April6-1968

APRIL 6 1968


Alpha Company KIA's
BARGAR, Richard M	NOVELTY, OH	EVERGREEN HILL CEMETERY, CHAGRIN FALLS, OH
BOWDEN, Lee A	LUMBERTON, NC	ELIZABETH HEIGHTS CEMETERY, LUMBERTON, NC
COOK, Robert E	OVERLAND, MO	MEMORIAL PARK CEMETERY, JENNINGS, MO
DAVIS, Paul Patrick	CINCINNATI, OH	SAINT JOSEPH CEMETERY - CINCINNATI, OHIO
FEBO-BETANCOURT, Ivan R	NEW YORK, NY	LONG ISLAND NATIONAL CEMETERY, NY
NITKA, Joseph S	NPHILADELPHIA, PA	BEVERLY NATIONAL CEMETERY, BEVERLY, NJ
SILFEE, James E	UNIONDALE, PA	CLIFFORD VALLEY CEMETERY, CLIFFORD, PA
SMITH, Alfred D	ROCKVILLE, MD	ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, VA
TWITTY, Daniel R	SACRAMENTO, CA	GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL CEMETERY, SAN BRUNO CA
WALL, Donald L	GARNER, NC	MONTLAWN MEMORIAL PARK, RALEIGH, NC
Lee Watson listed below was actually assigned to Charlie Company.
WATSON, Lee A	SMITHFIELD, NC	SELMA MEMORIAL GARDENS, SELMA, NC
Gary Duane Fortner listed below was actually assigned to 18th Engineering Brigade.
FORTNER, Gary Duane	CORPUS , TX

How we got to 6 April, 1968

Comments by Captain Miller, Company Commander.

On 17 Mar, I assumed command of A 2/501 ABN) at Firebase Geronimo. I had approximately 5 minutes to talk with CPT Rice, the outgoing commander. At first, all he wanted to do is get on the helicopter that had brought me in and leave. I had asked the helicopter's pilot to shut down when he landed so I'd have an opportunity to talk with CPT Rice.

I wanted to know his opinion of his officers and senior NCOs. He gave me his opinions and observations. Two of the officers were new to the company and he new little about them. The NCOs at platoon and squad ere solid and had been very effective since arrival in country. The First Sergeant had been wounded, but was expected to return to the company. The XO was at LZ Sally getting the company area set up at the new 2nd Bde base camp. He also had been tasked to do a special project for the Bde Hq.

With that information, CPT Rice departed the Firebase and I never saw him again. He was reassigned to the Div Hq. The night of 17 Mar, I received a call from LTC Tallman, our, Bn Cdr, to tell me there was a report of tanks moving through the Ashaw Valley toward our position in the mouth of the Valley. The report turned out to be considered
false since no tanks ever showed and the Air Cav did a recon of the Valley the next morning and found no track marks in the dirt road/highway through the Valley.

During the next few days we conducted squad and platoon patrols around the Firebase. These patrols did receive sniper fire and we did take casualties. These patrols continued daily In the meantime the Marines were getting their asses kicked at their Firebase in the upper Ashaw Valley. I Corps developed a plan to extract the Marines using a Marine Regiment located at Quantri and elements of the1st Cav Div.The 2/501 (ABN) was to move north to take over positions formally occupied by Marines and 1st Cav units. The Bn Hq and two companies went to Wonder Beach, a Marine resupply point for all their troops in I Corps. A 2/501(ABN) went to Firebase Hardcore. Our other two companies were to conduct patrols in the coastal plains between Hardcore and Wonder Beach. When we departed Geronimo, we were to leave it abandoned. I flew with the first of three sorties to our new home, so I could talk with the commander currently at Hardcore. The Commander was gone on a recon, so I talked with the First Sgt and two platoon leaders. This unit had been at Hardcore for two weeks, claimed to have been conducting patrols and mine sweep mission and had not seen an enemy or fired a shot since arriving there. Our mission at Hardcore was to guard two highway bridges, our supporting artillery battery and conduct mine sweeps of the roads in and out of the firebase. We arrived at Hardcore on 5 April 68.

The 1st platoon had the first mine sweep mission on 6 Apr. They were to clear approximately 4-5 miles of road, meet
a mine sweep team coming from the other direction, then do a clover leaf patrol through the area and return to Hardcore. As we all know, about half way through their patrol route, they were ambushed by a force of at least a reinforced company. Our artillery battery began firing to support the platoon. I left one squad on each bridge, left the 1st Sgt and a cook at the Company Hq and took the remainder of the Company to go get what was left of the 1st Platoon. When we arrived in the area of contact, SFC Parr gave me an update.

He had sent two Medevac loads out and had one more load to send. I asked if he could account for all of his personnel and he said all but three and they were in the initial contact area and he did not know their condition. To make matters worse, the Bde Cdr's helicopter had landed at the 1st Plt extraction point, but they had no idea where COL Cushman was located since they had dropped him off some 2 ks away. The thoughts going through my mind were who do I look for first, with how much force and who can I trust with this mission. I decided it was my mission to go see if I could find the 3 members of the 1st Plt so I took the 2nd Plt M60s, had the crew put them on tripods and attach the T&E mechanism. I gave them an aiming point and to wait until they saw 2red smokes, then begin firing but not to the left of the red smokes. I proceeded to low crawl through the rice field and when near where the initial contact was located, saw rice stalks moving to my left. I prepared to take an enemy under fire when all of a sudden COL C appeared, 38 revolver in hand. I had never met the man. I told him who I was and in no uncertain terms that he must remain where he was until I returned. I went to the initial contact point and found 2 of our 1st Plt alive and well and 1 KIA. The two were certain that their comrade was dead since he had not moved since the initial shooting had begun. I led those two back to where COL C was waiting, told one man to lead and the other to follow the trail I had made through the rice field. COL C followed the first 2. I popped the 2 red smokes and the machine guns opened fire.

We got back to the helicopter and SFC Parr collected his 2 men. COL Cushman wanted a complete report of all actions taken by the key personnel of the Plt, casualty numbers, a description of their tactics, etc. About that time, an RPG round exploded near the helicopter. I told the Bde Cde to get on his bird and get out of the area and that I would make a full report to Bn, who would pass it to his hq. It is now about an hour before dark and I called Bn and brought them up to date. LTC Tallman directed me to return to Hardcore with the Company and to be especially watchful of the bridges that night. We returned and I debriefed SFC Parr and made the report to Bn. Thus ended one of the worst days of my life. We experienced a quiet night, so early the next morning the Company minus 2 squads, went to the initial contact point and retrieved our fallen comrade and evacuated him. We then made a sweep through a near wood line, made contact with the enemy. I requested one of the other line companies patrolling in the plain be sent to block the back side of the wood line and thus the cordon operation was created and became the manner we operated with until we moved off the plains into the jungle.

Nate

Turnley's account of April 6, 1968

On April 6, 1968, first platoon was doing a routine S and D sweep towards a village. McArthur
was point and I was his slack man with Berrigan, (A team leader) behind me. We were walking
down a path heading towards the village when all hell broke loose. We were caught in the open
and the nearest cover was the village.

The next thing I remember, I was on top of some bunkers and Quash was to my left with his
M-60. Wilson his ammo bearer was close by. Quash started dropping grenades into the bunkers
closest to us while we gave him cover.

We did not know where the others were. We decided to ease into a canal to our right rear and try
to link up with the rest of the platoon. I lead out as we walked bent over using the bank as cover.
We quickly came to a depression in the side of the bank. In the depression we found most of the
1st squad.

There was the squad leader Sgt Bowden, Berrigan, McArthur,Twitty, and the medic. The medic,
I wish I knew his name, was working on Bowden who had a throat wound. Doc, had done
everything he could do for Bowden and gave the word he needed to be medevac'd.

Twitty and I went over the bank behind us into a rice field. The rice plants were about three feet
high and offer good concealment. When we reached down to grab Bowden the gooks opened up
on us. Although, we tried several time to get Bowden over the bank we failed. A single man could
make it over the bank but not a group of men. Twitty went for help and the rest of us stayed with
Bowden.

Twitty located the platoon CP and the advance party from the company. Twitty gave his report
and was sent back to the canal with the company FO who would call in artillery to give us
covering fire when we attempted to pull Bowden out of the canal.

Before we could get Bowden out he died. Doc did everything he could to bring the Sgt. back,
including mouth to mouth. The moment life left his body I had eye contact with him. He looked
me straight in the eye as he said, "Thank you".

Combat account by: Floyd Turnley

Email from Captain Miller to 1SG Brander

Fred,

A sad day indeed. I still feel the loss we suffered that day. I know nothing we say or do will
replace the grief the families suffered and continue to suffer to this day

When we took that area from the 1st Cav, they had not fired a shot in over a month. From that
action, we had almost daily contact for well over a month.

At least we were able to catch the sob’s before they could get out of the area. That operation
was one of the first “cordon” operations conducted. That technique became a standard way of
operating when we were out in the rice patties. I don’t know if there is a Division history
document that covers any of the specifics of that operation. The book, ‘Rendezvous with
Destiny’, gives a big broad brush to most of the Tet Counteroffensive. There was also a Division
News Paper that came around occasionally, but I remember seeing them, but don’t have them.
Does the Division Museum have any reference material from that time frame?

After the radio report from the platoon, I left you with a squad on each bridge and took the
remainder of the company up to either reinforce or extract what was left. As we neared the area,
we saw a Huey sitting on the ground. I went over to check it out. It was the Bde Cdr’s aircraft.
The crew was there, but COL Cushman had gotten out some distance from where they landed
and the crew had no idea where he was at.

Several members of the 2nd Platoon were also at this location, having helped with the medivac
operation. They informed me that there were only a few other members still alive and at least two
others that had died in the initial contact. Our Arty FO had been hitting the enemy wood line with
HE, but the other soldiers could not disengage themselves from the enemy. LTC Tallman told me
to disengage from the action as soon as I could recover the remainder of the platoon. I don’t
remember which platoon I took 2 M60s from, but sat two of them up on tripods and gave them a
final protective line to fire. The signal to commence fire was two red smoke grenades.

I circled out through the rice patties and advanced to where the remainder of the platoon was
located. Enroute, I came across COL Cushman trying to sneak through the grass with his 38 in
hand. After telling him to stay where he was, I went and talked to the remained of the platoon,
confirmed with them the status of the two members hit in the initial contact had been killed. I
then led them away toward where I had left COL Cushman, threw the 2 smoke grenades and
circled back to his aircraft. As we were getting ready to return to your location, a RPG landed
near us and was enough to send the Bn and Bde Cdrs back on their aircraft and out of the area.
The company returned to your location. A very long and sad day for all of us.

The following day, we went back and recovered the 2 we had left behind. After evacuating them,
we began to sweep the area. We made contact before noon in a different wood line. Bravo and
Delta companies were air assaulted in on the back side and “cordon” was begun.

Looking forward to seeing you in June.

Nate