A Walk in the Sun

a few days before Thanksgiving 1965 the United States Army became engaged in one of the biggest battles of the Vietnam War it was a battle that brought the United States deeper into Vietnam and set the u.s. strategy for how the war was to be conducted a war of attrition lead the enemy to death the problem what to do when the enemy is willing to bleed to win after almost three days of no sleep the second Platoon of Alpha Company 7th cavalry under the command a second lieutenant Gordon Grove was ordered out of the perimeter early on the morning of the 16th what they found were hundreds of dead soldiers from the People's Army of Vietnam commonly known as the NVA the soldiers had been killed by airstrikes and artillery that had ringed the perimeter of landing zone x-ray the Americans found nothing of any live enemy in the area and they returned safely to the perimeter in 1965 the 1st battalion 7th cavalry under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Harold G more air assaulted into landing zone x-ray at the base of Chu pong Mountain located in the valley of the ERM a suspected North Vietnamese base camp after three days of hard fighting some of it hand-to-hand the 1st battalion 7th Cavalry and Bravo Company and 3rd platoon Alpha Company - seven flew out of the landing zone with 79 killed in action 121 wounded and inflicting an estimated 1215 enemy dead they were reinforced by two battalions of the 5th and 7th cavalry on the morning of November 17th 3rd brigade commander Colonel Tim Brown gave a briefing to his - battalion commanders left on landing zone x-ray Lieutenant Colonel Robert McDade commander of 2nd battalion 7th cavalry and Lieutenant Colonel Robert Tully 2nd battalion 5th Cavalry Brown said Colonel Tully was to lead the way out of x-ray toward landing zone Columbus with McDade x' ii of the 7th following McDade would then split from the 5th and move toward another landing zone codenamed albany further to the northwest you're a gentleman sir second lieutenant groves second platoon was again out among the first to leave the perimeter on the same morning 2nd battalion 7th cavalry left landing zone x-ray as they moved into the area they had scouted the previous day they found the hundreds of dead North Vietnamese soldiers had disappeared and the question arose from one of the troopers where did all the dead go another soldier showed his apprehension to what they were moving into by announcing this is bad on the left flank of Alpha Company in second Platoon a young sergeant named John eed realized the usual air cover of gunships was no longer flying overhead this was unusual for a unit to be alone in enemy territory without air cover overhead in the way of aerial rocket artillery 2nd battalion 7th cavalry continued to march to the north until they came to a predetermined position on the map and split from the fifth cavalry they continued to the northwest toward their intended landing zone landing zone Albany a flight two b-52s was scheduled that morning to bomb the true pong mountain where the headquarters of the NVA was located the two battalions left at X ray had to be at least two miles away from the impact area when the bombing commenced the shockwaves could be felt and seen by the man of the two-seven that were moving through the jungle one soldier described it as feeling the ground roll under your feet the man in the lead of recon platoon came across many enemies shoot racks grains of dropped rice and bamboo arrows pointing the direction the enemy was to take these signs of enemy activity in the area caused more concern in many of the men around 1155 recon platoon leader second lieutenant Pat Payne and his platoon sergeant Staff Sergeant Ron Benton walked forward in the center of the wedge formation and passed by a couple of large ant hills suddenly to his right lieutenant Payne noticed an NVA soldier hiding he quickly jumped on top of him grabbing him shouting an alarm 10 yards away sergeant Benton found another enemy soldier and grabbed him as well lieutenant pain quickly deployed his platoon into a defensive perimeter arc five yards out and radioed Colonel McCain group follow me specialist for Bob towles recalled that their company had flank security at 30 yards distance from their platoon when a break was called he remembered another soldier asking him those are flankers over there if this was the case then they could then catch their breath and relax under the safety of their flankers something they had not been able to do for three days executive officer of Alpha First Lieutenant Larry Gwynn was alerted by radio of another halt ahead lieutenant Glenn ordered his men to rest while he walked forward to find out what was happening Colonel McDade finally reached the head of the column and began his own interrogation of the prisoners the idea of these fresh-looking troops being deserters trouble captain subdennis he W said x-ray around these guys are saying they're eight or ten up in the wood line up of the trees ready to fight me back in the headquarters section the same need for rest was also being felt and eagerly accepted many men had been carrying very heavy equipment not usually packed through the jungle just like I always said we're like sled dogs you're not the lead dog have you never changes captain jalsa dinis reply to lieutenant Gwyn was that the enemy prisoner said they were deserters which he doubted Gwynn thought they were pretty well armed for deserters captain sook Denis also said he thought he had seen another enemy soldier run off into the jungle up ahead an uneasiness settled over them at the very rear of the column as rearguard for 2nd battalion 7th cavalry was Alpha Company 1st battalion 5th cavalry under the command of Captain George Forrest he received word from the Dade's command that all company commanders were to come to the front of the column at once for a briefing on what was going to be done next the time was 1:07 p.m. the recon platoon was making its way across the first open area in landing zone Albany moving toward an island of trees in the center lieutenant win moved forward to the edge of the landing zone where captain su Dennis had taken up a position to deploy alphas 1st and 2nd platoons the first was to the east or right flank and the second to the west or left flank just then Colonel McDade and his headquarters staff walked right past the two Alpha Company officers and out into the landing zone toward an island of trees in the center of algae Albany the stage had been set for one of the bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War the perimeter was being secured by platoons on each flank the company to secure this area and I want to tell the company to hook up with Charlie company over beyond me move out the rest of the companies in the column were now spread out for over five hundred yards and were in rest mode with various degrees of flank protection as ordered by captain sue Dennis 2nd platoon of Alpha Company began its deployment for perimeter defense on the left flank of the landing zone start here one man stay alert keep it spread out sergeant john eid being the end man of the platoon was ordered to watch to his left and link up with Charlie Company stay alert let Terra Bella know as soon as you see Charlie Company coming up captain Forrest being the furthest from the head of the column was just arriving at the head of the column to attend mcdhh AIDS battalion briefing the recon platoon led by lieutenant Payne moved across the clearing on the far side of the island of trees most of the troopers had made it across the landing zone lieutenant pain and his headquarters section were midway between the far jungle and the island of trees when a shot was heard speck for dick Ackerman a few yards to the right of lieutenant Payne remembers hearing firing to his right and around flying by him and his squad we're gonna do on the count of three move back across the LZ Harika here we go one two three go when the call to fall back was given to all squads from lieutenant Payne Palmer ordered his men to fall back while he covered them Palmer was later found dead with a bullet through the head and a jammed cartridge in his rifle he died doing what he had always done taking care of his men go as the firing of the right flank began those members of the command greet that were in the center of the landing zone began taking fires and their rounds fired and the first Platoon on the right flank of the LZ Sergeant John Eid remembered wondering where their helicopter aerial rocket artillery cover was while spec for Lewbert Johnson laid down cover fire sergeant Eid moved forward Delta Company in the column were resting and awaiting orders to move when they began to hear firing up ahead of them they took up positions and waited for their flankers to fire and fall back to them they never did instead it was the NBA coming through the jungle towards them in the column Charlie Company was beginning to take fire as the attack moved from north to south lieutenant Bob Genet's Charlie Company mortar platoon was also in the column lieutenant Jeanette's commander Captain John Fesler who was located with the command group in the landing zone radioed the lieutenant orders for him to form a skirmish line and move north to make contact with the enemy further to Jeanette's north lieutenant Don Cornett also received orders without confessed Merck to move forward to attack Charlie Company walked right into the full force of the attacking NVA which was attacking the right flank of the column lieutenant Cornett and his Charlie Company troopers fell in a hail of enemy fire following orders and taking the battle to the enemy captain Ken white soul who was along the edge of the LZ with others from the headquarter group that had come forward heard the rifle fire as well I'll pop up you guys see them take them off ready roll over get out of here make yourself free at the very rear of the column second lieutenant Larry Hess and PFC Vincent Locatelli began moving forward when they heard the firing staff sergeant Fred clewd got the men up and moving when he heard the shots a mortar round then hit him right behind the lieutenant inside of it killing them both sergeant Cluj ordered his men to take cover the defensive perimeter when lieutenant Enric a pool halls heard the firing up ahead he went right to the radio for information later he remembered hearing about that the front of his company was under heavy fire he could hear over the radio grenade blasts and screams so he ordered his squad leaders to get their men ready captain phasma contacted lieutenant pool halls and ordered him to maneuver his platoon to the right a few seconds later another call came to hold in place who all tried to find out what was happening but all he received in reply was out in order to find out what was happening lieutenant pool halls moved north to find lieutenant Jeanette right over there sir as lieutenant two halls moved forward he was suddenly hit in the foot by he went down just as the battle of LZ Albany began erupting around him and his men lieutenant Ali and his men began hearing the fire and that was beginning to engulf Charlie Company ahead of them he deployed his men had was soon under fire from the NVA attack that was sweeping down the column in the island of trees located in the center of the LZ the battalion commander and his company commanders on the radio make sense of all that was now happening in the column recon platoon was beginning to enter into the little island of trees in the center of the landing zone under cover fire from Alpha Company mortar platoon they were then put into position around the perimeter and became the defensive line for the troops in the island of trees the troopers tried to find the best cover the hoods from the intense fire coming from all around them captain soot business and his executive officer lieutenant Lynn both look back they may have been just a few minutes before they noticed three us lieutenant Wynn motion for them to join him lieutenant Jeanette and his mortar platoon after dropping their heavy loads moves through the tall grass and into the jungle they began hearing fire to their front left lieutenant pool halls was fading in and power due to the morphine shot he had received he was on the radio talking to his commanding officer captain John Fessler fest Mert had instructed him to mark his position with smoke to indicate his position two planes coming in for an air strike when lieutenant cornet led his men into the jungle on his counter-attack prospective for fob all heard massive firing in their general direction just north of Delta Company how does the thick jungle the NVA charge them he fired into the first charging enemy soldier the captain Sabinas continued to try and get in contact with his platoons on the perimeter he was interrupted by Lieutenant wind yelling here they after a 550 yard dash back down the entire column under enemy fire captain Forrest finally made it back to alpha one five Ede had returned to the second Platoon defensive line after knocking out a mortar group to their front area good to see you too Sarge what happened everybody's either dead we were charged and ordered we beat them back but there's there's not much left to us car bellows dead radios knocked out lieutenant Grove went back to the LZ maybe we should go too no take me back to the CP there really is no CP there's just a wounded no let's go lieutenant bud Ali in the headquarters section tried to contact anyone on the radio but could not because someone had cued the mic lieutenant Jeanette crawled north to the next platoon who had radioed for more medical supplies realizing that they were now becoming cut off and surrounded lieutenant Jeanette ordered his men to Circle up for defense in the middle of the column first lieutenant Jim Lawrence of Delta Company was organizing Delta's position when he was struck in the helmet by a bullet and knocked out spec for Bob towles after being wounded by an exploding rocket-propelled grenade and realized how desperate the situation was he recovered and engaged the enemy who was beginning to encircle his unit after creating an opening in the encirclement with grenades and rifle fire he returned to the wounded under the orders of Staff Sergeant Baker he directed the wounded out of the Killzone and to their relative safety in the island of trees just as Bob tolls and the other Delta company survivors entered the islands of trees and already wounded sergeant Baker was hit again this time in the chest sergeant Baker continued urging tolls to get the men to see sergeant Eid realized that he was now the ranking sergeant left and that second platoon was the only unit between the rest of the battalion and the enemy he organized the survivors as best he could to protect the west flank of the LZ as originally ordered before the radio was knocked down lieutenant Jeanette's platoon was now in a 360-degree defensive position he tried to contact his commanding officer about the situation and his position but was soon wounded in the leg in an exposed area of the perimeter Jeanette's men began urging him to join them one of his privates risked his life to save his lieutenant this private whose name is now lost to history was killed doing his duty trying to save his commanding officer with four wounded men cut off from all friendly forces and not knowing which way was safest lieutenant Ali began moving to the southeast to where he thought they would be out of the Killzone and safety an air strike forced them to turned south and away from the landing zone as the survivors of Headquarters Company moved south they stopped for a quick rest in a dry creek bed one of the troopers asked lieutenant Alta to say a prayer which he did before they moved out in an attempt to find the rest of second platoon sergeant Eid moved south to his original position how's it going over here not do it besides a charlie company or anyone been fighting all over the place but it's just recently gotten quiet look so now inside the island of trees spec for tolls took up a position on the perimeter with his friend private first class Lester Becker all right but staying covered they heard moaning to their front and Becker moved out to investigate Becker crumpled to the ground shot by a sniper PFC Becker was carried off the field and was evacuated but lost his fight for life in an Army Hospital sergeant Eden spec for Wilbur Johnson returned to the second Platoon command post area in order to try and link his platoon with the units to his right he moved north to find recon platoon what he saw was not recon platoon but NVA all over their former position firing on the island of trees marching from LZ Columbus to Albany Bravo Company 1st of the fifth cavalry under the command of captain Walter B Tully began arriving at Alpha Company 1st of the 5th position at the rear of the column captain Tully met up with Captain Forrest and later attempted to move toward LZ Albany but was repulsed by extreme fire from the enemy in the area Ede and his squad moved west into the advancing NVA attempting to attack the LZ from the west they were able to set up hates the ambushes throughout the area and keep the NVA from launching a full-scale attack from this area while the mortar platoon of Charlie Company was being ringed by an artillery fire Staff Sergeant Jesse Hernandez a survivor of lieutenant cornets counter-attack came into the penet Genet's perimeter after hearing that things were not good for the rest of the company continued his request for artillery fire around his position EADS squad came across a number NVA resting in a clearing the sergeant said his men up for another attack after this initial ambush each squad have covered arrests at 10:00 to spec for berry burn i'ts wounds this also allowed Eve to reckon or the area we need to fall back down see I'll cover ups very thick let's please have some ammo and get out of here the three remaining man of second Platoon set up a triangular perimeter and awaited any further enemy movements lieutenant Ali and his four wounded men began their two-mile escape-and-evasion trek back to LZ Columbus being very careful not to run into enemy patrols out in the front and to stay ahead of any tracking patrols following they navigated to the LZ using the sounds of the artillery firing from Columbus into the Albany battle area as they're flanking the enemy who was suddenly hit in the shoulder specialist for Johnson returned fire from where the shot came from but was also hit zombies dead don't break hearts sergeant he woke up with specialist Barker dressing his wounds and informing him no specialist for barker was killed right alongside his sergeant defending the left flank of LZ Albanese sergeant Eid now alone moved along the second Platoon perimeter where he sat down to catch his breath to the right heed heard a twig snap well with heed and the NVA soldiers fired at sergeant Eid found himself waking up wondering what had happened as he began to gather himself and his equipment he realized he could no longer see out of his right eye and he had a severe wound on the right side of his head he was now alone severely wounded from the battalion in the center of the LZ at 6:30 that evening that cavalry came to the rescue Bravo Company ii of the seventh air assaulted into albany with the help of the two 29th assault helicopter battalion these brave pilots and their crews came in under heavy fire to deliver the already bloodied and battered ninety man Bravo Company who had fought at LZ x-ray that night flight leader Maj will Bennett led 12 kilos from alpha Bravo and Charlie companies of the 229 Sergeant Cluj was given the task by Captain Forrest to take 20 men and rescue the wounded with lieutenant Jeanette some men volunteered immediately while others thought of what a mission like that could mean sergeant Frank now ski remembered the exchange he and his friend rip had rip said to me if I was out there I'd like someone to come after me I thought about that and I said to him yeah I guess so we both volunteered as did 18 others no shooting in that direction a few yards away in the darkness the remnants of third Platoon led by lieutenant pool halls tried to survive the night and escape the NVA executions you can still alive sergeant Cluj and his patrol continued on past Full House position to where ghost for six was who is charging sergeant Cluj realized they could not take back all of the wounded he informed lieutenant Jeannette of his decision to leave their medic spec for Daniel Torres with them he promised they would come back in the morning ghost 4-6 reluctantly nodded and said don't worry about me take as many as you can kludge and his man moved out with the men they could handle captain Forrest moved out in front of his line with the light on his face shining brightly in the dark as the patrol began to move forward a soldier who had been asleep and had not gotten the word of the patrol coming in awoke and seeing shadows to his front opened fire emptying an entire magazine into the patrol luckily no one was killed sergeant ski no ski speck 4-perf lavender and another man were wounded a member of the 229th assault helicopter battalion that was on the ground at Albany was Captain Kenneth Weitzel the liaison officer with the cavalry for the 229 he was manning the radios and talking two helos coming in for another mission into the firestorm of Albany captain whitesell was in contact with other pilots from the 229th helicopter assault battalion that also flew in supplies and evacuated wounded from LZ Albany Chief Warrant Officer Lee Coleman remembered one of his three flights into LZ Albany as he looked out ahead into the darkness towards his destination he tried speaking into the mic but could not get a word out he swallowed and cleared his throat and tried again the danger these men faced and willingly flew into he's a true testament to the courage of before touchdown his crew chief saw they were allowed to land on he put me warned how much of this hospital and was able to guide the pilot over into a safer area Smitty saved them all of certain disaster and allowed for the resupply of the men on the pallet of trees and evacuated at least eight seriously wounded men other crew chiefs and gunners of the helos into albany also risked their lives by jumping off there he loads to help save wounded men they didn't even know everyone is pretty yellow 3 over X is 3 1 go ahead preacher preacher 3 1 Roger that early the next morning the remnants of lieutenant Jeanette's band of wounded men were notified via radio that there was going to be a mad minute a firing of all weapons along the perimeter inside the island of trees in LZ Albany all men were to take cover no one was hit in this extent which allowed the men from the perimeter to push out and rescue Jeanette's small perimeter events after a night of evading enemy and sitting on the edge of the LZ Columbus perimeter the small group under Lieutenant Ali will welcomed into the perimeter that next morning a few hours before another NVA attack on the Americans at this landing zone to make sure that the NVA had left the area the perimeter was ordered expanded captain Sudanese joined this move to look for his second platoon and any survivors John heed in his platoons command post area was also found the next morning after he saw US soldiers coming to him from the landing zone he let out a very hoarse Garryowen and was reunited with his company commander captain su Dennis that next day the men of the 1st Cavalry Division began the grim job of locating their dead comrades throughout the battlefield some described the area where the column was located as a long terrible car wreck in the jungle a Chinook helicopter was flown in to fly out those killed in this battle the dead were gathered by their comrades lovingly loaded onto the helicopter which began their long journey home to their loved ones the 350 plus men of the 2nd battalion 7th Cavalry and alpha and Bravo companies of 1st battalion 5th cavalry were at LZ Albany for 3 days fighting and policing off their dead and wounded they had been attacked by an overwhelming enemy force of over 1,100 enemy troops who attacked them while they were in column fighting was not like that at LZ x-ray where most of the enemy dead were killed by artillery and air strikes the man at Albany fought hand-to-hand with rifles bayonets grenades at close quarters with little cover from air and artillery due to the closeness of the enemy today anyone wishing to visit and remember the brave men who gave their lives in the valley of the screaming Souls can visit their names at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC their names are on panel three East you

Channel: Rob Crossley

Views: 5,060,058

Keywords: Documentary, Vietnam, Student Video, War

Id: gpbOPdtXFz8

Length: 54min 40sec (3280 seconds)

Published: Tue May 07 2013