In the matter of dates of death, homes of record, birthdates, and, in some cases, places of death, three books, one document, and eyewitness accounts were all utilized. The basic reference was the Casualty Information System, 1961–1981 (machine-readable record), Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, Record Group 407, National Archives Building. Next, the book Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Directory of Names, published by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc., Washington, D.C. (May 1991), was most helpful in cross-checking ranks, birth and death dates, and homes of record. The second book was constructed over several years as a labor of love by the late Sergeant First Class James D. Cumberland, a veteran of the Pleiku campaign. This three-ring, 1¼ inch-thick book of names of 1st Cavalry Division troops killed in Vietnam from August 1965 to March 1967 breaks the casualties down by company and battalion and includes place and date of death, date of birth, home of record, and location of the name on the Wall. The third book, Edward Hymoff’s The First Air Cavalry Division (New York: M. W. Lads Publishing Co., 1967), covers the creation, deployment, and operations of the division through 1966. It provides lists of both killed and wounded by unit and date, as well as lists of awards of valor.
Other Books and Articles
Albright, John, John A. Cash, and Allan W. Sandstrum. Seven Firefights in Vietnam. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Army Office of the Chief of Military History, 1970.
Beckwith, Col. Charlie A. (ret.), and Donald Knox. Delta Force. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1983. Includes a section on the siege at Plei Me camp, October 1965.
Bowman, John S., ed. The World Almanac of the Vietnam War. New York: Bison Books, 1985.
Brelis, Dean, and Jill Krementz. The Face of South Vietnam. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1968.
Brennan, Matthew. Headhunters: Stories from the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, in Vietnam 1965–1971. Novato, Calif.: Presidio Press, 1987.
Busey, John W., and David G. Martin. Regimental Strengths and Losses at Gettysburg. Hightstown, N.J.: Longstreet House, 1986.
“Cincinnatus.” Self-Destruction: The Disintegration and Decay of the U.S. Army During the Vietnam Era. Toronto: George J. McLeod Ltd., 1981.
Clodfelter, Mark. The Limits of Air Power: The American Bombing of North Vietnam. New York: The Free Press, 1989.
Cochran, Alexander S., Jr. “First Strike at River Drang.” In Military History, October 1984.
Coleman, J. D. Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1988. Coleman wrote the 1st Cavalry Division after-action report on Pleiku province. His book is based on that report, personal memories, and other sources.
, ed. The First Air Cavalry Division, Vietnam. Volume 1: 1965–1969. Tokyo: Dai Nippon Printing Company, 1970.
Davidson, Phillip B. Vietnam at War: The History 1946–1975. Novato, Calif.: Presidio Press, 1988.
Dunn, Si. The 1st Cavalry Division: A Historical Overview: 1921–1983. Dallas: Taylor Publishing Co., 1984.
Edwards, Robert H. “Battle at LZ-X-Ray: Personal Experience of a Company Commander.” This unpublished monograph of 42 pages plus 7 sketch maps, dated February 6, 1967, covers Edwards’s memories of the battle and was written as a course requirement for the Infantry Officer Career Course No. 1–67, Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia. It was helpful for quotations and establishing accuracy, and for an appendix that details the organization and unit strength of an infantry battalion of the 1st Cavalry Division in 1965.
Ellis, Chris. A History of Combat Aircraft. London: Hamlyn Publishing Group, 1979.
Fall, Bernard B. Street Without Joy. New York: Schocken Books, 1961.
. The Two Viet-Nams. New York: Praeger, 1963.
“Field Manual 100–5. Operations.” Department of the Army. May 1986. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. Referred to for accuracy of military definitions.
Giap, Vo Nguyen. Big Victory, Great Task. New York: Praeger, 1968.
Griffith, Samuel B. Sun Tzu: The Art of War. London: Oxford University Press, 1963.
Hackworth, Colonel David H. (ret.), and Julie Sherman. About Face: The Odyssey of an American Warrior. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1989.
Halberstam, David. The Best and the Brightest. New York: Random House, 1969.
. The Making of a Quagmire. New York: Random House, 1965.
Headquarters 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry After-Action Report Operation Silver Bayonet, November 11–26, 1965, dated December 5, 1965.
Headquarters 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry After-Action Report Operations Lincoln and Mosby, March 31–April 16, 1966, dated April 19, 1966.
Headquarters 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry After-Action Report Operation Lincoln III Search and Destroy, March 30–April 8, 1966, dated April 22, 1966.
Headquarters 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division After-Action Report, March 31–Aprill5, 1966, dated April 27, 1966.
Heller, Charles E., and William A. Stofft, eds. America’s First Battles: 1776–1965. Lawrence, Kans.: University of Kansas Press, 1986. Includes an article by George C. Herring on the Ia Drang battles.
Hilsman, Roger. To Make a Nation. New York: Doubleday, 1967.
Johnson, Lt. Col. Richard S. How to Locate Anyone Who Is or Has Been in the Military. Fort Sam Houston, Tex.: Military Information Enterprises, 1991.
Karnow, Stanley. Vietnam: A History: The First Complete Account of the Vietnam War. New York: Viking, 1983.
Kinnard, Douglas. The War Managers. Hanover, N.H.: University Press of New England, 1977.
Kinnard, Harry W. O. “Triumph of a Concept.” Army magazine, October 1967.
. “Airmobility Revisited.” U.S. Army Aviation Digest (two-part series), June 1980, pp. 1–5, 26, 27; July 1980, pp. 8–14.
. “Army Helicopters: Why?” Armed Forces Journal, May 1982, pp. 58–61, 98.
Knightley, Phillip. The First Casualty. New York: Harvest Books, 1975.
Krepinevich, Andrew F., Jr. The Army and Vietnam. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1986.
Laird, Jerry P. “The Training, Infiltration and Operations of a North Vietnamese Soldier from 12 April 1963–11 June 1966 in North Vietnam, South Vietnam and Laos (Based on a Personal Interview by a Battalion Civil Affairs Officer).” Unpublished monograph, 1968. Written for Advance Course Class 1968–1, on file in the Infantry School Library, Fort Benning, Ga.
Lewis, Norman. A Dragon Apparent: Travels in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. London: Jonathan Cape, 1951.
Mesko, Jim. Airmobile: The Helicopter War in Vietnam. Carrollton, Tex.: Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., 1984.
Palmer, Dave Richard. Summons of the Trumpet: U.S.-Vietnam in Perspective. Novato, Calif.: Presidio Press, 1978.
Patti, Archimedes L. Why Viet Nam? Prelude to America’s Albatross. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1980.
Pike, Douglas. PAVN: People’s Army of Vietnam. Novato, Calif.: Presidio Press, 1986.
Pimlott, John. Vietnam: The Decisive Battles. New York: Macmillan, 1990.
Porter, Captain Melvin F. “PROJECT CHECO REPORT ‘SILVER BAYONET’” Simpson Library, Air War College, Maxwell Air Base, Alabama. A declassified U.S. Air Force report, dated February 28, 1966, which covers air support activities in the Ia Drang Valley battles through 5:10 P.M., November 28, 1965.
Prashker, Ivan. Duty, Honor, Vietnam: Twelve Men of West Point Tell Their Stories. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1988. Includes a section on Ramon A. (Tony) Nadal, class of 1958.
Register of Graduates and Former Cadets 1802–1990 U.S. Military Academy. West Point, N.Y.: Association of Graduates, U.S.M.A., 1990.
Sheehan, Neil. A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam. New York: Random House, 1988.
Shulimson, Jack, and Maj. Charles M. Johnson. U.S. Marines in Vietnam: The Landing and the Buildup, 1965. Washington, D.C.: History and Museums Division, Headquarters USMC, 1979.
Smith, Jack P. “Death in the Ia Drang Valley.” Saturday Evening Post, January 28, 1967.
Spector, Ronald H. Advice and Su
pport: The Early Years: The U.S. Army in Vietnam. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1983.
Stanton, Shelby L. Anatomy of a Division: 1st Cav in Vietnam. Novato, Calif.: Presidio Press, 1987.
. The Rise and Fall of an American Army: U.S. Ground Forces in Vietnam, 1965–1973. Novato, Calif.: Presidio Press, 1985.
Summers, Col. Harry. A Critical Analysis of the Vietnam War. Novato, Calif.: Presidio Press, 1982.
. “The Bitter Triumph of Ia Drang.” American Heritage, February/March 1984, pp. 51–58.
Sutherland, Lt. Col. Ian D. W. (ret.). Special Forces of the United States Army 1952/1982. San Jose, Calif: R. James Bender Publishing Company, 1990.
Tolson, John J. “Vietnam Studies: Airmobility 1961–1971.” Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1973.
Triplett, William. “Chaos in the Ia Drang.” Veteran magazine, vol. 6, no. 10 (October 1986).
Tully, Major Walter B., Jr. “Company B.” Armor magazine, September-October 1967. Tully, a veteran of the fight at Albany and the attack on LZ Columbus, sets forth his account of the battles.
Westmoreland, General William C. A Soldier Reports. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1976.
Williams, Colonel Clinton L. “The Ia Drang Valley Campaign: The Army’s First Battle in Vietnam.” A 39-page paper submitted to the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, on June 16, 1989, as part of course requirements.
Index
Ackerman, Spec. 4 Dick, 212, 250, 283, 309–10, 339
Ackerson, Lt. Col. Frederic, 268, 313
Adams, Spec. 4 Russell E., 86–87, 88–89, 105, 108–10, 377
Adams, 1st. Sgt. Warren E., 124, 142, 150, 162, 182, 220–21, 340, 377
Aerial rocket artillery (ARA)helicopters, 90, 113, 119, 267, 280, 322, 372
Ainsworth, CWO Hank, 234, 305–7, 378
Air Assault Divisions, 13, 18, 226
Airborne Branch, Air Mobility Division, Pentagon, 17
Airborne Test Section, Fort Bragg, 17
Aircraft
A-1E Skyraiders, 89–90, 113, 120, 210, 218, 280–83, 291
B-29s, 103
B-52 bombers, 188, 224, 233, 236, 237, 243, 269
Caribou transport planes, 148
CH-47 Chinook helicopter, 10, 27, 40, 60, 113, 187, 212–13, 216, 219, 221, 309, 315, 322
C-123 flare ship (Smoky the Bear), 203, 205
F-100 Super Sabre jet fighters, 175
H-13 scout helicopters, 61, 100, 165, 298, 339
UH-1 helicopters (Hueys), 10, 33, 38, 40, 61–64, 103–4, 113–14, 115–16, 118–19, 121, 124, 135, 136, 142, 147–8, 150, 172, 212, 216, 218, 221–22, 234, 289, 297, 300–1, 304, 306, 322, 339, 374
Air Force forward air controllers (FAC), 146, 177
Airmobile divisions, operations, tests, training, 13, 154, 228
Airmobility Concept Board, 11
Allen, PFC Melvin, 82
Alley, 1st. Lt. J. L. (Bud) Jr., 226, 265–66, 272, 283, 291–93, 378
Allred, PFC Donald, 164, 178
Amodias, Sgt. Osvaldo, 241, 260
Amos, Lt. Col. Harry O., Jr., 183
An, Lt. Gen. Nguyen Huu, 51–52, 53, 66, 100, 104, 112, 133, 188, 242, 249, 271, 313–14, 332, 336, 344
An, Khe, 17, 31, 42, 49, 53, 71, 91, 194, 226, 229, 236, 244, 322, 339, 341, 343, 346, 360, 368
Ancient Serpent 6 (See also Bruce Crandall), 38
Anderson, Sgt. Wayne M., 94, 194
Ap Bac, 215
ARC LIGHT strikes, 188
Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), 12–13, 15, 50
Joint General Staff, 334
Arnett, Peter, 210
Arrington, 1st. Lt. John W., 5, 25, 161, 167, 173
Associated Press, 145, 210, 331
Aull, 2nd. Lt. Earl D. (Butch), 283
Aviation Group (Test), 11
B-3 Front (NVA), 17, 50, 54, 341, 344
Baeza, Sgt. Miguel, 275
Baker, Sgt. Jerry, 263, 274–75
Ban Me Thuot, 46
Barker, Capt. Robert L., 113–14, 220–21, 378
Barrier Line, 28
Bartholomew, Maj. Roger (Black Bart), 38, 113, 267, 378
Bass, SFC Charles, 227, 236, 245, 247–48
Battle of the Bulge, 20
Bean, 1st. Lt. Roger K., 103, 378
Beck, Spec. 4 Bill, 84, 86–87, 89, 105, 108–10, 133, 152, 222, 378
Becker, PFC Lester, 269, 275
Beckwith, Maj. Charles, 34
Bembry, PFC Snyder P., 274
Bennett, Capt. Larry, 181, 185, 188–89, 191
Benton, SSgt. Ronald, 284
Bernard, Sgt. Ramon, 132
Birenbaum, PFC Bernard, 93–94
Black, Charlie, 145, 213–14
Blackwell, MSgt. Noel, 153
Blake, 2nd. Lt. Timothy M., 114, 134
Blount, SFC Clarence W., 221
Blythe, Spec. 4 James, 96
Boswell, PFC Johnnie, 96
Bouknight, Spec. 5 Calvin, 92, 126–27
Bowen, Sgt. Loransia D., 245
Boyt, Capt.Ed, 185
Bratland, Spec. 4 John C., 245, 260
Braveboy, PFC Toby, 291, 297–99, 378–79
Brelis, Dean, 219–20, 221–22
Bristol, Col. Delbert, 11
Broken Arrow (code word), 161
Bronson, Spec. 4 Arthur L., 157
Brooke Army Hospital, 239
Brown, PFC Ervin L. Jr., 3, 166
Brown, Hardy, 222
Brown, SSgt. Robert, 224
Brown, Col. Thomas W. (Tim), 18–21, 26, 31, 35–38, 60, 62, 100–1, 124, 129–30, 144, 168, 194, 212, 224–25, 227, 234–37, 242, 266–69, 286, 312, 314, 331–33, 340, 344, 347, 379
Browne, Sgt. John T., 95
Bundy, Assistant Secretary of State William, 370–71
Bungum, Spec. 4 Galen, 70–71, 95–97, 129, 140, 153, 190, 192–94, 338, 379
Burlile, Spec. 4 Thomas E., 176
Burton, SSgt. Carl R., 72
Bush, PFC Fred S., 164
Byrd, Spec. 4 Nathaniel, 160, 173, 179
C-4 plastic explosive, 34
Cambodia, 4, 12, 17, 27, 30, 41, 46–47, 65, 212, 235, 335, 340–42, 370–71
Camp Holloway, 30, 63, 103, 116, 122, 147–8, 183, 200, 212, 216, 219, 221–22, 224, 229, 268, 288–89, 296, 299, 306–7, 315, 326, 331, 336
Cantu, Spec. 4 Vincent, 97–98, 150, 169–70, 182, 187, 216, 379
Caple, SSgt. Walter T., 280
Carrara, Capt. Robert J., 72, 80, 133, 168, 175, 179, 193, 379
Carter, PFCA. C., 261
Cash, Capt. John, 247–48, 267, 380
Castleberry, Sgt. James P., 3, 166, 178
Catecka tea plantation, 37, 42, 47, 130, 247, 267, 293, 333, 337–39
Catholic Relief Services, 361
Central Highlands, 4, 13–14, 15, 16, 29, 45, 50
Chapelle, Dickey, 217
Chau, Lt. Col. La Ngoc, 50, 104, 249
China Beach, 14
Chu Lai, 17
Chu Pong massif, 4, 31, 38, 46–47, 51, 53–55, 59–60, 66, 86, 100, 111, 113, 120, 126, 136, 145, 147, 185, 188, 205, 217, 224, 233, 240, 243, 269, 278, 336, 347
Citadel (The), 356, 358
Clark, Spec. 5 James, 82, 176
Clark, Spec. 4 John, 134, 140, 176
Clark, PFC Richard C., 338
Clark Field, 148, 350
Clausewitz, Karl von, 374
Cohen, SSgt. Sidney, 157, 159
Cohens, PFC Lawrence, 261
Coleman, Capt. J. D., 169, 213–14, 223
Coleman, PFC James E., 168
Collier, PFC Charley H., 7, 172
Columbus (Georgia) Ledger-Enquirer, 145, 213, 217
Comer, Spec. 4 James, 5–7, 159, 160, 172, 173, 179
Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, 17
Cornett, 1st. Lt. Donald C. (See also Ghost 5), 244, 246, 253, 259, 260, 266, 273, 309–11, 324
Crandall, Maj. Bruce (See also Ancient Serpent 6), 38–40,
43–44, 60, 63–65, 67, 68, 78, 101, 102–3, 114, 115–19, 122, 135, 136, 145, 147–48, 181, 222, 223, 300, 380
Cremins, Bob, 363
Crooks, Capt. Ronald W., 185
Crouch, Maj. Harry, 248
Curry, SSgt. Wilbur (the Chief), 74–75, 92
Da Nang, 14, 17
Danielson, Capt. Theodore S., 30
Davis, Capt. Donald, 40, 114, 220–21
De Angelis, PFC Dominic, 106
De La Paz, Hilario, 169
Deal, 2nd. Lt. Dennis, 70, 72, 74–75, 84, 91–92, 125–28, 132, 134–35, 185, 190–92, 380
Defense Language School, Monterey, Ca., 178
Democratic Republic of Vietnam, 370
Department of the Army Special Photographic Office (DASPO), 137
DePuy, Gen. William E., 333–34, 368
Deursch, Spec. 4 Robert, 82
Devney, 2nd. Lt. Al, 70–73, 74–77, 84, 91, 125, 135
Diduryk, Capt. Myron, 130, 136–37, 142, 148–49, 150–51, 157, 174, 177–180, 196–99, 201, 202–7, 210–13, 215, 224, 226, 239, 268, 288–89, 300–1, 305, 309, 312, 314, 339, 343, 345, 380–81
Diem, Ngo Dinh, 12
Dien Bien Phu, 11, 52, 216, 311
Dillon, Capt. Gregory (Matt), 18, 21, 33, 38, 40, 43–44, 90, 106, 117, 124, 142, 145–47, 152, 153, 154, 156, 157, 161, 163, 173, 175, 181, 182, 183, 187, 193, 194, 200, 207, 212–13, 215, 218, 334, 339, 348, 381
Distinguished Service Cross, 345
Dong Tre, 373
Dorman, Spec. 5 Marlin T., 96, 129, 338
Dougherty, PFC Edward F., 110
Driver, Sgt. John, 239
Due Co Special Forces Camp, 16, 30 60, 299, 314
Duncan, 1st. Lt. Ken, 67, 139, 190, 381
Dunn, Hank, 255
Edwards, Capt. Robert H. (Bob), 4–5, 7–8, 22, 40, 78–80, 101, 105, 110, 112, 123–25, 141–42, 148–49, 150, 151, 156–63, 166–67, 173–74, 177–79, 181–82, 186, 196–97, 204, 215, 318, 381
Elliott, Sgt. Billy P., 132, 351
Elliott, Sara, 351
Epperson, Spec. 4 Jim, 228, 245, 254
Escape and Evasion, 290, 297
Eschbach, Plt. Sgt. Charles L., 197–98
Estes, CWO Donald C., 125
Exercise Air Assault II, 24
Faba, CWO Ken, 116, 306
Fantino, PFC Salvatore P., 209, 301
Ferrell, SFC William A. (Pappy), 252–53
Fesmire, Capt. John A. (Skip), 219, 226, 237, 244, 246, 253, 259–60, 277, 280, 310, 324, 381
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