long binh attack 1969

Part 2 nya min . Viet Cong attack on Tan Son Nhut Air Base (1966) From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. The ARVN units swiftly moved into blocking positions, and by daybreak, the PAVN/VC were surrounded. The 228th per DA consolidated orders of 1970 was "confirmed" as being awarded an MUC for time period 15 February 1969 - 15 August 1969, as was the 277th and other units/sections under its command { HHC . Among the family members present were his son and grandson, John L. Levitow III. Photo of the famous Saigon Taxi. I try to control what I say, although for the most part, Im very quiet. On 8 February patrols from 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines found 7 122mm rockets 14km southwest of Da Nang and another 13 140mm rockets 2km further south. The 199th later became known as the "Redcatchers" for its mission objectiveto seek out and destroy Communist cadres in Vietnam. 21 July 1969 - Rheault, Marasco, and others transferred to Long Binh Jail (LBJ). In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. Background. "On the second firing pass, the mortars firing on Long Binh were silenced." The attack lifted momentarily, and the gunship began dropping flares to provide illumination . The battle area was quickly illuminated by large spotlights supplemented with dozens of flares fired by our artillery. Shopping Cart | Aerial view of (USARV) United States Army Republic of Vietnam Headquarters Complex at Long Binh, Vietnam. He had a serious leg wound and was evacuated to the field hospital across the street from my barracks. June The second of two new outpost's was built on the western end of the Finger Of Land. Location: Long Binh Vietnam. Edward Fuzie, the flight engineer] were knocked to the floor and the flare was knocked out of my hands. Im very careful what I do, he said in an oral history interview in 1986. United States and South Vietnamese forces responded with . The U.S. created an Afghan air force that was too technologically advanced for its native country to sustain, then pulled the rug out from under it, according to a U.S. government inspector general report. 99-08 286 ) DATE ) ) On appeal from the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in St. Louis, Inside the aircraft is a mannequin of Levitow, struggling to get the flare to the door. 1971 serving with the 95th Military Police Battalion. The Air Force sent a C-54 to Hartford to pick up him, his wife, and his parents and take them to Washington. Seventh Air Force, among others, expressed concern that transmissions might be intercepted and give warning of the gunships approach to the enemy. So here I was, wounds and all, finally managed to stand up and Im lifting 140-pound ammo cans and stuffing them between the guns [so they would not] go flying all around and really hurt somebody, Levitow said. SUMMARY: On December 17, 1968, a 39-vehicle convoy from the 48th Transportation Group was moving ammunition and food between Long Binh and Dau Tieng, South Vietnam when the lead vehicles were suddenly hit by mortar fire. The resultant damage was a hole two feet in diameter through the wing and over 3,500 shrapnel holes riddling the fuselage, said Lt. Col. Robert A. Davidson, commander of the AC-47 forward operating location at Bien Hoa. So proficient had I become at this task that I had acquired the nickname Lieutenant Bullets. Officially, however, I was an ammunition stock control officer in the Army Ordnance Corps. They tell me that I had 40 pieces of shrapnel in me at the time, Levitow said. The gunship, situated on the lawn of the museum, was dedicated in October 2004. My Lightboxes | independent documentary Letters from Long Binh. Another typist gives MPC currency notes to the soldiers. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Nov. 17, 2000. South Vietnamese woman 1969 Sep 15, 2017. . [4]:98, At dawn PAVN sappers attacked the 1st Marine Division headquarters on Hill 327 and the 2/7 Marines command post to the northwest. The squad came under an immediate rain of grenades, automatic weapons fire and rocket propelled grenades from an entrenched enemy platoon hidden in the top of the berm. The villagers met elements of the South Vietnamese 5th Marine Battalion, the 3rd Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment, 18th Division and the 3rd Squadron, 5th Armored Cavalry moving on the road less than a half mile from Thai Hiep in response to the contact at the air base. But a battle was waiting instead. Levitow also gave Enlisted Heritage Hall his fathers uniform and ribbons, the original Medal of Honor citation signed by President Nixon, photos, and other memorabilia. 472.6.8 Records of the U.S. Army Central Finance and Accounting Office, Vietnam. Long Binh Post was situated East of Bien Hoa and approximately 20 miles northeast of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City.) (Vietnam War period). If I got stopped drinking and driving, its going to say, Medal of Honor Drunk. I realize that. A change of command at 2nd Field Force Artillery Headquarters at Long Binh, Vietnam. Shrapnel and jagged shards of metal ricocheted through the cargo bay, and a shock wave from the explosion swept the interior of the airplane. I consider the fact that the aircraft was able to fly at all a miracle, Carpenter said. This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps. Vit Trinh thng hiu tht l trn Vit Trinh, sinh ngy 27 mon 11 nm 1972, l con gi din vin nng lng in nh, tn dn chng trnh, o din vi gim kho ngi vit Nam. DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press. Let us know if you remember Steve as we seek more information and photos to make a MyPage for him. With usual soldier directness the driver divulged the ominous news: Sir, were gonna get hit tonight, so youre gonna need your helmet, flak jacket and rifle., A Viet Cong deserter had warned South Vietnamese officials on Feb.19 that an attack would occur on Feb. 22, but Long Binh didnt get the word until the day of the planned assault. 23 February, Attack on Long Binh Post The rumors of an impending attack became fact when at 0200 hours [2:00 AM] the first enemy rockets soared across the eastern end of the TAOR and landed on Long Binh Post. He worked in "The Iron Triangle" included Phu loi, Ton sahn Nut, and Long B. Most of us were "Regular Army," almost a year into a 3-year hitch. More recently, Enlisted Heritage Hall obtained a surplus C-47 and converted it to a mock-up of an AC-47, with the colors and markings that Spooky 71 bore in February 1969. On 19 February, a defector surrendered to Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) forces and revealed a large VC force would attack key installations in the Saigon area to include Long Binh Post.Unfortunately, the reporting was delayed and did not reach Long Binh until the morning of 22 February 1969, the day the defector . At that instant the flare separated and ignited in the air, but clear of the aircraft.. Slow fire was 3,000 rounds a minute each, or fast fire which was 6,000 rounds a minute each. Partway through the mission he had come forward and was talking to the flight crew when the action unfolded that night. NEW on HistoryNet: Attack on Long Binh, a 1969 Viet Cong attack on a US logistics base in Vietnam #VietnamWar http://trib.al/poYUWdo Brigadier General Francis J. Roberts addresses troops. I was a ticket office supervisor with several Vietnamese and Chinese-Vietnamese women reservations/ticket agents. TAOR With the enemy still in force south of the Buong River there remained the continuing threat of additional ground, rocket and heavy mortar attacks against Long Binh Post.. Battalion TOC still considered the eastern sector as the weak spot of the TAOR, so they called for a strong-point (outpost) to be constructed on the Finger of Land just to the west of the abandoned tank on the crest of . The base was host to US Army Headquarters. c chuyn cho qun i Ukraine 1.000 v kh chng xe tng v 500 ha tin di t - trn khng Typ/kiu Stinger (bo vc dch l : tn la t i khng).c cng ng thun cho Holland chuyn cho qun Ukraine 400 Panzerfaeuste/ v kh chng xe tng v cc v kh khc do c ch . Danil_1969 4 ting trc. And that they would already have been shot three or four times before they got there. The cavalry troopers also stumbled onto a large tunnel complex not more than a mile from our perimeter. The miniguns fired four rounds of invisible ball bullets followed by one tracer round, but the bullets came so fast they looked like a continuous red stream. The loadmaster on Spooky 71 was A1C John L. Levitow, 23, from Glastonbury, Conn. Instructions to promote Levitow to sergeant without regard to skill level had not been followed. Jim Van Eldik, who kept count of ammunition from an office at the Long Binh logistics complex, spent the battle in a defensive position along the edge of the building, far from the fighting. Levitows hometown, Glastonbury, dedicated a memorial to him on the town green May 31, 2004. Trans primary motivations seem quite similar to our own: eating and getting home. The Medal of Honor was presented to John L. Levitow at the White House by President Nixon on May 14, 1970. I had a real tough time grabbing hold of it with two hands because of the pain in my leg and everything. Clip Type: Unedited. John L. Levitow. He showed up for his typical night shift at the office. In the interest of security - and to ease communications - the army centralized Saigon's American forces in 1967 by stationing them all at an enormous compound built just outside of the city. If you like this movie trailer, go to https://militaryvideo.com/ to purchase the entire 60 minute video. Jim Van Eldik is a retired Army lieutenant colonel. Levitow and one of the gunners, Sgt. Three B Company ambush squads were positioned along the eastern end of the TAOR on the "Finger Of Land," and a reinforced squad of twelve MP's, including two Scout Dog handlers from the 212th MP Company, were positioned on Hill-15 along the Buong River. The attack lifted momentarily, and the gunship began dropping flares to provide illumination requested by a nearby ground unit. The attacks on Bin Ha, Bien Hoa Air Base and Long Binh Post, occurred during the early hours of 31 January 1968 and continued until 2 February 1968. Under Col. Robert Smoker, Task Force 99s new commander, the unit will continue to try to cut through red tape and field new systems quickly. Carpenter rolled the gunship wings level and began his run on the mortar positions. Additional South Vietnamese Regional Force elements moved in and the ARVN troops continued to contain the PAVN/VC forces until 11:00 when assault forces, in the form of the ARVN 36th Ranger Battalion, reinforced the contact. Note the attacking Skyhawk in the lower right and one directly left of the explosions on the bridge. Small-arms fire opened up in his path. It led the way for the more powerful AC-119 and AC-130 gunships that came later. Vehicles drive past on roads between the Long Binh Post area. . (Vietnam War period). Note: Your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. The research for this After Action Report included OPERATIONAL REPORTS, DAILY STAFF JOURNALS and DUTY OFFICER S LOGS at the Battalion, Brigade and Division levels located in the National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001. The attack continued into 27 February when the Marines overran the PAVN resulting in a total of more than 200 killed. I couldnt walk. The Long Binh/Bien Hoa complex was huge, with thousands of soldiers and airmen assigned to the combined logistics complex and air base. Spooky was flying at about 3,500 feet. Thought to be in retaliation for Chuyen's disappearance. The idea was quite unsettling. Tet 1969 refers to the attacks mounted by the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong (VC) in February 1969 in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, one year after the original Tet Offensive.. A sign reads 'Headquarters II Field Force Vietnam Artillery'. Top graduates of Air Force Airman Leadership Schools receive the Levitow Honor Graduate Award. After the massive casualties it suffered during the vicious battles in 1966 and 1967, and especially due to the division's disastrous . I realize that what I say will be represented not only as a Vietnam veteran but as a Medal of Honor recipient, and the media will have a field day. Night was approaching as Spooky 71, an AC-47 gunship, took off from Bien Hoa Air Base, a few miles northwest of Saigon. Except for the eruptions from our perimeter bunkers, the entire battlefield seemed devoid of peopleat least people who could be seen. See Long Binh photos and images from satellite below, explore the aerial photographs of Long Binh in Vietnam. (Vietnam War period). Hamby advises McIntosh to . If it ignited, it would quickly fill the aircraft with toxic smoke, incapacitating the entire crew. One of the MP ambush squads held a position within a kilometer of the VC stronghold. Thoughts now turned to what we should do if we came face to face with the enemy. Visitors can also watch a videotape of Carpenter and John Levitow Jr. talking about the Medal of Honor mission. Upon arrival, we observed a large battle going on in the south and east perimeters of the base, Carpenter said. Day scenes show soldiers defending positions and firing at the enemy. Excerpt from 1st Aviation Brigade Newsletter: The VC attack at Long Binh was directed at the 12th Combat Aviation Group and II Field Force Vietnam. Supported videos include: Ike originally intended these dominos to represent Chinas neighbors such as North and South Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia, but it was not long before some believed that places like Cuba, Angola, Chile, Peru, Michigan and South Carolina would also be on the list. Video TikTok t Thnh Long Jr (@thlongjr): "Bn tng xem qua v phim attack on Titan bao gi cha? #anime #attackontitan". The typist soldier types on the form with a type-writer. I was experiencing what soldiers for more than half a century referred to as the empty battlefield. Modern battlefield weapons had become so lethal that to expose oneself, even for an instant, to their fire was tantamount to suicide. Soldiers of the 221st Signal Company Vietnam have military payment certificates (MPC) exchanged at their headquarters in Long Binh Vietnam as part of a country wide general order. I worked for Pan American Airways and lived with the 99th Replacement Battallion across from USARV Headquarters in Long Binh from October 1969 through December 1969. When it finally ended with the assistance of several Cobra gunbships, 23 enemy dead were discovered. Spookys operators had successfully resisted pressure to change the call sign. nhc nn - Mo One Piece - Thnh Long Jr. . From there, I had a good view of the perimeter and the rapidlyunfolding battle. Binh chng c cng l binh chng chin u c bit tinh nhu ca Qun i nhn dn Vit Nam, do B Tng tham mu Qun i nhn dn Vit Nam trc tip qun l v ch o. He flew as a crewman on C-130s for a short tour, then went to Vietnam to fly on AC-47s. Duration: 2 min 9 sec. Location of service: Long Binh Post THOSE WHO SERVED To mark the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first U.S. ground troops in Vietnam, the Quad-City Times is profiling two dozen war veterans. Then there was a blinding flash and the aircraft was rocked from nose to tail by a violent explosion. 11 November SP/4s Jared Kelley and John R. Klemm, tend to their gear during a recon mission in the Tactical Area Of Responsibility. My driver arrived at the usual time, a little before sundown, on Feb. 22, for my 12-hour graveyard shift at the 1st Logistics Command headquarters. He had been nominated for the Medal of Honorat Carpenters urging, Gen. George S. Brown, the 7th Air Force commander, had marked the recommendation up from an Air Force Crossand he was no longer allowed to fly in combat. He delivered the keynote address. Ahead of the release of Pentagons 2024 budget release in the coming weeks, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin touted major investments by the DOD across a broad array of portfolios, including the nuclear triad, space, and next-generation fighter aircraftwhile promising once-in-a-generation expenditures for shipyards and munitions manufacturing in particular. The 64-year-old Army veteran died suddenly of a heart attack. Dailymotion, Full-scale sweeping operations to secure the perimeter began just after noon that day. I crawled to the location of the flare. Week of December 12-18, 2021: Heroism Amidst an Ambush, December 17, 1968. Privacy Policy | Links Johanalvheey 1 ting trc. [4]:99100, PAVN/VC retreating to the south from Da Nang were intercepted by elements of the 1st Marine Regiment and ARVN 1st Battalion, 51st Regiment 11km south of Da Nang losing 139 dead in 3 days of fighting. (Vietnam War period). Battle At The Rifle Range. Dennis Yenser checks in about Sapper Attack story. During the Vietnam War, Long Binh Post was the U.S. Army's largest base located in the former South Vietnam. Seriously wounded were, SSG Slaven the squad leader, SP/4 Robert Cressman, PFC Larry W. Holton, and CPL Lee Van Muon, their Popular Forces Interpreter. The two huge U.S. bases dripped firepowerdozens of batteries of field artillery, large calibers and small, rows and rows of helicopter gunships and jet fighters loaded to the gills with the most lethal ordnance the world has ever seen, dozens of M113 armored personnel carriers with powerful .50-caliber machine guns manned by surly military police, and, of course, hundreds of trigger-happy clerks and truck drivers, not necessarily eager, but most definitely ready, for action. I am interested in corresponding with any Black Scarf soldiers who . An injured North Vietnamese soldier fighting with the Viet Cong, Pvt. Soldiers lined inside the building waiting for their number. I heard that five American soldiers were killed and some 30 wounded. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. Many of the tracers bounced off the ground like rubber balls. Privacy Policy2023 CriticalPast LLC. A battalion of the 274th Viet Cong Main Force (VCMF) Regiment of the 5 North Vietnamese Army (NVA) Division, attacked the southern perimeter of Long Binh Post. Hide. It was thrown out of the aircraft and floated to the ground on a parachute, burning for as long as three minutes with an intensity of two million candlepower and making daylight over a square mile or so. A soldier counts his notes at the typist's desk. I am the historian for the 11th Armored Cavalry Veterans of Vietnam and Cambodia (11th ACVVC). Shortly before midnight the entire perimeter lit up with machine gun fire. All was relatively quiet until approximately 11:30 p.m., when suddenly a string of 82 mm mortar rounds marched directly across our end of the headquarters complex. About Us | Dense blue smoke was pouring out of the burning flare fuze.. Im not going to bring shame on either the medal or myself, so I do watch it very carefully.. 105837N 1064955E / . Tet Offensive attack on Long Binh and Bien Hoa 31 January 1968.jpg . Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. To the Air Forces embarrassment, a hero was not eligible to re-enlist. Interestingly, the only thing that came readily to mind was a small sign I discovered at one of the outdoor latrines set back in the woods: ALL TERDS [sic.] Long Binh/Bien Hoa. If you like this movie trailer, go to https://militaryvideo.com/ to purchase the entire 60 minute video. Things quieted down for a while. Amazingly five or six Viet Cong actually did sneak into the compound, but, luckily or unluckily for my sake, depending on the outcome, not in my area. Levitow had joined the Air Force in June 1966, some 20 days ahead of being drafted into the Army. Viet Cong sappers infiltrated the base and lay in long grass between the runways for several hours before placing their satchel charges. On 29 October the Viet Cong attacked the South Vietnamese district capital of Loc Ninh, ran up the flag of the National Liberation Front, and tried to hold the city. On the other hand, one is left to ponder what affect seeding the battlefield or, even better, seeding the Ho Chi Minh Trail itself with C-ration packets of the despicable Ham and Lima Beans might have had. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. The view is from the compound of the 20. Spooky 71 had gone as far as it was going. (true?/false? In 1998, Air Mobility Command named a C-17 Globemaster, The Spirit of Sgt. Military aviation and technology are ever-changing, from the prevalence of drones to a shift to jets for special mission surveillance, once the province of propeller aircraft. Remember: Using others' images on the web without their permission may be bad manners, or worse, copyright infringement. The award-winning exhibit, designed by curator William I. Chivalette, includes a lifelike mannequin of Levitow, paintings, photographs, uniform items, and artifacts. The VC attacks on Bien Hoa and the Long Binh complex were abject failures, due in part to the fact that on January 31, 1968, they had run into the Panthers of the 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry. 44th Medical Brigade Headquarters Long Binh 1969.jpeg 2,079 1,716; 209 KB. The rocket and mortar attacks on the bases picked up when darkness fell. ElyRatner, assistant secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, discussed how China continues to prod the U.S. and challenge stability in region, even as, The entire F-35 fleet is slated to get the retrofit engine maker Pratt & Whitney has identified to mitigate the problem that led to suspended deliveries and flight restrictions for some aircraft for nearly two monthsa move that will affect hundreds of fighters globally. Dedicated to those who were there. At the end of his tour in Vietnam, Levitow was assigned to Norton AFB, Calif., as a loadmaster on C-141s. Intelligence had indicators of the pending attacks. The nomination package included statements from Carpenter and most of the crew. I hated it. More to his liking, he went home to Connecticut and became a medical administration officer in the VA hospital system and special assistant to the chief of Medical Administration Service in New England. . Two stints one for 6 months and another for 7. Among those present was Carpenter, the commander of Spooky 71, now retired and living in Marshall, Tex. He was 55. When we were hit, all of us [Owen, Levitow, Sgt. In my case it was my unusual ability to count. The next day, I was promoted to E-4, retroactive nine months with pay, Levitow said, but by then, he had decided to take an early out. It was Feb. 24, 1969, and the second day of the Tet counteroffensive. More than 500 airmen attended the funeral, and most of them followed the caisson to the grave site. Grabbing my helmet and flak jacket (and finding that, after sitting on the shelf for several months, neither would fit properly), I departed with my Jeep driver for the Logistics Commands large yellow headquarters building. Numerous bases were attacked, these attacks were all beaten back but did inflict casualties and reinforced the fact that PAVN/VC forces were able to mount attacks at will. Color: Color. The medics cut away the dead and contaminated flesh to prevent infection, and Levitow was flown to the big Air Force hospital at Tachikawa, Japan, where 40 pieces of shrapnel were removed between his knee and his hip. [4]:100, After dawn on 23 February a VC unit was detected near the Ha Vang District and the Marine security force killed 6 and captured 2 and forced the rest of the unit to retreat into a cemetery where they were attacked by the ARVN 21st Ranger Battalion the next day losing a further 57 killed. Spooky 71 flew with a crew of eight. c, Holland h tr v kh cho Ukraine. Since my finger was through the safety pin ring the safety pin was pulled.. 1st Signal Brigade 1966-1972, Saigon, Long Binh VISIT HOME PAGE 101st Airborne Division 1965-1971, Bien Hoa, Phan Rang, Phu Bai VISIT HOME PAGE 9th Infantry Division 1966-1969, Bear Cat, Dong Tam Stephen Hugh Lane SP5 Lead Clerk Jan 1969 to Sep 1970, MOS 67N20 has checked in and joined the 3/4 Cav Chapter. remembrance of shared experience. An ambush platoon reaction team that was held in ready reserve was assigned to conduct a sweep of the tree line where the post perimeter had received heavy enemy fire from during the early morning attack. It was another hot February day in 1969 at the sprawling Long Binh logistics base about 20 miles northeast of Saigon. Contact Us | (I was a big-shot first lieutenant and chauffeured to work.) The Long Binh Army post, adjacent to Spookys home base at Bien Hoa, was under mortar attack. Vietnam Da Nang 2 Vietnam Dong Tranh River 2 Vietnam French Indo China 7 Vietnam Khe Sanh 13 Vietnam Long Binh 3 Vietnam Phan Rang Air Base 18. Just after 16:00 US Air Force F-100s and F-4s along with Republic of Vietnam Air Force A-1 Skyraiders were directed against the PAVN/VC positions in the village. . It was modified from the C-47 transport aircraft, plenty of which were available. . Furthermore, the flare would be burning at a temperature of 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit. I was a 2nd Lieutenant, on my second night in Vietnam when the attack on Long Bing Post began at 2 AM. I then looked back to see a flare that had slid up against the cans of 19,000 rounds of ammunition, Platt said. The spilled ammunition19,000 rounds of it by Platts estimatewould start cooking off in seconds. Terms & Conditions | About 85 per cent of the force was estimated to be PAVN soldiers. I must add, though, that from a different perspective the battle I witnessed in Vietnam was exactly the same as those I had seen in movies: One was just as unreal as the other. Navy) This was a bit disconcerting. The Tet 1969 offensive was carried out mostly by Viet Cong irregulars. Airman Levitow was setting [the ejection and ignition dials] and handing me the flares, Owen said. Records relating to the Christmas mail program, 1969-72. N Vietnamese forces overrun and capture Phuoc Binh City, Phuoc Long Prov capital, after wklong siege, striking significant psychological blow to S Vietnamese Govt; loss of town, with population . --- and so it went for lots of the fighting in Vietnam. Passing of colors to the new commander. . Copyright 2023. Soldiers counting the notes. For the next six hours, Spooky 71 would fly a combat air patrol circuit over the Saigon/Tan Son Nhut area, ready to respond wherever its fire support was needed. [1], The VC made several attempts to advance on the base, but were halted. Mini-Tet 1969 Begins February 23, 1969. My Account | After years of Army training one cannot help but itch for a shot at the enemy, especially when all the advantages are on ones own side. An ammunition dump at Long Binh, Vietnam. We had no bunkers. OVER 30 POUNDS IN WEIGHT MUST BE LOWERED BY ROPE. With no clear idea of what to do in combat, I would have to improvise. [4]:101. The video has no narration. The Spooky 71 crew could see mortar tube flashes about one mile south of the area of the earlier attack. Levitows Medal of Honor is prominently displayed at Enlisted Heritage Hall. It was also called Dragonship and Puff the Magic Dragon (after a song, then popular, by Peter, Paul, and Mary) but went mostly by Spooky, the call sign with which it flew its missions. This region includes ten provinces: Binh Duong, Binh Hyua, Binh Long, Binh Tuy, Hau Nghia, Long An, Long Kahnh, Phuoc Long, Phuac Tuy Tay Ninh. aring, as AH-1 Cobra helicopter gunships began strafing the battlefield with 7.62 mm minigun bullets fired at the rate of about 4,000 rounds per minute. At most, there would be 20 seconds before it exploded. Back in the States, the aircraft had been fitted with a tank inside the fuselage to hold isopropyl alcohol. Includes captions and a music soundtrack. Pan Am had a ticket office on base. Photos (51) by Lou Mengoli, 1967. The series of assaults met heavy resistance by the battalion of PAVN who had turned the villagers sandbagged shelters into a series of well-fortified defensive positions. As of 1969 Lieutenant General Do Cao Tri's III CTZ . It was full until ruptured in the battle. Thomas Baer, the other gunner, and SSgt. The attacks were repulsed with the VC/PAVN suffering heavy losses, having inflicted . It was used as a base of operation for the increased ambush and reconnaissance patrols conducted in the uninhabited eastern end of the TAOR. Mr. Cook served with the 1st Infantry Division, 2-16th Infantry, as a 1st Lieutenant in the Long Binh area of Vietnam. The flare posed a deadly danger in several ways. Retired Army Col. Paris Davis, 83, stood in the East Room of the White House on Friday as President Joe Biden draped the Medal of Honor around his neck, nearly six decades after he saved the lives of three fellow troops during the Vietnam War.. A U.S. 2nd Field Force soldier poses. Thus, my daily mission (with the aid of my eight-man crew) was to account for all the ammunition in South Vietnam, at least every round not yet in the hands of the fighting troops. I felt as if someone had taken a two-by-four and squarely hit me against the whole right-hand side of my body, Levitow said later. Most attacks centered on military targets near Saigon and Da Nang and were quickly beaten off. License Agreement | These units made occasional contact, often with PAVN or VC who fought stubbornly from trenches and spider holes. A soldier counts his notes at the typist's desk. "Project CHECO Southeast Asia Report #105 - Special Report: The Fourth Offensive - 23 February-3 April 1969", Cold War International History Project's Cold War Files, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tet_1969&oldid=1142428918, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 09:26.