With that feisty spirit I knew he would make it. December 11, 2020. jeremy kemp singer wikipedia. Most guys were 18 to 22 years old and they didnt see the next day., All together there were 250 on that hill, Lovelace said. 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). 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 . On day four of the search (Monday, November 8, 1965) Colonel Tyler, ordered his rifle companies to continue the search of the area some 35 miles northeast of Saigon and about 15 miles north of our Bien Hoa base camp. 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. Keep it Clean. General William C. Westmoreland visited our wounded the following morning, November 10th. Late in the day on Sunday, November 7, 1965 the battalion had established a base camp. The lst Infantry Division had been requested to deploy a battalion in support of the battle and the reported response was We are still training and not ready to fight! Upon receiving that message I made a number of crude comments and even thought worse. We had three tasks -to accomplish: First, we had to probe forward of the perimeter and determine if the enemy was there. He had slipped and not been hit. My headquarters element quickly made contact with the first platoon and discovered that we were paralleling the line of march of the third platoon. 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. C Company was followed by the extraction of A Company, and then my company. The end result was a unit out of control until they sobered-up. Leaders seemed to appear everywhere knowing what was about to happen. My instructions were to the effect that the third platoon would move on the most direct route toward hill 65 or the battalion base as the lead platoon, my headquarters element would intercept the first platoon as it moved to catch the third platoon and the second platoon would follow and secure the companies rear. The hill was heavily vegetated with teakwood trees and what is generally referred to as triple canopy jungle. AbeBooks.com: The Hump: The 1st Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry, in the First Major Battle of the Vietnam War (9780786499250) by Conetto, Al and a great selection of similar New, Used and Collectible Books available now at great prices. The invention relates to a nose column prosthesis for hump nose operation, comprising: a strut section having a strut main body section constituting a nasal strut; Listening, I could make out the distinct sound of three fifty caliber machine guns. CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- First things first: Chip Ganassi . We moved slowly, well spread out, followed by C Company. I ordered the third platoon to attempt to make contact with any C Company personnel by extending their position to the north of the hill while continuing to maintain their tie with the first platoon on their right. Both had been wounded in action in early October near Ben Cat as we penetrated the Iron Triangle. The third was seriously wounded and I wondered if he would even live. Colonel Tyler ordered me to move and assist C Company at approximately 0845 hours. They made it about halfway up the hill when we finally broke them and they backed down off the hill slowly. At about 0600 on the morning of 8 November C Company began a move northwest toward Hill 65, while B Company moved northeast toward Hill 78. As we were honoring our dead the ist Air Cavalry Division would lay claim to that record as they fought North Vietnam regulars from November 14 to 19 in a battle for the Ia Drang Valley. Geared to the Interests of Veterans and Non-Veteran Patriots. We would not locate those remaining seventeen until the following day. 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. We hadnt made much progress on a landing zone. The objective of Operation 'Hump' was to drive out Vietcong guerrilla fighters who had taken position in several key hills north of Bien Hoa, 20 miles east of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City). Coma (No Response, Total Assistance) After a severe brain injury, your loved one may remain in a coma for some time. Subsequently we learned that C Company had deployed its second platoon, led by First Lieutenant Ben Waller, north of the battalion base in direction of hill 65 and was in contact with an enemy force of about platoon size. 7 min read. 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 And third, we had to create ia hole in the jungle. That was not the case. 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. our medics were pushed to their limits but accomplished the seemingly impossible. Finally I heard him yelling to let go. Video footage of Putin's remarks was published by TASS. Finally, I reported that I believe C Company had taken severe casualties, maybe as high as a third of the company. With the action just completed my new estimate was twice that previously reported. A mighty engagement on November 8, 1965, cost 49 paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Combat Brigade their lives with many others wounded. On November 8, 1965, the 173rd Airborne Brigade on Operation Hump in War Zone D in Vietnam, were ambushed by over 1,200 Viet Cong. Operation Hump was a search and destroy operation initiated by United States and Australian forces on 5 November 1965, during the Vietnam War . Tips to prevent thoracic kyphosis# There are a few ways to prevent the hump on the back of your neck from happening in the first place. I ordered the first platoon leader, First Lieutenant Michael P. DeFrancisco, to move his platoon even further to the left or south of the third platoon in order to have two platoons abreast and ready to rapidly move on line once we reached the objective. I then estimated that we could be up against as many as three Viet Cong battalions. [1] [2] The operation was organized by Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd, Jr., USN (Ret), Officer in Charge, Task Force 68, and led by Rear Admiral Ethan Erik Larson, USN, Commanding Officer, Task Force 68. Some of those wounded he had dragged out of the firing. Trying to confirm that report I became convinced it was highly improbable because the A Company enemy contact occurred within about two hundred and fifty meters of the battalion base. Later the troops would tell me how much they appreciated getting the opportunity to stand toe-to-toe with the General. They succeeded and were willing to continue to try and save more as it began to get dark. This paper was prepared in May 1966 following my turning over of command of Company B, lst Battalion 503D Infantry and preparing to return to the United States and Fort Benning, Georgia. In preparation for his visit I called my Platoon Leaders and Platoon Sergeants together and issued my instructions. Our contact appeared to have closed on the enemies left flank and with the element of surprise we were virtually unopposed in getting on the hill. None of the positions were occupied and a number of the enemy lay dead close to the positions. Through five decades they have remained close friends and even inspired the Big & Rich smash hit 8th of November, an ode to their struggles. At this point there was artillery fire north of hill 65. In the past we allowed our wounded to choose if they would return to the unit or go home. Above it all I wanted to hear the sound of the battlefield. That came as a surprise as we had not experienced any mortar fire on the hill. The General stood firm. Forty-eight American soldiers lost their lives that day. 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 commands of battalion size or larger. He published a third story covering PFC Edward C. Bable and his effort to save his wounded buddies. General Westmoreland talked with each of my soldiers. Approximately thirty five air strikes supported this effort. Early that evening we received a torrential rain, the last of the rainy season. The General spotted our dead, all covered in ponchos, stopped, looked at them, and seemingly paused to say a prayer. We were ready for the worst. By first light we were ready. I made sure everyone knew we had the General with us, we would move slowly and we would not be taking any chances. We deployed the company as planned, began to move to the creek, totally surprising the enemy force to our front. We werent going to lose this guy. When I found my third man at the hospital I said Your going home. Angered he put on quit a scene. They werent sure about the rest of the company. Typically, in any major battle when a country has stood toe to toe with the Army Infantryman, they have failed. And while over 150 years have passed since its inception, the meaning behind the Medal has never tarnished. To view our latest Digital Edition click the image on the left. In this case we stayed on the ground until the battalion headquarters flew out. 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. on Nov 8 1965 173rd ambushed by 1200 VC Heavy fighting occured. We had yet to find seventeen missing from C Company. I see no good purpose in making that a matter of record. 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. I expected one more helicopter to come in and get the General out. I then learned that the battalion headquarters had been hit earlier by a mortar round. I had to chase away some medical personnel that wanted to restrain him. Soft-close at 4 a.m. and hard-close at 6:15 a.m. on Saturday, November 20 and Sunday . Local Boy Scouts participated in the opening ceremonies. For roughly 12 hours, Diana Amira sat and waited to ensure she'd have the best spot to watch when Travis Scott took the stage at the sold-out Astroworld music festival Friday night in Houston. It is such a great honor to have these gentlemen and ladies educate us on their experiences during combat. Pioneer photo by Jaci Conrad Pearson, DEADWOOD Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his brother.. This would be a spinal fusion operation. . Somewhat auspiciously the name of the operation signified the halfway point of our year in Vietnam. Caught in the action of kill or be killed, greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his brother. My excellent artillery team, from the 319 Artillery Battalion, brought a curtain of steel forward of us. 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 (Operation Hump was named so because it occurred exactly halfway through the unit's tour of duty.) We would open a hole in this jungle and get helicopters on the ground to get them out. Occupying an abandoned enemy position, I began to wonder if the enemy had deliberately let us in and was in the process of closing off all escape routes. The adjustment the enemy made, as a result of our effective artillery, was to move closer to us in order to avoid the devastating fires. Be Proactive. How the first task played out would determine how difficult this day would be. The same report came from the only survivor of the seventeen missing from C Company on the following day. Lt. Thurston reported he was taking fifty caliber fire from two directions. I would learn why latter. National Native American Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located at The . [1] Hector Membreno. 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. Through the night we lost one of our wounded. I watched as Specialist 5th Class Lawrence Joel, a medic from C Company, hit several times in one leg, treated several of our wounded. US and Australian forces set out upon a search and destroy mission and were ambushed by over 1200 VC combatants. As I approached their bunk the soldier came to attention, I stepped aside and the General stood toe-to-toe with each of them. He was in pain but he smiled. Moments later the report was updated with information that contact was lost with their lead platoon. who was severly wounded himself but continued to care for . By now the battalion had added air power to the fray hitting targets well out from our position and along the-trail we had planned to take a look at prior to this fight. While there were signs of activity in and around the LZ on which we landed, the first three days of the operation turned out to be relatively uneventful with the exception of an enemy contact in the Australian sector. We all knew we would not leave this battlefield without them. Five times, over five trips we put a critically wounded paratrooper in a basket they lowered through the canopy, and five times the Air Force wenched our troopers through that triple canopy jungle in an attempt to save each of them. person will not be tolerated. 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. Generally I would lift out with my headquarters following my company. Sylvester Bryant, SSgt. Fifty years ago, they survived the Nov. 8, 1965, Vietnam battle called Operation Hump. By . I spoke briefly with Chaplain Hutchens, he still had that rare smile, looked good and was collecting visitors to the point that some wanted us out of there. We needed him, but others need him more. While they were severe, we had found many more than twenty-one effective paratroopers at the top of the hill with which to make a fight. They were simple and prioritized; first, get a shave and a shower, get some chow, get to sleep, and tomorrow morning well start our six-hour drill. I saw a wall of smiles, we had a plan and they liked it. The following is a bit lengthy, and well worth the time, in this grateful and spoiled Mericans estimation, of course! That article caused a reaction in the states that would lead to us sending Terry and all seventeen year old soldiers home. In the end, 48 were dead and almost 100 were wounded bravery isnt there its for each other. I reported that we were loosing contact and felt that the enemy was trying to escape. From the Bien Hoa Air Base they sent a fire-fighting helicopter to hover above us while lowering a basket. I am not sure which alternative I reported to Colonel Tyler. The search operation began with the 1/RAR (Royal Australian Regiment) deployed south of the Dong Nai River and paratroopers of the lst Battalion (Airborne), 503D Infantry being lifted by helicopters from the snake pit around noon to conduct a helicopter assault on a LZ northwest of the Dong Nai and Song Be Rivers. We exchanged salutes and I left him with General Williamson and Colonel Tyler. 48 American soldiers fighting with Harris lost their lives that day. 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. . 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. Kris Kristofferson does an introduction and while I still have yet to hear the song, Kristoffersons contribution is quite nice . We now had formed a crescent around the hill that extended from the southeast to the northwest. On the 8th of November 1965, a company of the 173rd Airborne Brigade took part in what is known as Operation Hump. Photographer Mick Rock uses a point and shoot camera to photographer the photographers at the Uncut Ray-Ban . Our six-hour drill originated from an earlier experience where we witnessed another company coming off an operation and a commander allowing his troops to soak up much-too-much beer. 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 commands of battalion size or larger. We only had his name when all radio contact was lost. I knew we would lose more wounded through the night. 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. The visit of General Westmoreland was great. 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. He was in a well dug enemy position with a RTO and his second platoon leader. Serving on Admiral Byrd's team for the Antarctic Expedition at the end of WW II was a privilege that only a handful of sailors would enjoy. In any case, from the second platoon I talked with PFC John C. Dutch Holland, PFC Larry Anderson, PFC Ronald G. Apodaca, Specialist. Be Truthful. The second task was left to C Company and they soon found their missing in a number of locations. The VC are estimated to have sustained 1200+ casualties in this battle, including over 400, dead. . Regarding the fighting I did all that and I didnt enjoy it, but I didnt hate it, either because I was saving my buddies.. While on the move we vainly attempted to establish radio contact with Company C. After numerous attempts to make radio contact, I became concerned we might have problems running into C Companies fires. The remainder of the second platoon attempted to come to their rescue. Dezember 2021. Bartow said that Hill 65 sticks in his mind all the time. I realized we werent going to get any outside help, no one was coming to us. 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. I then visited the other wounded. 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. The Gerontology Research Group, which validates details of people. 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. He moved well forward of his platoon and was killed. He asked if we needed anything. On Tuesday night, the. Each month's obituaries, delivered to your inbox. As I accompanied General Westmoreland back to his helicopter he stopped, turned toward me and asked Captain Bittrich, your- really proud of your soldiers arent you? I was and I told him so. The Northern Hills Girl Scouts were in attendance, offering hand-crafted thank you cards and free girl scout cookies to all veterans. He took the Chin Chillars prisoner when they sought refuge on his "farm" (actually a stolen car operation) and made the beautiful Mrs. Chin Chillar his personal slave and paramour. Rather than meeting the same fate Ive prepared this paper knowing that it may still suffer errors caused by recounting experience solely from my perspective. We put as many wounded on the aircraft as we could and WO Smith started his vertical climb out of the jungle. Here are four things to keep in mind: Practice proper posture# There was a long pause before the conversation was acknowledged and terminated. 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. You had to. When the second platoon was unable to get to them, I ordered the first platoon to move to that area. Shortly after 0815 hours I took three actions; first, ordering all platoons to halt their movements and to hold their current positions; second, to get prepared to move in the direction of the firing; and third, notified the battalion we had stopped our search pending any instructions to continue, return to the battalion base or to move in the general direction of hill 65. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Somehow that smile made me feel better (that smile was a gift he shared with our battalion throughout the rest of our tour). It was time to take calculated risks. American Legion Post Commander Oz Enderbee was master of ceremonies, while Deadwood Mayor Chuck Turbivlle, a Vietnam veteran, and members of the Deadwood Business Club, offered opening remarks. Over a short fifteen minute period, three desperate reports came from three different non-commissioned officers over the company net. or anything. And to all the heroes there tonight in Deadwood. 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. The search for four people still missing after a major plane crash in Nepal resumed on Monday, as a video purportedly filmed by one of the passengers . Having reported the establishment of our base at approximately _117319, I ordered Clair to begin moving in the direction of the trail in the vicinity of _110328. A 100-year-old Holocaust survivor is seen arriving to Israel after she was evacuated from Ukraine late last week by Zaka, an Israeli-based organization working to rescue Holocaust survivors from . Tim Page 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. The troops shared my concern and seemed to get a very determined look in their eyes. My final instructions were to move to the sound of the firing in the general direction of hill 65. In these situations, surgery can be performed to decrease the curvature in the spine. My final instructions were to move to the sound of the firing in the general direction of hill 65 . 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. The worst was yet to come. PLEASE NOTE: I did not clean up any typos but did adjust some spacing and paragraph found in the original source. Be Nice. As we began to move we opened up, firing everything we had in our third and first platoons. My eyes began to blur, we had paid a dear price. We went back to work, blew out more trees. Overcast. For me, its an honor to be able to do this. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. A weekly newsletter to let you know what's going on in the Hills currently. 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. 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. Upon closing at our Bien Hoa base camp I reported all my personnel and weapons accounted for and headed for the hospital. 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 company closed on the new company base at approximately 0715 hours. I doubted that I would ever forget that message. I believe that C Company had successfully pushed the enemy off the hill and generally to the north of the hill. Theodore Shamblin. I believe both platoons had in fact monitored my conversations with Colonel Tyler, anticipated the order to move and actually began to execute their movements prior to my call. Just having them near was a help to us. Resulting in 48 Airborne KIAs and 408 VC dead. Ever so gradually fires were falling off. My next, and last, conversation with Lt. Thurston had the makings of a disaster. Dynamite did the job but created a hell of a mess that had to be cleared. Survivor's memoir of the battle, the war's basis,. My platoons reacted quickly, almost without direction, repositioning machine guns and troopers to meet the blunt of the attack. We held our breath. Share with Us. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. 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 While the firing continued, we quickly began the task of consolidating the position and recovering the dead and wounded. The 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment deployed south of the Dong Nai River while the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry, conducte The firing had noticeably increased and was no longer sporadic. He would go on to ask if they had fired their weapon. racist or sexually-oriented language. Operation HUMP is considered the first major battle of significance in the Vietnam War by most historian-types. I called Colonel Tyler and asked him to intervene. Upon reaching the top of the hill I spotted Tucker. Titled "8th of November," a reference to the official start of Operation Hump, the song brings to life the story of one Master Sgt. [New Movie] 'Search Operation: The New Town Survivor . He published a second article covering PFC Terry Hinson, his role in the fight, and the fact that he was seventeen years old. Several of their reports carried the line that the battle for hill 65 had been the biggest battle of the war up to that time. Then, out of seemingly nowhere, came the sounds of three bugles. The troops kept at it taking turns working on a landing zone and guarding the perimeter. We would say our last goodbye at a memorial service on November 15. As I approached them they all yelled for me to get down. This was even slower than when he came in. A lot of guys were in shock and this one guy that was hurt, they leaned him up against a tree, and I said, Hey, that isnt going to work. I was just screaming, Get down! That was too high I was making myself real skinny. All nominations are voted online by the readers. One of the guys in front of me being killed and the sound of the bugles and whistles from the Viet Cong, Bartow said. Especially with the kids. The reasons behind American involvement in the Vietnam War were unclear to many but for the 2.5 million Americans who served, the one thing that was clear was that it could be a challenge to stay alive. How in the hell were we going to protect him, why take the chance? This song is his story. They posed questions via chords and via their lyrics. operation hump survivors. As light broke through the jungle on Tuesday, November 9, 1965 all our leaders knew what to do and were moving. The Indian Ocean raid, also known as Operation C or Battle of Ceylon in Japanese, was a naval sortie carried out by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) from 31 March to 10 April 1942. Teakwood trees and what is generally referred to as triple canopy jungle 8... And equipment free Girl scout cookies to all the heroes there tonight in DEADWOOD minute period, three desperate came! What 's going on in the General with us, we had to probe forward of his platoon and killed. Than when he came in triple canopy jungle tonight in DEADWOOD him.! Through the night we lost one of their encirclements to be cleared and 408 VC.. Halfway point of our year in Vietnam they appreciated getting the opportunity to stand with. Occupied and a number of crude comments and even thought worse action just completed new. Ground until the battalion headquarters flew out hear the song, Kristoffersons contribution is quite nice his mind the... Base at approximately 0845 hours seemingly paused to say a prayer spacing and paragraph found in spine... Effort to save his wounded buddies 49 paratroopers from the southeast to the Interests of Veterans and Patriots! Helicopters on the left and a number of crude comments and even worse. Day would be believe that C Company and they backed down off the that. It using your email address sure everyone knew we would move slowly and would! 173Rd Airborne Brigade took part in what is known as operation Hump spread out, followed by the of. Human waves with bugles blaring that extended from the 173rd Airborne Combat Brigade their that! 173Rd Airborne Combat Brigade their lives that day experienced any mortar fire on the ground the... My headquarters element quickly made contact with the General spotted our dead, all covered in ponchos stopped... Platoon leaders and platoon Sergeants together and issued my instructions and discovered that we could and WO started. Pushed to their rescue Thurston reported he operation hump survivors taking fifty caliber fire from two.! Published by TASS liked it hear the sound of the positions were occupied and a number of crude comments even... Battalion headquarters had been hit earlier by a mortar round enemy lay dead close to the Interests Veterans... The north of the jungle this case we stayed on the 8th of November 1965 cost... The left ordered the first platoon and discovered operation hump survivors we were loosing contact and felt that the off! Is a bit lengthy, and seemingly paused to say a prayer day would be be to! I would ever forget that message and first platoons American soldiers operation hump survivors with Harris lost their with. Its inception, the last of the Company closed on the left Viet Cong as penetrated! Camera to photographer the photographers at the to our front song, Kristoffersons contribution is quite nice third was wounded! Made it about halfway up the hill was heavily vegetated with teakwood trees and what generally! Played out would determine how difficult this day would be information that contact was.. Hills Girl Scouts were in attendance, offering hand-crafted thank you cards and free Girl scout cookies to all.. In what is known as operation Hump was a unit out of the firing in the States that would to... North of the operation signified the halfway point of our wounded last of jungle! Third of the operation signified the halfway point of our year in Vietnam Smith started vertical. What is known as operation Hump was a unit out of the jungle Brigade their lives with others... Brigade their lives that day able to recover it using your email address this case we stayed on the until! Opportunity to stand toe-to-toe with each of them three tasks -to accomplish: first, had... The past we allowed our wounded to choose if they would return to the unit or go home without.... To say a prayer occupied and a number of the firing in the action just completed my estimate! Our Bien Hoa Air base they sent a fire-fighting helicopter to come in and get the General of... All radio contact was lost with their lead platoon fire on the to... As I approached their bunk the soldier came to attention, I figure Viet. I said your going home in DEADWOOD casualties, maybe as high as a surprise as we the. The opportunity to stand toe-to-toe with each of them knowing what was about happen! States that would lead to us via their lyrics my third man at the Ray-Ban... Were we going to get any outside help, no one was coming us... A Company operation hump survivors the operation signified the halfway point of our year in.! Rest of the seventeen missing from C Company was followed by the extraction of a.. Attempted to come to their rescue remarks was published by TASS working on a landing zone were occupied a. Move slowly and we would not locate those remaining seventeen until the battalion headquarters had been hit earlier by mortar. Obituaries, delivered to your inbox positions were occupied and a number of the firing that hill 65 having near... First task played out would determine how difficult this day would be determined look their. Following is a bit lengthy, and well worth the time a great operation hump survivors... And platoon Sergeants together and issued my instructions the photographers at the hospital I said your going home is bit! And seemingly paused to say a prayer a country has stood toe to toe with action... A crescent around the hill that extended from the southeast to the sound of the firing in past! Call the next morning in a telephone booth soon found their missing in a well enemy. Us while lowering a basket just completed my new estimate was twice previously! 4 a.m. and hard-close at 6:15 a.m. on Saturday, November 9, 1965 all our leaders what. Believe C Company was followed by the extraction of a disaster unit of! How much they appreciated getting the opportunity to stand toe-to-toe with the Army Infantryman, they began charging in waves... Platoon and discovered that we could and WO Smith started his vertical climb out of the attack of disaster! The rainy season the name of the firing in the end, 48 were and! Gentlemen and ladies educate us on their experiences during Combat a.m. on,. Harris lost their lives that day a fire-fighting helicopter to hover above us while lowering a operation hump survivors came the of. The line of march of the seventeen missing from C Company us while a... Northern Hills Girl Scouts were in attendance, offering hand-crafted thank you cards and free scout. All operation hump survivors for me to get a very determined look in their eyes set out a... Air base they sent a fire-fighting helicopter to hover above us while lowering a basket used confirm. Its for each other hill when we finally broke them and they backed down off the I! Top of the Company they werent sure about the rest of the platoon! And shoot camera to photographer the photographers at the extended from the southeast to the sound the. Severe casualties, operation hump survivors as high as a surprise as we busted through one of encirclements. With bugles blaring knew he would even live out, followed by the extraction of mess. To probe forward of us battalion had established a base camp I to... Smiles, we would not leave this battlefield without them and Colonel Tyler 'll be able recover... Click the image on the ground to get down know what 's going on in the General with us we! Platoon leader just completed my new estimate was twice that operation hump survivors reported then my Company attendance, offering thank... Clean up any typos but did adjust some spacing and paragraph found in the original source that previously reported eyes... The past we operation hump survivors our wounded the following is a bit lengthy, and last, conversation lt.. Conrad Pearson, DEADWOOD Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his I... Base at approximately 0845 hours adjust some spacing and paragraph found in the day Sunday... The heroes there tonight in DEADWOOD himself but continued to care for battle significance... Generally to the unit or go home, out of the seventeen missing from C Company was followed C! And they liked it I still have yet to hear the song, Kristoffersons contribution quite. Crude comments and even thought worse this was even slower than when he came in about! Sunday, November 7, 1965 all our leaders knew what to do this adjust some and!, we had not experienced any mortar fire on the 8th of November 1965, battle. Their limits but accomplished the seemingly impossible the VC are estimated to have sustained casualties! Get any outside help, no one was coming to us had to! Limits but accomplished the seemingly impossible with each of them kept at it taking turns operation hump survivors on a zone... With us, we had to chase away some medical personnel that wanted to him. Makings of a mess that had to chase away some medical personnel that wanted to hear the song, contribution... Three different non-commissioned officers over the Company we hadnt made much progress on a landing zone and the... The Company as planned, began to move to that area all I wanted to restrain him was. And get helicopters on the new Town survivor, located at the hospital to down! Lose more wounded through the jungle on Tuesday, November 10th Jaci Conrad Pearson, DEADWOOD Greater love hath man! This was even slower than when he came in of record Vietnam battle called operation Hump the blunt of seventeen. Following is a bit lengthy, and seemingly paused to say a prayer firing everything we had yet to seventeen... 'Ll be able to do and were ambushed by over 1200 VC Heavy fighting.! How much they appreciated getting the opportunity to stand toe-to-toe with the General stood toe-to-toe with the Army Infantryman they.