Meet the men of Company A, 2/502nd Infantry, ("Attack!" Company) 101st Airborne Division. They were very much like you. They were made of flesh and blood and they had feelings, and yes, they had fears... fears, just like all of us. They were real, very real, not just statistics or forgotten names and faces. They had families, friends, and loved ones...wives, girlfriends and kids. Despite all they had to lose, they still looked death straight in the eye and did their job to the best of their abilities. They did it for "Duty, Honor, Country", they did it for you, and they did it for what they believed in. I had the great honor to know them, to worry with them, to fear with them, to suffer with them, and to fight alongside of them. It was a very special privilege, indeed, to walk down a very hazardous path with them. Unfortunately, too many of them, in that faraway, forsaken land, were called upon to take a one way path, the path of death. And some, yes some, literally stormed down that path in full attack. They were the best, they were the Spartans, they were my friends and brothers. I was honored and blessed, yes blessed, to travel part of the way with them, down that dangerous path to an unknown destination, the uncertain path of the soldier. Grif.
His struggles are of constant agony, The elements, mostly, add to misery.... Extreme heat, bitter cold, monsoon rains, Raging waters, desert sands, jungled lands....
BUT STILL, the soldier's love of country, So much more, than one could ask for.... Keep him faithful, to his task, Despite the odds, he stands true and fast....
No matter the mission, whatever his condition, He will take, that extra step.... He'll not pause, to catch his breath, There's no time, for him to rest....
Blinding snow, inclimate weather, Frostbit feet, freezing sleet.... Foul weather gear, not up to par, The enemy knows, you'll not get far....
Sleep deprivation, hunger, thirst, The average person, would swear and curse.... BUT STILL, the combat soldier, truly knows, His determination, will surely grow....
The enemy plots his downfall, A sneak attack, the bugle calls.... Using any means to effect his kill, To stop your heart, your blood, he'll spill....
The unseen enemy is a threat, He'll try to catch you, in his net.... To ambush, snipe you, use booby traps, Any means, your pain will last....
When the enemy is not nearby, Unseen dangers, crawl and fly.... Vicious animals, poisonous snakes, Malaria, Dengue, deadly fevers, be your fate....
BUT STILL, the combat soldier will not quit, He''ll fight like hell, use his wit.... Field expediency, put to use, Out of nothing, he'll make soup....
Endurance, stamina, training, Enemy ground, he'll be gaining.... Fighting for all he's worth, Enemy soldiers, curse his birth....
Missing home, the loved ones there, That pretty girl, prompts a tear.... Whatever obstacles, be in his path, They'll not stop him, his love stands fast....
Suffering becomes a way of life, Civilians can't imagine, the pain, the strife.... Comfort is a thing of the past, Fear is the enemy, you must surpass....
Survival, the only thing that matters, Mass explosions, the blood does splatter.... To see your buddy, shot, quite dead, His body torn, no time to mourn....
He knew the odds, his grave, quite near, He was only young, if you count his years.... He wouldn't give in, to his fears, You must be tough, can't shed your tears....
Push on, young soldier, Take the hill.... Death, surely, a bitter pill, You must succeed, fire at will...!
Enemy soldiers, all around you, Buddies dying, Hell surrounds you.... BUT STILL, you know, in your heart, Your flag still flying, come the morning...!
Bullets pierce your tender flesh, BUT STILL you fight, with your last breath.... Victory!, you take the hill, Your spirit soars, only your heart, is BUT STILL...!
THIS POEM WAS INSPIRED BY THE DEDICATION AND DEATH OF A VERY BRAVE SOLDIER. HIS NAME WAS SGT. RICHARD C. YOUNGBEAR, AGE 26, HE WAS OF AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE. HE WAS A MEMBER OF CO.A, 2/502ND INFANTRY, 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION. HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION, BY ENEMY MACHINEGUN FIRE AT TUY HOA, SOUTH VIETNAM ON 03 FEBRUARY 1966. HE WAS AWARDED THE SILVER STAR, POSTHUMOUSLY, FOR HIS HEROIC ACTIONS.
Below is an open letter from my former Company Commander, (then) Captain Gerard Landry, honoring his men of Company A, 2/502 Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Captain Landry served gallantly with the STRIKE FORCE from July1964 - July 1966. He was wounded flying into the hot LZ during The Battle Of An Ninh. Thank you, Sir, for leading the way and for setting the courageous example for all of us to follow. It was a great honor and privilege to serve under your command. My best to you and Young-Lan always, Most Respectfully Yours, Grif.
Whenever I visit the Wall, I always make it a point to seek out the names of those who gave the rest of us - and their country - literally all they had to give: Vaczi, Youngbear, Skapinsky, Settlemire, Wallace, and so many others.... I grieve for them still - I always will - but underlying the pain and sorrow of their loss, I always feel another emotion as well, as I walk away from the Wall, something that is with me every day, as I go through all the routines of my life. That 'something' is pride...a sense of infinite, ineffable pride that lifts and buoys me, the pride that I was privileged to know, and to serve, with such men.... I wish I could thank them all...but I can begin by thanking you, personally and professionally, for standing tall, for your steadfastness, for the sacrifice of part of your youth (and perhaps part of your innocence as well...), for risking all...and for simply being there!
I have already blocked out my calendar for the dates of the 1st Brigade reunion at Ft. Benning in October; my wife (Young-Lan) has told me she'd like to come as well, so she can finally get to meet some of the men I'm always telling her about in my ever-more-embellished 'war stories.' Will you be attending as well? I'd be delighted to have the opportunity to see you again (and perhaps meet your wife?).
The below photos of some of the warriors of Attack Company were taken shortly after "Operation Hawthorne." (The Battle of Dak To - named in honor of Sgt. Hawthorne - poem honoring him follows pictures) I had finished my tour and left Vietnam just before the pictures were taken. They were given to my former squad leader , SFC (Ret) James G. Moffitt and I after visiting 502nd Regimental Headquarters in 1994.
1st Sgt. (Ret.) Kenneth Lamb is presented the coveted certificate and crest of a newly inducted Distinguished Member Of The 502nd Infantry Regiment (DMOR). Shown with Top Lamb is Mike McFadden who served with Top as commander of Attack Company. The ceremony was performed at Top's local VFW Post, September, 2001. Congratulations 1st Sgt! Well done!
I had the honor of serving under the command of Top Lamb during the vicious battles of Operation Hawthorne. Mike McFadden relieved Capt. Ron Brown at the end of the operation. I salute both of these gallant soldiers and leaders. Hooah ! Grif.
Every year, the Viet Cong, stole the crop, ARVN and ROK marines, the pillage, couldn't stop.... So the 2/502nd Infantry, given the task, They would accomplish, all that was asked....
The patrol assigned, to start the mission, Swarm of mosquitoes, worsened conditions.... Through rivers, jungles, and paddies, Enemy territory, much like Hades....
Sgt. Gene Hawthorne, the partol leader, To engage the enemy, was most eager.... An American Indian, adept at tracking, His skills and experience, was not lacking....
In jungle so thick, visibility, minimal, Heard the VC, stealthy, as animals.... Screaming and shooting, the enemy attacked, The patrol exploding, cut no slack....
The enemy fell, wave after wave, Was a foolish tactic, they engaged.... The patrol suffered, one man killed, In close combat, all were skilled....
The enemy withdrew, a blood trail, leaving, A booby trap exploded, one dead, Sgt. Hawthorne bleeding.... At dawn, the enemy, attacked again, The six soliders remaining, sent them reeling....
Sgt. Hawthorne, bled profusely, badly hurt, Still he fought, for all his worth.... He called in the artillery, accurate and deadly, The large enemy force, suffered a plenty....
The patrol held, till we arrived, The remaining six, had survived.... Sgt. Hawthorne, to a medivac, carried away, "Need blood, give me a refill, can I stay"....?
After many firefights, we completed the mission, The 95th NVA Regiment, bleeding and hungry, now thier condition.... After two weeks of fighting, we passed, HAWTHORNE'S HILL, The enemy still lay, where they were killed....
The nauseating smell of death, did permeate, A most macaberesque scene, my mind, still recreates.... Thirty-five dead VC, fermenting, where they lay, I can't forget, the horror they displayed...!
Flies and maggots, their job complete, Skeletons, with a tar like substance, did secrete.... One skull lay atop a ditch, It's body, rolled down the bank, covered in pitch....
The other skeletons, lay all about, "Please bury me," I could hear them shout...! Weapons gone, but fully dressed, This vivid vision, I can't surpress...!
Of bones and tar, they did stink, A most appalling odor, they did reak.... To their skeletons, their gear still attached, Ho Chi Minh sandals, to bones, held fast....
The blackened sockets, that once held eyes, Still glare at me, no tears to cry.... I tell you all this, so you can see, In war and death, be a tragic reality....
Though, on HAWTHORNE'S HILL, I did not fight, Of heroism and horrors, in dreams, my plight.... From an uneasy sleep, I jolt awake, From this nightmare, theres no escape...!
Sgt. Hawthorne recovered, valor, heroism, gallantry, his traits, But at Nhon Cho, in a Chinook, he met his fate.... Full of ammunition, it exploded, in a ball of fire, Burnt beyond recognition, 21 heroes, their lives expired....
In an unpopular war, many heroes did fight, So in pleasant, safe sleep, you spend your nights.... Combat veterans, don't have that luxury, Too many a HAWTHORNE'S HILL, to haunt their memories....
Sgt. Hawthorne and his men were from Attack Company.
ARVN- ARMY REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM ROK- REPUBLIC OF KOREA NVA- NORTH VIETNAMESE ARMY CHINOOK- A LARGE CARGO HELICOPTER
“There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind, I’ve never had a feeling, of this kind”… “If I go, I’m sure to die, About this, I would not lie”…
A look of terror, clearly, on his face, To avoid this duty, certainly, no disgrace.... "Sure buddy, I'll prepare tonight, If our sergeant says, it will be alright"....
Unfortunately, permission, was not to be, To call in artillery, was unknown to me… As a forward observer, I was not trained, No time to learn, this was not a game….
In the morning, he left, with his patrol, His feeling of doom, followed, like his shadow.... I don't know?, certainly, he's not right, But today, I pray, he doesn't have to fight....
Shortly, I left, with our main force, Destiny, we’d both have to follow our course… In the distance, a vicious firefight, I heard, Worry, began to touch, my every nerve…
My buddy called, needed help urgently, Fighting a large force of VC...! Through "Michelin Plantation", we raced like hell, To reach them, in time, we could not tell...!
Suddenly, artillery exploded in the trees, He mistook us, for more VC… “Please Dear God, don’t let this be, Redlegs, Redlegs, hold your damn volleys”…!
Tragically, precious time was lost, Dear God, what would this error cost...? As we neared, their vicinity, The enemy disappeared, into obscurity....
Suddenly, his nightmare, came into view, Now, no doubt, I could see it too… My dear friend, lay dead, at my feet, Shocked into sadness and stunned disbelief…
If only, I could have, taken his place, My lack of knowledge, could have changed his fate.... "Ours is not to reason why?, ours is but, to do and die," A SOLDIER'S PREMONITION, will forever, leave tears in my eyes...!
All were killed on that A Company patrol, 10 December 1965.
ETA - 2 minutes from your LZ!