When Jerry Shriver left the United States for Vietnam, the only reason he ever came home was because the Army forced him to get some R&R. Even then, Shriver spent his time stateside talking tactics with fellow soldiers and looking for weapons to use in his unconventional, often personal war against the communists of Southeast Asia. He earned the nickname "Mad Dog" from Radio Hanoi for his fierce raids into enemy territory, his ability to fight his way out, and his refusal to use long-barreled weapons, instead preferring a short-range fight.
It was when the Army believed it had located the communists' Central Office for South Vietnam – the long-hunted holy grail of enemy targets – inside Cambodia that Shriver met an uncertain fate. His name lives on as a fabled, legendary member of the Army's Special Forces, but sadly, his remains have never been recovered.
Shriver joined the Army in his late teenage years, first becoming a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division and then joining the Army's elite Special Forces. His first assignment as a special operator was with a Long Range Patrol Company in West Germany, where he was destined to fight the Soviet Union behind enemy lines in the event of World War III. But war with the USSR never came, and after a stint in Taiwan, he was sent to the 5th Special Forces Group in South Vietnam.
He began his first tour in the jungles of Vietnam in 1966 and immediately became known for being a walking arsenal of powerful, but short-barreled weapons, like submachine guns or sawed-off shotguns. He spent a great deal of time leading Montagnards – indigenous, mountain-dwelling people of Southeast Asia – in deep incursions into the "fishhook" areas of Cambodia. Often surrounded, they were experts in either sneaking around undetected or fiercely fighting their way home, even if it meant calling airstrikes on themselves.
As Shriver's body count began to mount, so did his legend, even among the other members of the Army's Special Forces. Even the communists took notice, offering a $10,000 bounty on his head (in 1967 dollars). Everything was about killing the enemy while Shriver was in the bush, and sometimes when he wasn't. When he went home (because the Army demanded it) for a few months' rest, he mailed back a pistol designed for hunting Grizzly Bears.
The stories about his heroism are many. On a mission inside Cambodia in October 1967, his platoon found itself caught between a lake and a company-sized enemy force that was slowly gaining ground against them. Shriver oversaw an air attack from two Air Force helicopter gunships, firing rockets and miniguns barely 25 meters from his own position. As his force advanced against the enemy, he repeatedly called in more strikes, moving 20 meters at a time.
In November 1968, his four-man patrol mission was outrunning a North Vietnamese battalion. Again coordinating air strikes, he created separation between the two units while a helicopter dropped a rope ladder at their landing zone. Shriver provided cover fire as his squad climbed into the helicopter. When it was his turn, he latched himself to the rope so the helo could take off with him still providing effective fire.
That's when the U.S. got the chance to capture the Central Office for South Vietnam, also known as the COSVN, the Northern communists' central planning and command group for the insurgency and attack on the South, as well as the future government committees. The COSVN was, for the longest time, a mere rumor; a field legend. But it turned out to be not only a real enemy unit, but also a legitimate target, and in 1969, the U.S. knew it was in Cambodia. North Vietnamese weapons, vehicles, and units were all streaming through Cambodia, and Americans were being killed by the score.
President Richard Nixon had decided to bomb targets inside Cambodia's "fishhook" area in March of 1969. Codenamed "Breakfast," 60 B-52 Stratofortress bombers took off from Guam to hit the supposed location of the COSVN at Base Area 353 in Cambodia, a site provided by Army reconnaissance patrols. Unbeknownst to most, even in the military community, a team of Special Forces was lifted into the area immediately following the bombing runs. Its mission was to capture NVA survivors and other intelligence. Jerry Shriver was among the operators on this team.
Despite the bombing, the North Vietnamese defenses were still incredibly deadly. Although the helicopters were able to insert their troops through the enemy's "veil of lead," escape was much more difficult. Shriver, after helping some wounded men to an evacuation helicopter, was last seen running to help his troops withdraw after being pinned down. His remains have never been found, and although he was listed as missing in April 1969, he was officially listed with a 'Presumptive Finding of Death' in June 1974. His decorations include two Silver Stars, a Soldier's Medal, an Air Medal, seven Bronze Stars, and a Purple Heart.
In 1874, the U.S. Army sent an expedition, led by Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer, into the Black Hills of what is now South Dakota. They returned to report that there was gold in them thar hills. Within two years, Americans were flocking by the thousands, lured there by the promise of striking it rich. There was just one problem: the land belonged to the Lakota Sioux tribe, and it was illegal – and dangerous – for the prospectors to even be there.
The Black Hills were sacred to the Sioux, and they did not want to leave them for any reason (they're still fighting to get it back to this day). As hostile natives began to leave their reservations (if they ever were on one at all) and fight back against settlers' encroachment, government and Native leaders tried to find a diplomatic solution. But the tribes would not agree to cede the Black Hills. President Ulysses S. Grant's administration demanded that all Natives return to their respective reservations, and when the deadline to do so passed, the Army took action. The Great Sioux War was on, and the Army was about to meet the largest gathering of Lakota, Arapahoe, and Cheyenne warriors ever assembled, led by two of their greatest: Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse.
The Army struck first, as Gen. George Crook moved north from the Wyoming Territory to hit the Oglala Sioux while they were in winter quarters on the neighboring Crow Reservation. The U.S. might have struck first, but it was the Natives who emerged victorious. A detachment of 383 men under Col. Joseph J. Reynolds attacked a mixed band of 250 Oglala and Cheyenne at the Powder River, but were repulsed. The Army would wait until spring to try again.
This time it moved on the hostile tribes in three columns; Col. John Gibbon moved east to secure the Yellowstone River, while Crook again marched north, and Brig. Gen. Alfred Terry, with Custer's 7th Cavalry, marched east from the Dakota Territory. They were all to meet at the mouth of the Bighorn and Little Bighorn Rivers by June 26th, where they believed the tribes would be waiting. Custer's cavalry was to make a reconnaissance-in-force along Rosebud Creek to find the hostile encampments, but could divert from the plan if Custer thought it was prudent.
On June 17, 1876, Crook renewed the fight, attacking a band of Lakota, Arapahoe, and Cheyenne warriors under the command of Crazy Horse near Rosebud Creek. After six hours of fighting, they were also defeated. Terry and Gibbon's columns continued onto the mouth of the Little Bighorn River, unaware of Crook's defeat at the Rosebud. Meanwhile, Custer had caught the trail of the enemy Natives along the Rosebud and was in pursuit.
The main concern for the Army was that they didn't know exactly where the hostile village would be. Even if they sighted its exact location, there was no guarantee that the nomadic Natives would be in the same place by the time the U.S. troops were able to bring their forces to bear. They knew the combined tribal forces were along the Little Bighorn, so when they found it the plan was for Terry and Gibbon to form the main attack force from the north. Custer and his 7th Cavalry would approach from the east and south, cutting off any chance of escape. It was his zeal in not letting the enemy escape that would lead to his downfall.
On the night of June 24th, Custer's Native scouts reported the presence of the village just 25 miles from his position, the largest they had ever seen. Encouraged by the sighting, Custer led a night march to the Wolf Mountains, little more than a dozen miles away from the encampment. His initial plan called for a surprise attack at dawn, but because his scouts also reported that the Natives knew Custer's force was present and that he was exposed, Custer would either have to withdraw and wait for Terry and Gibbon or attack. This meant he might lose the location of the village again – and maybe permanently – unless he could attack as soon as possible.
It's important to remember that George Armstrong Custer, despite his now-tarnished reputation, was no fool. A graduate of the Military Academy at West Point, he was a skilled cavalry officer who served with distinction during the Civil War. His audacity and aggression served him well, and he became one of the youngest generals in the Union Army. At Little Bighorn, he had a force full of around 700 experienced troops, who were relatively well-equipped and supplied. His problem was that he underestimated the troop strength of the combined Native force and didn't know what kind of firepower they had.
He knew he was facing the largest gathering of a combined tribal force in history, but he believed he was facing between 800 and 1,000 warriors. In reality, it was more like 1,500-2,500, with some estimated as high as 5,000. They were also armed with Winchester and Henry repeating rifles, meaning not only were Custer's troops outnumbered, but they were also outgunned. And Custer was going to make one more fatal mistake: more concerned with preventing the Natives' escape than ensuring their defeat, he divided his large force into four segments: The first was a supply train, carrying ammunition and supplies. The second was Capt. Frederick Benteen's three companies, then Maj. Marcus Reno's three companies and the main body was composed of five companies led by Custer himself.
Reno attacked the southern end of the camp, and initially caught the Natives by surprise, dismounted his cavalry, and formed a skirmish line. Eventually overwhelmed, he ordered a retreat and was pursued by the Natives until he no longer had an effective force. After crossing back over the river, they were met by Benteen's force, and they collectively reinforced their position on what is known today as Reno Hill. From the hill they could hear the fight between Custer and the tribal forces. No one knows exactly what happened to Custer before and during the battle, because no one with him survived it.
Custer's plan was to ride around the camp and attack from the north. By the time Benteen and Reno started resupplying, he had sent a runner to Benteen with the message "Come on. Big Village. Be Quick. Bring Packs. P.S. Bring Packs." The force, under siege by the Natives, tried to establish communication with Custer but could not manage to even find him. By most accounts, his five companies never made it across the river.
According to accounts from both the Natives and Custer's own Indian scout, his force was turned back by intense enemy fire as they tried to ford the Little Bighorn. They tried to escape onto a ridge north of the Indian camp and more than three miles from Reno and Benteen, but they were cut off and outflanked by the hostiles. Companies under Custer's command were overwhelmed and sometimes cut off from each other.
The cavalrymen would be forced to use their dead horses as they tried in vain to dig in and fight off the hundreds of warriors who surrounded them. Crazy Horse and White Bull led the charge that broke the American lines and rode down the rest of Custer's men. Custer's Last Stand was over in about an hour after the first shot was fired. Most of the men with Custer that day were buried where they fell on what is today known as "Last Stand Hill."
The layout and content of the website always has something in it that will trigger a thought or memory from one of my duty stations, or a person that had some influence on my career, or who I was back then. Even answering these reflections' questions has brought about many memories from over 40 years ago. It's impossible for me to see or read anything on TWS and not have a "flash from the past" memory, and for me, I would say that 99% of them are all the good ones.
ACCS(AW) David L. Roberts, US Navy (Ret)
Served 1971-1997
The crew of the USS William D. Porter should have had better things to do than worry about some silly "curse." The ship was a Fletcher-class destroyer, one of more than a thousand warships built after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and the United States was fighting a world war. But many of the crew were more concerned with surviving the ship, and not the war. The "Willy Dee" (as it came to be called) appeared to be cursed almost from the day it was launched.
While an argument could certainly be made about the ship's bad luck, there are myriad stories to be found online that only seem to pile onto the Willy Dee's no good bad days. The truth can be hard to suss out, but rest assured – the USS William D. Porter had its share of hard luck. Readers can decide for themselves if it was an actual curse.
The vessel's first real mission came in November 1943. The USS William D. Porter was assigned to escort the battleship USS Iowa as it ferried President Franklin D. Roosevelt to Cairo and Tehran to meet with Allied leaders Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin. Its legend as a cursed ship started right away, but there's not a lot of evidence for its early bad luck.
The story goes that as the destroyer began to depart from its moorings in Norfolk, Virginia on Nov. 12, 1943, someone forgot to weigh the ship's anchor. It allegedly careened into another destroyer, ripping off railings, lifeboat mounts, and even the captain's gig, while doing no damage to itself. While this story adds to the misfortune of the Porter, there is no evidence to support this event, so it either didn't happen or the Navy was too embarrassed to record it in any logs.
Once underway, our cursed vessel was part of a convoy, led by the USS Iowa and its precious cargo, sailing across the Atlantic ocean while maintaining strict radio silence. Another apocryphal story says that while on alert for German U-boats, an explosion suddenly ripped through the convoy. It turned out that one of the Porter's depth charges had rolled off the side and into the water below, allegedly the second mishap in as many days, though no evidence supports this, either.
What happened next is true, is supported by documentation, and is more than enough evidence (for sailors, anyway) to claim the William D. Porter was cursed. On Nov. 14, 1943, the President of the United States asked the Iowa and its support vessels if they could conduct an anti-aircraft drill. The Navy was only too happy to oblige their commander-in-chief.
At the same time, the William D. Porter was conducting a torpedo drill, simulating a torpedo launch at sea. The crew of the destroyer simulated the arming and launch of two torpedoes, but accidentally fired the third one. That torpedo headed straight for the Iowa, which was carrying President Roosevelt.
William D. Porter tried to message Iowa from a signal lamp, but accidentally told them the Porter was backing up. It then told Iowa that a missile was coming. Confused and desperate, the destroyer finally broke radio silence to warn the battleship about the incoming torpedo and tell it to move out of the path. Luckily, the ship was able to move, and the torpedo detonated 3,000 yards away. The President's only response was to ask that his wheelchair be moved so he could see the torpedo.
The ship was ordered to Bermuda for an investigation into the torpedo incident. Chief Torpedoman Lawton Dawson was found liable for failing to remove the weapon's primer. He was sentenced to 14 years of hard labor, but FDR intervened and pardoned him, certain the incident was just an accident. The William D. Porter was sent to the Aleutian Islands – exiled to Alaska – where Navy leadership probably believed it could do very little damage to itself or anyone else.
In Alaska, it picked up another controversial, but probably untrue story, to add to its legend. This story says that a drunken sailor fired one of the ship's five-inch guns as part of a New Year's Eve celebration. The shell allegedly destroyed only the flower garden of the installation commander. No one knows exactly which commander, so the story is probably just a sea story.
William D. Porter sailed on submarine escort duty in the Aleutian Islands and Kuril Islands for months before being sent to the Philippines in August 1944. For the rest of 1944, the ship was on escort duty in the Pacific Theater. On April 1, 1945, it took part in the invasion of Okinawa, the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific to that date. Constant enemy air raids on the invasion force forced the Navy to establish a series of picket ships around the island, and "Willy Dee" was sent to this task force. That's where the final "curse" story takes place – and also happens to be true.
On the morning of June 10, 1945, the William D. Porter was sunk by an aircraft it had already shot down. A Japanese dive bomber appeared in the skies above and came straight for the destroyer for a kamikaze attack. The ship managed to avoid being struck by the suicide attack, but the plane exploded underwater. It was so close to the keel of the ship, however, that the explosion lifted the ship out of the water and plopped it back down again. The crew could not repair the damage, and the ship eventually sank.
Miraculously, not one crew member died in the sinking. Despite this, the "Willy Dee" (as it came to be known) is forever remembered as a cursed ship, with stories popping up from time to time about the vessel's long run of bad luck – as if almost torpedoing the President of the United States wasn't enough.
"…Though some go curving down the trail
To seek a warmer scene.
No Trooper ever gets to Hell
Ere he's emptied his canteen.
And so rides back to drink again
With friends at Fiddlers' Green."
The 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) is respected for its lore and insignia, its mottos "[America's] First Team," "The Ground You Stand Upon," or "Live The Legend" and its traditions. The poem "Fiddler's Green" is noteworthy within the 1st Cavalry Division; it acknowledges cavalry history and sacrifices of its members, according to the 1st Cavalry Division Association. It is said that all who have been assigned or attached to this unit are Cavalry Troopers regardless of their military occupation skill and therefore eligible to rest at Fiddler's Green. The lyric's origin may have been the 5th Royal Irish Lancers as far back as 1689. 1st and 7th CAV (Garryowen) affiliation with it was first published in a 1923 volume of the Cavalry Journal. According to the article, it was part of a campfire story told by Capt. Sammy Pearson in the Medicine Bow Mountains of Wyoming. Fiddler's Green is listed sometimes as a poem and other times as a prayer. It is still used by modern cavalry units to memorialize the deceased. However, a survey of references yields that the verses are still common over time amongst nearly all American soldiers under arms. Wherever the emotion or poem may be or have been, from 1965 to 1971 the 1st Cavalry Division became an Air Mobile structure as they deployed to Vietnam.
Numerous film/video features and series involving this unit have been produced including: "Apocalypse Now," "First Cavalry Airmobile Chopper Pilot," "Sky Troopers," "We Were Soldiers," "The First Team," "Stripes," "Platoon," "Battlezone/Vietnam War," "Vietnam: We Were Heroes," "The Air Mobility Team," "The Long Road Home," "1965 1st Cavalry Division Airmobile in Vietnam 26154," "Vietnam in HD," "A Flag Between Two Families," and "Civil War" (2024). A particularly stirring depiction of the unit in action is at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eRKMbnhGv4. Not including essays, dissertations, diaries and articles, at least twenty-eight books of memoirs and history have been published about the outfit along with an unknown large number of online documentations and commentary. Since 1981 the official song of the 1st Cavalry Division is "Garryowen". This Irish tune has been a part of Army history since 1867 when it was adopted by the 7th Cavalry Regiment. It is played at ceremonies and is a symbol of the division's heritage. In 2023 a marble memorial for the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) was dedicated at Fort Cavazos. Army TWS lists 4,565 members who have served with the 1st Cavalry.
[Verse 5]
"Our hearts so stout have got us fame,
for soon 'tis known from whence we came,
where're we go they dread the name,
of Garry Owen in glory."
1 CAV is a combined arms unit among the most decorated combat divisions of the United States Army. It's based at Fort Cavazos (aka Fort Hood 1942-2023), Texas. It was formed in 1921 and served during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, as well as the Stabilization Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in operations such as OIF, OEF, Operation Freedom's Sentinel, and Operation Inherent Resolve. As of July 2023, the 1st Cavalry Division is subordinate to the III Armored Corps. The unit is unique in that it has served as a cavalry, infantry, air assault, and an armored Division during its existence. The era of horse riding's arrival on the battlefield had elapsed over twenty years ago. "Now, the evolution of military tactics and technology has bred a new steed made of steel… " Appending the 1st Cavalry Division name with a new designation (Airmobile) sealed the unit's focus and added to the way the Army transported and supported troops in the field. In 1965, these new mounted troops began deploying to Camp Radcliff, located at An Khe, in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The troopers would ride the UH-1 and UH-1-C gunship helicopters and be supplied with the CH-47 Chinook and CH-54 Skycrane helicopters. It would not be long before they entered battle near Pleiku at the Siege of Plei Me. That operation concluded with the Battle of Ia Drang, fourteen miles west, memorialized in the book by Joe Galloway "We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young" which described the struggles of 450 men of the 7th Cavalry Regiment in what became the 1St Cavalry Division's largest and most complex engagement to date. That year, the monthly base pay for a PFC was $99.37, and a 2Lt's was $241.20. In four days at LZ X-Ray, LZ Albany, and LZ Columbus alone, Americans lost 234 men killed and over 250 wounded, while the North Vietnamese suffered more than 1,200 killed. In 2002, the battle was adapted for the big screen in the film "We Were Soldiers," which also brought recognition to the leadership of then-Lt. Col. Hal Moore (Mel Gibson), Sgt. Maj. Basil Plumley (Sam Elliott), and war correspondent Joe Galloway (Barry Pepper). The 1st Cavalry Division earned a Presidential Unit Citation for their actions there.
The famous shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved on 3 January 1921, with several variations in colors of the bend and horse's head to 
reflect subordinate elements of the division. The design was authorized for wear by all elements of the division on 11 December 1934, and previous authorization for variations was canceled. The insignia is worn subdued on field uniforms after experience in the Vietnam War, where the gold was too conspicuous. Yellow was chosen because it is the traditional cavalry color, and the horse's head refers to the division's original cavalry structure. Black, symbolic of iron, alludes to the transition to tanks and armor. The black diagonal stripe represents a sword baldric and is a mark of military honor; it also implies movement "up the field" and thus symbolizes aggressive elan and attack. The one diagonal bend and the one horse's head also allude to the division's numerical designation.
The newly designated 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) feverishly prepared for deployment to Vietnam. The movement of over 400 aircraft, nearly 16,000 personnel, and more than 1,600 vehicles, along with combat training, was a momentous task, accomplished in just eight weeks. The early model Chinooks needed 1,334 modifications for safety in flight, and the Hueys nearly 2,000. New armored seats were installed in the UH-1Ds, and the aircraft were relocated to two different staging areas: Brookley Air Force Base in Mobile, AL, and Mayport Naval Base near Jacksonville, FL. The USS Boxer and three Military Sea Transportation Service ships had been designated to move the division. All the Hueys were cocooned with Spraylat, and the other aircraft had separate preservative techniques applied. A crash effort was required to process all the aircraft aboard the four ships.
The first air cavalry unit to see duty in Vietnam was the 1st Air Cavalry Division. A total of five air cavalry squadrons operated in Vietnam, including the well-known 1st Squadron/9th Cavalry of the 1st Air Cavalry Division. Additionally, approximately 20 ACTs were part of various infantry, cavalry, and mechanized units. The 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) consisted of a variety of infantry, aviation, and support units. These included three infantry brigades (1st, 2nd, and 3rd), the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, and various aviation and artillery units, including support such as the 1st Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade, Headquarters Battalion (HHB), 15th Administration Company, 15th Medical Battalion, and other specialized companies and battalions. The last air cavalry troop departed Vietnam in early 1973. Thirty-one troopers were awarded the Medal of Honor, and 145 received the Distinguished Service Cross in addition to numerous Silver and Bronze Stars, along with many Purple Hearts and other recognitions.
The Division arrived in Vietnam on September 14, 1965, and became the first American unit to serve in all four tactical zones. Gen. Wm. Westmoreland, commander of U.S. forces in South Vietnam between 1964 and 1968, called helicopter air assault warfare "… the most innovative tactical development to emerge from the Vietnam War." Nothing symbolized the American military effort in South Vietnam more than the helicopter in air assault mode, and no unit was more closely associated with that way of war than the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). What was striking and original about the division at its creation in 1965 was the unusually large number (428) of organic helicopters and their multiple functions. As an integral component in the division's operations, helicopters delivered troops to the battle area to attack, reinforce or block and returned them to camp; supplied them in the field; carried out reconnaissance and screening missions; and provided aerial artillery for the division's ground troops. Such activities represented a radical rethinking of the Army in combat, allowing planners to design actions in terms of vertical movement on the battlefield as well as along the more traditional two dimensions. In the aftermath of the Vietnam War, the 1st Cavalry Division was converted from an airmobile light infantry role into a triple-capabilities (TRICAP) division. The unit received an infusion of mechanized infantry and artillery to make it capable of missions needing three types of troops: armored, air mobility, and air cavalry. On 3 Jul 1965, young Troopers in the newly activated 1st Squadron, 9th Air Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), were standing in formation as their commander, Lt. Col. John Stockton, reviewed the troops from horseback, wearing his iconic, black Cav hat. "Little did we realize that 50 years plus a day that such a legendary organization was being born," said retired Lt. Col. Billy Williams, a former member of the "Bullwhip Squadron" who spoke during a Fort Benning ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the unit's activation.
At the time, U.S. helicopter forces were divided into separate assault and air cavalry formations. The units performed slightly different types of missions. Assault helicopter companies were mainly responsible for attacking enemy ground targets, but they also conducted aerial resupply of troops, medical evacuation, and fire support for troops in contact with the enemy. Air cavalry missions typically consisted of making visual reconnaissance of enemy positions with several scout helicopters and helicopter gunships, then airlifting a platoon of infantry assigned to the air cavalry unit into battle against the enemy. Other air cavalry helicopters provided fire support to the assaulting platoon, much as assault helicopter companies provided support to ground units during combat assault operations. Air cavalry could also bring larger combat units into the battle if needed. In addition to such missions, air cavalry teams performed general reconnaissance missions and aerial assessment of bomb damage. A typical air cavalry squadron consisted of three air cavalry troops (ACTs) and a headquarters troop. An ACT contained a platoon of six to eight troops equipped with the new M16 rifle carried in helicopters called "slicks" (Bell UH-1 Iroquois, or "Huey," helicopters, and a platoon of eight or nine gunship helicopters known as Cobras (Bell AH-1 Cobra helicopters). Each ACT also had a scout platoon of eight or nine light observation helicopters, commonly called "loaches" (Hughes OH-6 Cayuse helicopters). The mission of the unit, composed of experienced, specialized fighting units, was to continue the interdiction of enemy infiltration and supply routes in War Zone D, known as "Cav Country." All aircraft carried insignia to indicate their battalion and company.
In 1966, the division attempted to root communist Viet Cong and PAVN out of Bình Định Province with Operation Masher, Operation Crazy Horse and Operation Thayer. 1967 was then spent conducting Operation Pershing, a large scale search and destroy operation of PAVN/VC base areas in II Corps in which 5,400 enemy soldiers were killed and 2,000 captured. In Operation Jeb Stuart, January 1968, the division moved north to Camp Evans, north of Hue and on to Landing Zones Sharon and Betty, south of Quang Tri City, all in the I Corps Tactical Zone. In the early morning hours of 31 Jan 1968, the largest battle of the Vietnam War, the Tet Offensive, was launched by 84,000 PAVN/VC soldiers across South Vietnam. In the division's area of operation, PAVN/VC forces seized most of the city of Huế. As the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, fought to cut off PAVN/VC reinforcements pouring into Huế, at Quảng Trị, five battalions, most from the 324th Division, attacked the city and LZ Betty (HQ 1st Brigade). To stop allied troops from intervening, three other PAVN/VC infantry battalions deployed as blocking forces, all supported by a 122mm-rocket battalion and two heavy-weapons companies armed with 82mm mortars and 75mm recoilless rifles. After intense fighting, 900 PAVN/VC soldiers were killed in and around Quảng Trị and LZ Betty. However, across South Vietnam, ca. 1,000 Americans, 2,100 South Vietnamese, 14,000 civilians, and 32,000 PAVN/VC were killed. In March 1968, the division shifted forces to LZ Stud, the staging area for Operation Pegasus, which aimed to break the siege of the Marines' Khe Sanh Combat Base, the second-largest battle of the war. All three brigades participated in this airmobile operation, along with a Marine armor thrust. US Air Force B-52s alone dropped more than 75,000 tons of bombs on PAVN soldiers from the 304th and 325th Divisions encroaching the combat base in trenches.
In mid-May 1968, Operation Delaware ended. However, the division continued tactical operations in I Corps as well as local pacification and medical outreach programs to the local Vietnamese. In the autumn of 1968, the division relocated south to Phước Vĩnh Base Camp northeast of Saigon. In May 1970, the division participated in the Cambodian Incursion, withdrawing from Cambodia on 29 Jun. Thereafter, the division took a defensive posture while US troop withdrawals continued from Vietnam. On 29 April 1971, the bulk of the division was withdrawn to Fort Hood, Texas, but its 3rd Brigade remained as one of the final two major US ground combat units in Vietnam, departing on 29 June 1972. However, its 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry (est. 1866), Task Force Garry Owen, remained another two months. In the Vietnam War, the 1st Cavalry suffered more casualties than any other US Army Division: by one report, 5,444 men killed and 26,592 wounded in action. Nine are still listed as MIA.
Campaign streamers for this unit during Vietnam have been authorized as follows:
Defense 1965
Counteroffensive 1965-66
Counteroffensive, Phase II 1966-67
Counteroffensive, Phase III 1967-68
Tet Counteroffensive 1968
Counteroffensive, Phase IV 1968
Counteroffensive, Phase V 1968
Counteroffensive, Phase VI 1968-1969
Tet 69/Counteroffensive 1969
Summer–Fall 1969
Winter–Spring 1969-1970
Sanctuary Counteroffensive 1970
Counteroffensive, Phase VII 1970-1971
Unit decorations and awards for 1st Cavalry (Airmobile) include:
Presidential Unit Citation 1965
Army Valorous Unit Award 1970
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry 1965-71
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Unit Citation 1969-70
"Too many men had died bravely and heroically, while the men who had witnessed their deeds had also been killed... Acts of valor that, on other fields, on other days, would have been rewarded… were recognized only with a telegram saying,'The Secretary of the Army regrets...' The same was true of our sister battalion, the 2nd of the 7th," wrote LtGen Harold Moore (1922-2017). General H. Norman Schwarzkopf (1934-2012) said, "We Were Soldiers Once...and Young is a great book of military history, written the way military history should be written." Since at least 1993, the book has been on the USMC Commandant's Reading List for Career Level Enlisted. Yet… hot swirling winds of site and sight echo the mighty 1st Cavalry Division and (Airmobile) in SEA with unique solemnity - transforming their horses' fight or flight instinct, summoning poignant meaning there and from other days or fields… perhaps then a fragrant letter from home.
The thought-provoking questions have been instrumental in organizing my thoughts and recalling my military career. It makes me acknowledge to myself the contribution, however small, I made while serving my country. As I read through other profiles, it resonates with me that the synergy created by all the service members working together to create the greatest Air Force in the world is remarkable.
SSGT William Randolph, Jr. US Air Force Veteran
Served 1974-1987
The U.S. Army claims its birthday is on June 14th and states that it was officially formed one year before the Declaration of Independence was signed. That means the Army is older than the nation it defends! This year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States Army, and the world's most capable fighting force is throwing a big celebration on the National Mall – and yes, everyone is invited.
"Since 1775, American soldiers have represented the very best of our nation,” Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said in a statement. They embody courage, sacrifice and strength. Sworn to defend the Constitution and our core American values, American Soldiers have fought against anyone who might threaten our country. They are the most lethal land fighting force the world has ever seen. The U.S. Army has upheld this legacy for 250 years, and we will carry this legacy into the future."
Visitors to the National Capital Region interested in joining an Army birthday celebration can catch the grand opening of the Revolutionary War exhibit at the National Museum of the U.S. Army, starting on June 7th at 10:00 a.m. Although not open to the public, on June 11, there will be an Army Birthday Twilight Tattoo – a kind of celebratory display of martial music – at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia. On June 13th, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall will host a birthday fun run.
On June 14th, the Army's actual birthday, the day begins the way most Army days begin: fitness. From 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the Army will host a fitness competition on the National Mall. At 11 a.m., the Mall opens to the public for the opportunity to interact with soldiers, listen to live music, and explore displays of Army history. Following the Army Birthday Festival, the 250th Army Birthday Parade will march through the nation's capital. There will also be live music and fireworks on display. Those not able to attend the events in person can catch them live on television and streaming – just check your local listings for start times and channels.
The Army will also honor the sacrifice and achievements of its soldiers and its history on its official website and through social media, in three distinct areas. First, it remembers the greatest heroes in its 250-year history. The Army will also educate the American public on its legacy, how it has changed the country and the world for the better. Finally, it will celebrate nostalgia for its past by exploring the culture of the Army to connect soldiers and civilians of today to the soldiers of yesterday.
Anyone who wants to be part of it can wish the Army a happy birthday on social media and tag their video with #Army250.
On July 20, 1966, US Navy pilot Dieter Dengler was rescued after escaping a POW camp in Laos, where he endured months of torture and deprivation after his plane was shot down near the North Vietnam-Laos border during the Vietnam War. He became only the second captured airman to escape during the war.
Dengler was born in 1938 in Wildberg in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. His father was drafted into the German Army in 1939 and killed during WWII. Dengler's mother was left impoverished and struggled to feed her children. The family foraged for scraps and boiled wallpaper to scrape the wheat paste off the back for nutrients. During the war, a bomber flew through Wildberg, and young Dieter saw an airplane for the first time. He determined at that moment that his dream was to fly. This dream kept Dengler going for years while working as an apprentice for an abusive blacksmith who beat him regularly. Dengler later claimed it helped him learn survival skills he would need later in life. When the apprenticeship finally ended at age 18, Dengler left Germany for America – hoping to become a pilot.
After arriving in the United States, Dengler joined the Air Force. He soon realized that joining the Air Force didn't mean he automatically got to fly. He peeled potatoes and worked as a mechanic but realized that he needed to attend college if he wanted to achieve his dream. He became a citizen, received an education, studied aeronautics, and got accepted into the US Navy Aviation Cadet Training Program.
Dengler headed to Vietnam as a Navy pilot when the Vietnam War broke out. In February 1966, he was on a mission when his plane was shot down over Laos. He survived the crash but was captured by the Pathet Lao. Over the next six months, Dengler endured horrific torture as his captors tried to get him to sign statements condemning US actions in Vietnam. They drove large bamboo slivers underneath his fingernails and skin where they festered; they hung him upside down over a nest of biting ants and nearly drowned him when they suspended him in a well.
Dengler began studying the guards' movements and, with fellow prisoners, began planning an escape. On June 29, 1966, while the guards were eating, Dengler and six other prisoners made their move. They seized guns and killed five guards in a shootout. Knowing that reinforcements would soon arrive, they ran for the jungle. Dengler was with Capt. Duane W. Martin, an American Air Force officer. The other prisoners disappeared into the jungle, and he never saw them again. Together, Dengler and Martin trekked barefoot while being pursued. They eventually made their way to a river and built a raft. When they became too weak from hunger to walk, they crawled. One day, they came upon some villagers. The villagers were hostile and came at them with a machete. In the blink of an eye, one villager beheaded Martin. During the ensuing screams and chaos, Dengler darted into the jungle. Now alone, Dengler continued his trek.
On July 20, 1966, Air Force Lt. Col. Eugene Deatrick was flying up a canyon in Laos when he noticed a man near the river waving wildly. Dietrick passed over two more times. There were no reports of recently downed Americans, and Dietrick was nervous that this might be an enemy soldier attempting a suicide attack. A gut feeling told him to call for help. A helicopter arrived and lowered a cable, which Dengler grasped. The crew raised him up but quickly slammed Dengler to the floor and strip-searched him, looking for explosives. They soon realized that Dengler was a missing American.
After his rescue, Dengler weighed just 85 pounds. He was welcomed back and awarded several military decorations, including the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and the Air Medal. Dengler retired from the Armed Forces and became a test pilot. Dengler died in 2001 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. Search Fold3® today to discover more stories of heroism and valor.
The website TogetherWeServed.com has helped me remember (reminisce) my military service and the friends I served with through the great questions asked, the dynamic website design and its dashboard, and the way it helps us record our history, personal military information and documents, and, most importantly, reconnect with old friends, Battle Buddies.
LTC Stephen Smith, US Army Reserves (Ret)
Served 1985-2022
On July 12, 1973, a catastrophic fire broke out in the National Personnel Record Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri. This facility housed the United States military personnel files. The fire broke out shortly after midnight, and firefighters arrived on the scene within minutes. Crews managed to reach the sixth floor of the complex, but the fire was so intense that it burned out of control for 22 hours. It took four and a half days to extinguish the flames fully.
After the fire was out, the NPRC was tasked with determining the fire’s root cause and deciding how to proceed with recovery efforts for records feared destroyed. Authorities could not determine the cause of the fire, and the staff immediately turned their attention to the records. Was anything salvageable?
Military records lost in the fire
Between 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF) records were either destroyed or damaged due to the fire.
The United States Army personnel records suffered the most from the blaze. Files for personnel discharged between November 1, 1912, to January 1, 1960, were 80% destroyed.
The United States Air Force (founded on September 18, 1947, and separated from the Army) also suffered significant losses. Personnel records from September 25, 1947, to January 1, 1964, were 75% destroyed. The loss began with surnames starting with James E. Hubbard.
Fortunately, the military personnel records from the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard were unaffected by the fire and remain intact.
What is considered archival?
Military personnel records are open to the public 62 years after a service member leaves the military. For genealogical research purposes, records of the Punitive Expedition of 1916, World War I, World War II, and the Korean War should have no restrictions. For any service members separated after 62 years, the records are non-archival and subject to access restrictions. Access is granted and understood to include an immediate family member.
Reconstructing lost records
Three commonly used record sets can be requested to reconstruct losses from the 1973 fire.
Burnt Files: These records called "B Files" survived the blaze but may have either fire and/or water damage, often around the edges of the papers. The staff at the NPRC requires additional time before patrons are allowed to examine the files.
Reconstructed Files: Following the 1973 fire, the NPRC reached out to veterans requesting copies of their original discharges and other personnel military papers. If no burnt file exists and the veteran supplied copies of their relevant papers, the record center will provide copies.
Auxiliary Files: If the Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) was destroyed and no burnt file or reconstructed file can be ordered, the NPRC will provide copies of the final payroll forms for the veteran at the time of discharge. These files are typically a few pages in length.
How can Fold3® help you reconstruct a military history when personnel records have been destroyed?
Fold3® has several collections that can help you reconstruct the military history of your ancestor. Valuable sources for the Mexican Punitive Expedition and World War I include service numbers, military units, records of events, and troopships. The following collections can prove very helpful in finding that information:
United States Army Morning Reports 1912-1939
United States Army Transport Service, Passenger Lists
Other sources for WWII research include unit histories, photo collections, and Memorials. In addition, the following collections can help reconstruct service numbers, dates of enlistment, admission to military hospitals, and missing aircrew personnel.
World War II Army Enlistment Records
United States World War II Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954
United States Army Missing Air Crew Reports, World War II
Requesting copies of records
Patrons can request copies of OMPF files online at: https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records or by visiting the NPRC research room by appointment. If you cannot visit the facility, patrons can also employ contractors to request copies of files on their behalf. The other option is to mail in Standard Form #180 filled out (which is a PDF fillable and printable form). This form can be found online at: https://www.archives.gov/files/standard-form-180.pdf, and should be mailed to:
National Personnel Records Center
(Military Personnel Records)
1 Archive Drive
St. Louis, MO 63138
The year 2025 will see a lot of retrospective looks at the Vietnam War, as the United States' involvement began in 1965 (or 1955, depending on who you ask) and officially ended with the 1975 Fall of Saigon. The best retrospectives anyone could possibly read are the no-holds-barred accounts of the war from those who were there, on the ground, doing the job. And few Vietnam memoirs are as poignant and honest as David Mulldune's "The Mailman Went UA."
David Mulldune celebrated his 19th birthday in South Vietnam. His presence during his May 1968 to June 1969 tour was ambushes, snipers, and a steady stream of patrols in the bush. His memory is filled with resentment toward the rear-echelon POGs, illicit drug use, tunnel rats, booby traps, Viet Cong, the clap and pretty much anything else you always suspected to find in Vietnam, but not many books ever talk about. You would be hard-pressed to hear Ken Burns talk about helicopters decapitating troops or Marines fighting with the enemy.
To be clear, Mulldune's remembrances are those of the 19-year-old Marine who still speaks with a clear, eloquent voice. It's obvious that he means no disrespect to anyone; not his fellow Marines and certainly not the Marine Corps. He writes with extreme honesty in the hopes that the reader will be able to place themselves in the boots of a teenage grunt and see and feel that world the way he did; something his writing is able to do with remarkable effect.
The author says it better than any reviewer possibly could:
"People who have written books on war or made movies about war tend to do so in demonstrating honor, glory, sacrifice (for the good), pride, patriotism, etc., and they are quite persuasive and eloquent. I have read Tim O'Brien's "If I Die in a Combat Zone" and Phil Caputo's "Rumor of War," and right away, they, along with some other writers, strike me as cerebral, whereas my story is considerably more visceral. Tim and Phil are educated, intellectual authors, and they use their words like chess pieces. They are at home at an elite level where I do not fit. I was a high school dropout, and my words are more like grenades. They are crude, but I believe they are equally effective. I feel like I am an observer of Tim's and Phil's writings (and others'). Still, my objective is to make readers feel that they are present in a story that is horrific, arbitrary, tragic, and boring, that is punctuated by the dread that their next breath could be their last.
The reality is that the number one goal in war is to stay alive, and that the number two goal is to kill and destroy, all the while not only watching your own back but also for your fellow Marines as well. My book is not so much about the Vietnam War, but about the experiences, horror, and tragedy of war, based on my firsthand experience, so that others will see the futility of it, unless there is absolutely no other way. I am hoping that what I have written will be the next best thing to actually being there. I hope it will give a taste of what it is like to go through it, and I hope (naively?) it will change the way some people look at war as a viable solution. This goal is why I wrote my manuscript the way that I did. I want people to see it from the less privileged viewpoint and get a taste of real war rather than a Hollywood version."
The Mailman Went UA (A Vietnam Memoir) by David W. Mulldune is available now on Amazon Kindle and in Paperback starting at $7.99.
It was when the Army believed it had located the communists' Central Office for South Vietnam – the long-hunted holy grail of enemy targets – inside Cambodia that Shriver met an uncertain fate. His name lives on as a fabled, legendary member of the Army's Special Forces, but sadly, his remains have never been recovered. 
The stories about his heroism are many. On a mission inside Cambodia in October 1967, his platoon found itself caught between a lake and a company-sized enemy force that was slowly gaining ground against them. Shriver oversaw an air attack from two Air Force helicopter gunships, firing rockets and miniguns barely 25 meters from his own position. As his force advanced against the enemy, he repeatedly called in more strikes, moving 20 meters at a time. 
President Richard Nixon had decided to bomb targets inside Cambodia's "fishhook" area in March of 1969. Codenamed "Breakfast," 60 B-52 Stratofortress bombers took off from Guam to hit the supposed location of the COSVN at Base Area 353 in Cambodia, a site provided by Army reconnaissance patrols. Unbeknownst to most, even in the military community, a team of Special Forces was lifted into the area immediately following the bombing runs. Its mission was to capture NVA survivors and other intelligence. Jerry Shriver was among the operators on this team. 
The Black Hills were sacred to the Sioux, and they did not want to leave them for any reason (they're still fighting to get it back to this day). As hostile natives began to leave their reservations (if they ever were on one at all) and fight back against settlers' encroachment, government and Native leaders tried to find a diplomatic solution. But the tribes would not agree to cede the Black Hills. President Ulysses S. Grant's administration demanded that all Natives return to their respective reservations, and when the deadline to do so passed, the Army took action. The Great Sioux War was on, and the Army was about to meet the largest gathering of Lakota, Arapahoe, and Cheyenne warriors ever assembled, led by two of their greatest: Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. 
The main concern for the Army was that they didn't know exactly where the hostile village would be. Even if they sighted its exact location, there was no guarantee that the nomadic Natives would be in the same place by the time the U.S. troops were able to bring their forces to bear. They knew the combined tribal forces were along the Little Bighorn, so when they found it the plan was for Terry and Gibbon to form the main attack force from the north. Custer and his 7th Cavalry would approach from the east and south, cutting off any chance of escape. It was his zeal in not letting the enemy escape that would lead to his downfall.
He knew he was facing the largest gathering of a combined tribal force in history, but he believed he was facing between 800 and 1,000 warriors. In reality, it was more like 1,500-2,500, with some estimated as high as 5,000. They were also armed with Winchester and Henry repeating rifles, meaning not only were Custer's troops outnumbered, but they were also outgunned. And Custer was going to make one more fatal mistake: more concerned with preventing the Natives' escape than ensuring their defeat, he divided his large force into four segments: The first was a supply train, carrying ammunition and supplies. The second was Capt. Frederick Benteen's three companies, then Maj. Marcus Reno's three companies and the main body was composed of five companies led by Custer himself. 
According to accounts from both the Natives and Custer's own Indian scout, his force was turned back by intense enemy fire as they tried to ford the Little Bighorn. They tried to escape onto a ridge north of the Indian camp and more than three miles from Reno and Benteen, but they were cut off and outflanked by the hostiles. Companies under Custer's command were overwhelmed and sometimes cut off from each other. 
While an argument could certainly be made about the ship's bad luck, there are myriad stories to be found online that only seem to pile onto the Willy Dee's no good bad days. The truth can be hard to suss out, but rest assured – the USS William D. Porter had its share of hard luck. Readers can decide for themselves if it was an actual curse. 
What happened next is true, is supported by documentation, and is more than enough evidence (for sailors, anyway) to claim the William D. Porter was cursed. On Nov. 14, 1943, the President of the United States asked the Iowa and its support vessels if they could conduct an anti-aircraft drill. The Navy was only too happy to oblige their commander-in-chief. 
William D. Porter sailed on submarine escort duty in the Aleutian Islands and Kuril Islands for months before being sent to the Philippines in August 1944. For the rest of 1944, the ship was on escort duty in the Pacific Theater. On April 1, 1945, it took part in the invasion of Okinawa, the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific to that date. Constant enemy air raids on the invasion force forced the Navy to establish a series of picket ships around the island, and "Willy Dee" was sent to this task force. That's where the final "curse" story takes place – and also happens to be true. 
The 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) is respected for its lore and insignia, its mottos "[America's] First Team," "The Ground You Stand Upon," or "Live The Legend" and its traditions. The poem "Fiddler's Green" is noteworthy within the 1st Cavalry Division; it acknowledges cavalry history and sacrifices of its members, according to the 1st Cavalry Division Association. It is said that all who have been assigned or attached to this unit are Cavalry Troopers regardless of their military occupation skill and therefore eligible to rest at Fiddler's Green. The lyric's origin may have been the 5th Royal Irish Lancers as far back as 1689. 1st and 7th CAV (Garryowen) affiliation with it was first published in a 1923 volume of the Cavalry Journal. According to the article, it was part of a campfire story told by Capt. Sammy Pearson in the Medicine Bow Mountains of Wyoming. Fiddler's Green is listed sometimes as a poem and other times as a prayer. It is still used by modern cavalry units to memorialize the deceased. However, a survey of references yields that the verses are still common over time amongst nearly all American soldiers under arms. Wherever the emotion or poem may be or have been, from 1965 to 1971 the 1st Cavalry Division became an Air Mobile structure as they deployed to Vietnam. 
[Verse 5]
reflect subordinate elements of the division. The design was authorized for wear by all elements of the division on 11 December 1934, and previous authorization for variations was canceled. The insignia is worn subdued on field uniforms after experience in the Vietnam War, where the gold was too conspicuous. Yellow was chosen because it is the traditional cavalry color, and the horse's head refers to the division's original cavalry structure. Black, symbolic of iron, alludes to the transition to tanks and armor. The black diagonal stripe represents a sword baldric and is a mark of military honor; it also implies movement "up the field" and thus symbolizes aggressive elan and attack. The one diagonal bend and the one horse's head also allude to the division's numerical designation.
The Division arrived in Vietnam on September 14, 1965, and became the first American unit to serve in all four tactical zones. Gen. Wm. Westmoreland, commander of U.S. forces in South Vietnam between 1964 and 1968, called helicopter air assault warfare "… the most innovative tactical development to emerge from the Vietnam War." Nothing symbolized the American military effort in South Vietnam more than the helicopter in air assault mode, and no unit was more closely associated with that way of war than the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). What was striking and original about the division at its creation in 1965 was the unusually large number (428) of organic helicopters and their multiple functions. As an integral component in the division's operations, helicopters delivered troops to the battle area to attack, reinforce or block and returned them to camp; supplied them in the field; carried out reconnaissance and screening missions; and provided aerial artillery for the division's ground troops. Such activities represented a radical rethinking of the Army in combat, allowing planners to design actions in terms of vertical movement on the battlefield as well as along the more traditional two dimensions. In the aftermath of the Vietnam War, the 1st Cavalry Division was converted from an airmobile light infantry role into a triple-capabilities (TRICAP) division. The unit received an infusion of mechanized infantry and artillery to make it capable of missions needing three types of troops: armored, air mobility, and air cavalry. On 3 Jul 1965, young Troopers in the newly activated 1st Squadron, 9th Air Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), were standing in formation as their commander, Lt. Col. John Stockton, reviewed the troops from horseback, wearing his iconic, black Cav hat. "Little did we realize that 50 years plus a day that such a legendary organization was being born," said retired Lt. Col. Billy Williams, a former member of the "Bullwhip Squadron" who spoke during a Fort Benning ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the unit's activation.
In 1966, the division attempted to root communist Viet Cong and PAVN out of Bình Định Province with Operation Masher, Operation Crazy Horse and Operation Thayer. 1967 was then spent conducting Operation Pershing, a large scale search and destroy operation of PAVN/VC base areas in II Corps in which 5,400 enemy soldiers were killed and 2,000 captured. In Operation Jeb Stuart, January 1968, the division moved north to Camp Evans, north of Hue and on to Landing Zones Sharon and Betty, south of Quang Tri City, all in the I Corps Tactical Zone. In the early morning hours of 31 Jan 1968, the largest battle of the Vietnam War, the Tet Offensive, was launched by 84,000 PAVN/VC soldiers across South Vietnam. In the division's area of operation, PAVN/VC forces seized most of the city of Huế. As the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, fought to cut off PAVN/VC reinforcements pouring into Huế, at Quảng Trị, five battalions, most from the 324th Division, attacked the city and LZ Betty (HQ 1st Brigade). To stop allied troops from intervening, three other PAVN/VC infantry battalions deployed as blocking forces, all supported by a 122mm-rocket battalion and two heavy-weapons companies armed with 82mm mortars and 75mm recoilless rifles. After intense fighting, 900 PAVN/VC soldiers were killed in and around Quảng Trị and LZ Betty. However, across South Vietnam, ca. 1,000 Americans, 2,100 South Vietnamese, 14,000 civilians, and 32,000 PAVN/VC were killed. In March 1968, the division shifted forces to LZ Stud, the staging area for Operation Pegasus, which aimed to break the siege of the Marines' Khe Sanh Combat Base, the second-largest battle of the war. All three brigades participated in this airmobile operation, along with a Marine armor thrust. US Air Force B-52s alone dropped more than 75,000 tons of bombs on PAVN soldiers from the 304th and 325th Divisions encroaching the combat base in trenches. 
Campaign streamers for this unit during Vietnam have been authorized as follows:
On June 14th, the Army's actual birthday, the day begins the way most Army days begin: fitness. From 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the Army will host a fitness competition on the National Mall. At 11 a.m., the Mall opens to the public for the opportunity to interact with soldiers, listen to live music, and explore displays of Army history. Following the Army Birthday Festival, the 250th Army Birthday Parade will march through the nation's capital. There will also be live music and fireworks on display. Those not able to attend the events in person can catch them live on television and streaming – just check your local listings for start times and channels. 
Dengler was born in 1938 in Wildberg in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. His father was drafted into the German Army in 1939 and killed during WWII. Dengler's mother was left impoverished and struggled to feed her children. The family foraged for scraps and boiled wallpaper to scrape the wheat paste off the back for nutrients. During the war, a bomber flew through Wildberg, and young Dieter saw an airplane for the first time. He determined at that moment that his dream was to fly. This dream kept Dengler going for years while working as an apprentice for an abusive blacksmith who beat him regularly. Dengler later claimed it helped him learn survival skills he would need later in life. When the apprenticeship finally ended at age 18, Dengler left Germany for America – hoping to become a pilot.
On July 20, 1966, Air Force Lt. Col. Eugene Deatrick was flying up a canyon in Laos when he noticed a man near the river waving wildly. Dietrick passed over two more times. There were no reports of recently downed Americans, and Dietrick was nervous that this might be an enemy soldier attempting a suicide attack. A gut feeling told him to call for help. A helicopter arrived and lowered a cable, which Dengler grasped. The crew raised him up but quickly slammed Dengler to the floor and strip-searched him, looking for explosives. They soon realized that Dengler was a missing American.
After the fire was out, the NPRC was tasked with determining the fire’s root cause and deciding how to proceed with recovery efforts for records feared destroyed. Authorities could not determine the cause of the fire, and the staff immediately turned their attention to the records. Was anything salvageable?
Auxiliary Files: If the Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) was destroyed and no burnt file or reconstructed file can be ordered, the NPRC will provide copies of the final payroll forms for the veteran at the time of discharge. These files are typically a few pages in length.
David Mulldune celebrated his 19th birthday in South Vietnam. His presence during his May 1968 to June 1969 tour was ambushes, snipers, and a steady stream of patrols in the bush. His memory is filled with resentment toward the rear-echelon POGs, illicit drug use, tunnel rats, booby traps, Viet Cong, the clap and pretty much anything else you always suspected to find in Vietnam, but not many books ever talk about. You would be hard-pressed to hear Ken Burns talk about helicopters decapitating troops or Marines fighting with the enemy.