5th Infantry Division
Sư Đoàn 5 Bộ Binh
May 1969 - January 1972
1st US Infantry Division
shoulder patch
We Were Soldiers Once, and Young…
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Re-supply every 4 days by CH-47 Chinooks
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Gela FSB - 1969 (with 1/28 Battalion, US 1st Infantry Division) |
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Gela Fire Support Base,
1969 |
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Cac Trang Lính
Shortly after the Lunar New Year Celebration, the 8th Regiment/4th battalion was detached to 9th Regiment to form the Expedition Force to invade Kampuchea. We crossed the border and moved toward Snuol along Chlong river. During 2 month from February 1971, our battalion fought 3 major battles with 174th Regiment of 5th North Vietnamese Infantry killing hundreds of enemies.
Late January 1971, we invaded Cambodia the second time in Snuol district, along the Schlong river, where located the North Vietnamese army headquarter and logistics. We encountered the 5th and 7th divisions of NVA. I was awarded Gallantry Cross with Palm and promoted to 1st Lieutenant after the storming enemy's 174th regiment defending Thpong Cham. We overran their position. That night, they got reinforcement and made 5 human wave assaults to our unit. Thanked to the soldiers who had been well trained and prepared (and the claymores), we could hold our position until dawn and launched counter attack. Altogether, 97 communist troops found dead, we lost 2 dozens. Nguyen Van Thanh, the NVA regiment commander and his staff were killed in this battle.
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Company Command Post (with Lt Thuy (my XO), and Thoai, De (Radiomen)) |
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Overrun 174th Regiment (North Vietnamese 5th Division) outpost at Treapeng Leak, Kampuchea 1971 |
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My company overran a NVA battalion defensive post at PH Sanghiek killing 8 NVA soldiers. After the enemies retreated, we set fire the hamlet to destroy their supply.
Friendly Forces:
9th Infantry
Regiment (with 4/8 and 3/7 Battalion reinforcement), 1st Cavalry Regiment,
51st Artillery Bn., 9th Recondo Company
Enemies:
5th Infantry's 174th Regiment, Z27 Special Operation Bn., a division
level training center, logistics command.
Casualties:
Of our 4th Bn: 27 KIA's, 2 dozens wounded
Enemies:
237 killed by 4th battalion (including the Regiment Commander
Nguyen Van Thanh), no prisoners, wounded unknown.
The victorious troops were welcome back home late May 1971. Major Nguyen Chi Hien, Battalion Commander, (in camouflage suit) led the battalion entering Laikhe. Next to him is Lt Colonel Dinh Van Toa (with X mark), the regiment XO, who was KIA when 8th Regiment withdrew from Snoul 2 months later.
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15th Company on the move |
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Snuol, 1971 |
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