Fifty-one years ago this month, the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate) fought in close quarters and uphill through deep foliage to take Hill 875 in what became known as the Battle of Dak To. Posted on 11/21/2018 4:45:52 AM PST by w1n1
Fifty-one years ago this month, the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate) fought in close quarters and uphill through deep foliage to take Hill 875 in what became known as the Battle of Dak To.
The 173rd Airborne Brigade had already seen action before moving inland to South Vietnam’s Central Highlands in early November of 1967. This support included a role in Operation Junction City in the spring, as well as a search-and destroy (S&D) mission in the vicinity of Tuy Ho on the south-central coast.
The 173rd was assigned to Dak To after intelligence reports indicated that North Vietnamese Army (NVA) regiments had reinfiltrated the region after the termination of Operation Greeley in late summer. Just before noon on November 6, “D” Company, under Capt. Thomas H. Baird, was moving up a trail to Hill 823 when one of the men spotted an NVA communications (“commo”) wire running alongside the path. Read the rest of Battle of Dak To.
Hmm, I thought this was about football
Sacrifices like these should not only be remembered year round, but especially when we gather around the table with our family this Thanksgiving.
It seems that the Viet Nam war was just last week. Kind of jars me to realise the men who fought there are now in their 60’s and 70’s.
All who served have my most heartfelt thanks and gratitude.
Thanks for your service.
Can you answer me this. Why were the NVA allowed to escape off of the Hill 875? Seems like the brass would have both sides covered or was the attack(s) only from one side? Just want to know if you have an idea.
1st of the 50th Mechanized Infantry was attached to 173rd AB out of Bong Son I beiieve. My brother served with them in the mortar platoon 1969-70. They did a lot of fighting, spending most of his 12 month tour in the field.
Heroes All !!
Brother, Have you been to the wall?
I interviewed a VN vet for the local paper’s Veterans Day edition.
He was with the “Combat Trackers” and worked with black lab dogs to nail sappers.
Fewer than 400 men were in this group.
I had never heard of the Trackers...
My nephew served in the 173rd in Afghanistan
But ....Truthfully as to your question....Not a clue!..I was somewhat new in country and we were just the back-up clean up detail as I remember it......
I just felt the need to comment to those that may have had a harder time there then I did ...
welcome to the Club!....Ive learned more about what I was doing and supporting yrs later then I ever had a clue of while I was there....Smokey’s...Sniffers...Longshots and Spooks...to name a few...and as for chasing Russian helicopters back across the border?...I don’t remember what we were called..I mean they were called.../s
Hundreds of injured enemies were being treated.
They never knew what hit them.
Roger that and thanks for the reply
“You couldn’t tell friend from foe”.
Hell of a way to fight a war.
btw, that tune at the end of the video where LBJ is speaking:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASj81daun5Q
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