Class of: 1973
Brick: yes
Email: [email protected]

Leaving Home & Stetson Being from St. Petersburg in 1968, prior to “lottery” numbers for service, it was a given I would be drafted later that year. I had already begun my first year of law school at Stetson, but my senior brother convinced me I should volunteer for the draft as winter was coming and basic training would be less of a joy at that time of year. My Army basic training was in Ft. Benning, Georgia. Wife was in St. Pete. – not good logistics. Advanced Infantry Training (AIT) was at Ft. Polk, Louisiana, after which I volunteered for “Shake-n-Bake” non-commissioned officer school to become a Sergeant, which would provide a salary above poverty. Fortunately, I made Staff Sergeant – one more stripe and greater responsibility, which included being an infantry platoon sergeant at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, for one group of trainees. Fast forward to a flight to San Francisco, Okinawa and Bien Hoa air base, Vietnam, in 1969. With an MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) of 11B (Infantry), I was destined to march through rice fields and jungles. However, Divine Providence, prompted by wife and family prayers, determined my in-country assignment was to the 1/11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Alpha Troop. Pleasantly surprised, I discovered their platoons had a 11B position for a Forward Scout. That role was seldom used; rather, I was a squad leader of two Sheridan tanks and 4 or 5 APCs (Armored Personnel Carriers). The number changed constantly due to APC and tank maintenance problems. A Time to Duck Divine Providence saw my squad and myself safely through the year, in part by providing our vehicles with enough fire power (155mm canons, .50 calibers and multiple M-60 .30 caliber machine guns) to level a jungle to shrubs. During my first “firefight,” in a rubber plantation, one of my APC’s machine gunners tapped my helmet, as machine guns blared out any conversation, and pointed to a large rubber tree. It appears, in traversing left and right with my .50 caliber, I had nailed the tree several times and it was falling down – in my direction! It hit the vehicle, but not me.

The Anonymous Battle & Rescue of Charlie Company There were bad times. The most intensive firefight, after almost 40 years later, became known as The Anonymous Battle and occurred on 26 March, 1970. A large number, estimated at 100, of the 1st Cavalry’s Charlie Company was pinned down by a much larger NVA regiment. Helicopters could not land to rescue them, nor was other help available. They were running low on ammunition and when night came, defeat was certain. It would have been a major loss of life and a major military defeat. Learning of this dire situation, Alpha Troop Captain John Poindexter, after consulting with other infantry commanders and considering the alternative outcomes, volunteered Alpha Troop to attempt a rescue with additional infantry troops from Alpha Company. Time was short and it was questionable if the Sheridan Tanks could bust through miles of jungle to reach Charlie Company in time. There were many risks, and Alpha Troops were weary from loss of sleep, battles and a disastrous mortar track explosion the night before, initially thought to have been an attack, which kept troopers alert and awake all night. After several hours of busting down jungle to reach and join Charlie Company , “Commence fire” was given at 1700 hours. Alpha Team had reached Charlie Company in time – before they were overtaken. Five tank main guns, thirty M-60 machine guns and twenty .50 caliber machine guns (20 APCs) and 200 troopers fought their best against an overwhelming enemy. With return fire from the enemy remaining heavy, and in spite of the heavy firepower of A Troop vehicles and Alpha Troop infantry, it became clear the size and strength of the NVA force was not to be overcome. With vehicles damaged and covered and crammed with weary, wounded and dead soldiers, it become necessary to return to camp miles away before total darkness put everyone at risk. Disengagement began 2 ½ hours after the battle began. Expecting ambush and tank mines on the return, tensions were high; however that did not occur, and the return to camp was safely made under aerial night illumination. Approximately 100 men of Charlie Company had been rescued under little odds of success and at great risk. While the enemy force was not defeated, it was a very successful operation, excepting for the lives lost and injuries. My vague recollection of that day is that I and my squad, or part of it, went on a different, but related, mission that day. We were sent to a very small, sparsely populated base, with a small headquarters. I do not recall why we went there other than to provide protection for the base. I do recall being a bit nervous at the base because it had little if any defense from enemy ground troops, unlike our armored vehicles which circled up at night like wagon trains of the past. Reflecting today, it is my conclusion that the base we were sent to protect was the base of Alpha Company Infantry, which had left to join A Troop in the battle; hence the very sparse number of soldiers left to protect it.

While my A Troop buddies are the real heroes for rescuing Charlie Company, I am honored to have been a member of it and performed my assigned duty. As such, I also was honored, as was our entire unit membership, to receive the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). This is the highest award granted to a unit of service. Persistent Poindexter, The Whitehouse Rose Garden, and Pentagon Presentation The award was officially granted in April of 2009 after Captain Poindexter, beginning six years previously when new information came to him, relentlessly pursued individual Silver Star and other awards that had not been given by the Army, and began pursuit of the PUC for the entire unit. Pressing on, Captain Poindexter and other current Army brass were able to have President Obama give formal recognition to and address our A Troop in the Rose Garden at the White House on October 20, 2009. This was followed by a PUC ribbon being presented to each of us individually at a subsequent ceremony in the Pentagon. These two ceremonies and socials gatherings of Alpha Troop and Charlie Company after 39 years were most fulfilling to us all. All A Troopers concur this was more than recognition for A Troop’s actions, but recognition of all Vietnam veterans for their service and sacrifice. Captain Poindexter wrote a comprehensive description of this battle in “The Anonymous Battle” in 2009, followed by a second “The Anonymous Battle II” published in 2011 after the Whitehouse and Pentagon ceremonies. Unfortunately copies are not in circulation. The following links are to news stories and a video from 2009 at the time of the Whitehouse Rose Garden ceremony: President Obama’s Remarks – White House Press Release MSNBC National Cable Television Article from Washington Post (Video not active).