Saber Article Index
2018 sep-oct
For anyone wanting to send an e-mail to
me, please note my new e-mail address: mobdnar27@gmail.com
.
A correction to the last column showing
the photo of SPC James M. Odum is: James’ MOS was a crew chief; he was
not just a door gunner. Also, the citation was for an incident in 1970,
not 1969.
CE Dahlman’s DFC citation, also in the last
column, was in May ‘69. My company, C 2-7 Cav, was in a lot of contact
May through June ‘69 after we built LZ Jamie in April ‘69, so I was
mentally stuck in ‘69. I don’t recall knowing, nor flying with, CE Odum,
but it’s possible. Another reason I probably missed the 1970 date-and I
thought because I didn’t remember him-was that he possibly was from 1969
and not in the unit when I went to MEDEVAC in ‘70. The MOS mistake was
from my source. I didn’t even know him, that I can remember. It was said
that MEDEVAC 1 Henry Tuell was the AC on that CE Odum citation mission,
and the pilot was MEDEVAC 19 Greg Simpson. I flew with Henry Tuell a lot
then, but I can’t confirm flying with Greg Simpson. If anyone knows where
that CE Odum DFC citation incident was, I would like to know; e.g. map
coordinates, close LZ, unit picking up for, in Nam or Cambodia.
The CE Dahlman citation says near LZ Joe
which was a 1st Infantry Division LZ in the rubber by Dau Tieng where C
2-7 Cav staged over night when we CAed and built LZ Jamie the next day in
April ‘69. 2-7 Cav worked out of LZ Joe in1970 and called it LZ
Hillbilly.
I received e-mail from Richard Schroder,
(MSGT, Ret., USA) RVN, 1969-1970<rschroder1@kc.rr.com> in response to
the last column. He wrote: “I have just read the 15th Med/15th FSB/15th
BSB article in the latest edition of the Saber and found very interesting
the discussion you had with Ron Huether regarding the awarding of the
CMB. We also had a brief discussion about this at this year’s reunion of
the 15th MED Bn in Williamsburg, Virginia. I, like Ron, used to think
that in order for a Medic to be awarded the CMB, he had to have served with
a combat unit. However, I had a personal experience with this subject when I
was with B Co, 15th MED Bn at FSB Buttons in Vietnam, that might shed some
light on the discussion.
“In early September 1970, I was called out of
formation, along with several others and it was announced that we had
been awarded the CMB. This caused some confusion for me as I knew that I
had not been in combat, so I didn’t understand why I would have been
awarded this. I asked the OIC about this and I don’t really remember what
he said, if anything, at the time. However, I knew I had orders, so I
never thought about it and I proudly have it on my uniform to this day.
“After our brief discussion at the reunion
and then again after reading your article, I pulled out my orders to see
what the authority was. The authority was shown as Para 97 AR 672-5-1. I
have never looked up that part of the AR to see what exactly it said but
I thought that the authority might be helpful to you.”Richard followed
up with: “This is a short follow-up to the e-mail I sent to you after I
read your discussion with ‘Baby Huey’ about the rewarding of the CMB to
non-combatant Medics in Vietnam. As I mentioned in my previous e-mail, I
have always been curious why I and eight other personnel from B Company,
15th MED Bn, including one MC and one MSC Officer, were awarded the CMB
when none of us had been in actual combat. However, I recently remembered
a conversation with someone (I don’t remember whom) either at the rewarding
of the CMB or shortly afterwards that I, and I presume the others as well,
had been assigned to a ‘ready reaction force.’ This was explained to me
as a group of Medics and officers who would respond to injured personnel
on the base if we came under an attack and the injured could not be
brought to us.
“I remember that I was not even aware I was
ever assigned to the ‘ready reaction force’ until after the medals were
awarded. Oh well, the military can move in mysterious ways. It has been
over forty years, so it matters little, but I had always wondered about
it. I look forward to your next newsletter article.”It sounds like a
stretch of the AR. As all laws are subjected to loose and strict
interpretations, this sounds like it is on the very loose side. As MEDEVAC
pilot Ron Huether said to me, outside of the strict interpretation, i.e.
a Medic assigned to an infantry unit engaging the enemy for thirty days,
it cheapens the award. Anyone writing an order can cite an authority from
an AR and make it official. For someone with a conscience like Richard
Schroder, and they saw they were given an award they earned de facto but
not de jure, they might say to themself, WTF? Richard’s case could be
like if an Infantry MOS 11Bravo went through NCO School stateside to
become a “shake ‘n’ bake” and was awarded the CIB, because he was going
to Nam. You have to actually do it.
Wikipedia writes: “The Combat Medical Badge
is an award of the United States Army which was first created in January
1945. Any member of the Army Medical Department, at the rank of colonel
or below, who is assigned or attached to a ground combat arms unit of
brigade or smaller size which provides medical support during any period
in which the unit was engaged in ground combat is eligible for the CMB.
According to the award criterion, the individual must be performing
medical duties while simultaneously being engaged by the enemy; strict
adherence to this requirement and its interpretation (e.g., distant mortar
rounds vs. direct small arms fire) will vary by unit.”
I once read that the Combat Infantryman Badge
was created in WWII because being in the infantry was the most miserable
job in the Army-as well as had the highest casualty rate, created and
awarded for morale purposes and incentive. Wikipedia adds, “Specifically,
it recognizes the inherent sacrifices of all infantrymen, and that they
face a greater risk of being wounded or killed in action than any other
military occupational specialties.”
When the CIB was created in WWII the U.S.
Army also recognized the Army Medics who accompanied the infantrymen and
endured all of their hardships and so created the Combat Medical Badge
for them. These roles have never changed, as long as there is war,
infantry, and their Medics. The Combat Infantryman Badge is listed as the
highest distinction in the United States Army. The second highest is the
Combat Medical Badge.
At the 1990 1st Cav Association Reunion at Fort Benning in Columbus, GA,I
was leaving the first morning breakfast and happened to find myself walking along
with Hal Moore. It was just the two of us and he asked me what I was
going to see while I was there. I said that I wanted to go to the
Confederate Naval Museum. He said to me, “Mike, you should go to the
Infantry Museum.”So, when the time came, I remembered that and boarded
the bus going there. It was so impressive I went back a second time with
one of my C 2-7 Cav 1stPlatoon squad leaders, Roy Stern, before leaving
Georgia. With everything from von Steuben’s hat to General Patton’s trash
can made out of an upside down captured bust of Hitler, to the
stained-glass windows in the infantryman meditation room, it includes
everything in U.S. Army Infantry history, and what they secured for the
United States in wartime.
Chuck Johnson, who was a MEDEVAC
pilot,’65-’66, would like to know if anyone can identify any of the crew
members in the attached photo that was taken in 1965 or1966. It would
also be informative to get Chuck’s callsign, to include it on
the MEDEVAC callsigns list. Joe Dufort submitted the following:
“If anyone was involved in this mission or knows someone who was,
please contact me:<joewillie48@yahoo.com>.Sign in: Rank : SGT,
Unit(s):Bravo Co, 2d Bn,5th Cav, 1st Cav Div, Position: Infantry
Squad Leader, Served: 1 April 1969 to March 27, 1970,Message: A short
note to express my sincere gratitude and admiration for the Medics of the
1st Cavalry!! You guys were our lifeline! I was wondering if there is any
history of a ‘hot’ mission on October 24, 1969 in Tay Ninh Province? As I
recall, MEDEVAC had to use an extractor to remove casualties and the bird
took a few hits!
“My unit lost two dead and several wounded.
You Medics were outstanding that day and night. You were all heroes to
us! I have never been able to forget that ambush and I was hoping to
contact others who went through the same thing. God bless you all and
thanks again! My best, Joe Dufort.”
Steve Cook submitted the following regarding
an incident at LZ Becky on 19July 1969. “If anyone was involved in this
mission or remembers what MEDEVAC crews were stationed at Tay Ninh around
19 July 1969, please let me know.” [No contact information given, so
contact me to relay.]
Here is what more Steve had to say: “I was
the senior Pathfinder on LZ Becky in July 1969. In the early morning
hours of July 19 several enemy rockets landed in the middle of the LZ. We
had several wounded. My job was to land the MEDEVAC. Because I knew a
ground attack usually followed a mortar and/or rocket attack I decided to
land the MEDEVAC in the middle of the LZ; not outside of the wire.
Preparing the inside of the LZ, talking on the radio and ground guiding
the pilot in for a landing is a long story.
“LZ Becky was surrounded by jungle on all
sides. The jungle was close to the outer wire. The jungle was less than
fifty meters from the last wire on the northwest side. I was on the
initial air assault from LZ Jamie into LZ Becky. As we approached LZ
Becky I could not believe how small the open field was.
“Early in the
morning of July 19, 1969, LZ Becky received several rockets and mortars
rounds. HHC, 2nd of the 8th Cav was occupying the LZ and three to four
were wounded. The battalion commander came over to my position (I was the
senior Pathfinder on LZ Becky) and told me that we had casualties and for
me to go outside of the wire and set up my landing lights for the MEDEVAC.
“I knew that a ground attack or probing usually followed a rocket and/or
mortar attack. I told the commander that and he asked me how I could
get his Soldiers out. I told the commander to lay down the 292
antennas around the TOC and place a Soldier with each one to hold the
antenna down. He immediately assembled a detail and laid the antennas
down.“Almost immediately the MEDEVAC called me. I told him to turn
off all lights and assume visual guidance over the east side of the
LZ. He came in over the east side as directed picked up my flashlight
batons and I ground guided him to a six-foot hover over the middle of the
LZ near the TOC. “I held him at a hover until the Medics lifted the
casualties up to the crew chief and door gunner(or probably MEDEVAC
Medic). When they were loaded I gave the pilot the takeoff signal and he
rose to about one hundred feet, did a pedal turn, and hauled ass. The
wounded were taken to the Co A, 15th MED Bn treatment facility at Tay
Ninh Base Camp.
“I would like to contact the aircraft commander, copilot, and as many of
the other crew members as possible, and would appreciate any contact info,
e-mail address, phone number, snail mailing address, or social media
page.”The 1st Cavalry Division Association gives Steve Cook’s contact
information as: Steven E. Cook, 80 Sutton St. Elkins, WV 26241-9535 (304)
636-7240 Currahee67@suddenlink.net.
Again, if anyone was on either of those DFC
cited missions with Odum or Dahlman, or knows who was, please contact me.
They would both like to know who others on their crews were.
FIRST TEAM!
Garryowen,
Mike
Bodnar C 2\7 '69
MEDEVAC 1-7\70
SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE