that had killed two and wounded nine. Then around noon a fire started and crept toward the ammunition and it exploded, wounding two more. The battalion of the 173d Airborne Brigade had yet to move from its forward base camp about 20 miles northeast of Tayninh City near this tiny hamlet in War Zone C; Tayninh Province. The battalion was preparing to move South, into a new and perhaps a major element of the enemy. Neither the short round nor the explosion of about 700 rounds of artillery ammunition at the base camp had an effect on the operation. The wounded and dead were evacuated swiftly, and more ammunition was brought in. Two other battalions of the 173d Airborne were also in motion, probing the thick jungle of the C Zone, some 15 miles from the Cambodian border. The 173d Airborne Brigade was one of the smallest American elements involved in the massive operation known as Junction City, which is spear-headed by units of the 25th Infantry Divisions. American units in Vietnam have always moved with great care, combining respect for the enemy with an appreciation of their own huge capabilities. Thus, in recent months, as the enemy has sought to cripple helicopter assaults by ingenious mining of landing zones, the Americans devised a counter technique. Elaborate Bombardment Precedes Landing, But Reds Are Not There For the assault today, there was a B-52 strike at 3;30 a.m. Then at 9:30 a.m. there was a half hour of air strikes, followed by a half hour more of artillery and finally a five-minute pounding by rocket-firing helicopters. As the troops moved into the clearing via helicopter, they were escorted by gunships. This elaborate preparation was meant to explode any mines or booby traps on the landing zone itself, as well as to batter any Vietcong troops who may have been hiding in ambush. Early this morning, the sky turned a dull pink and the earth heaved for miles around as the B-52s went in a bare eight miles from the battalion base camp. The B-52s, based on Guam 2500 miles away, had hit the target precisely. Commander Goes Aloft At 9:30 the battalion commander, Lt. Col. Robert H. Sigholtz, a former schoolteacher and football player from Springfield, Va., went aloft to direct the air and artillery strikes. The plan had been to pound the jungle on either side of the clearing with artillery, while Phantom jets – flying east to west – would hit the far edge. It would make for a “maximized” effort, but the brigade ROBERT H. SIGHOLTZ commander, Brig. Gen. John Deane, ..leads Vietnam assault didn’t think much of it. “I just saw a shell land to the south of here. It was a long round,” he said. “The artillery should be firing 300 yards away,” Sigholtz said. “Well,” Deane said, “Where the artillery should be fir- ing and where they are firing are two different things.” Air Strike Begins The artillery stopped, and the air strike began and in 15 minutes the smell of high explosives was distinct in the helicopter 1500 feet above the action. Suddenly, Sigholtz smiled and took off his earphones and put them to the ear of a reporter. There was great static, and jabber of Vietnamese. The jabbering was high-pitched and there seemed to be an occasional and indecipherable, word of English. Sigholtz explained that the voices were Vietcong, and the intent was to foul up American communications. Now the command helicopter dipped, and went low along the landing zone, Sigholtz dropped red smoke where he wanted the final air strike, and the chopper arched up again to 1500 feet. It had drawn no ground fire. The field of fire was now hung by a pall of white and gray smoke, and huge craters – from the B-52s, the Phantoms, and the artillery – had been dug in the hard soil. Some of them went down 15 feet and were half filled with water. The troops assaulted at 11;45 this morning. They came in six to a helicopter and in 20 minutes, 180 were on the ground. In an hour, Sigholtz’s command post had been erected. (continued….) 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / Apr.-Jun. 2022 – Issue 103 Page 9 of 79
In 90 minutes the first reconnaissance patrol had entered an enemy base camp some 600 yards to the north. There were bunkers, but no resistance. The Washington Post, March 25, 1967 SCENE – War Zone C is part of the battle area of Operation Junction City in South Vietnam. There had not been a hostile shot all day. The assault had been a textbook exercise, with no injuries and no accidents – and no Vietcong. Sigholtz thought he detected two secondary explosions from the artillery and air strikes, which meant that the enemy may have planted mines in the landing zone. But the secondaries may have been unexploded American artillery rounds. The troops were digging in at mid-afternoon, preparing a fire base in case they were attacked at night. They would be at the landing zone for three, perhaps four, possible five days, and then they would move on to some other redoubt in War Zone C. They Often Write Of Valor, But Not Always The Valorous In the preceding report the journalist details one day during Operation Junction City, 24 Mar 67, where he mentions our battalion commander, LTC Bob Sigholtz, and brigade commander, BG John “Uncle Jack” Deane, good men no doubt. On the date referenced, our battalion and brigade suffered no KIA; yet on 22-23 March we show four troopers killed in action, all with A Battery, 319th Artillery. We do not know the names of the eleven troopers cited as having been wounded. We remember the four men here. Lest we forget. Ed Charles C. Anderson, Jr., 27 CPT, A/3/319, 3/22/57 BIG BROTHER. “Beloved older brother whose loss has lessened our world in unimaginable ways. He is always in our thoughts and prayers.” Jon L. Anderson James Larry Evans, 25 1LT, A/3/319, 3/22/67 WE MISS YOU. “On this day 43 years ago we lost a husband, son, brother and friend. We will always love and remember you Larry.” Betty Robert L. Matthews, 23 SP4, A/3/319, 3/22/67 HAPPY HEAVENLY BIRTHDAY. “You will forever remain in our hearts and prayers.” Donna Moore Randall Lawrence Perry, 20 SP4, A/3/319, 3/23/67 MY BEST BUDDY IN BASIC. “Randy, I was shocked to find your name on 'The Wall'. I still have the pictures of us horsing around at the Patton Museum at Ft. Knox in '65. I will never forget you, or any of my other fallen brothers.” Bill Rambow 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / Apr.-Jun. 2022 – Issue 103 Page 10 of 79
Recognizing a Sky Soldier and his Achievements MG Robert Kimmitt Robert Michael Kimmitt was United States Deputy Secretary of the Treasury under President George W. Bush. He was nominated by President Bush on June 29, 2005. The United States Senate unanimously confirmed him on July 29, 2005, and he was sworn into office on August 16, 2005. Kimmitt served through the end of the Bush administration, leaving office on January 20, 2009. Kimmitt served as acting Secretary of the Treasury from Friday, June 30, until Monday morning, July 10, following John W. Snow's resignation, but prior to Henry Paulson being sworn into office. Early life and education Robert Kimmitt, born December 19, 1947 in Logan, Utah, graduated from Bishop Denis J. O'Connell High School in 1965. Kimmitt graduated with distinction from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1969. He received a law degree from Georgetown University in 1977, where he was editor in chief of Law & Policy in International Business. Military service After being commissioned as a Regular Army officer in 1969 at West Point, Robert Kimmitt completed field artillery and airborne schools, and graduated first in his Ranger School class. He then served a 17-month combat tour with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam (1970–1971), earning three Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. He was subsequently assigned to the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky (1972– 1974), where he completed Jumpmaster school and qualified as a Senior Parachutist. He retired in November 2004 as a major general in the Army Reserve. Veterans with PTSD Get Service Dogs at VA Facilities Mar 10, 2022 Tuesday, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced a canine training pilot program for eligible post-traumatic stress disorder vets. The five VA medical centres across the country have been chosen to offer the pilot program over the next five years. The Anchorage VA Medical Center in Alaska, the Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville, North Carolina, the Palo Alto VA Medical Center in California, the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans' Hospital in San Antonio, and the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center in Florida. VA Secretary Denis McDonough explained that service dog training could be combined with those treatments to assist PTSD-suffering veterans. Veterans' groups have long urged legislators to fund service dog training to ease mental health issues. As part of a press release, Rory Diamond, CEO of nonprofit organisation K9s For Warriors, said the program aims to raise awareness for the treatment option as a proven way to manage PTSD and suicidal thoughts. Service dogs can help veterans feel more self-worth, as well as help regulate their emotions as they establish trust with their dog. Through the program, participants will be able to train potential future service dogs and engage in social activities. Veterans who qualify for dogs can adopt them after the eight-week program. The VA has not determined which partner organization it will work with to conduct the training. The VA will spend about $30 million on this treatment, from training to vet care, through 2026. The program, however, will be free to veterans. Veterans have to meet three requirements to participate. To qualify for VA health care, veterans must be enrolled in the VA health care system, they must be diagnosed with PTSD, and a VA mental health care provider must recommend them. Vets get their final endorsement only after a trip to their primary care provider or mental health care specialist within the last three months. Although the VA has not yet announced whether it will expand the program to include additional VA Medical Centers beyond the five that it chose to start with. 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / Apr.-Jun. 2022 – Issue 103 Page 11 of 79
In the beginning, from the military archives… THE RECORD OF US MILITARY DEPLOYMENTS AND OPERATIONS At the beginning of 1965 there were some 23,000 military personnel assigned as advisors to SVN forces. After VC attacks on US personnel at Pleiku and the Qui Nhon Hotel (7 and 10 February) retaliatory air raids were conducted against North Vietnam. Insert “At 20:05 (10 Feb 65) the VC began their assault on the hotel, while 2 VC were killed by machine-gun fire by a U.S. sentry on the hotel roof; VC killed the South Vietna- mese guards posted outside the building and placed satchel charges at the main door. A 100-pound plastic charge was detonated next to the staircase which pro- vided the main structural support for the building. The explosion caused the entire hotel to pancake to the ground. 21 members of the 140th Transportation Detachment were killed as were 2 other soldiers and 7 Vietnamese civilians. Following this attack President Johnson ordered Flaming Dart II. All U.S. dependents in South Vietnam were returned to the U.S.” Aftermath of bombing of Viet Cuong Hotel in Qui Nhon (web photo) On 19 February B-57s and F-IOOs began first jet attacks against the VC. ROLLING THUNDER started on 2 March. Our first ground force unit, the 3rd Battalion of the 9th Marines, landed at Da Nang on 9 March and began establishing a perimeter. U.S. Marines hit the beach in Da Nang. In May the 173rd Airborne Brigade began arriving and the Marines landed at Chu Lai and began constructing a base there. Construction of the port at Cam Ranh Bay started on 9 June. Sky Soldiers of the 2/503 arrive Bien Hoa AFB, Vietnam. (Photo by LTC George Dexter, Bn Cmdr) By June 52,000 US military men were in Vietnam, but this included only the Airborne Brigade and several battalions of Marines in fighting units. Throughout the first half of 1965 the RVN situation deteriorated, ARVN reserves became dangerously low, and the casualty rates became less and less favorable, though we still held the edge. The Australian Battalion arrived in June. Our Aussie brothers arrive Vietnam. (continued….) 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / Apr.-Jun. 2022 – Issue 103 Page 12 of 79
In July the Marines landed additional troops at Da Nang and at Qui Nhon where construction began on an additional base. A brigade of the 1st Infantry Division landed in the middle of July, and a brigade of the 101st Airborne Division landed at Cam Ranh Bay toward the end of July. Total strength was now 80,000 with 2 Airborne brigades, an Infantry brigade, and the better part of a Marine division in place. To this point our forces were mainly engaged in establishing bases and defense perimeters; however, the casualty rate began to take a turn in our favor. In August 6400 additional Marines arrived at Da Nang and Chu Lai, and the Marines launched their Operation STAR LIGHT south of Chu Lai where they badly mauled a VC regiment. By September the Marines had consolidated their perimeters in the north and the Army began moving against the VC in Central Vietnam. The Airborne Brigade of the 101st Division cleared a heavy concentration of VC from the An Khe area, and the 1st Cavalry Division began moving into its new base. On 9 October the ROK division also began moving into Central Vietnam to protect the main port, Qui Nhon. The VC attack on the Plei Me Special Forces camp (began an action that) lasted for a month, becoming the major battle of the Ia Drang Valley. During this period the 1st Cavalry Division killed over 2000 enemy, seriously hurting several North Vietnamese regiments. “U.S. Special Forces camp at Plei Me attacked 10/22/65.” Further to the south the 173rd Airborne Brigade began operations in the Iron Triangle on 9 October, and the 1st Infantry Division started arriving on 10 October. In December the Marines began a major search and destroy operation, HARVEST MOON, in the north. RVN Ranger battalions cooperating with the Marines were trapped by the VC but were relieved by Marine units with heavy loss to the VC regiment involved. Major efforts were made in December to protect the South Vietnamese bringing in the rice harvest. At the end of December a Brigade of the 25th Division moved into the central highlands at Pleiku. “In December ’65, 2/503d’s SGM Mish with local farmer during rice harvesting in Than Duc district.” (Photo by George Dexter, LTC, Bn Cmdr) Since 1 January major operations have been conducted in all areas of South Vietnam. The 1st Cavalry Division, together with RVN and R0K forces, began MASHER/WHITE WING on 24 January along the coast in Binh Dinh Province. Some 4 VC and North Vietnamese regiments have been dealt heavy losses here and the operation continues. Further to the north the Marines in operation DOUBLE EAGLE have pressed southward toward the 1st Cavalry Division, also catching up with several VC battalions. Further to the south the 101st Airborne has been conducting a rice harvest security operation since 19 January, and has killed over 600 VC. Since 1 January US forces have captured over 2000 tons of rice, over 500 VC prisoners, over 500 weapons, and large quantities of ammunition. They have killed over 3000 VC. Copy Lyndon B. Johnson Library Source: Presidential Archives record. Photos added. 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / Apr.-Jun. 2022 – Issue 103 Page 13 of 79
WASHINGTON GREEN ENDS By Al Houston The sixth and final phase of Operation Washington Green began on 8 December 1970 with the move of the 2/503d to An Khe. It continued the triple mission of pacification, RF/PF training and destruction of the VCI, but on a reduced scale. The 3/503d Infantry is now prepared to assist GVN pacification forces in Hoai Nhon District where the 2/503d Infantry formerly operated. The 3/503d Infantry also continues its longtime pacification support in Hoai An District. Provisions have been made for the turnover of all US-occupied bridge sites along route QL-1 in Tam Quan District to GVN forces. The departure of another Infantry battalion to An Khe will spell the virtual end of Operation Washington Green and mark the beginning of a new operation wherein the Brigade’s maneuver elements concentrate almost solely on the conduct of combat, security and interdiction operations in the mountains in the western part of AO Lee and surrounding An Khe. FIRST BATTALION The 1/503d Infantry did not allow their role in the Pacification program to diminish their combat capabilities. During the period of August to December the 1st Bn accounted for 81 NVA/VC KIA; 118 detainees; 3 POWs and, numerous weapons, equipment and caches of food. The 1/503d continued to conduct combat operations in support of pacification throughout the reporting period in both northern and southern Phu My. On 3 November, 1970, the 1/503d assumed OPCON of 538th Land Clearing Co., and E Troop, 17th Cav., and initiated land clearing operations in northern Phu My. Emphasis continued to be placed on combined operations and training. There were an average of 26 combined ambushes nightly during the reporting period. The battalion continues to employ small mobile hunterkiller (HAWK) teams throughout the AO. Virtually all of these teams are composed of combined US/RF/PF forces; exceptions occur when other commitments of conflict preclude RF/PF participation. The 1st Battalion saw a change of battalion commanders during the reporting period. LTC Manley H. Cosper relinquished command to LTC Leslie K. Nakamura on 17 August 1970. SECOND BATTALION Unlike the 1st Battalion, the 2d Bn., 503d Inf., had practically resolved their role of direct pacification and turned to one of combat operations as to provide security for the Pacification Program. During the period of 1 July to 30 September 1970 alone, the 2d Battalion made contact with enemy forces over 100 times; their results up through December includes more than 64 NV/VC KIA, 38 small arms captured in action and tons of equipment and food destroyed. The 2d Battalion did however, manage to keep one finger in the pacification pie as companies A and B were assigned as sponsors of Stag Teams I and II respectively. This was part of a co-operative effort with the RF and PF units. “The backbone of the Airborne is still the individual who works with his buddy.” The 2d Battalion also decided to employ a training program for its own personnel designed primarily to benefit the individual soldier and thus enhance the successful accomplishment of assigned missions. Therefore, training was given in the following areas: mechanical ambush (tinker toys), aircraft safety, rigging combat loads, artillery adjustment, combat tracking, and the use of flame throwers conducted on designated dates throughout the reporting period. (continued….) 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / Apr.-Jun. 2022 – Issue 103 Page 14 of 79
Classroom instruction supple- mented by the use of exhibits and training aids was conducted on designated dates throughout the reporting period. In addition, practical exercises were held in the field. The training program continues to be an important means of bolstering the 2d Battalion’s combat effectiveness. The 2d/503d also employed scout dog teams during the reporting period which maximized the unit’s ability to detect booby traps. The 2d Battalion found the HAWK team employment to be a great asset to their combat role. During the reporting period LTC Robert G. Hertel become the new battalion commander replacing LTC George W. Krause. The second battalion was relocated during the reporting period. It was moved from LZ English to An Khe to provide security and support groups for the departing elements of the 4th Infantry Division. In addition, they are concerned with the security of the 18 kilometer berm around Camp Radcliff. Whatever the mission, the 2d/503d Infantry, the 173d Airborne Brigade is always ready to move and shoot. THIRD BATTALION The reporting period found the 3d/503d Infantry engaged in combat operations in Hoai An District, Binh Dinh Province. Never really cutting a big slice of the pacification pie, the 3d Battalion continued pursuing and destroying elements of the 3d NVA Division and local VC forces. The Sky Soldiers continued to live up to their reputation as the “Rock Battalion.” Company E combat assaulted to the Fire Support/ Surveillance Base Floyd. Enemy activity, which had been slow in the past months, increased and the NVA/VC initiated contact willingly when they thought they had the advantage. Co. D reacting to intelligence CA’d into a base camp area locating a large weapons and ammunitions cache. The early portion of the reporting period saw the battalion conducting saturation ambushing and combined operations with the territorial forces in an effort to deny the VC/NVA access to the vitally needed rice producing areas of Hoai An District. Early in the month of September Fire Support/Surveillance Base Washington was established. Enemy activity increased and large forces of VC/NVA movement were noted. The enemy was eager to initiate contact and attacked US/GVN installations with mortar and rocket attacks. Reconnaissance teams and quick reaction to intelligence proves to be a major threat against the enemy. The results of the battalion operations during this short period were 132 VC/NVA KIA, 15 VC/NVA POWs, 133 individual weapons and eleven crew served weapons CIA. On 15 December LTC Jack Farris moved from his position as the Rock Battalion’s commanding officer to that of Brigade Executive Officer. LTC George J. Stapleton assumed the role of battalion commander for the 3d Bn. LTC Stapleton seems to have found a battalion without a home as he saw his new command move from LZ Uplift to LZ English on December 19. Their role was to conduct assault missions in An Lao Valley and act as a maneuver element. However, eleven days later the Rock Battalion was on the move again, this time their destination was An Khe. The change of locations was completed by 1 January 1971 and by 2 January the battalion had deployed to the field. It seemed as though LTC Stapleton had finally settled down and found a home. FOURTH BATTALION The 4th/503d Infantry mission is to close with the enemy by means of fire and maneuver in order to destroy or capture him or to repel his assault by force or close combat and counterattack. However, during the early portion of the reporting period the 4th Battalion continued to participate in pacification operations, they also conducted heliborne assaults, extensive small unit patrolling, night ambushes, HAWK OPERATIONS (six to seven-man recon teams with a hunt and kill mission) and company size cordon, search and sweep operations. Like its sister battalions the Geronimo Battalion also changed commanders during the reporting period. LTC Robert Allen passed the colors to MAJ (P) Riscassi. With the completion of the sixth and final phase of Operation Washington Green, the 173d Airborne Brigade is snapping out if (sic) Pacification Program and returning to combat operations. This change became apparent on 1 January 1971 with the initiation of Operation Greene Lightning. The brigade will continue security operations of An Khe and QL-19, and phase out of pacification and security operations in the populated areas; initiate combat and recon operations in areas of AO Lee— Operation Greene Lightning. Task Force Ivy will be to continue security of Camp Radcliff and QL-19 from An Khe Pass to the Mang Giang Pass. In addition, TF Ivy is to conduct periodic liaison with An Tuc District and Binh Khe District. (continued….) 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / Apr.-Jun. 2022 – Issue 103 Page 15 of 79
Under Greene Lighting (sic) effective 1 January 1971 TF 1st/503d Inf. assumed the following mission: (1) phasing down of pacification and security operations in Phu My; (2) continue liaison with Phu My District; (3) initiate liaison with 41st ARVN Regiment in Phu My. Effective 1 January 1971, the 4th/503d Inf. was to terminate pacification and security operations in Tam Quan District and commence combat and recon operations. As a highlight to a successful conclusion of Operation Washington Green, the 173d Airborne Brigade turned over LZ North English to the ARVN’s on 6 January 1971 and moved the “Geronimo” Battalion to LZ English. Source: Spring 1971 edition of Sky Soldier magazine The Editor’s take… What’s Not Told About This “Reporting Period” of Operation Washington Green 8 December 1970 thru 6 January 1971 For countless numbers of us, our times at war ended many years before 1970 and ’71. Untold numbers of us moved on with our lives – by the beginning of that decade most of us were pursuing further education, careers, marriage and families, while maybe following the war on the evening news and in the local paper, or avoiding anything and everything which might remind us of our times at war, as others continued their military service, many returning to the war zone for more combat and all that war entails. Mr. Houston’s report you just read is typical of many accountings of war (like the Junction City report on Pages 9-10); in this case showcasing the successes of our four combat battalions killing many, capturing stuff, destroying stuff, doing what soldiers are trained to do – it’s always been that way. Such stories tell young men and women how glorious war is, movies and books do the same, as does this newsletter, in its own way, also glorifies war. Such stories build morale and esprit de corps they like to tell us. And when we’re young, we believe them. Semper fi! Go Navy! Airborne…All the way, Sir!! Kill! Kill! Kill! Whether by design or not, the author neglected to tell the other side of the story; and we are moved little by the hundreds of enemy soldiers lost in battle during that “reporting period”; we didn’t know them or understand them, they were the other -- simply put, our job was to kill them. We only lift our glasses in toast to our fallen, yet they were not recognized in the preceding story of ‘combat successes’—there was no space for them between the EKIAs, POWs and captured guns. Though many hundreds of our paratroopers died before them, and many following them, we’ll take a moment here to pay tribute to these young Sky Soldiers who perished during those days in December and January so long ago -- it’s what we do in old soldier newsletters like this. It’s our job as readers and veterans to remember them, though a difficult job indeed. Lew “Smitty” Smith, Editor HHC/2/503, ‘65/’66, RVN Lest we forget… Clayton Gerome Craig, 23 SGT, B/1/503, 12/18/70 “FRIEND: I grew up with Clayton Gerome Craig. We called him Stoney. He was a great student and an excellent Athlete. He was always the best at whatever he did. He was the kind of guy you wanted to be. I spent many days and nights at his house when we were growing up. I was in the Air Force when he was killed. Next to my son's death this is the hardest I have ever been thru. I Miss him to this day.” Stan Harrison Robert Dorian Cranson, 20 SP4, B/4/503, 12/18/70 “TRIBUTE TO SKY SOLDIER: On behalf of myself and all your fellow paratroopers who served in the 173rd ‘Herd’ Airborne Brigade in Vietnam, let me offer our joined respect and regrets for your sacrifice. May you rest in peace and never be forgotten.” Mike Switzer (sadly continued….) 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / Apr.-Jun. 2022 – Issue 103 Page 16 of 79
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