|
|
SGT. FREDERICK C. BRANDER
(As long as one of us lives - Fred Brander will be honored and remembered.)
 SGT Fred C. Brander as a young E-5 who already wears a combat patch. |
 |
| Brander arrived at Fort Campbell, KY in 1967 and was assigned to A Company. He went with A Company to Vietnam, December 1967. We received word that Top is no longer with us. See his In Memory page here. |
| Awards and Decorations Silver Star, with 1 Oak Leaf Clusters Bronze Star, with V and 7 Oak Leaf Clusters Purple Hearts, with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters Army Commendation Medal with V and 4 Oak Leaf Clusters Air Medal, 2 Awarded Occupation Medal, Germany World War II Victory Medal Good Conduct Medal, 7 Awarded Vietnam Gallantry Cross, with Silver Star Vietnam Gallantry Cross, with Bronze Star Vietnamese Honor Medal 2nd Class Vietnamese Staff Service Medal Vietnam Service Medal, with 16 Stars Vietnam Campaign Medal Unit Citations Valorous Unit Award, with 1 Oak Leaf Clusters Meritorious Unit Award Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, with Palm Vietnamese Civic Action Medal |
History of an Airborne Soldier
| Fred Brander enlisted in the Army in January 1946 at the age of
seventeen. After basic training, he went to Germany on occupation
duty with Company B, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry
Division. He returned to the US in 1949 and had a break in service. In
October 1949, he re-enlisted and served with various units, until
1951, when he volunteered for the Airborne Ranger Companies. He remained
in the Ranger Training Command, with the 7th Ranger Company (Airborne)
until deactivation of the Ranger Companies in August 1951. In 1952, Brander was sent to Germany again, and served four and one half years with the 6th Infantry Regiment in Berlin. He returned to the US with orders for the 82nd Airborne Division, but was diverted to the 101st Airborne Division. He was initially assigned to Company E, 508th Airborne, then to HHC, 506th Airborne Battle Group, He was later reassigned to Company E, 506th. In mid 1961 He transferred to Company D, 327th Battle Group. In 1962 He transferred to Company E, 327th Brigade. In mid 1963 He went to Korea for one year. Upon return from Korea in 1964 He was assigned to HHC, 1/506 as Recon Platoon Sgt. In 1965 He volunteered for the 1st Brigade, and was assigned to C/1/327 as the 2nd Platoon Sgt. In June 1965 He deployed with the unit and went to Vietnam aboard the "Leroy S Eltinge", a luxury liner chartered by Department of Defense. Brander remained with C/1/327 until March 1966. He then went to MACV and was assigned as an advisor to the RVN 37th Ranger Battalion. He returned to the US in September 1965 and rejoined the 101st Airborne Division. He was initially assigned to HHC 2/501 as Recon Platoon Sgt, Upon promotion to E-8 was assigned to A/2/501 as First Sergeant and deployed with the unit to Vietnam in December 1967. He remained with A/2/501 until March 1969. In March 1969 He extended his tour and was assigned as an advisor to the Vietnamese Airborne Division. He remained in this assignment until his retirement in Vietnam in February 1973. He remained in Vietnam as a civilian until November 1974. In 1974 Brander went to Singapore and was employed by a company named Offshore Navigation Inc. The company provided navigation for offshore oil survey, positioning of offshore oil rigs, etc. He lived and worked out of Singapore until 1984. He returned to the United States in 1984 and continued to work for Offshore Navigation Inc. He worked in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Burma, Greece, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, East Malaysia, Morocco, New Guinea, New Zealand, Pakistan, Taiwan, Thailand and a few countries in the Persian Gulf. Fred Brander worked as Property Manager for a Real Estate firm from 1990 to 1995, and then went into full retirement. |
| 1SG Frederick C. Brander was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor
(1-OLC) for heroism in ground combat against a hostile force in the
Republic of Vietnam on 11 April 1968. First Sergeant Brander
distinguished himself while serving with Company A, 2d Battalion
(Airmobile), 501st Infantry. Company A was involved in a combat
operation around Phuc Dien, Republic of Vietnam and was able to trap the
enemy force in the village and place a cordon around it. The trapped
enemy Soldiers were trying desperately to break out of the snare and
maintain close contact with the friendly troops so that airstrikes and
artillery fire could not be called in. First Sergeant Brander, with
utter disregard for his own personal safety, raced back and forth along
the edge of the line, encouraging his men and giving directions for
preventing the enemy’s escape. Because of the lace of a secondary force, it was necessary that every man know how to react instantly. As numerous men were wounded, First Sergeant Brander again exposed himself to the intense automatic weapons fire to treat the men and pull them back from the area of contact. When it became obvious to him that some of the men would have to be evacuated, he prepared a medical evacuation landing zone and personally carried a number of the more seriously wounded to the medical evacuation helicopter. First Sergeant Brander’s exceptional valor is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army. |
| 25 April 1967 1SG Frederick C. Brander was awarded the Army Commendation Medal with Valor for heroism in the Republic of Vietnam on 25 April 1968. First Sergeant Brander distinguished himself while serving as First Sergeant, Company A, 2d Battalion, 501st Infantry, during a combat operation near the village, the lead platoon of Company A was taken under heavy small arms and rocket propelled grenade fire, wounding two men. With complete disregard for his own safety, First Sergeant Brander went immediately to the platoon in contact and in order to free the element leaders of the platoon for their combat mission, First Sergeant Brander assumed the responsibility for treatment and evacuation of the wounded. Before the fighting had ceased, First Sergeant Brander had evacuated four men to a secure landing zone and supervised the helicopter evacuation. First Sergeant Brander’s personal bravery and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army. |
| Brander earned the Air Medal for meritorious achievement while
participating in aerial flight in the Republic of Vietnam. (HQ, 101st
Airborne Division; General Order Number 7861; 29 June 1969) National Defense Service Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Clusters |
 General Abram - 1st Sgt Brander - Colonel Cushman - General Barsanti - South Vietnam, March 1968 |
|
1SG Frederick C. Brander (A/2-501 IN) action in combat earned him the Purple Heart for wounds sustained as a result of enemy or hostile actions. |
 |
|
1SG Frederick C. Brander was awarded the Silver Star Medal for gallantry in action in the Republic of Vietnam on 19 February 1968. First Sergeant Brander distinguished himself while serving with Company A, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 501st Infantry. Company A was on combat operation near the village of Thon Thuan, Republic of Vietnam. First SergeantBrander was with the point platoon on the sweep, when two men in khaki uniforms were spotted running into a hut, and the platoon moved on line and began to take them under fire. The platoon advanced approximately twenty meters when a tremendous volume of automatic weapons and machine gun fire from a hedgerow fifty meters to the front halted the advance. The volume of fire was so heavy that it was practically impossible to maneuver. One man was killed with the initial burst of fire, and in order to give cover to a medic that rushed to his aid, First Sergeant Brander exposed himself to the brutal fire. Moving first from the right flank to the left flank, First Sergeant Brander, continuing to give covering fire for the medic, placed a heavy volume of fire on the enemy, constantly braving the enemy fire to give encouragement to his men and direct their fire and movement. Moving out in front of the slowly advancing line of men, First Sergeant Brander threw smoke grenades in order to cover his movements and to permit a faster advance on the enemy positions. Still moving back and forth along the line of advance, First Sergeant Brander was helping to evacuate the wounded and men killed in the action when he was wounded by a burst of machine gun fire. His extraordinary courage and physical stamina were an inspiration to all those in the unit. First Sergeant Brander’s exceptional valor at the risk of his own life and dedication to his men is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army. |
 A Company's Originals - Captain Reiss and 1st Sgt. Brander |
| Photo from Floyd Turnley 8/21/2009. One week after the photo was taken, Floyd received word that Clarence A. Clark had passed away. Three weeks later he received word that Fred C. Brander passed away. Several weeks before we received word that Charles S. Quash had passed away. |
 Olson - Kaminski - Clark Turnley - Loosen - Hovis - Lanning - Morgan Brander (Top) Missing from picture: Wade - Whittaker - DeSoucy - Culberson |
| Top, I believe with all my heart that many of us would not be here today if it wasn't for you. Mike Connell |
Top, I agree with Mighty Mouse, when he say that many of us would not be here today if it were not for you and your leadership. I also believe that you should have been awarded the "MH" for your action in our first contact with "Charlie" Your attack on the machine gun that had many of our guys pinned down in that open rice paddy. I don't recall the date but I can still see you moving in from the left to stop the machine gun from firing on our guys. I also remember you shouting, I dare you to fire on my boys, as you attacked the site. I don't know about the others, but seeing you that day gave me the courage I needed. We had some brave troopers, I am very proud to have been part of A Company 2/501st Infantry "Airborne All the way". Dan Evans |
I SAW SOLDIERS CRY TODAY (Poem written by Melanie Brander (Top's daughter)
| We stood before the bronze casket, Draped with the flag down his chest. We all came to tell him good bye And take him to his final rest. There was his wife of fifty three years And three of his four children by her side. Close stood his fellow soldiers With pain in their hearts they couldn’t hide. Those “Red Cap” soldiers brought him home To a less than grateful nation He called those “Red Caps” his kids They knew the enemy they were facing. They went to a distant and far away place So their children could grow up free Some came home broken and bruised A lot of them died for you and for me. So, proud can’t begin to describe how I felt As they told how my dad fought so bravely And pain is so simple a word Of that which only God can save me. So I leaned on those men who called my dad “Uncle Fred” And trembled as Taps was played. I heard the crack of twenty one shots I know where his body was laid. All that, I could stand, though my soul cried out Your parents are suppose to go first! Then I looked at my dad kid’s And knew their tears truly hurt the worst. Those brave soldiers were standing at attention With tears slowly falling down. So different than the joy of a babies laugh The tears of a soldier such a silent, but pain filled sound. I saw soldiers cry today, When they took my dad on his final mission. I think the angels are crying too. You can hear it in the rain, if you just listen. For all the “Red Caps” that called my dad Uncle Fred Thank you bringing him home to us. A grateful daughter. Melanie Brander September 2009 |
 Group Photo |
 |
 Top receiving the Silver Star. - Vietnam, 1968 |
 Purple Heart 68' Award ceremony |
 Award ceremony |
 Award ceremony (Purple Heart) |
Silver Star |
 Award ceremony |
 |
 Lo tho I walk thru the Valley of Death. I will fear no evil. Because I am the baddest mother-fucker there. |
 Fred as a young soldier |
 This award was presented to Top by the men of Alpha Company. Oliver Springs, TN 2003 reunion. |
 Our last reunion with Top. |
 |
 PFC Tony Baker and PSG Fred Brander |
 |
 |
|
Frederick C. Brander, 80 Clarksville, died Thursday, September 10, 2009, at Gateway Medical Center. Burial was in Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West. Mr. Brander was born in Clenerton, NJ on December 23, 1928 to the late Harry Frank and Enda Mae Rau Brander. He was also preceded in death by brother, Harry A. Brander and a daughter, Gloria Baggett Padgett. 1st SGT Brander served 27 years in the U.S. Army. He served two tours in Vietnam and was a highly decorated soldier and Green Beret in the 101st Airborne. He worked for Offshore Navigation Inc. for 10 years then worked as a Property Manager for Prudential Reality for 5 years until his final retirement. He was a proud member of the Society of the Vietnamese Airborn (Red Hats) He is survived by his wife, Bess Young Brander; children, Melanie Brander, Frederick Christian (Bridget) Brander, David Jeffery (Gloria)Brander; grandchldren, Melissa (Howard) Smith, Heather (Jermiah) Jernigan, Scott Padgett, Partick Christian (fiance' Kylee Dalmata)Teasley, Christopher (Jessica) Brander, Isabella Brander, Joseph Vasquez, Keagan Brander and 11 great-grandchildren. |
|
Webmaster - Barth "Shortround" Cunico |