Posted on 05/25/2026 12:07:15 PM PDT by Signalman
SP/4 Jeffrey Haerle was a Morse Intercept Operator (as I was) for the Army Security Agency (ASA) The ASA was the Army's signal intelligence (SIGINT) component. The specific job of the the Morse Intercept Operator in Vietnam was to search for, and copy, the messages sent in morse code, via the shortwave radio band, by enemy forces in order to derive intelligence information and in some cases, to assist in the use of radio direction finding to locate the enemy. Although hardly used today, during the 60s and 70s, morse code was one of the primary means of communication used by the NVA and Viet Cong.
After serving a year in 1967/1968 at the ASA installation located at Phu Bai, Republic of Vietnam, I was sent to the ASA Field Station on Okinawa where I met Jeff. After a few months there, Jeff requested to go to Vietnam on TDY (temporary duty) status. His request was granted and Jeff was sent to a tactical unit located in Tay Ninh Province. On the night of May 13, 1968 while performing his job on Nui Ba Den mountain, he was killed in action when the Viet Cong (South Vietnamese communist guerillas) launched a rocket into his unit location. He was 21 years old.
Although not a "combat arms" soldier, Jeff performed the ultimate sacrifice for his country.
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Thank you very much and God bless you,
Jim
Welcome home.
He is remembered.
My family has been quite lucky as most of us served (or are serving currently) in uniform, we've all made it through with only minor stuff.
If memory serves, there was a teammate on my high school football team who didn't survive the Vietnam war, and same for the sons of a couple of family friends (one of whom was, so tragically a suicide because when he returned home from the war, his estranged wife would not let him visit his young son.) There was also a very nice young woman who worked for me as a librarian, whose husband was MIA in Vietnam.
Tragedies all, and it is so very important that we recall their deeds and sacrifices.
Especially on Memorial Day, and especially in these days where so many enjoy our freedoms who did nothing to defend them, and have no gratitude for those who did so and sacrificed their lives in the process.
Thank you for letting us know him.
SIGINT ditty-bop bump.
Didn’t know him, Knew John George Southall.
Good show soldier! RIP your mate Jeff.
Anybody who puts on the uniform is a potential “combat arms” candidate. Never shot at but I did 3 years behind the Iron Curtain in West Berlin during the 60’s. Plenty of potential there but it never happened. I was in ASA’s sister branch USAFSS and surrounded by “ditty boppers” so I know what you are talking about.(Note: Johnny Cash was a morse intercept airman in USAFSS!)
Choking up with deepest respect, remembrance and gratitude to all who served honorably and are no longer with us including my mates David B.,David L.,Nick, Jack, George S.and another George S, Warren, Don, cousins John an Bob, and the list goes on and on. RIP to them all.
Am trying to keep my almost 86 year old brain active with daily morse code tinkering too! Amateur radio general license.
Godspeed brothers in arms!
Amen
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