He stripped his aircraft and started the decent. I then visited the other wounded. Tucker reported, They began charging in human waves with bugles blaring. I reported, We killed about 90 Viet Cong as we busted through one of their encirclements. The sad result was troops feeling sorry for themselves, second guessing each other and even blaming each other for some of their casualties. Having a bit of a phobia on being in a hospital, usually getting sick to my stomach if there more than about fifteen minutes, it became my habit to get there as quickly as possible to avoid any excuses. However, I had three serious reservations in providing it to anyone: First, at several points I am critical of someone or some unit. Bryant, I figure the Viet Cong would have been able to hold roll call the next morning in a telephone booth. I laughed for the first time in days. It was all about staying low that day.. However, our C Company Commander, Captain Henry B. Tucker (just Tuck or Big Tuck to most of us) reported hearing chickens cackling to his north. With a lot of effort from the battalion, the Air Force came to our rescue. Use the 'Report' link on We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen! On the 8th of November 1965, a company of the 173rd Airborne Brigade took part in what is known as Operation Hump. Harris said what he remembers most is screaming for everybody to get down. In about two hours all the wounded were on their way to the Third Surgical Hospital and our dead were beginning their long journey home to their loved ones. Operation HIGHJUMP commenced 26 August 1946 and ended in late February 1947. My platoons reacted quickly, almost without direction, repositioning machine guns and troopers to meet the blunt of the attack. From-the first and third platoons I talked with several of my soldiers recalling only PFC Manual Garza, SSG Wallace A. 11 Having learned that Captain Tucker had joined and committed his remaining platoon to the fight, I told my platoon leaders we would most likely be going directly to the assistance of C Company and if that were the case we must be prepared to move on a moments notice. The VC are estimated to have sustained 1200+ casualties in this battle, including over 400, dead. The General spotted our dead, all covered in ponchos, stopped, looked at them, and seemingly paused to say a prayer. Feb 5, 2014 - Korean troops encounter terrified villagers sheltering from their helicopter assault in Bong Son, Vietnam, in June of 1966. 4th Class Wallace S. Tao and Sgt. My final instructions were to move to the sound of the firing in the general direction of hill 65 . Anybody else did not make it through the day.. To view our latest Digital Edition click the image on the left. The firing had noticeably increased and was no longer sporadic. He was in pain but he smiled. You can read a potted backstory of . Date 5-8 November 1965; Location: South Vietnam, Bien Hoa: Result: United States/Australian victory, Viet Cong retreats. Its the 50th for us, Harris said just prior to the event. Killed war zone D Nov 8 1965 During operation Hump. With the recovery of Lt. Thurston, we had accounted for all members of my command. I learned that C Company did not have radio contact with all of its forward elements but that they would make every attempt to cease its fires. Medical evacuation helicopters, gun ships, and Brigadier General Ellis W. Williamson, Commander 173D Airborne Brigade, in his command helicopter were above us. That the survivors included a famous journalist, an American diplomatic envoy, and several influential American and Chinese officers guaranteed it got publicitypublicity that had important, long-term implications. While studying the history of our Nations Civil War I was often struck by how quickly memories of key participants in battles fade or become distorted over time. Proceeds from a silent auction held at the event will go to benefit the Black Hills Avenue of Flags, as well as to help fund a new project at the South Dakota Veterans Home in Hot Springs. General Westmoreland would also be visiting my company. He pleaded to return to the unit. General Westmoreland talked with each of my soldiers. We werent going to lose this guy. He further informed me that the situation was not clear on hill 65, and that while speed was of the essence, I was not to take any undo risks. Today, were talking to friends.. I tried to be everywhere. With the action just completed my new estimate was twice that previously reported. Operation Hump, the first major battle between the U.S. Army and the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces, took place November 5-9, 1965, in South Vietnam's War Zone D. Known as "The Hump," it would change the nature of the war, escalating it from a hit-and-run guerrilla conflict to a bloody contes. person will not be tolerated. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. He had done enough getting our dead and wounded out. When I received that report my heart sank, and even worse I learned, he was so far forward that we could not get to him. Sgt. In fact, they had a point. The 173rd Airborne Brigade during the Vietnam War was no exception. This memoir of an Operation Hump survivor begins with the sequence of events leading up to the battle, from the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. I chuckled, having never seen a chicken in the jungles, and didnt pay much attention to the report. Warden and Sgt. Up to this point in the fight we were not able to put a name to any of the dead. He was in great pain but kept on helping. Their effort to get to us was called off. Unless we made enemy contact earlier, the third platoon was to hold up just short of the creek at approximately grid coordinate- 108309, a creek bed just east of hill 65, at which time I intended for both the third and first platoons to go on line with the first platoon moving to the left of the third platoon and the second platoon following the third platoon onto hill 65. So Niles, heres to a true American hero. 760 likes. . It is such a great honor to have these gentlemen and ladies educate us on their experiences during combat. Mike was the lead guy Mike drug a lot of guys down that hill, Harris told the crowd of around 250 gathered for the event, with tears in his eyes and much emotion in his voice. The remainder of the second platoon attempted to come to their rescue. Approximately twenty minutes later the first platoon moved in the direction of the trail at 115329 and following their move, ten minutes later, the second platoon headed in the direction of a hill marked on my map as hill 78. Until I had a better feel for the C Company situation I would be defending. I realized we werent going to get any outside help, no one was coming to us. We had yet to find seventeen missing from C Company. On November 8, 1965 during the Vietnam War, US, Australian, and New Zealand forces launch Operation Hump, a search-and-destroy operation near Bien Hoa in South Vietnam. In a rush to reach C Company, I moved my headquarters element-quickly to the left and ahead of the first platoon. We only had his name when all radio contact was lost. I called my leaders together, informed them as to the Generals comments, thanked them and announced a winner (that I cant recall) of the six-hour drill. The General, knowing of my concern, simply smiled at me and with confidence said Let me know when your ready. With that I said that B Company would take the lead, left him with Captain Tucker, and began to organize the march to the battalion base. I had become a rifleman because we had lost one of my lieutenants and I wanted him back under any circumstance. Operation Hump was a search and destroy operation initiated on 8 November, 1965, by the 173rd Airborne Brigade, in an area about 17.5 miles (28.2km) north of Bien Hoa. Fortunately, they were to get a new and great Division Commander shortly after this battle and many of those commanders who believed they had come to Vietnam to train lost their commands. We'd love to hear eyewitness On November 8th, 1965, the 173rd Airborne Brigade on Operation Hump, War Zone D in Vietnam were ambushed by over 1200 V.C. I responded that we were prepared to move now and felt we could reorganize safely on the move rather than having my platoons close on my position. National Native American Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located at The . I expected one more helicopter to come in and get the General out. The Air Force had done a great job penetrating the jungle with their basket but we had too many wounded to count on that again. For several days the press continued to report the battle. We put as many wounded on the aircraft as we could and WO Smith started his vertical climb out of the jungle. Black Hills Pioneer. In any case, from the second platoon I talked with PFC John C. Dutch Holland, PFC Larry Anderson, PFC Ronald G. Apodaca, Specialist. At an 8th of November display set up in the lobby of Deadwood Mountain Grand to honor 173d Airborne Brigade Operation Hump, Hill 65 survivors, Niles Harris, Michael Lovelace and Sonny Bartow. At around 1600 hours, one of my rifle squad leaders, Staff Sergeant Billie R. Wear, from the third platoon approached me and asked if we would make an attempt to recover Lt. Thurston from the battlefield. Be Proactive. This would be a spinal fusion operation. Operation Hump, the first major battle between the U.S. Army and the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces, took place November 5-9, 1965, in South Vietnam's War Zone D. Known as "The Hump," it would change the nature of the war, escalating it from a hit-and-run guerrilla conflict to a bloody contest between Communist main force units and American . Native Americans in the Military Vietnam War (1959-75) April 15, 2015. The combined American/Australian troops seriously underestimated the number of enemy fighters and the desire to which they would fight to hold their ground. BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) North Carolina is getting millions of dollars in opioid settlement money and Brunswick County is deciding how to spend its portion of the funds. Forty-eight American soldiers lost their lives that day. The weapon was pointed to the north and I was anxious to get it moving back that direction. Generally I would lift out with my headquarters following my company. The Hump The 1st Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry, in the First Major Battle of the Vietnam War $ 19.99 In stock Add to cart Add to Wishlist SKU: 9780786499250 Categories: Military History, Vietnam War Tags: Airborne, Army, PTSD, Vietnam About the Book About the Author (s) Bibliographic Details Table of Contents Book Reviews & Awards The fighting lasted for over 48 hours. Which is, Everybody has their own 8th of November. Not only you. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Finally, telling him I would be back to see him, went outside to get some air. I watched as Specialist 5th Class Lawrence Joel, a medic from C Company, hit several times in one leg, treated several of our wounded. And they know that. I alerted my platoons that if they suspected they were receiving friendly fires they were to hold their position until I could work it out. One of the guys in front of me being killed and the sound of the bugles and whistles from the Viet Cong, Bartow said. 200 paratroopers faced this overwhelming force and stood their ground. Early in the evening I had many of the dead and wounded moved to the rear of my position on top of the hill. Others thanked me for not having the usual formation in the sun with someone simply talking to them. When I went for it, Niles was still working it If you got back behind two termite mounds in these teak trees, you made it. I reported that we were loosing contact and felt that the enemy was trying to escape. By . 48 American soldiers fighting with Harris lost their lives that day. I had to for awhile. It got larger after incisional biopsy. Ever so gradually fires were falling off. High around 35F. My estimate up the point of the three major enemy attacks was that they had well over 110 killed with no idea of the number of their wounded. While on the chopper returning to Bien Hoa I recalled the number of my soldiers wounded and killed on this operation that had been wounded on prior operations. In that contact A Company lost a platoon leader, Second Lieutenant David L. Ugland, a classmate of Lt. Thurston. The visit of General Westmoreland was great. They werent sure about the rest of the company. Because of their efforts all five survived. Fighting continued throughout the day with some indications that the enemy was trying to disengage. When we thought we had finally got the job done we called for a medical evacuation helicopter (Dust Off). It was my belief that at this time in the war one would only find enemy fifty caliber machine guns at the regimental level. Somehow that smile made me feel better (that smile was a gift he shared with our battalion throughout the rest of our tour). Again we found nothing. I moved away. When were able to host community events on any level, it is special for us, but hosting this Veterans Day event every year is extra special, even more so this year because were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 173d Airborne and our buddy Niles Harris, said Marc Oswald, co-owner of the Grand. Wear and I briefed the Saigon press, derisively referred to as the five oclock follies, on the operation. Here are the initial stages of recovery that survivors may experience during the first few weeks following traumatic brain injury. My excellent artillery team, from the 319 Artillery Battalion, brought a curtain of steel forward of us. Our friend, Niles Harris, retired 25 years United States Army, the guy who gaveBig Kennyhis top hat, was one of the wounded who lived. I see no good purpose in making that a matter of record. Saturday, together in Deadwood for the first time ever, they recalled a few of their most vivid memories and impressions left from the life-changing event, as the fourth annual Deadwoods Veterans Salute sponsored by the Deadwood Business Club and held at Deadwood Mountain Grand, honored their service and sacrifices, along with all area veterans. Regarding the fighting I did all that and I didnt enjoy it, but I didnt hate it, either because I was saving my buddies.. C Company was followed by the extraction of A Company, and then my company. It was a painful decision but I called them off. Another memorable thing about that was I played dead. November 8, 1965 Operation Hump Outnumbered in some places six to one, it was a desperate fight for survival as parts of B and C companies were isolated in the shoulder to shoulder, hand to hand battle. The position was no sooner establish then it was hit by yet another terrible assault. The 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, deployed south of the Dong Nai River while the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry, conducted a helicopter assault on a LZ northwest . A mighty engagement on November 8, 1965, cost 49 paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Combat Brigade their lives with many others wounded. Overall, Operation HUMP proved to be one of the deadliest days in the 173rd's long and storied history. Then we began to hear artillery fire. With 21 survivors, it wasand remainsthe largest single aircraft parachute escape. They knew they had another job to do and they were ready. You might know it as the 8th of November. one of my soldiers with a speech defect felt pushed to the point that after several questions, the last of which was: How do you know you killed the enemy? responded without a stutter, Because I got his blood all over me. While they talked I would look at their weapons and equipment. Late in the day on Sunday, November 7, 1965 the battalion had established a base camp. He cleared the trees and we began to breathe again. We called it Hill 65 The lieutenant told me to grab the radio, Lovelace recalled. Reporter Tom Tiede published a detailed account of Specialist 4th Class Langston and the paratroopers cut off during the battle. The enemy came at us shoulder-to-shoulder. He published a third story covering PFC Edward C. Bable and his effort to save his wounded buddies. After some brief exchange we moved out and at approximately 1625 hours an improvised squad of the third platoon, made up mostly of non-commissioned officers, lead by SSgt Wear, recovered the remains of their fallen leader. Operation Hump was a search and destroy operation initiated by United States and Australian forces on 5 November 1965, during the Vietnam War . It was time to say enough even to one tough paratrooper. In 1947, Admiral Richard E. Byrd led 4,000 military troops from the U.S., Britain and Australia in an invasion of Antarctica called "Operation Highjump", and at least one follow-up expedition. Theodore Shamblin. once we got the machine gun forward on the crest of the hill I returned to Tuckers position. While I attempted to get further information as to their situation they were having great difficulty even talking to me. My final instructions were to move to the sound of the firing in the general direction of hill 65. Forty-eight American soldiers lost their lives that day, many more wounded, and 403 dead PLAF troops. That article caused a reaction in the states that would lead to us sending Terry and all seventeen year old soldiers home. We got a lot of questions on being ambushed and fallen into a Viet Cong trap. General Williamson took those head-on as nonsense. I approved the effort but stated I was going with him. A mighty engagement on November 8, 1965, cost 49 paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Combat Brigade their lives with many others wounded. They gave me a lecture on morale in combat. Frankly, I wasnt impressed and I told them so. With that I grabbed the radio and ordered the company to move out. While very tired, the troops were superb, and just as in the poem by SP4 Kenny: The guys no longer look tired,Theyve a determined look of eyeAs they scan the shrouded flankAnd treetops that hide the sky.. On each decent and as each lifted off we prayed. In available hunting leases. On order my third and first platoons moved quickly! With contact apparently broken, I set about the task of trying to get our critically wounded out, get more ammunition in, and to prepare to secure the position for the night. Later, several days following the operation, I was indirectly criticized by medical personnel (none of which were with us on hill 65) in a battalion staff meeting not for my decision to call off the rescue helicopter but for having placed the dead and wounded so close to each other and so close to my command post. Early on Friday, November 5, 1965 the 173D Airborne Brigade (Separate) entered War Zone D in the Republic of Vietnam to conduct Operation HUMP (OPORD 28-65). We all appreciate how much the veterans have done for us. racist or sexually-oriented language. As we began to move we opened up, firing everything we had in our third and first platoons. We had caught the enemy from the rear. How the first task played out would determine how difficult this day would be. We had three tasks -to accomplish: First, we had to probe forward of the perimeter and determine if the enemy was there. A UPI headline article appeared in the Saigon Daily News on November 9th and other headline articles appeared in the Pacific Stars and Stripes and The Saigon Post on Wednesday, November 10th. Tucker, Sgt. During a lull in the fighting I began to move among the wounded, meeting for the first time our Protestant Chaplain James Jim M. Hutchens. It was still not good enough. From the battalion base, C Company was the first to liftoff for the return flight to our base camp at Bien Hoa. This memoir of an Operation Hump survivor begins with the sequence of events leading up to the battle, from the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. Listening, I could make out the distinct sound of three fifty caliber machine guns. Still not good enough; they began dropping smoke grenades trying to mark areas that had to be taken out. This song is his story. He had never failed me before but this time he would. Operation Hump was a search and destroy operation initiated by United States and Australian forces on 5 November 1965, during the Vietnam War. The meeting took place in St. Petersburg. It was slow, we could feel the helicopter vibrate, we watched WO Smith thread the needle, descending some 200 to 250 feet with little room to clear the blades, he put the helicopter on the ground. The troops shared my concern and seemed to get a very determined look in their eyes. Bernosky was seriously wounded on March 16, 1966 during an operation near Phuoc Vinh where B Company was the lead company of the First Battalion 503D Infantry going to the aid of another unit, this time the Second Battalion 503D Infantry. We continued our attempt to clear an area to get helicopters in to carry our wounded out. With triple canopy jungle we were experiencing difficulty firing grenade launchers and thus had ruled out the use of mortars early in the fight. We had to do better and we were going to have to do it on our own. The second task was left to C Company and they soon found their missing in a number of locations. Too another question I responded When we finally fought our way to the top of the hill, we counted 111 Viet Cong bodies lying there. SSgt Wear offered,I dont know what VC unit was there, but I know the other side knows we were there and wont want to tangle with the 173d again for a long time. The most quotable quote was offered by Sgt.

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