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Summary January 1970

To be written

January 29

C 2/5 Cav made a combat assault into a clearing near a suspected NVA position.  As the company moved through the wood line, it came under small arms fire.  SSG Richard Knapp was with the company command group as the field logistics sergeant.  Though he was in the prone position, he was hit near the collarbone and the round traveled through his lungs and other vital organs. He died on the battlefield.   PFC Roy Stringer was with 1^st Platoon.  Because this was his first firefight, his platoon leader, 1LT Jim Holcombe, instructed him to stay behind some of the other men.  An RPG or B40 flew overhead, and detonated on a tree near Stringer.  The shrapnel hit his head, and he died instantly.  (Source: Jim Holcombe)

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January - Exact Date Unknown 

LT Rudy Cariaga and 2nd Platoon.  From left to right: Rudy Cariaga, Ernest Roberts, John Taylor, Danny Mora, Ralph Bauman, Tim Edwards, Jim "Chimp" Eisenring, James Cooper, Larry Brasher, Russ Griffith, David Resendez, Eddie Hancock, Mike Willis, Steve Wright, Carl Walker, Juan Calo, Jerry Sider, Steve Gerulf.  The soldier without a shirt kneeling in front on the right side of the picture is Lonny "Doc" Branch. To Doc's right, also without a shirt is Bill Wagner.	Click on photo to see larger version Courtesy Eddie Hancock
Medic Jimmy Thom and Vernon Whitehead.
Medic Jimmy Thom and PFC Wayne "Steve" Wright	Click on photos to see larger version Courtesy Eddie Hancock
LT Rudy Cariaga and PFC Wayne "Steve" Wright.	Click on photo to see larger version Courtesy Eddie Hancock

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January - Exact Date Unknown

From an article in "The Army Reporter" -  FSB IKE - The hour-long pitched battle with M16s and M79 grenade launchers blazing took place outside this fire support base between a squad of the 1st Air Cavalrymen and the ingenuity of their company commander and two sergeants When Co. C, 2nd Bn., 5th Cav., rotated into the fire base for base defense, Capt. Thomas Reich, along with Sfc. Mike Calzada and Staff Sgt. John Taylor, designed and built a quick-reaction course of pop-up targets, simulated booby traps and a bunker complex for battalion training purposes. The Skytroopers go through the course in squad-sized elements with Taylor grading the critiquing their performance, while Calzada operates the concealed targets which pop up into view after an electric blasting cap is set off, simulating enemy fire. "From then on it's up to the squad leader to move his men where he wants them, and its up to the men to react the way they have been taught," said Reich. No amount of training will make one man react like another and this is one reason that the course was set up. "We can tell how each man in the squad is going to react if he comes under fire, or finds booby traps or a bunker complex, but more important we can tell how he needs to react so we can help him," said Taylor. The bunker complex, although containing only two bunkers, represents a familiar enemy tactic - one bunker covering another with fire support. "While one bunker is positioned so as to be spotted easily there is another bunker on its flank.  This is how the enemy usually places his bunkers so one can protect the other.  Now, if the point man is on his toes he realizes this and keeps his eyes open," said Reich. "For the Skytrooper who is new in country and hasn't experience a fire fight, this course is as real as anybody can make it," said Reich, "and I've had a lot of them tell me after going through the course that it was better than any reaction course back in the states."

Click on Photo to See Larger Version Caution!  This is a very large file Courtesy Nick Gallo

Click on Photo to See Larger Version Caution!  This is a very large file Courtesy Nick Gallo

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Updated March 07, 2007