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January 1969     February 1969     March 1969     April 1969     May 1969
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July 1969

To be written

July 3

The following members of Charlie Company are awarded the Air Medal: DUNN, TED E. SPECIALIST FOUR  December 1968 to June 1969 EIGEL, ROBERT A. SPECIALIST FOUR November 1968 to June 1969 LUKE, CLAUDE H. SPECIALIST FOUR September 1968 to May 1969 MARTINEZ, CARLOS SPECIALIST FOUR December 1968 to May 1969 (Medic) WATSON, GERALD D. PRIVATE FIRST CLASS 1968 to June 1969 (Medic)

Click on Photo to See Larger Version Caution: Large File Courtesy Jerry "Doc" Watson

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July 20

PFC Johnny K. Parker died of a gun shot wound to the chest.  

Mike Hayes remembers this: 

I think I remember the incident when Parker was killed. I think he was hit by a sniper who we in turn killed later in the day.  I remember seeing Parker, lying in a bomb crater, when the medic was treating him. He was shot in the stomach, later medivaced, but were told that he died.  I seem to recall that we decoyed the sniper during the medivac for Parker and got him as he was returning for another shot.

If recall anything further about the firefight, or remember Johnny, please notify the webmaster.  (Source:  DA Form 1, dtd 20 July 1969)

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July 20

Comanche was out in the weeds when this happened - we didn't even know about it until we were back on LZ Ike where we could hear Armed Forces Vietnam Network (AFVN) radio.

Click on picture to see larger version

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July 21 - 22

Joe Roudebush flew out to join the company on a log bird as an FNG.  That night, Joe was severely wounded in the neck by shrapnel from incoming mortar rounds, and was evacuated out, most likely to the 24th Evacuation Hospital.  He didn't even spend one full day with the company.  (Source: Joe Roudebush)  

Charlie Dickey was the new Recon Sergeant with Battery A, 1/77^th Artillery.  The Forward Observer party traveled with C 2/5 Cav, and provided that arc of steel and rockets around us during combat.   This was was Charlie's  first fire fight.  From an email: " I also remember that some guys got hurt in the initial exchange of fire.  One I think was first day in the field.  He took fragments from a ChiCom grenade in the neck. (Webmaster Note:  ChiCom meant Chinese Communist.) This is when Top Allen went forward to bring him back and that is when he traded grenades with the NVA.  I swear I can still hear him laughing at the enemy.  The FNG  (Webmaster Note: F^*#%&! New Guy) was brought back to the command post, and it was dark.  A call was made for Medevac and a Bird came in and hovered over a bomb crater that we illuminated with trip flares.  We loaded the wounded, and off they went.  The next day a resupply bird refused to land in daylight where a Medevac had landed at night while taking fire.

After a long night we had a Mad Minute just before daybreak.  It seems to me that I was sitting on the berm of a foxhole looking in and 2LT  Hendrixson was facing out.  It was then he said that he thought he saw a gook climbing down a tree.  Sure enough, mortars came soon after.  

 A Tracker Team was called in.  I remember working forward with the tracker (he did not have a dog with him.)  A break was called, and just  as I sat down when the tracker about was it by AK fire.  He was only 10 feet in front of me.  I believe I was with 3^rd Platoon when this went down. I remember helping to give first aid.  The tracker had 17 days left in country.  However, he was Line One upon arrival to Tay Ninh. (Webmaster Note:  Line One meant killed in action.)  (Source: Charlie Dickey)   PFC Joseph A.  Marasco died while attached to C 2/5 Cav, and we consider him one of our own.

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July 22

Nguyen Charlie was a regular feature cartoon in the Stars & Stripes newspaper.

Click on Photo to See Larger Version Courtesy Cindy Young

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July 23

1^st  and 2^nd Platoons were assigned to ambushes during the night hours of July 22-23.  The position cut across several small trails, so no enemy soldiers could get past.  There were NVA patrols in the area, and they apparently detected the intended ambush sites.  On July 23, he enemy held short of 1^st Platoon's position on the trail, and waited.  As daylight broke, and there having been no sign of any NVA in the area, the platoon began closing the ambush site.  LT Mike Patacca was 1/6 at the time:

"As everyone prepared their positions, you could hear a "whoosh" sound pierce the air.  It was immediately followed by an explosion.  A couple troopers in the Squad close to Mike Ruther's position returned fire in the direction of the incoming round, but there was a quick cease fire. The NVA had disengaged and withdrawn.  There was no enemy return fire after the initial engagement. SP4 Michael Ruhter had been standing during the initial attack, and an RPG round struck him in the upper leg. The runner from 1^st Squad reported him as the only casualty, and that he died instantly because of the severity of the wound."  However,  the RPG round had burst above the ground, and it's shrapnel caused more casualties then would be normal for this weapon. Although Mike was the only fatality, the medics found about a dozen others in the 1^st and 2^nd Platoons who had been struck by the shrapnel, and they needed medical attention."

Mel Wilkison was a fellow member of 1^st Squad, 1^st Platoon:

Mike was blonde, well-mannered, somewhat reserved, team player, and fearless.  In a letter I wrote my wife, dated 5 Dec. '68,  Mike Ruhter is noted as the new kid from Minden, Nebraska.  As far as I know, Mike Ruhter was only the second KIA from March 20, 1968 until July 23, 1969 of the 1^st squad of the 1^st Platoon. They were a tight bunch.

Mike Patacca adds:

Michael had been with the 1^st Platoon for most of his tour. He was very tan and blonde haired. He looked more like a California surfer than a Nebraskan because he always had his shirt off.  I also remember him carrying an M79 grenade launcher.  He was quiet most of the time, but he was a really brave kid.  There was no hesitancy on his part in a fire fight, and he would move forward with a total lack of fear.  I can remember him on April 6 on the far right of the line, firing away when we assaulted the entrenched enemy that day.

Michael Allen Ruhter was 18 at the time of his death.  A draftee, he arrived in Vietnam in December, 1968.

(Source of information:  Mel Wilkison and Mike Patacca.)

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July 22-23

In addition to the death of Mike Ruhter, Comanche suffered a lot of wounded in these 2 1/2 days of combat.  From 1^st Cavalry Division General Orders 9132, dated 26 July, 1969:

SP4 Dale R. Prince - 22 July	SP4 John T. Tedesco - 22 July
PFC William R. Conner - 22 July	SGT Andrew J. Tridenton - 23 July
SP4 Gerald D. Watson - 23 July HHC 2nd Bn 5th Cav (Medic with C Company)	PFC William A. Carlson - 23 July
SP4 Garry L. England - 23 July	SP4 Frank J. Bonura - 23 July
SP4 Richard M. Mock - 23 July	PFC Robert A. Becker - 23 July
SP4 Gary C. Harold - 23 July	PFC Richard L. Houghtelling - 23 July
PFC Donald G. Estep - 23 July	PFC Charlie M. Franklin - 23 July
PFC William A. Carlson - 23 July (First Oak Leaf Cluster)	PFC William M. Routhier - 23 July  (First Oak Leaf Cluster)
SFC Robert G. Hidinger - 23 July (First Oak Leaf Cluster)

Courtesy Jerry "Doc" Watson

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July 27

CPT Joseph Kuykendall assumed command from CPT Douglas Young  (Source: Doug Young OER dtd 25 Nov 69).  On the same date, C Company closed down LZ Ike and was airlifted to Tay Ninh Base Camp, then on to LZ Mary, the new operating base of the 2/5 Cavalry.  (Source:  S3 Daily Operations Staff Journal dated 27 July 1969)

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July - Exact Date Unknown

John "Greek" Kartinos, Squad Leader of 2nd Squad, 2nd Platoon, and the man who literally saved Joe Roudebush's life on July 22.	Click on photo to see larger version Courtesy James Machin
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Mike Hayes, taken in the field while Charlie Company was working out of LZ Mary.	Click on photo to see larger version Courtesy Mike Hayes
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Taking a rest, somewhere out in the weeds while working out of LZ Mary. The guy in the middle, squinting at the camera, is Eddie Corona.  Behind Eddie is George Stapleton.  Most likely, the person seen only partially is machine gunner Bill Conner because George was the assistant gunner.  Any knowing the name of the trooper in the foreground, please contact the Webmaster.  (Mike Hayes and Bill Conner)	Click on photo to see larger version Courtesy Mike Hayes
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Remember those mad minutes on LZ Ike?  The trooper with the M-16 was Narcico Reyes, 2nd squad, 2nd platoon,  from New York.	Click on photo to see larger version Courtesy Jim Machin
Comedian George Gobel greeted 2/5 troopers at LZ Mary.  Read Mike Hayes' story about the visit.	Click on photo to see larger version Courtesy Mike Hayes

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Updated July 22, 2007