It concentrated on US military installations, especially in the III Corps area around Saigon. When it finally ended with the assistance of several Cobra gunbships, 23 enemy dead were discovered. As darkness approached some comfort was provided by the constant sweeps outside the perimeter made at treetop level by the guys in their little OH-6 Loach light observation helicopters. Alsoand central to the story of Spooky 71it carried about 50 magnesium flares to illuminate targets on the ground. By 01:00 the next morning, the bodies of 264 PAVN/VC soldiers lay in the village, and 87 had been captured or surrendered. Copyright 2023. Ambush at Ap Nhi. Tran Van Thiet, 19, had been left behind. The remaining elements of the company were held in ready reserve. 25/26 January 1969. Intelligence had indicators of the pending attacks. When daylight came, I reported to my new duty station in the Engineer Section of USARV HQ, where, from the second floor of the air-conditioned building, we could observe the Post's perimeter wire about 1/4 mile away. I had the aircraft in a 30-degree bank and how Levitow ever managed to get to the flare and throw it out, Ill never know, Carpenter said. I am interested in corresponding with any Black Scarf soldiers who . Thus, Spooky 71 was leaking two highly inflammable substances. [4]:97 Later that day rockets hit the An Hoa Combat Base destroying 15,000 rounds of artillery ammunition and igniting 40,000 gallons of aviation fuel and 50 rockets were fired at Naval Support Activity Da Nang with more than half going into the sea and the remainder causing minor damage. The pilot, copilot, and navigator were in the forward cabin, and the flight engineer, two gunners, and the loadmaster were in the cargo bay in back. Passing of colors to the new commander. hightForP2 = 330 Bucks County Pennsylvania United States USA, Del Rio Texas Laughlin Air Force Base USA, Roxborough Pennsylvania United States USA, U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Force Base Thailand. 472.6.9 Records of the U.S. Army Garrison, Long Binh Post, Vietnam (Provisional) The idea seemed absurd! The occupants were helplessly slammed against the floor and fuselage like so many rag dolls., At that moment, a loud explosion was heard and a bright flash filled the aircraft, said Maj. William P. Platt, the navigator. John T. Correll was editor in chief of Air Force Magazine for 18 years and is now a contributing editor. With no friendly troops visible between me and the battle, into my M16 went the magazine of tracers in preparation for a confrontation with anyone who might break through that wall of gunfire, something at which the Viet Cong were quite adept. (I was a big-shot first lieutenant and chauffeured to work.) Metacafe, Thoughts now turned to what we should do if we came face to face with the enemy. Vimeo, [2][3], Since early February 1969, the 1st Marine Division had noted an upsurge in PAVN/VC activity around Da Nang. Later I enrolled as an ROTC student at South Dakota State University, became an Army officer and was assigned to Long Binh in August 1968. An ammunition dump at Long Binh, Vietnam. 3 Lt xem. Color: Color. Large images may take a few minutes to appear. [4]:99, The PAVN/VC attacks on Da Nang were a failure resulting in more than 500 dead. On July 1, an article titled "Libya and Syria: When Anti-Imperialism Goes Wrong" was published on the North Star website, signed by "Pham Binh of Occupy Wall Street, Class War Camp." The article argues that imperialist interventions in Libya and Syria are justified because they are demanded by forces the author calls revolutionary. The panorama took on an aspect of high noon, the entire battlefield bathed with an eerie golden glow. Result: United States and South Vietnam victory: Belligerents Another typist gives MPC currency notes to the soldiers. It was another hot February day in 1969 at the sprawling Long Binh logistics base about 20 miles northeast of Saigon. United States and South Vietnamese forces responded with . Levitow set the timersallowing 10 seconds after the safety pin was pulled before a minor explosion deployed the parachute and another 10 seconds before the flare ignitedthen handed the flare to Owen, who attached a lanyard, which created a little extra distance before the pin was pulled after Owen tossed the flare from the aircraft. The squad came under an immediate rain of grenades, automatic weapons fire and rocket propelled grenades from an entrenched enemy platoon hidden in the top of the berm. Tet offensive attack on Long Binh and Bien Hoa, 31 January 1968: Date: 31 January-2 February 1968: Location: Bien Hoa, Bien Hoa Air Base and Long Binh Post, South Vietnam. Shot up and near stalling, Spooky approached Bien Hoa in the dark. The brigade was activated on 1 June 1966 at Fort Benning, Georgia, as the 199th Infantry Brigade (Light), with emphasis on counterinsurgency operations and mobility. War and peace. The Army always tries to capitalize on a soldiers individual strengths. My hope was that no more than one or two VC would reach my position. "6 To Face Murder Charges for G.I.'s Riot in Prison." New York Times, October 1, 1968, p. 3. On 19 February, a defector surrendered to Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) forces and revealed a large VC force would attack key installations in the Saigon area to include Long Binh Post. The Hot War (1968-October 1969) The Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army in late 1967 launched several costly attacks. Aerial view of (USARV) United States Army Republic of Vietnam Headquarters Complex at Long Binh, Vietnam. I visited my friends down the hall in the almost deserted headquarters building, but mostly kept up my vigil of the activity outside the perimeter, which, as darkness descended, now included an occasional flare. United States Army soldiers participate in military payment certificates (MPC) exchange at their headquarters in Long Binh Vietnam. The pilot fired the guns, using a sight at the left side of the cockpit. Once my eight-man crew of ammo counters had assembled, we set aside our usual duties and made the best preparations we could to survive the night. YouTube, I couldnt walk. Navy) 1 minigun and a jumble of spilled ammunition. Mini-Tet 1969 Begins February 23, 1969. Tet 1969 refers to the attacks mounted by the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong (VC) in February 1969 in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, one year after the original Tet Offensive.. COMBAT AFTER ACTION REPORT, VIETNAM 1969. Thomas Baer, the other gunner, and SSgt. 11 November SP/4s Jared Kelley and John R. Klemm, tend to their gear during a recon mission in the Tactical Area Of Responsibility. [4]:99100, PAVN/VC retreating to the south from Da Nang were intercepted by elements of the 1st Marine Regiment and ARVN 1st Battalion, 51st Regiment 11km south of Da Nang losing 139 dead in 3 days of fighting. They could'nt tell how big the post was, for the post's perimeter lighting had not yet been installed. Most estimates put the Viet Cong deaths at over 100. As Ole-Luk-Oie, the pen name for British officer Ernest Swinton, wrote in the 1915 book. He was filling in for a loadmaster who had taken his place when he was sick. Long Binh/Bien Hoa. In reality, it is a collection of ideas, images, and information that enough people have chosen to preserve and disseminate. Soldiers counting the notes. Aerial view of Long Binh Post in Vietnam. They tell me that I had 40 pieces of shrapnel in me at the time, Levitow said. [1], The VC made several attempts to advance on the base, but were halted. I felt as if someone had taken a two-by-four and squarely hit me against the whole right-hand side of my body, Levitow said later. The Medal of Honor was presented to John L. Levitow at the White House by President Nixon on May 14, 1970. Following the employment of the supporting fires, the 36th Ranger Battalion moved back into the village. We had no bunkers. Shortly, another mortar battery began firing. Behind the driver, strewn about the passenger seat and floor, was his personal combat gear, including his M14 rifle and several magazines filled with ammunition. At most, there would be 20 seconds before it exploded. Trans primary motivations seem quite similar to our own: eating and getting home. We're weird, he said. . The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. Aerial view of (USARV) United States Army Republic of Vietnam Headquarters Complex at Long Binh, Vietnam. . Viet Cong attack on Tan Son Nhut Air Base (1966) Part of the Vietnam War: Date: 4-5 December 1966: Location: Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam. It includes footage shot between 17 Feb and 24 Feb 1969. Furthermore, the flare would be burning at a temperature of 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit. 128 KB. But a battle was waiting instead. The flare posed a deadly danger in several ways. Few areas of the world have been as hotly contested as the India-Pakistan border. A U.S. 2nd Field Force soldier poses. At first, he was a power line specialist with the civil engineering squadron at McGuire AFB, N.J. My Account | If I got stopped drinking and driving, its going to say, Medal of Honor Drunk. I realize that. Video TikTok t Thnh Long Jr (@thlongjr): "Bn tng xem qua v phim attack on Titan bao gi cha? #anime #attackontitan". The AC-47 was the first of the Air Forces side-firing gunships. It would light up, oh, about half a mile, a good area, quite brightly, Levitow said. A regimental commissar had assured the men in Trans company that the attack would be easily successful and after it was over we would be able to go home to North Vietnam. The rationale given for the supposedly easy victory: The VC battalion would face only desk soldiers without field experience (ouch!). Interestingly, the only thing that came readily to mind was a small sign I discovered at one of the outdoor latrines set back in the woods: ALL TERDS [sic.] He had a serious leg wound and was evacuated to the field hospital across the street from my barracks. Since the headquarters building stood out on the hill like a large bulls eye, I proceeded outside and took up a defensive position behind a corner of our building, on the safe side. Most estimates put the Viet Cong deaths at over 100. About 85 per cent of the force was estimated to be PAVN soldiers. As Levitow dragged one of the other airmen toward the center of the cabin, he saw the flare between No. For reasons unknown, it had not been emptied when the AC-47 went to Vietnam. The loadmaster on Spooky 71 was A1C John L. Levitow, 23, from Glastonbury, Conn. Stephen Hugh Lane SP5 Lead Clerk Jan 1969 to Sep 1970, MOS 67N20 has checked in and joined the 3/4 Cav Chapter. I was not in this Regiment, but I believe I may have observed some of the Regiment's activities the day of the attack. It was originally called the FC-47D (for fighter cargo) but subsequently changed to AC-47 (attack cargo) in response to objections from fighter pilots. Contents. Records relating to the Christmas mail program, 1969-72. Filmmaker Mel Brooks once said he looked upon his Army experience in World War II as a newsreel.. Most attacks centered on military targets near Saigon and Da Nang and were quickly beaten off. Sound: No. The battle area was quickly illuminated by large spotlights supplemented with dozens of flares fired by our artillery. On 23 February 1969, Task Force Privette (A and B Troops, 1st Squadron, 11th Cav and a company of 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry) reacted to an attack on the Long Binh perimeter, killing 88 NVA. I dont think I was alone in this. On the other hand, one is left to ponder what affect seeding the battlefield or, even better, seeding the Ho Chi Minh Trail itself with C-ration packets of the despicable Ham and Lima Beans might have had. So they were given guns and were told to attack Long Binh Post (population 30,000 armed U.S. soldiers). M113 armored personnel carriers and M551 Sheridan armored reconnaissance vehicles supported the forces on the ground while AH-1 Cobra gunships and OH-6 helicopters provided air support. Nearly 60 years after he was first recommended for the nation's highest military award for his bravery during the Vietnam War, retired Col. Paris Davis, one of the first Black officers to lead a Special Forces team in combat, received the Medal of Honor on Friday. nhc nn - Mo One Piece - Thnh Long Jr. The firing grew to a continuous roar, with lines and lines of red tracers emitted by M60 machine guns crisscrossing the battlefield. If you like this movie trailer, go to https://militaryvideo.com/ to purchase the entire 60 minute video. . Spooky was flying at about 3,500 feet. The ARVN units swiftly moved into blocking positions, and by daybreak, the PAVN/VC were surrounded. For the next six hours, Spooky 71 would fly a combat air patrol circuit over the Saigon/Tan Son Nhut area, ready to respond wherever its fire support was needed. The idea was quite unsettling. Dennis Yenser checks in about Sapper Attack story. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. On December 1, 1969 at 8:13 P.M. EST my birthday was randomly drawn as Number 36 for the draft in the first National Lottery . As noted, the 277th S&S BN (DS) stationed in Long Binh became the superior command 30 August 1968, physically arrived in Tay Ninh by early January 1969 and remained in Tay Ninh until mid July 1970 {approximate} when it was re-assigned to Di An {near Saigon} - (see 1970 History, where the 228th was for all intent and purposes reduced to a . They briefly seize control of Binh Gia, a village only 40 miles from Saigon. This was teh first time the M551 Sheridan was in action in the Blackhorse Regiment. Remember: Using others' images on the web without their permission may be bad manners, or worse, copyright infringement. Ahead of the release of Pentagons 2024 budget release in the coming weeks, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin touted major investments by the DOD across a broad array of portfolios, including the nuclear triad, space, and next-generation fighter aircraftwhile promising once-in-a-generation expenditures for shipyards and munitions manufacturing in particular. Many features may not work properly without it. Levitows Medal of Honor is prominently displayed at Enlisted Heritage Hall. We were officially MOS (Military Operational Specialty) 32F20, which was depot-level repair and maintenance on AUTOSEVOCOM (AUTOmatic SEcure VOice COMmunications) crypto . United States Army soldiers exchanging MPC currency at their headquarters in Long Binh Vietnam. Hide. Tran, who was from the Haiphong area of North Vietnam, had high expectations for a victory in the attack, according to an interview in Stars and Stripes. On the morning of 26 February following Napalm and Snake Eye air strikes, Company L, reinforced by Company M assaulted the PAVN position making slow progress against determined PAVN resistance. 1971 serving with the 95th Military Police Battalion. The aircraft veered sharply to the right and down.. One of the MP ambush squads held a position within a kilometer of the VC stronghold. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. Inbound, Carpenter had called for an ambulance and a medevac helicopter to meet them on the ramp. Beyond that was an open area where tanks were patrolling back and forth, apparently looking for VC who had squirreled themselves down into rat holes trying to avoid the tanks. "Project CHECO Southeast Asia Report #105 - Special Report: The Fourth Offensive - 23 February-3 April 1969", Cold War International History Project's Cold War Files, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tet_1969&oldid=1142428918, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 09:26. The gunship, situated on the lawn of the museum, was dedicated in October 2004. To the Air Forces embarrassment, a hero was not eligible to re-enlist. Advanced Search | Date: 1969, August 11. Long Binh/Bien Hoa; Da Nang; References; External links; Most attacks centered on military targets near Saigon and Da Nang and were quickly beaten off. c bit n nh mt phi n ngh s nhiu ti ni ting . In the attack on Bien Hoa Air Base the PAVN lost 264 killed and 87 captured while ARVN losses were 10 killed and US. Nowhere, however, is Levitows memory recalled more vividly than at the Enlisted Heritage Research Institute at the Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy at Maxwell AFB, Gunter Annex, Ala. Levitow willed his Medal of Honor to the Enlisted Heritage Hall there. Levitows hometown, Glastonbury, dedicated a memorial to him on the town green May 31, 2004. It had been flying in Vietnam since 1964, first with the air commandos and after that with the special operations squadrons. The intense heat of the flare would burn rapidly through the aluminum floor of the cargo bay and drop on the empennage control cables, destroying them and causing the aircraft to go out of control. 5 Lt xem. The attacks on Bin Ha, Bien Hoa Air Base and Long Binh Post, occurred during the early hours of 31 January 1968 and continued until 2 February 1968. [1], In the early morning hours of 26 February, a force of approximately 400 men from the VC 275th Regiment, 5th Division, had infiltrated into the tiny village of Thai Hiep on the outskirts of Bien Hoa. With the progression of the battle came a feeling of incredulity. Edward Fuzie, the flight engineer] were knocked to the floor and the flare was knocked out of my hands. He was the center of much attention but also the victim of bureaucracy. After sundown on the 22nd, elements of the VC 274th Regiment, 5th Division made their final preparations while occupying three hills along Highway 15 approximately three kilometers south of the base. more My driver arrived at the usual time, a little before sundown, on Feb. 22, for my 12-hour graveyard shift at the 1st Logistics Command headquarters. One of the larger battles of the Vietnam War had been fought right in front of me, and I never saw the enemy. 99-08 286 ) DATE ) ) On appeal from the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in St. Louis, Whether they produced battlefield images of the dead or daguerreotype portraits of common soldiers, []. He is remembered at the Walk of Fame at Hurlburt Field, Fla. Levitow died Nov. 8, 2000, at his home in Connecticut after a lengthy battle with cancer. It was an unlucky hit. Media Battle of Long Binh 1969 Parts 1 & 2 11thACRCombat Operations After Action Report of Attacks in Northern Binh Long Province 10-13aug69 (All content and photos on this site are the property of their named owners and may not be copied or used for any other purposes without permission. About Us | Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. c, Holland h tr v kh cho Ukraine. ATTACK ON LONG BINH POST. Airman Levitow was setting [the ejection and ignition dials] and handing me the flares, Owen said. It includes footage shot between 17 Feb and 24 Feb 1. A soldier counts his notes at the typist's desk. Im not going to bring shame on either the medal or myself, so I do watch it very carefully.. A battalion of the 274th Viet Cong Main Force (VCMF) Regiment of the 5 North Vietnamese Army (NVA) Division, attacked the southern perimeter of Long Binh Post. The attack lifted momentarily, and the gunship began dropping flares to provide illumination requested by a nearby ground unit. Nov. Dec. Soon we received word that every spare man was to report for perimeter duty, and within minutes my entire crew had been spirited away, leaving me to fend for myself.