Information Paper

Subject: Clarification of Events of 18 May 1969 Involving C, 1/501, 101st Airborne Division.

The following account, presumably taken from the 1/501 IN BN or 2d BDE unit history for 18 May 1969 is not accurate in many respects.

At 1127H, C/1/501, vic. BT152123, began to receive heavy small arms and automatic weapons fire from a well dug in and bunkered enemy. The element employed artillery and ARA and maneuvered against the enemy throughout the day. That afternoon the enemy position was over ran, resulting in 8 NVA KIA and 9 IWC. C/1/501 sustained 3 K IA and 1 WIA in the bitter day – long fight.

I was assigned to C Co, 1/501 on this date as 2d Platoon Leader and participated in this battle. Following is the corrected account of the events of 18 May 1969.

“On the morning of 18 May 1969, C Co moved from its nearby NDP site to a position at the base of a prominent hill. The CP was established at this location, secured by 2d platoon, the reserve element on this date.

1st platoon led by SFC Isaac Heyward was ordered to move to the crest of the hill and establish OPs. Approaching the crest, 1st platoon came under heavy fire from  NVA soldiers in well-concealed foxholes and fighting positions. PFC Rudy Rossi fired two rounds from his 90mm recoilless rifle before being killed by small arms fire. PFC John Vollmerhausen was also killed and medic Paul GaNun was mortally wounded by small arms fire in this initial encounter.

The company commander, CPT David T. Gibson ordered 3rd platoon, led by 1LT Daniel O’Neill to assist 1st platoon in taking the hill and this was quickly accomplished without further friendly casualties. Eight NVA were killed on the hilltop and a number of enemy fighting positions were destroyed.

While 1st and 3rd platoons were engaged, the CP remained at the base of the hill and was attacked by a squad-sized NVA unit. An element from 2d platoon saw the attack developing and quickly halted it with rifle fire, hand grenades and an M60 machinegun. Five NVA soldiers were killed and five individual weapons (four AK-47s/1 SKS) were captured.

The CP moved to the top of the hill, which had been secured by 1st and 3rd platoons while 2d platoon remained at the base of the hill for additional security. Late in the afternoon of the 18th, more NVA soldiers were observed maneuvering toward the hill, presumably for a counterattack. Tactical air support was requested and the Vietnamese AF immediately provided two A1-E Skyraiders to assist C Co.

The Skyraiders, bomb-laden from wingtip to fuselage came in low and slow. Their canopies were back and the pilots/observers were leaning out and looking for targets; no Forward Air Controller (FAC) was required. Locating the enemy, the Skyraiders made pass after pass, dropping 500 lb iron bombs and firing their .50 cal machineguns.

The enemy situation around the hill prevented C Co from doing an extensive bob damage assessment (BDA). No one who observed the Skyraiders’ attacking will ever forget the image of these propeller driven warplanes from another era going into action.

By:

Donald F. Gourley

1LT, IN

2-C-1/501

1969