Firebase-Ripcord

FIREBASE RIPCORD

Fellow Avenger Guy Rudawski has the following account of Operation Texas Star and the Battle for Firebase Ripcord.

Those of us who survived the 23 day Battle for FSB Ripcord, look back and realize how lucky we are to be alive. Young men who left behind our homes, families and friends, jobs and school, we were sent to SE Asia to fight for the independence of the Republic of South Vietnam. It was America's most unpopular war and in many ways robbed our generation of it's heroes.

Read Guy Rudawski's account here.

Read Guy Rudawski's account of Hill 902 (July 2, 1970) here.

The Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord was a 23-day battle between the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division and the North Vietnamese Army from July 1, 1970 until July 23, 1970 - 75 Americans were killed. 3 American Soldiers are Missing in Action. There were approx 25,000 NVA Soldiers in the area of the A-Shau Valley.

2nd Battalion, 501 st infantry was one of many units involved during Ripcord.

Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ripcordassociation/

Ripcord Association web site: www.ripcordassociation.com

YouTube video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUlAp6phXGs

The following photos were supplied by Anthony Critchlow.

The following photos were provided by RussDixon (Artillery ?)... taken in September 1970.

Brian Eveleth (3rd Plt Co A 2/501st) wrote the following about Ripcord:

I am not sure if you have visited the “Ripcord Association “ website so I thought I would attach one of their recent newsletters for you to peruse. There are a few Co A 2/501st guys that are members and the website www.ripcordassociation.com includes their names. It may be appropriate to have this information available on the Alpha Avengers website. They also list KIA’s by date as well as by unit…Co A 2/501st had one of the highest KIA/WIA totals within the division during that time.

Since there was a “news blackout mandated by the military’ I am not sure how many A 2/501st guys realize that our area of operations and missions (Re-Up hill, FSB Granite, Ripcord AO in July) that took place from March 70 until July 70 were in direct response to the NVA’s attempts to overrun Ripcord. Two great books on the subject (Keith Nolan’s & Gen. Ben Harrison, Ret) both mention the 2/501st. During that time the 2/501st was the ready reaction battalion and whenever a 101st unit was in trouble, we were sent in to help out.

I also see that they have a reunion in Myrtle Beach in October of next year and since we seem to have quite a few guys on the east coast perhaps we could encourage our members to attend.

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