|
Posted on 08/25/2004 10:29:58 PM PDT by SAMWolf
|
|
 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
|
| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
|
|
The long line of helicopters dropped into the landing zone. Overhead, Cobra gunships circled, ready to surpress any enemy fire. It was similar to the countless number of combat assaults the men of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry of the 1st Air Cav Division had made before...with one difference. When the lead Huey set down in the clearing and Specialist 4 Terry Hayes jumped onto the ground the 1st Cav was ready to meet the enemy on a new frontier--in Cambodia.  The remainder of the battalion moved in behind Charlie Company. It was D-Day, May 1, 1970. The entire world would soon focus on the 1st Cav and units under its operational control as American troops plunged across the border looking for the enemy's major food and ammo sanctuaries. As President Nixon announced his decision to attack NVA ammo caches and other enemy sanctuaries, segments of the joint ARVN-US task force element moved across the border, led by elements of the 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry (Mechanized) and the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, both under operational control of the 1st Air Cav.  Nixon announces invasion of Cambodia April 30, 1970 The day before, D-Day minus one, Skytroopers were able to boast of being first in Manila, Tokyo, Pyongyang, and the first U.S. division to receive the Presidential Unit Citation in Vietnam. Now, another first was to be recorded by the Cav--the first U.S. division to fight in Cambodia. On D-Day the men of the 2nd Bn, 7th Cav built Fire Support Base X-Ray, the first artillery fire base in Cambodia. X-Ray was named for the base where the Cav's first major battle in Vietnam took place in the Central Highlands during the 1965 Pleiku Campaign.  Other Cav units quickly moved into Cambodia's Fishhook to reinforce the operation. D-Day plus one brought Charlie Company, 2nd Bn, 5th Cav to X-Ray. The following day the 1st of the 5th combat assaulted into the northern sector of the Fishhook, setting up FSB Terri Lynn. The 1st Bn, 12th Cav established FSB Evans on D-Day plus four. Completing the first week, D-Day plus six, two additional battalions of Skytroopers smashed into Cambodia northwest of Song Be and established firebases north of Phuoc Long and Binh Long provinces. The Skytroopers moved from the bases to search for enemy sanctuaries. The new units were the 2nd Brigade's 2nd Bn, 12th Cav at FSB Myron and the 5th Bn, 7th Cav at FSB Brown.  The US 1st Air Cavalry Division attacked the Communist bases in the Fishook area after an extensive artillery and B-52-preparation. This UH-1H of the US Army is seen inserting troops on a newly created landing zone in the jungle Even before the Cav's ground troops were in Cambodia the Cobras and LOHs of the 1st Sqdn, 9th Cav were in the air, their sharp-eyed crews scouring the ground below for signs of enemy activity. They spotted plenty of movement, mostly Communists rapidly retreating from the contact area. Time after time the Hunter-Killer teams swooped down on the fleeing foe, accounting for many of the enemy killed by the Cav in the operation. The Pink Teams also frequently spotted the enemy complexes that contained huge stores of supplies. D-Day plus one, May 2, 1970, Hunter Killers of Bravo Troop, 1st of the 9th, found a major NVA military installation, soon to be nicknamed "The City," consisting of more than 300 buildings complete with all-weather bamboo walkways winding through the complex.  Airlifted into Cambodia Warrant Officer James Cyrus, a LOH pilot with Bravo Troop, discovered the complex during a routine mission. "We found the building complex almost by accident, 12 kilometers west and 25 north of the Cambodian border. We were looking for something in the area, but didn't see anything at first." "Then I spotted one hootch well camouflaged. Unless you were at treetop level, it would be almost invisible." "I just followed the bamboo walks from hootch to hootch, and saw the street signs, bridges with walkways and ropes and what looked like a motor pool and lumber yard" he added.  The 1st Bn, 5th Cav was inserted the following afternoon in an area four kilometers north of the complex area. Charlie Company deployed and swept toward the huge military installation. Refugees, flooding Highway 7 near the new FSB Terri Lynn in an attempt to escape North Vietnamese forces, confirmed the location of the installation and further described it as a major supply depot. Charlie Company moved out of the LZ and down Highway 7 toward the suspected enemy complex. Leaving the road, they entered extremely heavy underbrush, slowing movement to a crawl. Overhead, a light observation helicopter from Bravo Troop circled and called directions to the grunts below, leading them toward the gigantic complex.  That first night, Charlie Company Skytroopers set up their NDP (night defensive position) less than a kilometer from the installation's perimeter. The under growth below the triple canopy jungle was so dense that it took the company the entire following morning to move the final kilometer to the complex.
|
I didn't see Kerry's Excellent Adventure listed in the article. Hmmmm!?!
Also missing is a hatless CIA agent. Hmmmm!?!
Mornin' Sam.
Ahhhh!, the Edsel.
If I remember, the Edsel was the brainchild of McNamara when he worked at Ford Motor Co.
Coulda bought one a few years ago. Probably lucky I didn't have the bucks to lay down.
That famous oval grill made an effective toilet seat...
Reclassified as an escort destroyer (DDE-448) in March 1949, Philip was modernized over the next year to better suit her for antisubmarine work, receiving a Weapon Alpha ASW rocket launcher and other new sensors and weapons.
Do you happen to know the rational for the midship turret on the Fletcher class destroyers. It seems, at least to this landlubber, to be of limitied value, good only for broadside action.
The 5"/38 guns on the Fletcher class destroyers were dual purpose guns. They could be used against surface targets and air targets. The amidship turret made a good anitaircraft gun.
Yep, still in the PRC.
Hiya Sam
Hi miss Feather.
Howdy ma'am
Thanks for the info aomagrat. The midship turret still looks a little odd to me but it must have worked out okay.
SAM, did you see #64
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
Afternoon stand watie.
Free Dixie!
Not sure what they replaced the forward turret with but the midships and rear turrets look like they have been replaced with missle launchers
Afternoon Darksheare
Afternoon CholeraJoe.
Looks like the 1st Cav is exaggeratting a bit in it's bragging. ;-)
Groan!
LOL! Yeah, only he was sent by President to be Nixon to scout it out for us - two years earlier.
I didn't see Kerry's Excellent Adventure listed in the article.
That's because his mission was double super secret and anyone who found out about it had to be killed.
Thanks aomagrat.
Afternoon!
Been wanderin' aboot.
Naval Undersea Museum
Navy Region Northwest
1103 Hunley Road
Silverdale, WA 98315-1103
(360) 396-4148
Fax: (360) 396-7944
http://keyportmuseum.cnrnw.navy.mil
Darn it. We were just up that way a few weeks ago. Kind of a long drive for only one day.
Well, it looks like he did a good job of scouting it out for you, you knew right where to find all the goods. I wonder if Kerry spent any time swimming with Teddy and Jane in the pool at the VC rec center?
He's probably got a picture of the three of them in bamboo lounge chairs and sipping umbrella drinks tucked inside the brim of his lucky CIA hat.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
