(10–12dec65 with a small 09dec65 battalion outline of 2/7 )

(10–12dec65 with a small 09dec65 battalion outline of 2/7 )
The Operation Harvest Moon Series On the day (10 December 1965) that a music band called the “Warlocks” became “The Grateful Dead,” another band, this one a band of Marines were fighting for their lives half way around the world. The debut of the musical group with the new name occurred at The Fillmore Auditorium for the 2nd San Francisco Mime Troupe Appeal Party. The Jefferson Airplane also appeared at this gathering. It was however no party for the Marines of the 2nd Battalion First Marines or for the other two battalions of Marines - it was HELL. Ironic isn’t it that the “Warlocks” become “The Grateful Dead” on December 10, 1965? This is Part 2 of 6 (10–12dec with a small 09dec65 battalion outline of 2/7 )

The Operation Harvest Moon Series
WARNING Before you get into this section of my site I want to warn you that portions (various pages) might use language that could be offensive to you. I do not edit the various Marines’ stories and some could be “colorful” and some of the wordage may be a bit crude to you. There are written parts in the following document that are not suitable for younger viewers. If you are squeamish by-pass pages with, “Warning could be objectionable!” on them. . A Marine and his trusty M-14,flac jacket & pack.

“Six-click Hump” by T. Miller watercolor, 11” x 17,” ©2007
The Operation Harvest Moon Series DECEMBER 9, 1965 (D + 1) Battalion After Action Report Company H 2/7 secured LZ Spruce with G/2/7 moved on with E/2/7 to secure Objective A without any enemy contact and then moved on eastward to attack and secure Objective B. A perimeter defense was set up for the night by both of the companies. “The weather was cold and damp and I remember settling in for the night and experiencing the H & I artillery rounds going over our heads, holding our breath as the whistling stopped, wondering where and how close they would land to us. One round landed behind us and we later found out that it was indeed, a Short Round and wounded a couple of Marines. No other enemy contact this night.” Battalion Action Report and outline are from an sent to me from PFC Richard Shaw. PFC Richard “Rick” Shaw, California Radioman attached to Hotel Company H&S Company 2/7 “Six-click Hump” by T. Miller watercolor, 11” x 17,” ©2007

Operation Harvest Moon
The Operation Harvest Moon Series It rained or drizzled for the first days. I, as well as the rest of our group (2/1, 3/3, 2/7 and the ARVNs) were completely soaked from the rains, rivers and rice paddies. This section deals with the days of the 10th to 12dec65 (day by day). The next presentation section will be devoted to 13 to 15 December, then the 16 and 17 of December section, the final sections will deal entirely to 18dec65 and end with the 19dec65. Here is Operation Harvest Moon Hotel 2/7 during the early OHM days This was what the terrain looked like during the early days of Operation Harvest Moon. It seemed like nothing but rice paddies and if not that, large rivers or streams to ford during this hike.

“Better to fight for something than live for nothing.”
The Operation Harvest Moon Series Official Marine Corps review of December 10, 1965 As the Marine battalions attempted to squeeze the VC into a tight pocket, Lt. Col. Robert T. Hannifin Jr.’s 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment (2/1), the Special Landing Force battalion, was sent in to plug the gap and destroy the enemy. However, as Foxtrot Company, 2/1, was inserted into the landing zone, it was subjected to heavy automatic weapons fire. The battle raged for 10 hours before the hard-hit company was extracted from the area by Utter’s Echo Company of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines (2/7). The VC They had a goal and no timetable. It would be, just a matter of time. “Better to fight for something than live for nothing.” General George S. Patton

The Operation Harvest Moon Series Operation Harvest Moon December , 1965 The Marine battalions involved with the operation were 2/1st Marines, 3/3rd Marines, and 2/7th Marines plus units from Hotel 2/9, 1/7, 11th Marines, and helicopter squadrons 161, 261 and 361. This presentation is the third at this website and you can expect it to be updated during the course of the next few years as I finish various paintings of this subject. Also to be included are eye-witness accounts of the various actions of the units involved. This section will mainly be about the ambush near the landing zone next to the hamlet of Cam Lai (1) at the northern side of Hill 407. The main companies during this time were Foxtrot 2/1 and Echo 2/7. However, other companies of 2/1, 3/3 and 2/7 were also involved here or near here later. Same Marine and his trusty M-14 rifle, flac jacket & pack.

The Operation Harvest Moon Series Operation Harvest Moon The brief history of why the operation took place is that it was created to try to eliminate the food source of the Viet Cong/North Vietnamese troops as well as to trap the enemy through the use of two South Vietnamese battalions and three U.S. Marine battalions (3/3, 2/1 and 2/7th Marines). Everyone was kept in the dark on this operation except the VC. The seemed to know what was going to happen before our commanding officers. We were informed the night before so, we weren’t the leak telling the VC what was happening. The knowledge that the VC had did not surprise me after doing the research as there were a lot of symphasisors within the ranks of the ARVN troops and Task Force Delta who were running the operation weren’t exactly the “cream of the crop.”. There was a light mist as we drove up Highway One but now it had started to rain. The temperature was in the high 80s to low 90s and we were well into the monsoon season. Another typical day in Vietnam. Little did we know that when we got wet this day, most of us would stay that way for the next 10 days with terrible results of foot immersion. The weapon of the Marines is the rifle. The rifle of those days was the M-14. Today they still utilize this weapon but in a modified style as a snipers rifle. The M-14 rifle. With every Marine a rifleman first, it was one of the Marines best friends.

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday On Friday, as we (2/7) wandered around doing sweeps and not making any contact to speak of, most of 2/1 was getting ready to be flown to a landing zone (LZ) near the hamlet of Cam Lai (1) near Hill 407. Marines from the 1st and 2nd platoons of Foxtrot Company, 1st Marines scrambled aboard the helicopters of Lt. Colonel Mervin B. Porter's HMM-261 Squadron. They lifted off the deck of the USS Valley Forge and took off for the LZ which was about an hour away. From our first objectives (A & B) just east of our LZ 2/7 now pushed south. 3/3 had a ambush firefight the day as they moved towards their objective. After that, they were in the position of being a blocking force. The parts were now in place or were they? 2/1 picture on USS Valley Forge

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday A book write-up on Op. Harvest Moon “At 1100, 15 UH-34Ds from the Valley Forge lifted the assault elements of Company F to a landing zone near the hamlet of Cam La (1), 5 miles southeast of Que Son. As the helicopters landed, they came under heavy 12.7mm machine gun fire from emplacements on Hill 407, 2,000 meters to the south. The intense, heavy caliber fire surprised the Marines. Company F at the first landing site was in trouble. The enemy kept the Marines under continuous machine gun fire and then opened up with mortars and small arms fire. The company took what cover it could behind the low dikes in the open rice paddies and waited for reinforcements. Since the rest of the battalion had landed to the west, the task force commander ordered Echo Co. 2/7 from Utter's battalion to move south to aid the hard-hit unit. Company E, 2/7, pushed southward to Hannifin's Company F, but was hit on its right flank by enemy fire. With some difficulty, Company E reached an area from which it could support the stranded company. Company F began withdrawing under the relief force's covering fire. Ten hours after the first helicopter had landed. Hannifin's battalion command group, Company’s G and F, and Company E from Utter's battalion joined forces. Both Companies E and F had suffered substantial casualties during the day...20 killed in action and over 80 wounded in action.” 2/1 loading aboard the Valley Forge

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday By Danny Francis “On December 10, 1965 (D+2), Brigadier General Henderson ordered Utter (2/7) to drive east and Dorsey(3/3) to push northwest to compress the enemy between them. The avenue of escape to the south was to be closed by Hannifin’s 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines (2/1). This battalion was the Special Landing Force Battalion (SLF) that was located on the USS Valley forge.They would be helilifted into the area by HMM-261. About 1100 that morning, 15 UH-34Ds lifted the assault elements of Foxtrot Company into a landing zone near the hamlet of Cam Lo. The landing site was about 5 miles southeast of Que Son. As the helicopters started to land, they came under heavy 12.7mm machine gun fire from emplacements on Hill 407 approximately 2000 meters to the south. The intense, heavy caliber fire surprised the Marines and “surprise” is an understatement. After initial contact was made future landings were directed to another LZ further west. Fox however was in deep trouble at the first LZ.”

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday From an outline for his book “A Walk Deep in Hell” ©1998 by Carl R. Kirksley ““They moved up to the hangar bay and sat by their gear. Most talked softly, or smoked, waiting for an order to mount up. Soon it came, and with the command still echoing in their ears, “Land the Landing Force,” they began struggling into their gear. The roar of ten UH-34B’s warming up on their helo-pads was deafening. The smell of aviation fuel, burnt oil and salt air was exhilarating. Each helo-team consisted of seven Marines. Each man had listed his weight at 245 pounds, but Okona and Kinderman blew this weight out of the water without equipment. They separated into separate choppers, one Gun Team going with a rifle team, so as to not lose a whole squad on one bird if it went down. They approached the helicopters bent over low, although the whirling rotors were well above their heads. The air crews busied themselves over their radio links, machineguns and preflight check list while the Marines from First platoon loaded onto the helicopters. HMM 261 had been in Vietnam for some time, and had many operations behind them. (continued) Fox 2/1 loads on to the HMM 261 UH-34B helicopters onboard the USS Valley Forge 10dec65

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday “A Walk Deep in Hell” (continued) The ugly old UH-34’s rattled, shook and roared, but flew every time they were cranked. After they lifted from the Iwo Jima’s flight deck, the noise seemed to lessen… … The gaggle of choppers roared up a valley flanked by tall trees and brush… …as the choppers lurched into position when they slowed for landing. The door and tail gunners swept the muzzles of their M-60 machine guns back and forth keeping a sharp eye out for any sniper daring to risk firing their way. All the way from Okinawa the Marines from Fox Company had been told tales about VC snipers.” The men of the 1st and 2nd Platoons would enter a quiet LZ but, only for a few seconds. Then, all hell would break loose and they would be as Carl puts it, “Deep in Hell.” (Carl is a very talented man as you will see later in this presentation.) 2/1 lands at Cam Lo (1) on 10 December 1965

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday In his own words, Dan Francis describes the first day stuck in the rice paddies: “There we were, one hundred Marines stuck in rice paddy mud and surrounded by 1000s of VC. Later we would find out that our company-sized unit had been up against elements of the elite 1st Vietcong Regiment, along with three independent VC battalions and several supporting VC companies (special weapons units). We had been outmanned and outgunned probably fifty to one. For the VC, it was a field day—like a shooting gallery. We were like fish in the proverbial barrel for about ten long, miserable, naked hours. I say naked because we had no cover, no concealment, no artillery support, and virtually no air support.” There are more excerpts from Danny Francis’ book “Last Ride Home” in this and the next section. If you are lucky enough to find a copy as it is currently out of print, much of the Operation Harvest Moon battles are in it. Sorry, this book is currently out of print.

“D-day+2” D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday The Operation Harvest Moon Series
“On December 10, 1965, Brigadier Gen. Henderson ordered Utter (2/7) to drive east and Dorsey (3/3) to push northwest to compress the enemy between them. The avenue of escape to the south was to be closed by Hannifin’s 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines (2/1). 2/1 was the Special Landing Force Battalion that was located on the USS Valley forge. They would be heli-lifted into the area by HMM-261. About 1100 that morning, 15 UH-34Ds lifted the assault elements of Foxtrot Company into a landing zone near the hamlet of Cam Lo. The landing site was about 5 miles southeast of the village of Que Son. As the helicopters started to land, they came under heavy 12.7mm machine gun fire from emplacements on Hill 407 approximately 2000 meters to the south. The Marine upper command (Henderson and the boys) landed the 90 Foxtrot 1st and 2nd platoons in an area that was about 1000 meters too far west. As soon as the helicopters touched down the VC, who were well entrenched on Hill 407, began to open up on (continued) “D-day+2” 32” x 36,” Acrylic on Canvas, © 2000

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday the helicopters debarking troops below. 81 mm mortars, 50 caliber and 12.3 MM machine guns poured opened up with devastating effect. Some 2/1 Marines never made it to cover and those that did found the cover to be a skimpy foot of paddy dike in the coffee colored rice paddy. The second wave of Marines was aborted to a “new” LZ as everyone felt it was far too hot a landing area to come back to. The intense, heavy caliber fire surprised the Marines and “surprise” is an under-statement. After initial contact was made future landings were directed to another LZ further west. Fox however was in deep trouble at the first LZ. 2/1 would loose 15 killed and 39 wounded” during this entire operation. Excerpted from “Last Ride Home” by Danny M. Francis, pages “Line em up, move em out, load em up, raaawwhide.” HMM-261 took the Marines and themselves into that hell the morning of 10 December 1965.

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday “Lt. Col. Hannifin has spoken to each of us in Fox Company before we boarded the helicopters on the USS Valley Forge We were going to celebrate Christmas in Okinawa, but then came Harvest Moon. The briefing we received on December 8th, said we might encounter a couple regiments or more of Viet Cong, and I believe it was more. One thing that Intelligence got right, the heaviest of the VC forces was located around Hill 407! They said this unit was the 45th Viet Cong Regiment and was supported by two anti-aircraft regiments reinforced. I thought the whole operation was screwed up from the start when we lifted off about We flew towards some mountains where you could see Phantoms & Skyhawks diving into the The trusty old H-34 was a workhorse from 1961 to 1967. valleys, and the weather looked as if it could break loose with a cloudburst any moment. We stopped at Que Son because one of our choppers had engine trouble. None of us knew at the time that most of our Forward Air Control (FAC) and Tactical Air Control (TAC) (continued)

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday (continued) radio operators were on board that chopper. After sitting on the deck for half and hour, we lifted off and continued on to our LZ (landing zone). As we circled around our LZ, we could see the aircraft diving and laying on bombs over in the next valley. We grinned at one another, because that meant we would land where we wouldn’t receive fire and could secure the LZ without much difficulty. As we banked to our left, I couldn’t see what was going on below. However, when our two door-gunners opened up with their M-60 machine guns, several quarter inch sized holes began popping through the skin of our bird, I knew we were in “deep shit!” Helicopters coming in. The workhorse of Vietnam, the H-34. The crew chief manning the main hatch gun suddenly began rapidly pumping his fist up and down and pointed out the helicopter’s door, all the while keeping up a steady rate of fire on his gun. The tick-tick-ping of rounds hitting our aircraft encouraged us to get out the door! (continued)

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday (continued) Damn, the first guy jumped, hit and buried up to his knees, and the rest of us were not any better off. We quickly spread out as rounds were zinging and popping all over the place. L/Cpl. Warren Koehler was in the same chopper my gun team had come in on. We took up positions and began looking for targets. Hell, targets were easy, just pick a direction! We started moving up to get besides Corporal Amon’s machine-gun squad ahead of us. We had made it to a position behind them and took cover. I was looking around for Lt. George, the 1st Platoon Commander, to get instructions for marking targets, when “D-day+2” (detail close-up) depicts Foxtrot 2/1 upon landing near Cam Lai (4) as ambush starts. suddenly we came under a mortar barrage. These mortars dropped about two feet behind the rice paddy dikes giving cover to Corporal Amon’s squad and walked down the line killing or wounding the entire squad. (continued)

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday (continued) A large explosion detonated beside one of the machine-guns and I saw Dave Hall go over his gun head-first into the paddy and did not move. Then Ron Cummings began burning the barrel out of his weapon. A mortar round hit within a foot of him and blew him on top of the dike. He lay there still in the firing position he had been in when hit, except without his machine gun, and he was dead! Charles Wilson, a black Marine who joined 2/1 from 3rd Battalion just before shipping out for Vietnam, grabbed Ron Cummings gun and began running across the paddy firing although mortally wounded. You could see bloody meat and bones sticking out of his hip and Incoming mortar rounds and large explosions decimated the ranks of Foxtrot 2/1 on 10dec65. thigh, but he kept going! When he reached the enemy trenches about 500 yards ahead of our positions, he fired his gun until it was empty. Then, he died. (continued)

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday (continued) Koehler and I looked for the mortars. Someone from the 2nd Platoon pointed out some smoke rings rising from some bushes far across the paddies. We stood up and fired a HEAT and WP (white phosperous) round each, the brush blew all to hell. We figured it was a direct hit, and whether we did or not, there were no more mortars fired that day. Koehler and I kept looking at a large hay-stack over in the right rear of our position. I told him that something looked funny about the stack. I said it isn’t round, but flat on top. Koehler comes from Minnesota where they still stack their hay in stacks like this one. He said it looked wrong to him too. Running a few 3.5 rounds into the enemy. We decided to fire a HEAT round to knock a hole in whatever it was, or look stupid for wasting a precious rocket on a pile of grass! I fired a HEAT round, and surprise, surprise, surprise. There was a brick bunker underneath all the hay! Koehler fired a WP round in the hole I had made and two “Charlies” ran out of what must (continued)

Warning could be objectionable! D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday (continued) have been a VC observation post. Two grenadiers from 1st Platoon opened up on them as they fled and blew them away. I have never seen such neat shooting. One grenadier fired a grenade about four feet in front of the lead VC, and the other grenadier’s round hit about the same distance behind the last man. The Charlie in front did a back flip, and the one behind him did a front flip. Both collided in mid-air and fell dead in a heap! This was the time that we saw Captain Page go down. This really pissed us off! We began running across the paddies to get into better position to take on some of the heavy machine guns kicking our ass. (continued on page #23 after Danny Francis’ Captain Page’s insert) “I have never seen such neat shooting.”

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday Captain Jim Page by Danny Francis From “Last Ride Home” by D. M. Francis, page 125 Captain Page was one of the first to be hit by machine-gun fire and declared dead, or at least so we thought for more than ten hours. He was shot clean through his chest by a heavy machine gun bullet. He was wrapped in his poncho like the other dead and left alone for more than ten hours in the mud and blood waiting to be moved to the rear and then on home for a hero’s funeral. Caring for the living and wounded took priority over those already on their way to heaven, so they just lay there waiting for their final trip back to the ship and then the preparation for their long flight home. In all our misery early the next morning, God stopped by and paid us a visit. Doc Greding, Doc Orr, and Doc Sanderson were finishing their grim task of double checking and checking again bodies and toe tags, making sure each was tagged properly. It had rained all nigh so sleep was not an option for anyone. The doctors were kept busy re-writing body tags as the rain washed off the previous tag exposed to the cold and (continued) Close-up of Corpsman working on Captain Page from acrylic painting D-Day +2

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday Captain Jim Page by Danny Francis (con’t.) rain. They would bag personal items to make sure they got everything right for the morning when the helicopters took them on their last ride home. None of the doctors wanted to falsely identify anyone, so they worked hard all night with their grim task. One of them, I’m sure it was Bob Greding (who also related the story to me some thirty years later), screamed and leaped into the air all excited and apparently in some sort of shock. He had just started to check Captain Jim Page (apparently for the first time because Bob, like most of us, had thought Page was dead and had been all day long). He suddenly touched Page and found his skin warm, not fishlike, not cold like a dead man’s skin. After examination, it was determined that Page had a weak pulse and, indeed, was alive. Jim went on to retire as a Lt./Col. and, in ending his distinguished career, actually commanded our old battalion (2/1) on his last day of duty as a Marine officer. He now lives in happy retirement in Florida. They carried the dead and wounded the best they could.

Warning could be objectionable! D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday (continued from page 18) I saw there was a heavy 12.7mm machine gun on Hill 407. It was chewing the hell out of our positions, and looked as if it were firing baseballs. I raised my launcher to a 45 degree angle aimed in at 900 yards, then guessed for more elevation Kentucky style. I quickly said a prayer, then fired, and the fucking blast almost blew my boot heels off! The Kentucky windage must have been enough, or God heard my prayer. The shot blew the 12.7mm gun position away. The rest of the day we looked for targets to mark for the FAC, and ducking intense small arms fire. The chopper which had had engine trouble that morning, flew in about 1430 and at last we had some way to contact the outside world. One major problems we encountered on Harvest Moon, for some mysterious reason our radio frequencies were wrong, and we couldn’t contact anyone. The FAC, L/Cpl “Red” Redfern searched his radio’s dial, and stole air support for us! Koehler and I had the only two guns capable of firing, so we stood-up and marked spotter rounds for Redfern while taking fire from seemingly every Communist in Vietnam. His C. O. Lt. Holly had to take over command of what was left of Foxtrot Company. They quickly took up the battle, and began an assault across the paddies, and were almost into the enemy's trenches when a variable (continued)

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday (continued) time fuse airburst from 4.2 inch mortars they requested went off directly over them. I heard they had 40 KIA and 80 WIA and some of their Marines joined our Battalion that night. (Echo lost 7 KIA that day) After dark, just before the torrential rains started, we searched the paddies for the dead and wounded. Marines could be heard moaning and crying all over. Each time someone cried out, that fucker, Victor Charlie would open up and put us facedown in the stinking water again. About 1700 Echo Company of 2/7 fought their way up to us from Que Son. I searched the area where I had last seen Cunnings and Hall. I found their bodies and several of us carried them out. Corporal Amon was hit, Corporal Vannater was wounded too, but died before Medevacs arrived. We went out and retrieved Charles Wilson's body. I hope his mother received a real high medal to remember him by. He deserved it, because of his heroism he displayed that day, because of him, many men made it out alive, and besides that, I never saw anyone more brave during my tour in Vietnam. I lost my future brother-in-law, David Hall that day as well, and it took my sister years to get over it. We lost Lieutenant Charlie George (WIA) and Captain Page (WIA) when they were hit by a 50 Caliber gun, and many other friends/brothers as well that day.” Carl Kirksley 3.5 Rockets Foxtrot 2/1

NEVER AGAIN by © Carl Kirksley Silently in the night death stalks the jungle, Mercilessly seizing the minds and souls of men in a vise of fear and pain. Who bears the fault, or the blame? These questions have no place where young men grow old from the strain. In mourning, I stand before the massive wall of cold black marble, the bronze whispers their names. The winds of November are bitter, grief overwhelms me with sorrow, I hear it crying out their pleas, Promise our children, never again, never again. The rifles fire their triple volley, The drums beat a steady roll. The bugles echo across the nation our slow sad song. Some nearby silently pray, while others curse and scream, All are begging our leaders, promise our children, never again, never again. My body is broken, I suffer in silence. As for those who gawk in curiosity, I care not for their stares, Even so, with a sigh of regrettably I slowly walk away, The white cane in my hand tapping, tapping out our prayer, Promise our children, never again, never again. Carl is a member of the Vietnam Veterans of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. He was with 2/1 on Operation Harvest Moon assigned to Foxtrot Company humping and shooting a 3.5 inch rocket launcher. As a 3.5 gunner, he marked targets that day for the air support provided courtesy of L/Cpl Robert H. Redfern (Red) with the Forward Air Control (FAC) team. These two Marines actions that day had a significant and pivotal effect on the outcome of the battle. Without their actions things could have gone a whole lot differently. Bob was hit in the shoulder by a tracer round on the first day and Carl was hit the next day.

Here’s a little more on my friend from Fox 2/1, Carl Kirksley in his own words: “It seemed that each time we went back to Vietnam things got a bit more serious. On December 5, 1965, on Dagger Thrust IV, near Phu Tu Village complex 40 miles north of Qui Nhon we got into a scrape with some VC, and had a running fight for about a mile and a half. We chased them from one thorny hedgerow to another, and each time they held us up with sniper fire. During this fight, some Marines from Golf Company were mistakenly identified as NVA by a helicopter gunship who opened fire on them killing three Marines and wounding 10 more. It took some threats and close returning fire from a Marine machine-gunner to change their minds. Finally, we ran the VC out of the hedgerows and towards a ville near and open rice paddies. One of the VC carrying an AK47 across his back hopped onto a bicycle and tried to escape by riding away on a broad paddy dike about six feet wide. The damned dike ran straight away for about half a mile towards some mountains. He had gone about a hundred yards along the dike and thought he was getting away. (continued) “A Walk Deep in Hell”

Warning could be objectionable! (continued) Jim Turner from Corporal Henry Casebolt’s squad in the 3rd Platoon raised his rifle to fire on the Charlie, but I beat him to the draw. I had been chasing the varmint all the way ducking his rounds, and wasn’t letting Turner beat me out of my shot. Salvador Sanchez, my A-Gunner, slammed a HEAT round into the rocket’s breech on the run. He tapped me on the helmet and called, “Gun’s up Bro.” I saw Turner and others coming into view from the corner of my eye, but, old Charlie rested dead in my sights! He was peddling hard, going away straight ahead and a hundred yards out! I fired and Turner almost turned a back flip falling on his butt, my rocket passed him by at least three feet. We watched it sail true and hit Charlie directly in his ass! He went up about 12 feet into the air, still peddling but coming apart. He seemed to be flying apart in a cloud of gray smoke. Turner yelled, “Damn you Kirksley, no wonder this war is costing us so fucking much money. I was going to shoot the bastard with a seventeen cent rifle round, and you had to waste the fucker with a fifty dollar rocket.” Why is it that there is always an economist around?” Carl

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday As the first wave of helicopters touched down, the ambush began. The Marines of the 1st platoon of Foxtrot 2/1 were caught in the open taking cover wherever they could – some behind tomb stones in a cemetery. 90 had debarked in the first wave. I wish to thank Carl Kirksley of Texas for his help on the description of this battle. Carl was as detailed as any artist could want. He made it through this battle and went on to fight with the 2/1 Marines until May of 1966 when he was totally blinded during a battle. Close-ups of “D-Day +2” Carl Kirksley firing a 3.5 rocket and taking out a machine gun nest on Hill 407. A medic works on Captain Page who was severely wounded.. The Forward Observer during the afternoon

The Lt. Colonel is well and living today.
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday So, the 90 some Fox 2/1 Marines were stranded in the middle of a hostile paddy with no immediate support. The helicopter carrying the Forward Observer had engine trouble and was forced to make an landing at Que Son. So, he wasn’t there. Of the few radios 2/1 had only a several worked. 2/1 was stranded and was taking causalities as the VC began to “walk” their mortar rounds down the paddy dikes. By mid-afternoon, about a third ( ±30) of the landing force was dead or wounded. The Company Commander, Captain Page, (see description on page 19) was seriously wounded by a 50 caliber round to the chest. The medic placed the Captain’s face inside his helmet so the Captain would not drown but, all hope that he would make it had left the troops. He was eventually placed in a body bag. The next morning he was discovered to still have a heartbeat. The Lt. Colonel is well and living today.

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday Shinkle’s Itch “We landed in a huge rice paddy with a tree line all around and we were getting heavy fire from all over the place and it wasn’t all small arms, especially from one end. We were able to get to an island like area in the middle of this huge rice paddy that had a farm house and a few hootchs behind it which gave us some cover, but we could not move and we had a lot of people hit and KIA. There was also a cemetery where some of us found shelter while being pinned down by the many machine guns. We scrambled behind some of the gravestones but the VC didn’t care and shot at anything that moved. Not much safety there but better than being out in the open. After it got dark, I was laying under one of those kind of elevated haystacks that has a few feet of clearance under them, when all of a sudden I got this excruciating itch like you can’t imagine and jumped up, dropped my drawers and couldn’t stop clawing at my butt and legs. Everyone around me thought I had gone crazy. “Everyone around me thought I had gone crazy.” “Line em up, move em out, load em up, raaawwhide.”

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday The Operation Harvest Moon Series
Warning could be objectionable! D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday “That afternoon, after Page was hit and the troops were getting badly mauled, something had to be done to take the pressure off of Foxtrot. So Kirksley stood up, fired and marked spotter rounds for Redfern while taking fire from seemingly every Communist in Vietnam. His C.O., Lt. Holly had taken over command of Foxtrot. About 1700, Echo Company of 2/7 fought their way up to us from Que Son. They quickly took up the battle, and began an assault across the paddies, and were almost into the enemy’s trenches when a variable time fuse airburst from 4.2 inch mortars they had requested went off directly over them. I heard they had 40 KIA and 80 WIA and some of their Marines joined our Battalion that night. In reality it was less but still tragic. After it got dark, just before the torrential rains started, we searched the paddies for the dead and wounded. Marines could be heard moaning and crying all over the place. Each time someone cried out, that fucker, Victor Charlie would open up and put us facedown in the stinking water again. I searched the area where I had last seen Cunnings and Hall. I found their bodies and several of us carried them out. Corporal Amon was hit, Corporal Vannater was wounded too, but died before Medievacs arrived. We went out and retrieved Charles Wilson’s body. I hope his mother received a real high medal to remember him by. He deserved it, because of his heroism he displayed that day, because of him, many men made it out alive, and besides that, I never saw anyone more brave during my entire tour. I lost my future brother-in-law, David Hall that day as well, and it took my sister years to get over it. We lost Lieutenant Charlie George (WIA) and Captain Page (WIA) when they were hit by a 50 Caliber machinegun, and many other friends and brothers as well that day.” Danny Francis

“D-day+2” D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday About 1330 Echo Company 2/7 was given the order to come to the assistance of 2/1. They “force marched” and finally reached the battered platoon only to be severely wounded themselves by enemy fire and a “friendly” short round. This with a miss communication of orders would result in 7 of its members being killed in action and 27 wounded before it was all over. About 1615, the F.O. finally arrived and was brought up to speed as to the situation. He brought up several F-4s and they began to pound Hill 407 to relieve the 2/1 pressure. The battle however was still on and Fox and Echo Companies were to spend a cold night in the paddies battling the VC. Our Golf Company was also reassigned to the CO of 2/1 much to the displeasure of Colonel Utter. “D-day+2” 32” x 36,” Acrylic on Canvas, © 2000

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday With Echo’s help the battle turned in the Marine’s favor and thus, the pressure was relieved. The wounded Foxtrot 2/1 Marines were evacuated and after dark the VC quietly slipped away beaten but to fight another day. Because of the Task Force Delta OIC’s incompetence a change was about to take place for the betterment of the Marines in battle. General Henderson was finally relieved of his command and General Platt replaced him. Now the operation would be run right. But it was too late for 350+ Vietnamese and the Marines of 3/3, 2/1 and 2/7. They would have to be considered the “Cost of doing Business.” Out humpin’ in the boonies!

Tom Isenburg (Cpl., Echo 2/1, ) “On December 8, we were transferred to the Valley Forge and were briefed on a helicopter assault scheduled for 10 December in support of “Task Force Delta” consisting of our 2/1, 2/7, 3/3 and 3 ARVN Battalions which became known as Operation Harvest Moon. On the second or third day Echo moved to our first introduction to what it must have been like for Soldiers and Marines in World War II. The devastation was total and we could feel the compression waves, from the B-52 bombing, three miles away. There has been much written on this operation but little on the role of 2/1. We were being called the “Ghost Battalion” because our role didn’t appear to amount to much in the official reports of the battle. From my perspective the cold wet weather, leeches, B52 raids, fire fights, losses for Golf, Fox and Echo in major ambushes confirmed that the Marines and Corpsmen of 2/1 made their mark. We lost a lot of One could feel the B-52 bombing shock waves 3 miles away. friends over those 10 days. We also learned to operate in smaller units with limited food and supply to fight effectively and survive. We marched out on 19 December 1965 a lot smarter, a lot smaller, but more determined than we had been before. We have never been as cold or hungry as we were during that Operation, nor more appreciative of our Corpsman and Fleet sailors. Their care, support and welcome back aboard ship after Harvest Moon was tireless and gratefully received.” (continued)

“Our problem is that Echo Company was up the coast planning a raid north of Dong Ha. When we got the word to change direction, we had no clue what was going on. We were told that we would helo into a valley with three fingers - rivers flowing through it. We had the northern most finger. We started to helo in on the 10th* but it took all day. It was very hot and humid. We could only load 2 at a time in the H-34s. When we started into the valley, we were pulled back and told that Arc-Light B52s were going to waste the valley and two villages that were suspected of housing a large force of North VN regulars. We moved 3 miles away and still the ground shook when those bombs hit the valley the morning of the 10th. (I believe it was early in the morning of the 12.) That afternoon we entered the valley floor and were treated to numerous 40 feet wide holes in the rice paddy mud, almost 20 feet deep with parts of animals and humans sprinkled all around. The place was deathly silent. No animal or bird calls - even we talked in hushed tones. After the 10th, our trail took us north and west along a river and paddy dyke's. Most of the fighting was hit and run. We didn't see many troops and were lucky enough to break up ambushes before we got hit. Still when we moved backwards after moving down the wrong trail, members of first platoon were ambushed badly (Pete Meadows of 2/1 was one of the wounded - he was the first treasurer of 2/1). 2nd Platoon broke up the ambush. (continued)

(continued) We were led by our platoon sergeant, Jim Little, who received the Silver Star for some very fancy footwork in the face of some nasty people. We slogged through the rice paddies and trails for another two days, very exposed to ambushes from the tree lines as the valley opened into a large plane. When the rain cleared, we were lifted out on the 22nd. One final thing, we looking back, think is ironic. When we returned to our base in Dong Ha, we were briefed on an Army unit that was surrounded for 5 days in November. ** The purpose of the briefing was to advise assault teams to land forces on the ridge lines and not the valleys when VC are suspected. - duh. Seems Charles likes the high ground.” Cpl. Tom Isenburg Echo 2/1, CA c * Dates might be a day or two off. As everyone who has been in a war knows, one day just leads into the next, and then the next. If the Chaplain comes by, chances are it’s Sunday if not, it could be any day. ** 1st Cav (lost 350 soldiers) in Battle of IlDrang Valley.

Excerp from “Utter’s Battalion” by Alex Lee, Chapter 10 - Operation Harvest Moon, Page 193 “Company E, maneuvering under the control of the commanding officer of 2/1, was ordered to press forward in the attack. Captain Theer was ordered to move toward a wooded area at the foot of Hill 407. The maneuver, conducted across the front of engaged rifle companies, was unorthodox and potentially disastrous if precise coordination was not carefully maintained. That the 2/1 commanding officer needed Company E to relieve the heavy enemy pressure on Company F of his own battalion was a given. But it quickly became clear that ordering an attack that moved across his front was an unfortunate choice. Poor communications were the rule of the day. … …Despite the heavy fire and the increasing number of casualties sustained, elements of Company E pressed forward trying their best to continue the attack. The bloody effort by Company E resulted in a partial success Captain Theer’s attack was strong enough to relieve the pressure on 2/1. Company F 2/1 had been hard hit, and the move by Captain Theer’s company gave that unit the ability to collect its wounded and dead, withdraw, and break out of a desperate situation. In attacking forward to assist 2/1, Echo paid a terrible price, crippling to the company. Echo lost seven Marines outright, two Marines who later died of their wounds, and twenty-seven other wounded Marines.”

“My name is Bradford Fredette but everyone just called me “Doc.” These are the memories that I have of Dec. 10 & 11th. I don’t remember how I got there it seems like I just woke up and there I was in a village some where near Tam Ky. I got up as the sun was coming up and everything was quiet. We ate our C-rations and then started to move us out of the village. It seemed like we were then to spread out and began a sweep in a direction away from the village and parallel to the mountains surrounding the valley. After a short period of time we heard sporadic gunfire off to our left. It was way over by the hills I think. The firing seemed to pickup and the word came down that a fire team had been dropped in the wrong LZ and had sustained fire immediately. The word was passed along that we were going to form a skirmish line and we were spread out to form a long line facing the hills that were off to our left. I was excited as this was my first operation with E 2/7. I had been on patrols but those had been long walks mostly at night and I never did see much of anything. The Marines on line in front of me started walking toward the hills at the other end of the paddies. You could hear whizzing through the air. I told myself that they were shooting at the Marines not me. I had never done anything to them (continued) “Yeah I know Brad, in fact I have a very clear memory of seeing him scrambling around during the Hill 407 action.” PFC Dan Anderson 2531 Radioman attached to “E” Co. H&S Company 2/7 Comm. Section Nevada Bradford Fredette in Vietnam 1965.

“Doc” Fredette report (continued) I started down the dike that separated the paddies. I didn’t want to get my boots all muddy. All of a sudden water was splashing in front and along the sides of me. This was when I realized they were shooting at me also. I dove into the paddy and pissed myself. I was shaking and wanted to get up and run back into the tree line. I came to the conclusion that I would be by myself and that the Marines were in front not behind. I looked a head and there was a Marine propped up with his back against the dike. When I reached him I could then see his wounds. He had been hit in his face and numerous times in the back as he lay there. As I was rolling him over I looked back and couldn’t believe there was this idiot walking toward me with a movie camera taking pictures. He yelled to me and asked if that guy was dead and did I take care of him. I said he’s dead and if you don’t get down you will be also. He just ignored me and went on a head. I never did see him again. I heard someone yelling “Corpsman up.” I crawled over the dike and continued on to the next dike. There was a Marine grasping his throat and turning blue. Immediately I thought of doing a tracheotomy. After all, I had seen the movie several times back at Corp School. I rolled over on my back and opened up my unit one “Medical pack.” I couldn’t believe my eyes the thing was full of mud from crawling. I washed as much as I could (continued) Bradford Fredette in Vietnam 1965.

“Doc” Fredette report (continued) in the paddy water but I new time was running short. I placed a blade on my scalpel and tried to find his Adam’s apple but his neck was so swollen I had to just pick a point and make an incision. You could hear this rush of air going in and see the blood squirt out. There was a Sgt. that came over and offered to help. I needed to put something in the opening to keep the airway open. I finally used a forceps to hold it open. I remember back in Corp School that if you had a serious injured patient that you should stay with them through the evacuation chain. However, the Sgt. grabs my arm and said, “Come on Doc there are more wounded Marines ahead.” It seemed like every ten feet there was another and another. After what seemed like an eternity of crawling around those patties, it began to get dark and the word was passed around that we would move back to the tree line and setup a perimeter for night. I remember crawling back to the first dike behind me and getting up to stretch and sat down to rest. The Marines all reached down to that inner strength and moved like the unit that went out into that paddy some 8 or 10 hours earlier. It was dark by the time I made it to the tree line and I just fell into a bush. Shortly came the call Corpsman, Corpsman. I lay there quietly praying some other Corpsman would answer (continued) Navy medics working on a wounded Marine.

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday “Doc” Fredette report (continued) They didn’t and I was up and moving around. Now, for the first time I could see all the bodies covered with ponchos. I thought they were all dead until I heard the moans. I spent that night moving from one to the next one. They passed the word that there would be no medevacs that night but we should be ready for them in the morning. When morning came there was this fog and the choppers were delayed. Finally the medevacs began and eventually the WIA and KIA where lifted out. I remember another unit had moved up that night* and the next day they walk across the paddies that we had paid so dearly for. I don’t remember much of the rest of my tour. Just fragments here and there. I am grateful for my brothers in Foxtrot** who in many ways helped me get my mind back.” Semper Fi, “Doc” Brad Fredette, RVN , Arizona For his actions on this battlefield, HC2 Brad Fredette would be awarded the Silver Star. *The unit that Brad was talking about was most likely the Marines from Golf Company 2/7. They arrived to assist 2/1 and E/2/7 at 0300. **By the “brothers in Foxtrot” I believe Brad is referring to the 2/7 Foxtrot and H&S Company Marines who he met at the odd-year reunion of the 2nd Battalion/7th Marines. That reunion was held in St. Augustine in September of 2007.

“I came damn near blowing his head off …”
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday The VC prisoner I guarded “I remember during the early hours of the afternoon we were humping towards our next objective when someone captured a VC. He was a young guy not much older than 21 or 22. He was scared and shaking when, I believe it was, Captain Al Kehn (Comm. Section C.O.) or Captain Nick Grosz (H&S Company C.O.) placed me in charge of guarding him. He had his hands tied behind him and wore black semi- shorts (a bit longer than shorts but not full length), a white shirt and no shoes. There was a black blindfold over his eyes. As we trudged along through the back-country he didn’t led very well and kept holding back. It started irritating me and by the second hour I was close to the end of my patience when we came to a medium stream. I came damn near blowing his head off with my 45 as he continuously hesitated and pulled. (continued) Capt. Al Kehn in a H-34 Marching a VC prisoner on Operation Harvest Moon. “I came damn near blowing his head off …”

The VC prisoner I guarded (continued)
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday The VC prisoner I guarded (continued) Now, I have a 90# - 100# radio-pack on my back and this guy is pulling me every which way but forward. The stream was about 4 feet deep and he was barely over 5 feet tall. As we are about to enter the water I let him have a peak at it by lifting his blindfold and then pointing at the opposite side of the stream. This, so he knows where we’re going. I gave Jack the radio and held the 45 I carried up in my right hand. We enter the water and he starts fighting going in, I’m yelling in his ear, “You little bastard, get moving.” We step into a hole and he goes under. I didn’t move very fast in his case as I’m more worried about me and getting my footing . I slowly pulled him up after retaining my balance. He was spitting and choking as we make it to the other side. I gave him another peek at what we had just crossed. Then, I pointed to it and made “walking fingers” with my hand and pointed to both of us. He understood that I meant I would be taking him back out if he didn’t behave. After that he just marched along fairly well. Typical field interrogation of a VC prisoner felt sorry for the little guy as I knew we were headed to where we could get a chopper in and haul him out. He would be taken to an ARVN interpreter and there questioned. I doubt it if he lasted 24 hours as they would get out of him what they could and then in their never understanding ways, shoot him. I guess that’s war. (continued)

The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday The VC prisoner I guarded (continued) So, we moved along and the word came down that a helicopter would be coming in to pick-up the prisoner. I couldn’t have been happier. About 10 minutes later Pete Amish (our Tactical Air Control Party officer) was on the radio with the helicopter and instructing him where to land (he told them that we’d “pop” some “smoke”). I was told to bring the bird in as the terrain was rough and there was only a small 2’ x 2’ section to put one of his wheels down on. It was a very tricky landing as the pilot held the bird steady as they more or less threw the little guy onto the bird. We had a few things given to us in a re-supply and then off the bird and little guy went. We then moved out to the south as we were headed towards where the battle was taking place and it was getting late in the afternoon. We moved until about a half hour before dusk. There were rumors of the battle and how severe it was. Being a radioman, I caught most of it and it didn’t sound very rewarding. Top: Guiding in the helicopter with hand signals. Not an easy job that day but we had a great pilot. Bottom: Hauling off the re-supply pieces.

The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday The VC prisoner I guarded (continued) We then moved out to the south as we were headed towards where the battle was taking place and it was getting late in the afternoon. We moved until about a half hour before dusk. We linked up with elements of 3/3. One could hear a battle taking place off to the distance. That night we stayed with 3/3, it wasn’t a particularly eventful evening for us as all the action was with 2/1 and Echo and Golf 2/7 (who were also sent to assist 2/1). I kept thinking of the little guy and wondering about him. A war is not a great place to be caught in. Naturally, it was raining as it had been for the entire time we were on this operation. I can only remember a couple short periods when it didn’t and those time could be measured in brief hours. It was a miserable operation. Foot immersion was beginning to take its toll on the Marines. Between the paddies, the rivers and streams and the rain our poor feet were never dry.” Between the paddies, the rivers & streams and the rain, our poor feet were never dry. I guess that’s war. The guys over near Hill 407 were the ones that had it tough. PFC Thomas Miller, Wisc./New Jersey Tactical Air Control Party (TACP), H&S Company 2/7

D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday On that day as the battle raged Colonel Michael Ryan Yunck, the 1st MAW G3, who had volunteered to act as Tactical Air Controller (Airborne) for the assault mission remembered: “We thought the LZ was far enough from the hill to the south to nullify effective fire from that distance and pretty well scrubbed the immediate area of the LZ.” As the assault helicopters lifted off, Yunck maneuvered his UH-1E over the landing zone to locate the enemy gunners, but in the process was wounded by a 12.7 round. His Co-pilot, Major Edward Kuykendall, took control of the air operation and directed the remaining helicopters carrying Hannifin's command group and Company G to land in another LZ further west. He explained that at the time he was shot he was controlling an air strike to prepare a landing zone for Marine infantrymen being brought in from the carrier Valley Forge in helicopters. “I was in a Huey,” said Yunck, “I was staying low around the area to see if I could see any Viet Cong for the ground troops. We dropped napalm bombs and rockets on the high ground overlooking the landing zone. We didn’t work over the hamlet because it was full of women and children. “At 200 feet there was nothing to indicate any Viet Cong. I figured this time we could get in without it (use of additional firepower).” "I was flying the helicopter but I was in the left copilot seat. I was making a turn around to see what our troops were shooting at. I was at 20 feet and whap! This one round came in low and left and right through the door. It just hurt like hell.

“He’s going to lose his leg because he was too compassionate.”
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday Leatherneck Hero Miami Herald Sunday Dec. 12, 1965 DA NANG, VIETNAM (AP) –“She’ll think I won’t be able to fly anymore, but I’m not worried, I’ll make it.” Col. Mike Yunck, 46 of Santa Ana, Calif. a much decorated Marine ace during World War II had just had his left leg amputated Friday after being shot in his helicopter during a joint U.S. Marine-South Vietnamese operation near Que Son, south of here. He was more concerned about his wife, Esther, than his leg and he was expressing his concern to Brig. Gen. Keith B. McCutcheon, commander of the First Marine Air Wing. Yunck was the wing's operation officer. The colonel, a pleasant partially balding red haired man, took the amputation courageously. (continued) He was about to call in a strike on a tiny, nameless hamlet when he looked down. His chopper was low enough for him to see women and children. It was also low enough for a Viet Cong machine gunner to sight in on the Huey. "I knew I couldn't call in a strike," said Yunck soon afterward. "And that was when I got the fifty caliber." Commented a surgeon: “He’s going to lose his leg because he was too compassionate.”

“It just hurt like hell”
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday Leatherneck Hero (continued) “That isn’t bad,” Yunck said. He explained that at the time he was shot he was controlling an air strike to prepare a landing zone for Marine infantrymen being brought in from the carrier Valley Forge in helicopters. He gave permission to a national television network to film the entire operation at a field hospital in Da Nang. When McCutcheon later pinned a Purple Heart on him, his second, a wide smile crossed his face and he remarked “The last thing I wanted here was the Purple Heart.” “I was in a Huey,” said Yunck, “I was staying low around the area to see if I could see any Viet Cong for the ground troops. We dropped napalm bombs and rockets on the high ground over-looking the landing zone. Yunck ws recipient of the Alfred Cunning-ham Award in 1963 as the outstanding Marine aviator. The awared is in honor of Cunning-ham who was the first Marine aviator. In addition to his second Purple Heart, Yunck was awarded his second battlefield Silver Star. He also holds the Bronze Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross and Presidential Unit Citation. There was no triage problem in the case of Marine Colonel Michael R. Yunck, 47. As operations officer of the First Marine Air Wing, Yunck had helped to plan Operation Harvest Moon; later he went out in a four-man armed "Huey" helicopter, directing fighter-bomber attacks south of Danang. He was about to call in a strike on a tiny, nameless hamlet when he looked down. His chopper was low enough for him to see women and children. It was also low enough for a Viet Cong machine gunner to sight in on the Huey. "I knew I couldn't call in a strike," said Yunck soon afterward. "And that was when I got the fifty caliber." Commented a surgeon: "He's going to lose his leg because he was too compassionate." The slug tore through the Huey's door, smashed both bones in Yunck's left leg, and severed the main artery. A crewman tied a tourniquet below the knee, and the copilot sped the little chopper at 100 m.p.h. to a medical sorting and clearing unit only minutes away. There Yunck received morphine, blood and other intravenous fluids. Then he was flown' immediately to Charlie Med. Elapsed time: 35 minutes -five minutes to the clearing station, ten minutes there, 20 minutes to Danang. During the final flight Yunck continued to get blood by transfusion, and he was on the operating table for the unavoidable amputation within minutes of reaching Charlie Med. Blood & Air. He had been kept alive by a copter and the second most important lifesaver in Viet Nam: a splendidly organized whole-blood program. We didn’t work over the hamlet because it was full of women and children. “At 200 feet there was nothing to indicate any Viet Cong. I figured this time we could get in without it (use of additional firepower). “I was flying the helicopter but I was in the left copilot seat. I was making a turn around to see what our troops were shooting at. I was at 20 feet and whap! This one round came in low and left and right through the door. It just hurt like hell. The crew applied a tourniquet on his leg until he could be evacuated. “It just hurt like hell” Birth 8/19/1918 Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, USA Death 28 Sep 1984 Santa Barbara, California From 1943 to March 1945: Following a short sea deployment aboard the carriers USS BRENTON and USS SITKOH BAY, the squadron moved to Yantan Airfield, Okinawa. While there, VMF-311 led its parent organization, Marine Aircraft Group 31, in enemy aircraft kills with seventy-one. Majors Perry L. SHUMAN and Michael R. YUNCK became aces with six and five enemy aircraft destroyed respectively. June 1951: During June VMF-311 flew 2,300 combat missions, a record unequalled by any other fighter squadron since that time. "Tomcat" pilots during this period included such famous Americans as Captains Ted WILLIAMS of baseball fame and John GLENN, later to become one of our nations first astronauts.

VMF-311 Patch, Yunck’s original parent organization
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday (continued) Yunck was the recipient of the Alfred Cunningham Award in 1963 as the outstanding Marine aviator. The award is in honor of Cunningham who was the first Marine aviator. In addition to his second Purple Heart, Yunck was awarded his second battlefield Silver Star. He also holds the Bronze Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross and Presidential Unit Citation. For his actions on this battlefield, Colonel Michael Yunck would be awarded the Silver Star. Colonel Michael Yunck Born: 8/19/1918 Died: 28 Sep 1984 Detroit, Michigan Santa Barbara, California From 1943 to March 1945: VMF-311 led its parent organization, Marine Aircraft Group 31, in enemy aircraft kills with seventy-one. Major Michael R. YUNCK became an ace with five enemy aircraft destroyed. Silver Star VMF-311 Patch, Yunck’s original parent organization

PFC James Kisor, Oregon, Wireman, Comm. Section, H&S Company 2/7
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday The 106s “We move off the hill and down into rice paddies that ran along side the hill. And here came a chopper with the 106's Recoilless Rifles. I asked someone what the choppers were doing with the 106's. He told me that they were coming with us. I asked him what did that mean. Were they going to set them up and fire at the VC? “No” he said, “we were going to pack them.” At Okinawa, Japan in 1963-'64 in guerilla warfare school we were taught to pack light so that we could travel fast to keep up with the VC. Damn, I think, the people in charge don't have a clue as to how to move equipment and platoons through rice paddies. The 106 Platoon had a hell of a time just getting the rifles from the chopper to the edge of the rice paddy. I'm not sure but I think they put them back on the chopper.” PFC Jim Kisor at Chu Lia, 1966 PFC James Kisor, Oregon, Wireman, Comm. Section, H&S Company 2/7

From “Colonel George Gentry's Comments on: Operation Harvest Moon,”
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+2 (10dec65), Friday Page 168 Major George Gentry's account of the 106s“Seeing a passing Marine from H&S Company, I stated, ‘Find Lt. Grosz and asked him to report to me.’ The headquarters commandant arrived shortly and knelt beside me. ‘Nick, get all of the 106s and their ammo moved to the landing zone so they can be lifted out about Pull them out of the perimeter if necessary,’ I ordered. ‘Yes sir,’ snorted Nick through his often broken nose.” Page “Finally at 1000, the helos arrives as scheduled. Loading was completed quickly and away to the south they flew. Most of the platoon stayed with H&S personnel as riflemen.” From “Colonel George Gentry's Comments on: Operation Harvest Moon,” The 106s were a weapon that would have made a difference at Hill 407 but, I don’t know of anyone who could have hauled them through the rain swollen rice paddies. The Major says, “Back they go.”

D-Day+3 (11dec65) Saturday From recollections of PFC Richard Shaw who was attached to H 2/7 as a radioman. “We were ordered by CG Task Force Delta to consolidate 2/7 with 2/1 and be prepared for an assault. Company H and the Command Group moved from Objective C to connect with the elements of 2/1. Company E/2/7 and Company G/2/7 were returned to Col. Utter’s command. The weather was still bad and made any kind of helicopter assault impossible. Company H was ordered to move across the same rice paddies that Company E crossed the day before to see if we could draw fire from the tree line. We moved and received no opposition. It was a time of high adrenaline and indicated to the commanders that the VC had retreated. We were given the order to assault the hill and to go with minimal equipment. We did not take any food or ponchos or back packs for that matter. We moved quickly up the trail and encountered only women and children and old men. They Up the hill Hotel Company went.. The H company grunts were angry at the casualties in E company the day before. They wanted some form of revenge but were restrained. Nothing was torched or shot. They discovered large caches of rice, ammunition, weapons, and explosives. All were disposed of by the engineers. (continued)

D-Day+3 (11dec65) Saturday (continued)
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+3 (11dec65) Saturday (continued) When we reached the summit of Hill 407 we found evidence of enemy occupation and a hasty retreat. Bandages with blood, camouflage support frames, gas masks, etc. I remember Capt. Alex Lee’s arrival there and his enthusiasm for the things that were left behind. The only big problem for the troops was that we had no food and no ponchos for weatherproofing because we had left our backpacks at the base of the hill. My recollection is that there were separate helo lifts to bring in C Rations and then our packs. When I finally retrieved my pack, someone had stolen the poncho. I did have an air mattress inside which gave me an option for the next week—sleep in the dirt under the deflated mattress, or under the sky on top of an inflated mattress. Not much of a choice when it rained. The VC had beat a hasty retreat. We set up a perimeter defense on top of the hill with no enemy contact.” PFC Richard “Rick” Shaw, California Radioman attached to Hotel Company H&S Company 2/7

“Flag” Formally folded flag
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+3 (11dec65) Saturday On the next page is a list of those from 2/1 and 2/7 who died that day or as a result of that action. Keep them in your prayers. 10 KIAs were from 2/1 and 10 were from 2/7. There were also over eighty 2/1 and 2/7 Marine WIAs during this particular battle. The amount of KIA/WIAs from the VC/NVA were never determined because they always (if possible) carried away those causalities. Later in this series you’ll see the discrepancies of the official body count and what we found out later. All the participants (2/1, 3/3 and 2/7 as well as the ARVN and ARVN Rangers) did have it tough during the 10 day battle called LIEN KET 18 by the Vietnamese/ Operation Harvest Moon by Americans. As a tribute to all those we lost in battle, I created the folded flag out of clay. I fired it with low temperature under-glazes. “Flag” Formally folded flag 19” x 15 x 5” Ceramic, © 2000

D-Day+3 (11dec65) Saturday Foxtrot Co., 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines KIA 10 Dec 65 PFC Robert L. Craft PFC Ronald Cummings PFC Michael Grannan PFC Joseph Moreno L/Cpl. Acie D. Hall L/Cpl. Barry J. Sitler Cpl. Leslie Puzyrewski Cpl. Lloyd Vannatter Sgt. Robert F. Hickman Plus A Major in a HMM 261 helicopter Echo Co., 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines KIA 11 Dec 65 L/Cpl Dennis Manning Echo Echo Co., 2nd Battalion 7th Marines KIA 10 Dec 65 Pvt. Donald Eric Glickman L/Cpl. Vernon Thomas Carter, Jr. L/Cpl. Richard Earl Chabot Cpl. James Patrick Brock KIA 11 Dec 65 PFC Robert Charles Felter L/Cpl. Cephas Barnes, Jr. Sgt. Roberto Ituarte

D-Day+3 (11dec65) Saturday Foxtrot Co., 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines Echo Co., 2nd Battalion 7th Marines Both Companies E/7 and F/1 had suffered substantial casualties during the battle… 17 confirmed dead and over 80 wounded. Several more Marines died later from wounds suffered during this time period. Please remember those of these two battalions who were forced into this battle because of the incompetence of a general officer. “Lillies” 11” x 17 Watercolor, © 2003

The Search of the Phouc Ha Valley
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+3 (11dec65) Saturday The Search of the Phouc Ha Valley On the 11th of December, Task Force Delta maneuvered to consolidate its position, and General Platt, airborne in a helicopter, studied the terrain from which the Marines of Company F and helicopters of HMM-261 had received such extensive fire on the 10th of December. The General, surprised that his craft did not draw any fire, surmised that the Viet Cong must have abandoned their positions on Hill 407 during the night. Platt, therefore, ordered Col. Utter to seize the hill, a task which 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines accomplished without opposition. Col. Dorsey's 3rd Battalion searched the area north of Hill 407. By the end of the day, it was apparent that the enemy, except for a few snipers, had vanished. General Platt suspected that the regiment had retreated into the Phouc Ha Valley, a smaller valley paralleling the Que Son Valley, 5 miles to the southeast. The Phouc Ha Valley was known VC base area. When General Thi was questioned about going into the valley after the Communists, The I Corps commander replied, "Be very, very careful." On the afternoon of the 11th, Platt was visited by Brigadier General William DePuy, General Westmoreland's J-3, who suggested that USAF B-52s from Guam could could strike the objective area before the Marines entered. General Platt accepted the offer and the first of several B-52 raids occurred on the morning of the 12th.

D-Day+3 (11dec65), Saturday Ron Tully, a Marine friend from my USMC earlier years, would tell me from his experiences “that there were so many dead marines during the operation that the refrigerated trailers, near DaNang, used to store the battle field causalities soon filled up and the bodies were stacked up outside.” We see Chaplain J.J. O’Connor giving the Last Rites to a dead Marine. In the background is Echo 2/7 coming to assist 2/1. In the triangle is Golf 2/1 being landed in a different and safer landing zone. Chaplain O’Conner went on to become Cardinal John J. O’Connor of the New York City diocese. “D-day+3” 32” x 36,” Acrylic on Canvas, © 2000

D-Day+3 (11dec65), Saturday L/Col. Utter ordered Hotel 2/7 to take the hill. Slipping and sliding all the way up and not knowing what was in store for them, the Marines of Hotel reached the summit. There the engineers who were attached to them had their work cut out for them. In the words of one we see what the VC had left behind: “On the 11th, we were attached to Hotel 2/7. We took the hill (Hill 407) where the VC had been. We remained on top for several days. Nothing happened. While on top we blew up several thousand 50 cal. Rounds, 57 mm recoilless rifle rounds, Bangor torpedo, TNT and 81 mortar rounds. All captured from the VC.” Besides this, there was evidence that the VC had been wounded badly. A hard climb but, a stunning view. They had left during the night and left behind a lot of evidence of their injuries. They, however, didn’t leave any of their dead or wounded. They seldom left any of their causalities behind on the battle field.

The ‘death roar’ of “Puff” –
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+3 (11dec65), Saturday After Echo came to the assistance of 2/1 and the fighter planes bombed and strafed Hill 407 the battle turned. I was attached as part of a two-man Tactical Air Control Team with Jack Swender as my partner. We were attached to Hotel Company 2/7 from the start of this operation. We had the opportunity to hear and see “Puff” in the late afternoon. It sounded like a giant rip of heavy cloth or a fog horn. ”Hooooooonk” as it pivoted around the target. A strange but peaceful sound, if one didn’t know the killing power it. Why pivot? The pilot circled the target at 120 knots and rolled 30-degrees to port. Using a gun sight over his left shoulder, the pilot would blanket the area with machine gun fire at a rate of 18,000 rounds per minute. The ‘death roar’ of “Puff” – “It was a very strange but a very pleasing sound.” “Puff” - The gatlingguns were located here

D-Day+3 (11dec65), Saturday The flames and tracer bullets coming from the gunship were so awesome that the Viet Cong called the old Gooney Birds, "Dragon ships," and from that came the American nickname, "Puff the Magic Dragon." When you consider the amount of projectiles coming out of it’s three Gatling type General Electric mini-guns it’s mind-boggling. “Puff-the-Magic Dragon” (later code-named “Spooky” - now “Spectre”) gun ships would lace the area with withering mini-gun fire and in the case of "Spooky" 20mm cannon fire. This fire was so intense that a single 2 second burst would put a round on every square foot of a football field. “Puff” a C-47 and how it works.

D-Day+3 (11dec65), Saturday Operation Harvest Moon (OHM) had been in progress less than a week. The plan was to use Marines and ARVN troops, in an assault and pincher movement to push the VC from the western edge of the plains towards the ocean. Here’s the “Puff” story I have read. I had not heard of it up until the time I was doing my research for this site. True or not here it is: “Everything had gone well so far. Then the weather started to cloud up on the Marines side of the blockade. The VC decided to try to break through the Marine lines under the cover of the low clouds, rather then be trapped on the peninsula. The fighting was fierce and ferocious, the Marines were calling for an airdrop of ammo, they were down to the ammo that each man had and no more. Some men had as few as twenty rounds. ‘Time to fix bayonets and pray!’ The Air Force C - 130"s that would make the drop could not get below the cloud cover, it looked bad for the Marines! It just so happened that one of the Puff crews was on a return trip from Ton Son Nhut, were they had picked up some spare parts and personal supplies. It was early afternoon when "Pappy,” the pilot, (he was the oldest pilot in the squadron, hence the nickname), heard the call from the Marines, and the C -130's response. He radioed the Marines that he had 30,000 rounds of 7.62 ammo that he could drop them. Puff was smaller and could fly slower than the C -130, so he figured he would be able to get below the cloud cover safer. (continued) “Puff” a C-47 in daytime.

D-Day+3 (11dec65), Saturday Pappy started to descend from 5000 feet to 300 feet and finally broke through the clouds and could see the ground. What he saw surprised him, it was the VC preparing an all out attack on the Marines! When he saw the Marines he ordered his gunners and loadmaster to drop them the ammo, and appraised them of the VC location. The Marine radio man replied that he hoped that they could pass out the ammo before the VC would attack! Pappy figured that if he hosed off the VC it would buy the Marines some time and maybe save some. He turned the aircraft around and started to fire on the VC from the rear of their columns toward the front. This was the first time Pappy had ever shot VC during the day, he said that it was like shooting fish in a barrel. Pappy was amazed at the effectiveness of the Gatling guns! All he had seen before was the tracers making a wall of flame to the ground, now he could see the bullets hit on and all around each target! Pappy called the ground to confirm that they had got the ammo, they had. The radio operator was shouting at the “Puff” in action. top of his lungs and kept congratulating Pappy for completely stopping the attack. The Marines wanted to know who he was. Pappy said, ‘Just your friendly neighborhood Spooky’." I got this story from the Marine radio operator and it was confirmed by Pappy two weeks after the mission.

for his outstanding and heroic work for us.
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+3 (11dec65), Saturday The interesting thing about this is that the Marines wanted to give Pappy a medal. The Air Force wanted to court martial Pappy for firing without headquarters approval! The end result was that Pappy was called back to work in headquarters as a paper pusher, and never to fly another combat mission. Pappy left Vietnam not the highly decorated hero he deserved but a defeated man, a hero that was defeated by a lousy war and a lousy system that prevented men from fighting for their lives and the lives of their countrymen in a foreign country! Shame on those generals. It seems each branch has a few incompetent defuses. The Airforce sure did have them here! Our highest “Thank-you’s” and five Marine Corps beers go out to “Pappy” for his outstanding and heroic work for us.

The Worst Sleeping Arrangements
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+3 (11dec65), Saturday The Worst Sleeping Arrangements “There were rumors of the battle and how severe it was. Being a radioman, I caught most of it and it didn’t sound very encouraging. We found ourselves in a small cluster of trees on a hillside with rice paddies (yes, a hillside with rice paddies or terraces [kind of like “steps” going up the hill]). We were near Hill 407 but few knew it. This would be our bivwac area for the night. Just pick a soggy area to lay down in. That night we slept in 6-7” paddy water as the B-52s did an “Arc Light’ run early the next morning at 3 am. What a noise like 50 thunder storms at once. “If you don’t want to drown, keep your head on your helmet.” This had to be my worst night sleeping ever. The only thing worse was what other Marines who were wounded were going through. So, if you think you have it bad, you better rethink it because there is always someone in a worse situation. Like the sleeping arrangements but not as bad as we had it. Later that night we who did manage to get some sleep were awoke by “Arc Light” - see Colonel Jim Nolan’s report. PFC Thomas Miller, Wisc./New Jersey Tactical Air Control Party (TACP), H&S Company 2/7

Memories of James Nolan (C. O. F 2/7)
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+3 (11dec65), Saturday Memories of James Nolan (C. O. F 2/7) “F 2/7 spent the night as part of a 3/3 perimeter. I attended to 3/3 S3 evening briefing that night. It seemed as though we had companies from just about every battalion tying in together that night. I remember the S-3 briefing about an Air force Arc Light's strike that was to take place in the early morning hours of the morning of the next day. Not knowing what Arc Light was I assumed the Air Force was going to send some recon aircraft down the valley taking pictures with some sort of flash bulb. At 0300 the next morning, I found out what Arc light meant when the boulder I was sleeping on began to rock, the sky lit up and there were very big explosions taking place about 3 clicks away. It was incredible. Chuck Krulac was a platoon commander in 2/1 at the time and did bomb assessment for the Air Force. Later, he told me the craters were about the size of General Purpose tents and there were water buffalo in the area that didn't have a mark on them. They were killed by the concussion. (Chuck Krulac went on to be Commandant of the Marine Corps - at the time he was the XO of G 2/1).” Captain James Nolan (Ret. Col.) Foxtrot 2/7 C. O. 1965/’66 Florida For some, the concussion did not matter as all that was left were bits and pieces of these poor souls.

D-Day+3 (11dec65), Saturday The New York Times, FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 1965 Marines Driving to Trap Vietcong U.S. Lands a Third Battalion on Quangtin Battlefield - Enemy Proving Elusive By NEIL SHEEHAN Photo Caption - MARINES BLINDFOLD VIETCONG: United States marines guarding prisoners captured during fighting in the coastal valley south of Danang. U.S. and Vietnamese troops sought to trap a regiment of the Vietcong guerrillas. SAIGON, South Vietnam, Dec. 10--The United States Marines landed a third battalion today in a Vietcong stronghold in the Quangtin foothills. The battalion quickly joined in a drive to encircle the Vietcong guerrillas and drive them from the area. But American military spokesmen said it would be very hard to trap any force in the open rice-paddy country, about 25 miles south of Danang. The new battalion brought to regimental strength--more than 2,000 men---the United States Marine force committed to the Quangtin battlefield in 24 hours. As the latest troop helicopters landed, the marines clashed briefly with the Vietcong guerillas. The enemy soon broke off the fight and withdrew. Casualties on both sides were termed light. (continued)

D-Day+3 (11dec65), Saturday The New York Times FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1965 Marines Join Quangtin Battle By NEIL SHEEHAN SAIGON, South Vietnam, Friday, Dec. 10, 1965 (AP) The United States Marines were thrown into action yesterday to help the South Vietnamese force battling a Vietcong regiment in Quangtin Province, south of Danang. Helicopters lifted the marines into battle after a Saigon Ranger battalion was virtually demolished Wednesday. Marine sources said the Leathernecks had killed 26 Vietcong, including two women. United States casualties were described officially as light. North of Saigon, Pentagon lists Casualties and Lance Cpl. Lawrence G. Brown of the Marines, son of Mr. and Mrs. George H. Brown of Binghampton, N.Y.

D-Day+4 (12dec65) Sunday This was typical of the war. You could not tell who was on your side. In fact the Vietnamese that was on your side today, would slit your throat tomorrow, because a VC told him to, or the VC would come and kill his family! To make matters worse our own troops would sometimes use us for target practice! It was Gen. Douglas McArthur who said, "A Country that goes to war without the will to win is making a grave mistake.” Note: Lt. Colonel Charles A. Riley, USAF Ret. served 25 years in three separate branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. He is a Veteran, as is Lt. Colonel John C. Haller, of World War II, Korea, and of Vietnam. Lt. Colonel Riley is a Command Pilot, a Master Parachutist and flew 307 combat missions in Vietnam in the AC-47 "Gooney Bird", Also called “Puff the Magic Dragon.” Many of us wholeheartedly agree with Lt.Col. Riley's analysis of the Vietnam war and we were often frustrated by the stupid rules of engagement that we had to put up with every night. Many times I would deliberately draw enemy fire, even if I had to drop down almost to the tree tops, so that I could return fire, to save the outpost from being over run or to save a patrol form being killed. All because I couldn't get an immediate clearance to fire, from BOTH the American Commander, and the Vietnamese Commander. Sometimes the Vietnamese Commander would leave orders not to be disturbed until morning! There would be no way to get clearance then! The C-47, "Puff the Magic Dragon" by Lt.Col. John (Jack) Haller, USAF Ret.

“Dixie Diner this is Dixie Diner Hotel. Over.”
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+4 (12dec65) Sunday From recollections of PFC Richard Shaw who was attached to H 2/7 as a radioman. “Under orders from CG Task Force Delta, Company H remained on Hill 407 and ran security patrols and destroyed more of the confiscated VC ammunition and explosives from the previous day.” PFC Richard Shaw “Dixie Diner this is Dixie Diner Hotel. Over.” PFC Shaw while a\in Vietnam in 1965. PFC Richard “Rick” Shaw, California Radioman attached to Hotel Company H&S Company 2/7

D-Day+4 (12dec65) Sunday On the day before, the afternoon of the 11th, Platt was visited by Brigadier Gen. William DePuy, General Westmoreland's J-3, who suggested that USAF B-52s from Guam could could strike the objective area before the Marines entered. General Platt accepted the offer and the first of several B-52 raids occurred on the morning of the 12th. General Platt, on board a helicopter observed the first strike and directed Dorsey (3rd Battalion 3rd Marine Regiment) and Hannifin (2nd Battalion 1st Marines) to move their battalions in to exploit the morning B-52 bombing mission. During the afternoon, Hannifin’s battalion deployed south of the valley while Dorsey’s battalion moved along two ridges, Hills 100 and 180, overlooking the northern entrances to the Phuoc Ha Valley where the VC were thought to have retreated to. I don’t remember the first bombing but do remember hearing “Puff” doing it’s work.

D-Day+4 (12dec65), Sunday B-52 We spent that night with the Battalion Command Group for some reason never disclosed to either of Jack Swender or I. That night we slept (slept for those that could) in 6” to 7” of leech infested water. I used my helmet to prop my head up out of the water but it slipped several times. I still have a small skin rash because of my “wonderful accommodations” that night. Later that night, the Air Force ran a B-52 “Arc Light” operation dropping 300 – # bombs. It sounded like continuous thunder for over 10 minutes. It was the crappiest night I’ve ever experienced. However, that early morning was also one of the most memorable times that I have ever experienced. B-52 on a bombing strike run

“D-day+4” D-Day+4 (12dec65), Sunday “Arc Light” Operation description.
The Operation Harvest Moon Series D-Day+4 (12dec65), Sunday “Arc Light” Operation description. From June through December, the 7th, 320th, and 454th Bombardment Wings completed over 100 missions to South Vietnam. These B-52s were used primarily in saturation bombing of Viet Cong base areas, but later they were used in direct tactical support of the Marine Corps' Operation Harvest Moon and the 1st Cav Division's fight in the Il Drang Valley. An Arc Light mission was composed of several elements: First, a fully loaded flight of B-52s with 500 pound bombs to be dropped over an area as wide and as long as the number of flights assigned to the mission This was followed by napalm strikes within the mission zone. Then, “Puff-the-Magic Dragon” gun-ships would lace the area with withering mini-gun fire. “D-day+4” 32” x 36,” Acrylic on Canvas, © 2000

D-Day+4 (12dec65), Sunday The Company passed a downed UH-34 that had crashed in the paddys about 40 yards from the path that we were on. It had crashed 3 to 4 weeks prior during their returning from an operation at Heip Duc while helping the ARVN troops. There were 7 mutilated bodies inside. Sadly, the VC took no prisoners. A squad of Marines from Foxtrot stayed with the helicopter and bodies until “Grave Registration” came. It was a somber moment with everyone reflecting on the outcome we were witnessing. Not a nice thought but then they weren’t the only ones doing bad things. More on that later.We climbed to the top of Hill 407 and spent the night there. The climb was fairly steep and with 110# radio and gear on one’s back, it seemed steeper. A close-up of D-Day +4 painting “D-Day+4” 32” x 36,” Acrylic on Canvas, © 2000

D-Day+4 (12dec65), Sunday Report on a crashed H-34 This is a report from a friend of mine on the suspected H-34. I’ve slightly changed the names to prevent “Goggling” look-up. “I’m by no means positive, but I believe the helicopter found by 2/7 on 12/12/65 may have been downed on 12/03/65. Killed in a crash on that day was Captain Kirk Irwon Riley, Cpl. Robert H. Whittle and Cpl. Warren L. Dumpsey. This is the only rotary wing crash in Quang Tin Province with multiple deaths during a believable time frame. The obvious problem is that this is only 3 of the 7 reported. Hence, my inability to commit.” After we left the helicopter we proceeded on to our assault on Hill 407. We left behind Lt. Bob Madeo’s 2nd Platoon from Echo 2/7 to guard the downed helicopter and to guard the Logistics Support personnel. A crashed H-34 The H-34s were hard to bring down but occasionally they did come down and when they did there was no place to run.

D-Day+4 (12dec65), Sunday Towards dusk we arrived at the base of Hill 407 and we’re told we were going to spend the night on the top of it. None of us lower ranking enlisted were informed of what to expect and there was talk of everything and anything. The mind set kept us on our feet. Also keeping us on our feet was the steep climb up the rocky slippery hillside. Finally, while we still had a little bit of light, we made it to the top, exhausted. The 360 degree view was beautiful. The “killing fields or rice paddies” below were so open that I find it hard to see how all those who fought in them weren’t killed or wounded. The climb up the 407 foot high hill (Hill 407) was brutal, but the view was great.

D-Day+4 (12dec65), Sunday The climb was brutal. When we got to the top except for a few minutes admiring the country-side, we just plopped down exhausted. By this time our feet were showing the early signs of immersion foot and the Corpsmen began treating them. Later in the operation this condition would be a major problem. This painting is shown in the middle stages of completion. In the middle picture is the late FMF Corpsman Bill Cheney “D-Day+5” 32” x 36,” Acrylic on Canvas, © 2000

Warning could be objectionable! Just how humane our VC opponents were 04Sep69-Buried Wounded Comrades Alive, Says Ex-VC SAIGON (UPI) - A Viet Cong defector has described how he and several others in his unit were ordered to bury four of their wounded comrades alive. Allied sources Tuesday said Nguyen Van Phe, an ex-Viet Cong deputy company commander, reported the burial took place March 23, 1968, near Ban Me Thuot in the central highlands. The 27-year-old former Viet Cong officer told officials a number of men in his unit had been killed and 19 of them wounded in skirmishes with South Vietnamese government forces. As Phe's unit started to pull back after the fighting, he and three other trusted Communist Party members were summoned by the company commander, Phe said. He said the company commander told them they did not have the manpower to transport all 19 of the wounded. An ambush was feared along the way and some of the troops would have to keep their hands free. According to Phe, the commander said the Viet Cong military commander for Darlac Province had ordered that four of the wounded be left behind and buried alive to cover an trace that the unit had suffered any casualties. The province military commander's thinking, apparently, was that if any of the wounded were left behind and seen by the local people it would have a disastrous effect on the image of invincibility the Viet Cong were trying to maintain in the area. In a recent trip back, I found the Vietnamese very peaceful, friendly and hospitable, especially the young (18-26 year old) females.

Warning could be objectionable! When the rest of the unit moved out, Phe and the three other party members stayed behind. "We placed the wounded in sitting positions in combat trenches and began shoveling," Phe said. “Though wounded, they were still alive.” “I will never forget the eyes of one as he stared up at me with every shovelful of dirt. I kept thinking: ‘here were brave men I fought together with, and now I am ordered to bury them alive.’” Phe said he nevertheless went ahead with the gruesome task because "I was told it was in the interest of the party and must be done." When it was over, Phe said he and others caught up with the rest of the unit. The ex-Viet Cong officer said the incident was one among several which led him to defect. Another incident which he said he greatly resented was when he was severely criticized for failing to commit his men to an attack under unfavorable conditions that would have cost them many casualties. Phe said he joined the Viet Cong at the age of 18 in his native province of Phu Yen and later became a member of the Communist party. After nine years with the Viet Cong, he defected to the Allied side last late may. The VC/NVA were vicious but not all of them and they didn’t have the corner on being cruel and vicious. The So. Vietnamese troops and their interrogators created their own atrocities as well as some of the Americans. In the next section will be more inclusions on how each side used terror. It was not exclusively a VC product. The Americans and South Vietnamese were also at fault.

D-Day+4 (12dec65), Sunday That night we looked over what the VC left behind. There was a lot of evidence they had been hurt. Used bandages and blood were evident. It was a peaceful night. The group of corpsmen (Navy medics) finally could relax while on the top of Hill 407. This didn’t last long as we moved down the hill the following morning. We slept in the rain on the rocks but sleep came easier than expected as we were so exhausted from the hump and climb. This painting is shown in the middle stages of completion The paddies were filled with blood-sucking leeches. The landscape however was very beautiful.

D-Day+4 (12dec65) Sunday During the night of 12 December, General Platt ordered Colonel Dorsey to move 1,000 meters to the north so that the B-52's could strike the valley again. The next morning, after the second B-52 air strike, the two Marine battalions entered the valley from both the north and the south. While searching the target area, Dorsey's battalion did not find the 1st VC Regiment, but discovered large amounts of enemy supplies and equipment. The two battalions remained in the valley for the next few days, but encountered little organized resistance. x “D-Day+5” (close-up) 32” x 36,” Acrylic on Canvas, © 2000

D-Day+4 (12dec65), Sunday The New York Times, THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, 1965 U.S. Presses Raids on North Vietnam By NEIL SHEEHAN SAIGON, South Vietnam, Friday, Dec. 10, 1965 Marines in Quangtin Fight In the ground war, meanwhile, South Vietnamese Government and Vietcong regiments fought in a confused and furious battle in Quangtin Province, about halfway between the United States coastal enclaves at Chulai and Danang. An American military spokesman said late in the afternoon that the fighting was still intense. The forces engaged have been of more than regimental size on both sides--2,000 men in a Vietcong regiment--and the South Vietnamese casualties have been heavy. [United States Marines were subsequently thrown into the battle from Danang. The Associated Press reported. Page 14] A correspondent at the scene said that Government infantrymen and Ranger units had run into a wall of fire form Vietcong mortar and machine gun emplacements as they tried to sweep through the enemy positions. One South Vietnamese battalion, sent to reinforce the units that made the initial contact was said to have been so hard hit that it was forced to break up into small guerilla teams and retreat. A group of 20 Government soldiers, accompanied by two American advisers, was apparently cut off. American and South Vietnamese fighter-bombers continued to rake the enemy with bombs, napalm and cannon fire. By late afternoon pilots had flown 115 missions over the area in the heaviest concentration of air power since the IaDrang River valley campaign last month. The battle of Quangtin is being waged amid rice paddies and foothills about 355 miles northeast of Saigon. The area is about 20 miles inland from the South China Sea. (continued)

D-Day+4 (12dec65), Sunday Marines in Quangtin Fight (continued) A South Vietnamese outpost, called Vietan, one of the few islands of Government control left in the area, lies close to the battlefield. The outpost has been under almost constant attack by the Vietcong for two weeks. Five times this year, Government troops have tried to break into the Vietcong stronghold in the Quangtin foothills, believed to be a base area for two full-time Vietcong regiments. Each time the enemy has driven them back. The latest fighting erupted Wednesday afternoon when a large South Vietnamese force --- perhaps as many as 2,500 men -- began pushing through the foothills on a search-and-destroy mission. A Ranger unit was the first to be taken under fire; it was struck by automatic-weapon fire about 1 P.M. About 7 P.M., a battalion of 500 government infantrymen ran up against a Vietcong unit in the dark. A second battle developed, and it continued for more than two hours.. Just before dawn, the battlefield erupted again in mortar and small-arms fire. Yesterday, after two days of furious fighting between Government and Vietcong regiments, two battalions of United States marines landed south of the main battlefield and drove northward. According to reports received here, the Vietcong then withdrew from their positions and retreated inland to the southwest. Other sketchy reports said that the latest marine arrivals had become involved in a heavy fight almost immediately on landing and that the fighting was continuing this afternoon. But a spokesman here said that so far as he could determine these reports were incorrect. He said late reports spoke of only sporadic contact. All three marine battalions in the Quangtin area are reported to have come from the Chulai Marine base * to the south on the coast of the South China Sea. (continued) * 2/7 was the only battalion from ChuLai. 3/3 was from DaNang and 2/1 was the battalion landing team from the USS Valley Forge.

D-Day+4 (12dec65), Sunday Marines Driving to Trap Vietcong (continued) Five Previous Assaults One of the first two battalions fought a short but sharp engagement with the guerillas shortly after its arrival. A military spokesman said 27 Vietcong guerillas had been killed and one captured along with 40 suspects Marine casualties were called light. United States Air Force and Marine fighter-bombers continue to pound Vietcong mortar and automatic-weapon positions with bombs, napalm and 20-mm. cannon shells. The pilots reported having faced heavy ground fire. More than 200 missions have been flown against the Vietcong since Wednesday when the Quangtin battle began. In other ground action today, a guerrilla force estimated at two battalions tried to overrun a district headquarters at Ducpho, near the coast in Quang Ngai Province. Govern-ment defenders drove them off. The Government casualties were called light, and Vietcong casualties were unknown. By NEIL SHEEHAN Marine F-4

D-Day+4 (12dec65), Saturday The New York Times Marines Battle Huge Enemy Unit in Quang Tin Area Thousands Fight Their Way Into Vietcong Stronghold, Inflicting Heavy Losses Clash Is Emerging as Part of a U.S. Trap Employing Saigon Force as Lure By CHARLES MOHR Special to the New York Times SAIGON, South Vietnam, Dec Several thousand United States Marines drove into the heart of a Vietcong stronghold tonight in one of the largest American military actions of the Vietnamese war. The marines battled throughout the day with a large and well-equipped unit of guerrillas that had inflicted heavy casualties earlier this week on two battalions of South Vietnamese troops. A day after they were lifted into the battle by helicopters, Operation Harvest Moon the marines reported having killed a "confirmed" total of at least 90 guerrillas. But in the heat of battle no serious attempt could be made to count the enemy bodies, and the total was believed to be considerably higher. Fight Began Wednesday The battlefield is near the outpost of Vietan, close to the border between Quangtin and Quangnam Provinces, about 250 miles northeast of Saigon. Fighting began on Wednesday when two South Vietnamese Government battalions tried to move into a strongly defended Vietcong area. They were badly cut up. More Government battalions were committed, and then beginning Thursday, the United States Marines. Thus many thousands of men on both sides are deployed on the battlefield. Maj. Gen. Lewis W. Walt, commander of the Third Marine Amphibious Force, said that the Vietcong troops of the First Guerrilla Regiment appeared to be receiving reinforcements. F.O.E. wants more troops (continued)

D-Day+4 (12dec65), Saturday Marines Battle Huge Enemy Unit in Quang Tin Area (continued) Operation Harvest Moon Because of security restrictions affecting war information, early accounts of the battle were not clear. On the basis of those accounts, it appeared that a Government ranger battalion had run into a Vietcong stronghold and had been badly mauled and that a similar fate had met other Government units until the marines were called in as a rescue force. It is becoming clear, however, that the battle was not, accidental and that the marines were not unexpectedly employed as a reaction force. Actually, under a carefully planned operation labeled Harvest Moon, the South Vietnamese troops were sent but to look for the enemy and the large Marine force was held ready to fight when the enemy could be fixed in position. In describing the action, General Walt said, “American troops have gone for the first time into the heart of Vietcong territory in this area.” One Marine company--about 200 men - suffered moderate casualties when it led the way into a helicopter landing zone and met heavy fire from automatic weapons. Over all casualties for the Marine force were described as light. So heavy was the fire in the landing zone hit by the fist company that other troops were diverted to an alternate landing place. A field award of the Silver Star for gallantry was made to a Marine colonel, Michael R. Yunck, who flew an armed helicopter over the battlefield to search for concealed enemy .50-caliber machine guns. Colonel Yunck, was wounded in the left leg by .50-caliber bullets, and the leg was amputated. According to General Walt, the marines uncovered a vast Vietcong tunnel system during the battle. In one tunnel, he said, there were chambers 20 feet underground with a series of sleeping rooms that could held up to 75 people.

D-Day+4 (12dec65), Saturday A letter sent to Mr & Mrs. Simmons by their son Ted Simmons on 12/12/65 (this was right after Echo 2/7 was relieved by Hotel 2/9 and Simmons returned to the Chu Lai) 2/7 area. “Dear Mom and Dad, Our company was just evacuated back from the front lines. I may as well tell you the whole story. Most of what I am telling you are details of communication from Captain Theer the E Company Commander via the radio to his platoon lieutenant’s and his company commander Col. Utter (I am his personal radio operator and go everywhere he goes). We left 6 December, one Regiment of Marines to track and find the Regiment of VC somewhere between Chu Lai and Da Nang. We (our battalion) consisting of Company’s “E,” (my company) “F,” “G,” and “H.” We (the Battalion) were sweeping North, (I think), when we heard gunfire to the Northeast of us. We received a radio message from the battalion commander (Col. Utter) that a company from another battalion was taking heavy fire and casualties from the Viet Cong. They apparently were part of the Viet Cong regiment we were looking for. We (E Company only) was ordered to break off from the battalion (F, G and H Companies) and go East and assist and support them, as I showed on the map I drew. and enclosed. We did and there was a very large hill east and a group of smaller hills (about the size of the hill the Channel 2 tower sits on at home) (called by number, 407) with about a 1500 meters of rice paddies in front of it, with no protection, as we headed towards it. The other company was lying in the rice paddies and their Captain got to Captain Theer (my Captain) and asked us to guard while he called for evacuation helicopters. It took about an hour and their wounded were lifted out and the rest of the battered Company moved back and away from us. (continued)

D-Day+4 (12dec65), Saturday (continued) Don’t know if you know what a rice paddy is, but it is a large area (fields outlined by mud walls) of growing rice with about 6-12 inches of mud under about the same amount of water – tough to walk (or run) in. We were then ordered to progress towards Hill We (Captain Theer) was advised (by jets had been pounding this hill for hours with air strikes of bombs and napalm). Well, our company (E) got on line, left to right facing Hill 407, (about 150 men) and we got about meters and the Viet Cong opened fire on us. As far as we could estimate there was several large caliber machine guns (Captain Theer later told me they were 50 Caliber or 20MM Anti Aircraft) on Hill 407 and the one that hurt us most was on our left flank on a smaller hill (to the left of us) and here we were in those wide open nowhere to hide rice paddies. Then, we saw troops at the base of the hill coming towards us. Needless to say quite a few Marines were hit immediately. We sunk our bodies down in the mud as far as we could. Somehow while we were looking for cover I got separated from Captain Theer by about 20 yards. In the noise I heard him calling for me, as he wanted to give me the coordinates to call in air strikes on the troops we saw coming out towards us. For some reason we could not reach the FAC (forward air control) and the Artillery, radio teams (continued) There wasn’t as much cover as in this picture but, the action was the same.

D-Day+4 (12dec65), Saturday (continued) I tell you, I watched the big bullets blowing up the rice paddy mud walls around me, I felt almost paralyzed knowing I had to run about 20 meters-yards through the shooting to get to him. I took a deep breath and got up and ran. This is funny today – but not when I did it – as I was running I dropped my helmet, and like an idiot I stopped and went back, picked it up and put it on my head and ran on to him. (We are really drilled as to the value of our helmets and felt I just had to have it). We sunk in the rice paddy mud and I called in the coordinates from Captain Theer and for at least minutes the jets shot rockets, bombs, and napalm. During the air strikes we moved about 10/20 meters towards Hill 407. Also, Captain Theer had ordered the 3rd platoon to head towards the left flank to hold off the gun hurting us the most – as we had called in for medical evacuation helicopters. The helicopters landed and the Viet Cong hit us with everything, (helicopters are prime targets – I think radiomen are close behind that as we call in air strikes and artillery). In addition to the guns in the front and to As I mentioned jets, and even artillery for quite sometime had heavily bombarded Hill In our Battalions original plans it seems we would have bypassed it anyway. We laid in the rice paddies and took this pounding and casualties until dark, and we then were ordered to fall back. We did so as fast as we could through the mud and water carrying our wounded and dead in ponchos, while under fire. All of this time we kept thinking the VC were going to attack us from the rear, but all of a sudden the firing stopped. That was because G Company arrived. They assisted us moving back to a tree line and a small area of huts. We finally got out of the paddies and felt safer. I don’t know exactly how many men were killed or wounded but it seemed like a lot. I’ll never forget this day (and night) as long as I live. The marines in E company, I know everyone was scared (I admit I was) but we would have died in order to take that hill. Captain Theer led the company the whole way – he seems to want to stay out in front a lot and me with him and my 10-foot radio antenna swaying in the air, like a sign. It wasn’t luck that got me through, I know God was with me – I could feel it, through it all. The rest of the Battalion is still out there, and possibly will be for quite awhile – what a December. My friend Rick Shaw (I have told you a lot about) is still out there. Please forgive my messy writing, as when I started this I was on a chain of thought and wrote as fast as I could. I am going to close for now as I am beat. Write soon, tell the family I miss them, and pray for me. Love your son. Ted the left they started dropping mortars (little bombs that shoot up into the air from a tube) in on us and at the helicopters. They got a few wounded in the first one, but I “heard” the second one was hit but made it out. Fortunately, the platoon that was moving towards the left flank stopped when the helicopters landed or they would have been hit with all the additional weapons. Captain Theer then called in artillery on the hills and the left flank area. They called me back and said a barrage was on the way, after it hit the mortars stopped, so we moved forward another 10 meters or so. After a few times of this, the VC must have been protected because they started dropping more mortars behind us. We were cut off! We were in constant contact with the Battalion Commander Col. Utter, and they knew we were in trouble. (In case you’re wondering the rest of the Battalion F, G, and H Company had moved on forward several miles (North?) after we broke off to go help the company under fire). Col. Utter was ordered to break off G Company to assist us. (continued)

D-Day+4 (12dec65), Saturday (continued) As I mentioned jets, and even artillery for quite sometime had heavily bombarded Hill In our Battalions original plans it seems we would have bypassed it anyway. We laid in the rice paddies and took this pounding and casualties until dark, and we then were ordered to fall back. We did so as fast as we could through the mud and water carrying our wounded and dead in ponchos, while under fire. All of this time we kept thinking the VC were going to attack us from the rear, but all of a sudden the firing stopped. That was because G Company arrived. They assisted us moving back to a tree line and a small area of huts. We finally got out of the paddies and felt safer. I don’t know exactly how many men were killed or wounded but it seemed like a lot. I’ll never forget this day (and night) as long as I live. The marines in E company, I know everyone was scared (continued) They moved the Marines as fast as they could.

D-Day+4 (12dec65), Saturday (continued) (I admit I was) but we would have died in order to take that hill. Captain Theer led the company the whole way – he seems to want to stay out in front a lot and me with him and my 10-foot radio antenna swaying in the air, like a sign. It wasn’t luck that got me through, I know God was with me – I could feel it, through it all. The rest of the Battalion is still out there, and possibly will be for quite awhile – what a December. My friend Rick Shaw (I have told you a lot about) is still out there. Please forgive my messy writing, as when I started this I was on a chain of thought and wrote as fast as I could. I am going to close for now as I am beat. Write soon, tell the family I miss them, and pray for me. Love your son. Ted” L/Cpl. Ted Simmons was a 2531 radio operator with the Communications Section of 2/7. He was attached to Here, Simmons is writing his letter home. Echo Company 2/7 and was the Commanding Officer of Echo Company, Captain Theer’s right-hand radioman. L/Cpl. Simmons was honored during Operation Stomp for his efforts in saving a radio from a burning M-trac in the South China Sea (see dec65 Section). He currently lives in Ohio.

Warning parts of screenplay could be objectionable!
This is part of the screen play I wrote about my experiences in Vietnam named “The Few. The Proud” © 2001 The Few. The Proud. - Part #2 Ext. - Hillside - Day A warm embrace between the Khoa and his brother. From a distance the brother introduce Khoa to his guide and several other members of his group. Smile abound as the brother shows Khoa the 12.4 mm machine gun which he is a ammunition bearer for. FADE TO BLACK FADE IN: Ext. - Hillside - day Insert title: Cam Lai (1), VN, 10dec65, 1045 The VC are hidden on Hill 407 as Marines are about to make an assault on the area of Cam La using helicopters. In the first wave of helicopters seven of nine have touched down and the remaining two are about to. The VC spring the ambush and catch the Marines in the open. Marines are dropping as we see from the distance of Hill 407. The scene is of a huge rice paddy with nine H-34 helicopters landing. Marines are disembarking. THE SOUND is of VC machine guns and mortars that are cutting down the Marines. DISSOLVE TO: Insert title: 1645 The battle is still happening when two United States F-4 jets scream into the picture and make a pass. There is an explosion in the area of Khoa’s brother’s gun emplacement as smoke mark the F-4’s targets. The F-4’s return and make the bombing run. The VCs duck for cover. Napalm hits near the targeted position with a WHOOOSH. Thoi moves in a hurry to get his men out of the area. THOI (Subtitled; in Vietnamese; excited) Move out, move out. Take everything you can immediately grab, move out. The VCs are grabbing their weapons and personal gear and heading towards the east and over the crest of a low spot east of Hill 407.

“The Few. The Proud.” - Part #2
Ext. - Hillside - night Insert title: 10dec65, 1955 The VCs are now on the other side of the hill and collecting themselves as they prepare to take the wounded to the hospital caves to the south. THOI (Subtitled; in Vietnamese) Are you men all right? LE I am, Sergeant. So is my squad. Just then A GROUP OF VC staggers by with some WOUNDED. Khoa recognizes one as the guide that took him to see his brother the night before. KHOA Ngo, is that, it is you? Where is Vihn? NGO (Subtitled; in Vietnamese; tears in his eyes) Your brother died in an explosion just before the air raid. Khoa is stunned to the point he can not speak. Le quickly comforts him with his arm around his shoulders. Thoi talks to the soldier. THOI (Subtitled; in Vietnamese) Thank you. Get with your men. ... Thoi motions for the guide to move on. and then moves to the two friends. He places his hands on one shoulder of Le and of Khoa. Khoa weeps and falls into a heap. THOI (con’t.) ...Leave him for a few minutes Le, I need help with our men over here. Khoa will be alright alone. Thoi and Le tend to several wounded getting them ready for a move to the aid station. CUT TO: Ext. - hillside - night Insert title: 2010 Soon Khoa is by their side helping out. Both Thoi and Le seem surprised. LE Khoa, we are sorry.

(Subtitled; in Vietnamese) Thank you, but there is much work to do.
“The Few. The Proud.” - Part #2 KHOA (Subtitled; in Vietnamese) Thank you, but there is much work to do. The men work quickly on their comrades injuries. THOI Khoa, help me with this man’s leg. We will be moving out shortly. Most will be going towards the Sixtieth Battalion Headquarters or staying here with the forty-fifth. We will head east and then south through the jungle to an aid station at Ngoc Chinh (one) LE Wouldn’t the aid station near the crossing be better. Better yes, but more dangerous. And out of the way. Just then Thanh moves past with his team. THANH I’m sure glad you all made it out. THOI (Subtitled; in Vietnamese) Can your team help us? We’ll all be headed towards the Battalion area. THANH (Questioning) What about... Thoi interrupts Thanh. (Authoritorily) We will go my way. CUT TO: Ext. - jungle - night Insert title: VC Aid Station Cave (East of Can Ngon, VN) BN078271, 11dec65, 0100 The VCs are bringing in their wounded to an aid station located in a cave on the south-eastern slope of Hill 407. (Concerned) The serious will stay here when we leave. Make them comfortable. An officer comes into the cave where Thoi and Le have moved a SERIOUSLY INJURED MAN. He signal for Thoi to join him outside. Le nudges Khoa as Thoi leaves.

Seems quiet now except for the damn rain. CUT TO:
SWENDER (con’t.) I heard the action yesterday was a blood bath for Two-One and for our Echo Company who came to help. MILLER Seems quiet now except for the damn rain. CUT TO: Ext. Jungle - Aid Station - Day Insert title: Aid Station, Trung Lam (3) (BN087255), VN, 11dec65, 0730 The VCs have tended to their wounded and are eating breakfast. THOI (Subtitled; in Vietnamese) Gather around men. As you know some have gone to Can Ngon... The men of his squad gather as Thoi makes an announcement. THOI (con’t) ...We will be moving out today to the northeast. Most are going to the west and south. We were going to stay here, but I feel it is too dangerous. Prepare to leave in thirty minutes. DISSOLVE TO: “The Few. The Proud.” - Part #2 LE (Subtitled; in Vietnamese; shaking his head) I wonder what that is about. KHOA (Subtitled; in Vietnamese) Maybe last minute instructions. FADE OUT FADE IN: Ext. - Jungle - Day Insert title: 2/7 Battalion CP, Hien Loc (3), VN, 11dec65, 0630 MILLER We’re going to consolidate with the Two- One and Foxtrot is going to make a helicopter assault on to Hill 407. SWENDER 407? That’s Greer and Amish. Just their luck. That’s right over there. Swender sweeps his arm and points towards a high hill to his southeast.

“The Few. The Proud.” - Part #2
THOI (Subtitled; in Vietnamese) We are about to where I want us to be. Men, I‘m being moved up to the Forth Platoon leader. That leaves my Third Squad leader position open. I am moving Le into that position. KHOA (Smiling) Le, I am proud of you. Le although surprised, smiles. Others pat him on the back. And Khoa, I have watched you with Hein. You took care of him more than what would have been expected by anyone. I congratulate you for that, and, you are now the third team leader. Khoa beams and his mouth falls open as the others now pat him on his back. Thanks, I’m just sorry that so many had to die. DISSOLVE TO: “The Few. The Proud.” - Part #2 Ext. - Jungle - Day Insert title: On Jungle Path, 11dec65, 1130 The VC are moving away from the scene of the previous days battle. The move through the dense jungle taking their wounded with them. The rain is falling and walking is hazardous. Khoa is carrying more than his share of equipment and helping his wounded comrade who has a leg wound. Thoi is behind him with Le. THOI (Subtitled; in Vietnamese) Alright men, we’ll break here for a few minutes. Get water in you canteens if you need to. When you are through I have something to say. Thoi points to a stream and places the extra weapons and equipment down. The men either collapse or fill their canteens. Khoa asks his wounded friend is he needs water and goes to fill up. LE How much further, Sergeant? The men start to gather.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER
“The Few. The Proud.” - Part #2 Ext. - Jungle - Hillside - flooded small paddy - Twilight Insert title: On Hill 106 (BN045291), Near Hien Loc (1), Vn, 12 dec65, 1845 Colonel Utter has picked an area where the CP will be located for the night. The area where the TAC Party will sleep is in the middle of a small rice paddy with six inches of water in it. The Marines seem bewildered as they look at their bivouac area as a NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER announces it. NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER Listen up, the Airforce will be conducting Arc Light early tomorrow morning and this is where we are bivwacing for the night. Get as comfortable as possible. Miller looks at Swender and shakes his head. MILLER (pissed off) Shit this water must be eight inches deep. How the hell are we susposta sleep in this bullshit? SWENDER (humorously) You’re not. Just open your mouth and drown. Swender points at the quickening rain and smiles. Miller puts down the radio, takes off his helmet, sticks out his tongue to catch rain on it and swallows. MILLER (pissed) The only way I’m not going to drown is sleeping on my helmet. With that he lays in the water and places the helmet under his head and pulls the poncho over his face. MILLER (con’t.) Night. Damn rain. FADE TO BLACK Part #3 of this screenplay will be at the end of Section #3. That section will deal with the days of December 13 to 15, Look for it about Christmas time.

The 3rd Section of Operation Harvest Moon (13 to 15 December 1965) is in the process but it will take time. If you (any Marine or corpsman who was there or had anything to do with it [helicopter crews, artillery units, support, etc.]) and have anything that you would like to add please contact me for inclusion. I try to give credit to all who have contributed but sometimes and many times find it not possible. Please forgive me as I just want to get the “pats on the back” to those who gave some much on this operation. I don’t want any other dates (just 13-15dec65) and will not add or make changes/corrections for this section (10-12dec65) until a much later date. My schedule for completion : Section III December - I expect it to be done by Christmas. Section IV December - I expect this section to be finished by Valentines Day 2009. Section V 18 December (it will be split up into at least 4 parts with the final part to include 19dec65 and the wrap-up, the Kemper County incident and why 2/7 was called down to Saigon. This section should be out by September, 2009. Thank you, Tom Miller, TAC Party, H&S 2/7, 1965

If you have anything that pertains to any of the following sections, Section III, IV, or V, please send your information, recollections or what have you to: Thomas F. Miller @ Thank you, Tom Miller, TAC Party, H&S 2/7, 1965 To all my “brothers” and “sisters” who served or who are serving, “Thank You” not only from me but from many other of my friends and fellow veterans.

(10–12dec65 with a small 09dec65 battalion outline of 2/7 )

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "(10–12dec65 with a small 09dec65 battalion outline of 2/7 )"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback

Log in

Auth with social network:

(10–12dec65 with a small 09dec65 battalion outline of 2/7 )

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "(10–12dec65 with a small 09dec65 battalion outline of 2/7 )"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback