Little did I know he had decided to do it on his own. He had spent a day on the battlefield playing dead surrounded by the enemy. Bernosky was seriously wounded on March 16, 1966 during an operation near Phuoc Vinh where B Company was the lead company of the First Battalion 503D Infantry going to the aid of another unit, this time the Second Battalion 503D Infantry. When you see all these guys who are dead, Harris said. Which is, Everybody has their own 8th of November. Not only you. Some of us knew his pilot, WO Charles Smith, and believed if there ever was someone to take on this task he was the guy. The position was no sooner establish then it was hit by yet another terrible assault. General Westmoreland would never know he was the inspector on this one. At about 0600 on the morning of 8 November C Company began a move northwest toward Hill 65, while B Company moved northeast toward Hill 78. It was all about staying low that day.. That they were able to hold that number to one was a tribute to the extraordinary efforts of our medics. At an 8th of November display set up in the lobby of Deadwood Mountain Grand to honor 173d Airborne Brigade Operation Hump, Hill 65 survivors, Niles Harris, Michael Lovelace and Sonny Bartow. While not probably the wisest decision on my part, I felt compelled to follow the squad in this recovery and I understood the unusual composition of that squad. The hill was heavily vegetated with teakwood trees and what is generally referred to as triple canopy jungle. Find Operation Hump stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Just having them near was a help to us. When I went for it, Niles was still working it If you got back behind two termite mounds in these teak trees, you made it. National Native American Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located at The . operation hump, the first major battle between the u.s. army and the viet cong and north vietnamese forces, took place november 5-9, 1965, in south vietnam's war zone d. known as "the hump," it would change the nature of the war, escalating it from a hit-and-run guerrilla conflict to a bloody contest between communist main force units and Here my notes on the wounded are mixed with wounded from another fight. our medics were pushed to their limits but accomplished the seemingly impossible. You have permission to edit this article. Share with Us. I spoke briefly with Chaplain Hutchens, he still had that rare smile, looked good and was collecting visitors to the point that some wanted us out of there. I see no good purpose in making that a matter of record. This was even slower than when he came in. Both had been wounded in action in early October near Ben Cat as we penetrated the Iron Triangle. The third was seriously wounded and I wondered if he would even live. In that contact A Company lost a platoon leader, Second Lieutenant David L. Ugland, a classmate of Lt. Thurston. With contact apparently broken, I set about the task of trying to get our critically wounded out, get more ammunition in, and to prepare to secure the position for the night. "On November 8th, 1965, the 173rd Airborne Brigade on Operation Hump, War Zone D in Vietnam, were ambushed by over 1200 V.C. At an 8th of November display set up in the lobby of Deadwood Mountain Grand to honor 173d Airborne Brigade Operation Hump, Hill 65 survivors, Niles Harris, Michael Lovelace and Through the night we lost one of our wounded. Feb 5, 2014 - Korean troops encounter terrified villagers sheltering from their helicopter assault in Bong Son, Vietnam, in June of 1966. The south side of the hill was not covered and so I ordered my second platoon to extend as far to the south as possible without jeopardizing their current position. We continued our attempt to clear an area to get helicopters in to carry our wounded out. A mighty engagement on November 8, 1965, cost 49 paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Combat Brigade their lives with many others wounded. one of my soldiers with a speech defect felt pushed to the point that after several questions, the last of which was: How do you know you killed the enemy? responded without a stutter, Because I got his blood all over me. While they talked I would look at their weapons and equipment. Their reaction clearly demonstrated that we were up against a highly trained and disciplined force. Finally, Specialist 4th Class Jerry W. Langston took over the radio, making one more effort to report. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. We would open a hole in this jungle and get helicopters on the ground to get them out. Finally, General Williamson radioed he was coming in. Amongst the last of the seventeen missing they found one alive. It was a standby. I led him to each soldier in their squad tent. Mike was the lead guy Mike drug a lot of guys down that hill, Harris told the crowd of around 250 gathered for the event, with tears in his eyes and much emotion in his voice. On each decent and as each lifted off we prayed. We moved slowly, well spread out, followed by C Company. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Lovelace is credited with saving Harris, who was hit early in the fight. OPERATION HUMP 08 November 1965 On 05 Nov 1965 the 173rd Airborne Brigade initiated "Operation Hump", a reconnaissance in force in an area about 15 miles north of Bien Hoa. He moved well forward of his platoon and was killed. With a lot of effort from the battalion, the Air Force came to our rescue. Typically, in any major battle when a country has stood toe to toe with the Army Infantryman, they have failed. Celebrities who died in 2021: movie stars, musicians and more And now, this. And third, with all the anxiety amongst Americans on the merits of this War (a situation I attribute solely to our lack of political leadership) I dont wish to provide anyone, any basis to question the valor of our soldiers or their leadership. In this case we stayed on the ground until the battalion headquarters flew out. As I accompanied General Westmoreland back to his helicopter he stopped, turned toward me and asked Captain Bittrich, your- really proud of your soldiers arent you? I was and I told him so. I ordered the third platoon to attempt to make contact with any C Company personnel by extending their position to the north of the hill while continuing to maintain their tie with the first platoon on their right. A radio operator was holding the company radio and keying the hand mike for him. I declined. The dead were Lt. Thurston and Specialist 4th Class Wayne W. Humphries. We put as many wounded on the aircraft as we could and WO Smith started his vertical climb out of the jungle. When Caleb Reynolds was evacuated for medical reason during Survivor 32: Koah Rong, Jeff Probst told EW: "As for our medical department, I could write for hours and still not say enough good . Now we knew the Dust Off would be coming in. It didnt take us much longer to realize we couldnt get it done prior to dark with what we had to work with. They needed an opening twice as large if they were to get on the ground. We would not locate those remaining seventeen until the following day. A UPI headline article appeared in the Saigon Daily News on November 9th and other headline articles appeared in the Pacific Stars and Stripes and The Saigon Post on Wednesday, November 10th. My immediate concern was for what I saw just forward of their position. The reasons behind American involvement in the Vietnam War were unclear to many but for the 2.5 million Americans who served, the one thing that was clear was that it could be a challenge to stay alive. our paratroopers were the best our government has ever put on any battlefield. This would be a spinal fusion operation. 48 American soldiers fighting with Harris lost their lives that day. Choose wisely! Several of their reports carried the line that the battle for hill 65 had been the biggest battle of the war up to that time. Forty-eight American soldiers lost their lives that day. With that feisty spirit I knew he would make it. I tried to be everywhere. I received a similar report from my third platoon. Be Nice. For several days the press continued to report the battle. The Medal of Honor is the United States' highest award for military valor in action. Sonny says Hill 65 is. person will not be tolerated. 200 paratroopers faced this overwhelming force and stood their ground. I reported that we were loosing contact and felt that the enemy was trying to escape. They made it about halfway up the hill when we finally broke them and they backed down off the hill slowly. Five times, over five trips we put a critically wounded paratrooper in a basket they lowered through the canopy, and five times the Air Force wenched our troopers through that triple canopy jungle in an attempt to save each of them. AbeBooks.com: The Hump: The 1st Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry, in the First Major Battle of the Vietnam War (9780786499250) by Conetto, Al and a great selection of similar New, Used and Collectible Books available now at great prices. My eyes began to blur, we had paid a dear price. Within an hour we closed on the battalion base. You had to. Hector Membreno. When Colonel Tyler came on the net it took everything I had to report I estimated our two companies had more than forty dead, approximately seventy wounded, and were missing up to another twenty. Approximately thirty five air strikes supported this effort. In between the Air Force flights, we were resupplied by an Army helicopter dropping their bundles through the jungle canopy with but one mishap. He had slipped and not been hit. Operation Hump, the first major battle between the U.S. Army and the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces, took place November 5-9, 1965, in South Vietnam's War Zone D. Known as "The Hump," it would change the nature of the war, escalating it from a hit-and-run guerrilla conflict to a bloody contest between Communist main force units and American commands of battalion size or larger. With the recovery of Lt. Thurston, we had accounted for all members of my command. 7 min read. By now we had received over 900 artillery rounds in support of our fight on the hill. The US-Australian objective was to drive out Viet Cong (VC) unit who had taken up positions on several key hills in War Zone D in an area about 17.5 miles (28.2 km) north of Bien Hoa. Video footage of Putin's remarks was published by TASS. When that soldier was asked why he didnt fire his weapon, he responded, Sir, Im a Grenadier, I was so damn busy firing a M60 Machine Gun, a M16 Rifle and my 45, I never got to my Grenade Launcher. Then it would get more personnel with questions on where they came from, how long they has been in the Army, their assignments and the like. This paper would have more than met that request. Today, were talking to friends.. The end result was a unit out of control until they sobered-up. operation hump, the first major battle between the u.s. army and the viet cong and north vietnamese forces, took place november 5-9, 1965, in south vietnam's war zone d. known as "the hump," it would change the nature of the war, escalating it from a hit-and-run guerrilla conflict to a bloody contest between communist main force units and The Gerontology Research Group, which validates details of people. Halfway up the hill one of my radio operators appeared to fall. At about the same time I received two disturbing reports, one from my second platoon and one from Captain Tucker, of the enemy in differing types of uniforms and some wearing helmets. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Due to lack of intelligence they were dropped smack into enemy territory and were ambushed by 1200 NVA and VC Troops. Put differently, many owed credit for their bravery are not recognized because I fail to recall their names or the particulars. Some of the wounded just couldnt make that trip. While we exacted a heavy toll on the enemy, we paid a terrible price for not adequately covering our rear. Regarding the fighting I did all that and I didnt enjoy it, but I didnt hate it, either because I was saving my buddies.. Over a short fifteen minute period, three desperate reports came from three different non-commissioned officers over the company net. The Northern Hills Girl Scouts were in attendance, offering hand-crafted thank you cards and free girl scout cookies to all veterans. And all the heroes around the world.. The hill was shaped like an egg, running generally north and south. I reported to the battalion that I had a very confusing situation on my hands, that while I was on the hill and had contact with a small element of C Company, it was difficult to determine exactly where all elements of the company were located. Finally he asked how long it would take us to be ready for another mission. With 21 survivors, it wasand remainsthe largest single aircraft parachute escape. I responded we didnt. The same report came from the only survivor of the seventeen missing from C Company on the following day. While on the chopper returning to Bien Hoa I recalled the number of my soldiers wounded and killed on this operation that had been wounded on prior operations. Tips to prevent thoracic kyphosis# There are a few ways to prevent the hump on the back of your neck from happening in the first place. or anything. The battalion RTO acknowledged my call and ordered me to wait-out. On the company net I informed my platoon leaders that I anticipated we would be moving shortly and if so ordered we would reorganize on the march rather than returning to the company base. In the past we allowed our wounded to choose if they would return to the unit or go home. Later the troops would tell me how much they appreciated getting the opportunity to stand toe-to-toe with the General. My recall of those wounded on hill 65 may include some wounded from the New Years Day fight. It got larger after incisional biopsy. Somewhat auspiciously the name of the operation signified the halfway point of our year in Vietnam. On order my third and first platoons moved quickly! Add to basket. Bartow said that Hill 65 sticks in his mind all the time. Low 24F. They killed the guy in front of me and hit my ammo pouch and knocked me down. Its all about giving back, said Deadwood Veterans Salute organizer Randy Nelson. I held fast. Serving on Admiral Byrd's team for the Antarctic Expedition at the end of WW II was a privilege that only a handful of sailors would enjoy. Im very honored. Each of them died shortly following their request for help. On November 8th 1965, the 173rd Airborne Brigade on "Operation Hump", war zone "D" in Vietnam, were ambushed by over 1200 VC. The fires were devastating but the enemy would soon tactically adjust to lower their effect. On day four of the search (Monday, November 8, 1965) Colonel Tyler, ordered his rifle companies to continue the search of the area some 35 miles northeast of Saigon and about 15 miles north of our Bien Hoa base camp. Sgt. This memoir of an Operation Hump survivor begins with the sequence of events leading up to the battle, from the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. Forty-eight American soldiers lost their lives that day. The Air Force dropped us the saws but they were impossible against teakwood trees. The worst was yet to come. There were well traveled trails leading off the north and south sides of the hill. Operation Hump: the first major battle of the Vietnam War. He had never failed me before but this time he would. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, It was still not good enough. We deployed the company as planned, began to move to the creek, totally surprising the enemy force to our front. He was in pain but he smiled. It was my belief that at this time in the war one would only find enemy fifty caliber machine guns at the regimental level. The VC are estimated to have sustained 1200+ casualties in this battle, including over 400, dead. My headquarters element quickly made contact with the first platoon and discovered that we were paralleling the line of march of the third platoon. Here are the initial stages of recovery that survivors may experience during the first few weeks following traumatic brain injury. Having a bit of a phobia on being in a hospital, usually getting sick to my stomach if there more than about fifteen minutes, it became my habit to get there as quickly as possible to avoid any excuses. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. The weapon was pointed to the north and I was anxious to get it moving back that direction. Be Truthful. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. All nominations are voted online by the readers. Joseph Alsop from Washington gave an account of the battle. I called for more artillery and again reported that we needed help if we were to hold. From the air our cutout in the jungle must have looked like a pin hole. Colonel Tyler acknowledged my response and ordered me to wait out. . Moving rapidly, at approximately 0925 hours, Lt. Thurston reported enemy movement forward of the third platoon on the far side of the creek just short of hill 65. General Williamson 3umped out of the aircraft and told me to load it up. On Friday, November 12, 1965 Brig. The Hump The 1st Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry, in the First Major Battle of the Vietnam War $ 19.99 In stock Add to cart Add to Wishlist SKU: 9780786499250 Categories: Military History, Vietnam War Tags: Airborne, Army, PTSD, Vietnam About the Book About the Author (s) Bibliographic Details Table of Contents Book Reviews & Awards We had no difficulty crossing the creek and began to climb the hill having stacked enemy bodies as we went. There was a long pause before the conversation was acknowledged and terminated. The General, knowing of my concern, simply smiled at me and with confidence said Let me know when your ready. With that I said that B Company would take the lead, left him with Captain Tucker, and began to organize the march to the battalion base. Just prior to the liftoff of the headquarters we heard small arms fire coming from the jungle. [1] From the battalion base, C Company was the first to liftoff for the return flight to our base camp at Bien Hoa. It was slow, we could feel the helicopter vibrate, we watched WO Smith thread the needle, descending some 200 to 250 feet with little room to clear the blades, he put the helicopter on the ground. Moments later the report was updated with information that contact was lost with their lead platoon. He was in great pain but kept on helping. I told him we were ready now! He took the Chin Chillars prisoner when they sought refuge on his "farm" (actually a stolen car operation) and made the beautiful Mrs. Chin Chillar his personal slave and paramour. I saw him again in a military hospital on my way to Fort Benning. So Niles, heres to a true American hero. November 8, 1965 Operation Hump Outnumbered in some places six to one, it was a desperate fight for survival as parts of B and C companies were isolated in the shoulder to shoulder, hand to hand battle. From the creek to the crest of the hill is about 300 meters. We couldnt walk and carry them out except at great risk to them. Rather than meeting the same fate Ive prepared this paper knowing that it may still suffer errors caused by recounting experience solely from my perspective. They succeeded and were willing to continue to try and save more as it began to get dark. Early on Friday, November 5, 1965 the 173D Airborne Brigade (Separate) entered War Zone D in the Republic of Vietnam to conduct Operation HUMP (OPORD 28-65). . It was time to say enough even to one tough paratrooper. In 1947, Admiral Richard E. Byrd led 4,000 military troops from the U.S., Britain and Australia in an invasion of Antarctica called "Operation Highjump", and at least one follow-up expedition. Operation HIGHJUMP commenced 26 August 1946 and ended in late February 1947. Native Americans in the Military Vietnam War (1959-75) April 15, 2015. In a rush to reach C Company, I moved my headquarters element-quickly to the left and ahead of the first platoon. This paper was prepared in May 1966 following my turning over of command of Company B, lst Battalion 503D Infantry and preparing to return to the United States and Fort Benning, Georgia. I grabbed his harness and continued my climb. Black Hills Pioneer - Lawrence, Butte, Meade counties, Deadwoods Veterans Salute honors 8th of Nov. Operation Hump survivors, 2015 marks 50th anniversary of epic Vietnam battle, By Jaci Conrad Pearson Here are four things to keep in mind: Practice proper posture# Gen. Williamson, Capt. But about an hour and a half before the show started, as everyone stood up in anticipation of the performance . And they know that. A second alternative was that we were fighting a main line PAVN unit. My final instructions were to move to the sound of the firing in the general direction of hill 65. How the first task played out would determine how difficult this day would be. I thought this to be the safest place on the battlefield. I alerted my platoons that if they suspected they were receiving friendly fires they were to hold their position until I could work it out. The US-Australian objective was to drive out Viet Cong (VC) unit who had taken up positions on several key hills in War Zone D in an area about 17.5 miles (28.2 km) north of Bien Hoa. 4th Class Wallace S. Tao and Sgt. Our drill focused minds and energy on getting ready for the next operation, highlighted by my conduct of a stand by 100 percent inspection of everyone and everything we owned, and to whichever platoon fared the worse the honor of pulling all major details until we moved out on the next operation. Generally I would lift out with my headquarters following my company. He cleared the trees and we began to breathe again. He reported that he had spotted an enemy machine gun and was going to take it. He would go on to ask if they had fired their weapon. We got a lot of questions on being ambushed and fallen into a Viet Cong trap. General Williamson took those head-on as nonsense. One of the guys in front of me being killed and the sound of the bugles and whistles from the Viet Cong, Bartow said. Subsequently we learned that C Company had deployed its second platoon, led by First Lieutenant Ben Waller, north of the battalion base in direction of hill 65 and was in contact with an enemy force of about platoon size. Bryant, I figure the Viet Cong would have been able to hold roll call the next morning in a telephone booth. I laughed for the first time in days. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Date 5-8 November 1965; Location: South Vietnam, Bien Hoa: Result: United States/Australian victory, Viet Cong retreats. Big Kenny began by offering a toast to the 173d and the survivors for their 50th anniversary of deployment to Vietnam. Niles Harris, now retired from a lengthy career with the US Army.Harris got his first taste of combat in the mid-1960s in Vietnam, deploying as a Sky Soldier with the legendary 173rd Airborne Brigade's 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment. Operation Hump was a search and destroy operation initiated on 8 November 1965 by the 173rd Airborne Brigade, in an area about 17.5 miles (28.2 km) north of Bien Hoa.Operation Hump. Fifty-two years ago today, the 173rd Airborne Brigade was halfway through its year of service in Vietnam. 5 min read. It was deadly quiet even with the suffering of our wounded. General Westmoreland would also be visiting my company. On November 8th, 1965, the 173rd Airborne Brigade on Operation Hump, War Zone D in Vietnam were ambushed by over 1200 V.C. Most guys were 18 to 22 years old and they didnt see the next day., All together there were 250 on that hill, Lovelace said. The third platoon was in the lead followed by my headquarters and a small element of the weapons platoon, the first platoon and then the second platoon. Theodore Shamblin. The adjustment the enemy made, as a result of our effective artillery, was to move closer to us in order to avoid the devastating fires. Dezember 2021. Dynamite did the job but created a hell of a mess that had to be cleared. Operation HUMP is considered the first major battle of significance in the Vietnam War by most historian-types. Our plan was to move approximately two kilometers north northeast, establish a company base, and to fan-out the three rifle platoons an additional kilometer with the intent to look at hill 78 in the vicinity of -122323 and the road/trail in the vicinity of -115329 and -110328. The combined American/Australian troops seriously underestimated the number of enemy fighters and the desire to which they would fight to hold their ground. Operation Hump was a search and destroy operation initiated by United States and Australian forces on 5 November 1965, during the Vietnam War. 11 Having learned that Captain Tucker had joined and committed his remaining platoon to the fight, I told my platoon leaders we would most likely be going directly to the assistance of C Company and if that were the case we must be prepared to move on a moments notice. As I approached their bunk the soldier came to attention, I stepped aside and the General stood toe-to-toe with each of them. I talked with Captain Tucker and we came up with a plan. I alerted all three platoons of the situation and cautioned them to move slowly as planned. Early in the evening I had many of the dead and wounded moved to the rear of my position on top of the hill. With the sound of firing coming from many directions, my initial reaction was that he was hit. Nobody messes up today onstage. Finally, I reported that I believe C Company had taken severe casualties, maybe as high as a third of the company. Operation Hump, the first major battle between the U.S. Army and the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces, took place November 5-9, 1965, in South Vietnam's War Zone D. Known as "The Hump," it would change the nature of the war, escalating it from a hit-and-run guerrilla conflict to a bloody contest between Communist main force units and American . Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. The firing was intense from the north; and I had no idea what was between us and the firing. We agreed that they only needed to halt the fires on the east side of hill 65 as we would be attacking from the east side of the creek to get to them. The second platoon, led by First Lieutenant Robert A. Frakes, would extend to the right of the first platoon further winding around the hill. When you get knocked down by a machine gun, you stay down.. I ordered everyone to dig in, we were going to hold this position. By first light we were ready. So each year on the 8th of November, Harris puts on a suit and tie, and has a drink out of respect for is fallen brothers. The troops shared my concern and seemed to get a very determined look in their eyes. Still not good enough; they began dropping smoke grenades trying to mark areas that had to be taken out. How? From the Bien Hoa Air Base they sent a fire-fighting helicopter to hover above us while lowering a basket. Coma (No Response, Total Assistance) After a severe brain injury, your loved one may remain in a coma for some time. The invention relates to a nose column prosthesis for hump nose operation, comprising: a strut section having a strut main body section constituting a nasal strut; In preparation for his visit I called my Platoon Leaders and Platoon Sergeants together and issued my instructions. 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