James-Kwiecien

1LT JAMES KWICIEN

1LT. James Kwicien was listed as a Platoon Leader on the Jul 1970 Roster.

PHOTOS

I was not able to find photos for Jim.

NOTES FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Ed Mitchell posted this on April 17. 2021 on our Facebook group page:

18 APRIL 1970, IN MEMORIUM:
SGT MICHAEL JOHN VAGNONE, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry; Killed-In-Action (18 April 1970) by gun or small arms fire vicinity MGRS Grid YD365164; MOS 11B; Stamford, Connecticut.
SP/4 ROBERT LEE DANGBERG, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry; Killed-In-Action (18 April 1970) by gun or small arms fire vicinity MGRS Grid YD365164; MOS 11B; Winside, Nebraska.

WE MOURN THE LOSS OF THESE TWO WARRIOR-BROTHERS AND WILL NEVER FORGET THEIR SUPREME SACRIFICE FOR “WE FOUGHT FOR ONE ANOTHER”.

After relieving B Company at the trail junction vicinity grid YD362165 mid to late morning on 17 April, A Company dug in (as part of a hasty defense) and prepared to continue offensive operations to the south on the 18th despite receiving almost continuous NVA mortar fire coming from the south and into and around our perimeter. (Over the course of our time spent at the ridge line defensive position [17-23 Apr] we incurred a significant number of mortar casualties but no deaths that I’m aware of.) My decision to attack south as soon as possible was made based on the following: (1) I knew the NVA knew where we were and I would not allow them the time to plan and execute a counter-attack on their on timelines; (2) We were obviously sitting astride a main NVA line of communication and supply route supporting their buildup around FSB RIPCORD thus we would disrupt their plans as long as possible; (3) We had the tactical advantage of superb subordinate leadership, a shortened decision cycle at platoon/squad level, and an advantage in maneuver and firepower; (4) the trail junction we occupied along the ridge line was “key terrain” for both of us however it gave us superb communications, an LZ for resupply/evacuation operations, visibility of the next ridge line south; and (5) the trail junction gave us the best defensible terrain in our area of operations.

Mid morning on the 18th, A Company attacked south with LT Jim Kwiecien’s 2nd Platoon leading followed by LT Jim Knight’s 1st Platoon (and my command element). Dave Poole’s 3rd Platoon was in reserve. By mid afternoon, 2nd Platoon had moved slowly and cautiously no more than a few hundred meters down very steep and heavily vegetated jungle and “hooked” a bit left (east) into an even steeper ravine. Years later, Chris Lingo told me he was “walking point” for the 2nd Platoon (from SGT Vitkow’s squad) when he halted the platoon’s movement suspecting “something wasn’t right”. However, “the point” directed to keep moving across. Within moments after LIngo made it to the far side of the ravine, the NVA opened fire at close range. During the violent exchange SGT Lawrence Vagnone and SP/4 Robert Dangberg were killed in action. PFC Lawrence Witherow and perhaps one or more others were wounded. One or more NVA soldiers were also killed in the melee. As the fight continued, I sent 1st Platoon forward along 2nd Platoon’s right flank and they made immediate contact with an enemy force over-watching the trail south killing one NVA soldier before the NVA withdrew.

With two platoon’s making contact at two separate locations, I made the decision to back away and return with our casualties to our defenses on the ridge line (for 1st and 2nd Platoon, it would be a long harowing night below our ridge line defenses). My assessment was that we had encountered the NVA security elements of a larger force “bunkered” near the Khe Ouaun stream and I immediately told Russ Cook, our FO, that I would not commit A Company to a second attack into the area until we had laid it to waste with artillery.

We would meet elements of the NVA 803rd Infantry Regiment to our south along the trail again on the 19th after a night of constant artillery bombardment. This attack confirmed the location of their primary defenses and set the course for their eventual destruction by tactical air strikes and continuous artillery.

(A Company’s battles with elements of the NVA 2nd Battalion, 803rd Infantry Regiment, 324B Division would be continuous through the afternoon of 23 April 1970 and our extraction...the men of A Company accomplished the mission they’d been given...”TO LOCATE AND DESTROY ENEMY FORCES, BASE CAMPS, AND CACHE SITES”. I could have not been more proud to have led such a great Company of warriors!)

Ed Mitchell posted this note on our Facebook group on 4-18-2021:

19 April 1970-IN MEMORIUM:

SSG DEAN LEE FREY; A Company, 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment; killed-in-action from gun or small arms fire 19 April 1970 vicinity MGRS grid YD363161; MOS 11C (Indirect Fire Infantryman); Ocean City, California.

On the 18th, as my CP was returning from the fight in the glulch that had cost the lives of two of our “brothers”, I turned to Russ Cook (our FO) and I told him I wanted all the artillery he could muster, both 105 and 155mm, to attack suspected enemy positions dug in vicinity YD 361155 (on the northwest side of the trail intersecting the Khe Ouaun stream). I also told him to develop an indirect fire plan to support an A Company attack on the 19th to kill or capture NVA forces, destroy their cache sites, and fortified positions with preparatory fires to begin no later than last light on the 18th...we would pound them relentlessly all night! (I had no idea that Russ would be “relieved” as our FO early morning on the 19th and we received 1LT Jim Norman as our new FO replacement on a Division Artillery OH-6 that landed on our LZ, unannounced). We also had a new battalion commander effective 18 April...LTC O. T. Livingston replaced LTC (now MG, Retired) B. F Brashears.

By mid morning on the 19th, A Company was attacking south along the trail leading down to the Khe Ouaun stream with platoons in column; LT Dave Poole’s 3rd Platoon led the attack followed by LT Jim Kwiecien’s 2st Platoon and LT Jim Knight’s 1st Platoon held REUP HIll and was our reserve. As usual, my CP and I moved with the second platoon in the order of march and we moved slowly and cautiously down to the NVA base area below. During one of the frequent halts in our descent, SSG Dean Frey (a 3rd Plt Squad Leader) came back to my location to share information on their progress. While he and I were talking, the lead elements of 3rd Platoon made contact with the NVA and Dean’s last words to me were “I’ve got to get back to my Squad” as he dashed back down to join his men. Within no more than two minutes LT Poole called me with a casualty report stating he had one man seriously wounded (SGT Cox, as I recall) and SSG Dean Frey had been killed by small arms fire almost immediately after rejoining his Squad. LT Poole also reported that the NVA were fighting from an undetermined number of large bunkered A-frame fighting positions however, within 10-15 minutes they had either been killed or had withdrawn leaving numerous blood trails down to the stream bed. Given that it was getting late on the 19th, I made the decision to return to our base area and cover our return with Cobras and more indirect fire. (I directed Jim Norman, our new FO, to begin pounding the bunker complex as soon as we were a safe distance away and continue hitting it all night on the 19th). Elements of A Company would return with demolitions on the 20th to the now artillery-pulverized bunker complex and complete its destruction. (For the record, I did not ask for a count of dead NVA soldiers in any “contact” nor did I ever order a search for enemy dead despite “command interest” in the numbers, however I knew, given the physical evidence on the site, that many NVA troops had to have lost their lives in this fight.

Lastly, we all mourned the loss of SSG Frey. He had recently joined us from the 1st Infantry Division and his leadership was welcomed in A Company. May this great warrior-leader forever Rest In Peace.

Ed Mitchell posted this on Facebook after I created Jim's personal page:

Excellent Platoon Leader. After several NVA-imposed delays, Jim finally joined us on the LZ south of Hill 805 in AO PEAR (Ripcord AO) mid April 70. Jim was a key leader in the REUP Hill fight and was wounded in the FSB Granite fight. Thankfully, Jim rejoined us for the FSB Brick operation after the FSB Henderson battle.

Millard Sims posted the following on Facebook:

You can also read about him in the book (Firebase Ripcord)