4th January 2012
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20th November 2011LZ Albany: The forgotten battle2nd Battalion 7th CavalryNovember marks the anniversary of the ambush near LZ Albany, the second and largely forgotten half of the Vietnam War battle of the Ia Drang Valley in 1965. The first part of the battle has been dramatized in the 2002 movie "We Were Soldiers" and lionized in the recent History Channel documentary "Vietnam in HD," both of which show U.S. troops’ heroic stand at LZ X-Ray. Neither mentions the far bloodier engagement that followed, when the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry was nearly annihilated. Of the roughly 400 soldiers in the battalion, about 70 percent were killed or wounded. "What happened out there was just a shootout in the grass, and man oh man, the enemy was ready for that fight, we were not," said Joe Galloway, a reporter at the time who co-wrote the book "We Were Soldiers Once … and Young," upon which the film was based. He was also featured in "Vietnam in HD." Galloway covered the first part of the battle as a reporter for United Press International, but his book provides an account of the battle as a whole. More than half of it covers LZ Albany. On the day of the ambush, the battalion was strung out in a long column snaking its way through the jungle and tall grass, Galloway said. When a platoon captured two prisoners, the battalion commander decided to personally interrogate them and he called all the company commanders and their first sergeants to converge on his position at the head of the column, Galloway said. That left most of the rest of the soldiers leaderless when the enemy struck, racing through the column, killing anyone they saw. The result was chaos, said Bud Alley, a second lieutenant in the battalion at the time. "There were no maps, no water; we had not slept for three days," Alley wrote in an email. "Everywhere one turned, you either stepped on a dead GI or dead NVA. Grenades going off, mortars and artillery coming in, and then jets and napalm." When asked what memories from the battle are still with him 46 years later, Alley replied," All of them: The noise, the screams, the confusion, the helplessness, the chaos." Yet the general public has no idea what happened at LZ Albany, he said. Scott Reda, executive producer of "Vietnam in HD," said the episode on the Ia Drang focused on the first part of the battle because that was the part that Galloway witnessed firsthand. "'Vietnam in HD' is not meant to be a comprehensive documentary about every battle in the Vietnam War; that would take far more than the six episodes we produced to do it justice," Reda said in a statement."Rather, the series is meant to give viewers a better understanding of the war, but primarily focus on the personal stories and experiences of a handful of participants, which by their very nature is limited in scope. "I hope you understand that we mean no disrespect by not including certain battles." Likewise, a segment in the movie "We Were Soldiers" that addressed what happened after the first part of the battle was cut from the film, Galloway said. "I disagreed with that, so did Gen. [Hal] Moore, but when you sign a contract, you lose control of the movie part of it anyway, they do what they're going to do," Galloway said. "It's kind of like giving up your child for adoption." Director Randall Wallace explained why the movie version of Galloway's book omitted LZ Albany. "Stupendous courage and sacrifice was displayed at LZ Albany, but the characters we chose to focus on (Hal Moore and his unit) we're not at that confrontation; telling the story of LZ Albany and the stunning heroism displayed there, would require a separate film to do it justice," he said in a statement. But LZ Albany's absence from both the movie and documentary clearly pains Galloway. "The men and officers of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, who survived that battle, my hat's off to them," Galloway said. "I deeply regret that the movie, that the various documentaries have never taken account of their bravery, their sacrifices and the horrible memories that they live with." |
by: Jeff Schogol stripes.com
1st November 2011FALLEN: BUT NOT FORGOTTEN5th Battalion 7th Cavalry in the Ashau Valley
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In October 1969, then-Lieutenant Mike Sprayberry received the nation’s highest military award, the Congressional Medal of Honor, for his heroic efforts during a harrowing nighttime rescue in Vietnam’s A Shau Valley. But over the four subsequent decades, Sprayberry has remained determined to find the six lost men from this mission and bring them home, returning twice to Vietnam in search of evidence to initiate a formal recovery effort by the U.S. Army. FALLEN: BUT NOT FORGOTTEN profiles Sprayberry’s most recent trip to Vietnam. Family members of the six men killed in action and their comrades together share the loss and immense frustration but also the undying hope that one day these fallen soldiers may finally come home. This documentary is produced by award-winning CBS News cameraman Norman Lloyd and his foundation, the Commitment and Sacrifice Foundation. |
Submitted by: Ron Migut 1-7 1966-67
31st October 2011Veteran’s Day 2011
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It was “Veteran’s Day” and on the TV Tell me about your time in war, Now just hold on with all the chatter... But I will tell you this, my son, About the “Silver Star” you mentioned: About Heroes, I’m sure you’ll agree, Remember Son, every Veteran you meet “Thank you Soldier, Al Ayo 11/11/11 |
Submitted by: Ron Migut 1-7 1966-67
24th October 2011IN REMEMBERENCE
Merrill, Larry Dean SGT 2nd Battalion 1968-69 Larry Dean Merrill was born on April 26, 1944, to Odis and Flossie (Brewer) Merrill in Cherokee, OK. He passed away in Salina, OK, on Oct. 19, 2011. Larry is survived by his wife, Wanda Lee Merrill; 6 children: Myron Merrill and wife Pam of Fairview; Laurie Gwinn and husband Jo of Helena; Alana Merrill of Calera; Heidi Simpson of Stillwater; Jon Merrill and wife Courtney of Langley; Dylan Peetoom of Salina; 3 stepchildren: Sherri Peetoom, Barry Peetoom, James Labrue of Salina; 2 brothers: Bob Merrill and wife Jo of Moore; Hiram Merrill and wife Flossie of Enid; 2 sisters: Delorse Arnold of Enid; and Gracie Haskins of Thibodaux, Louisiana; 11 grandchildren: Amber Edwards and husband Taylor; Myron Merrill; William, Peter, and Lars Gwinn; Tommy Bailey; Serenity Simpson, Mindy Ward, Brianna Dean, Aaron Wall; 4 great-grandchildren: Saigen Edwards, Chailin Merrill, Victoria Slate, Nicholas Hess. From 1968 to 1969 Larry served in the U.S. Army 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Division, in Vietnam, participating in Operations “Jeb Stuart III” and “Cheyenne Sabre,” earning the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Air Medal. He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Ira, Doyle, J.C., and Don; and two sisters, Edith Merrill and Elsie Clark. A memorial service will be held on Monday, Oct. 24, 2011, at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Cherokee, OK. Submitted by: Jim Brigham, Past President 7th Cavalry Association |
24th October 2011Survivor of the 1876 Battle of the Little Big Horn
A special ceremony for Seventh Cavalry Private William O. Taylor (1855-1923) in Orange, Massachusetts on October 15 marked the formal dedication of an Indian Wars memorial plaque for this survivor of the 1876 Battle of the Little Big Horn. The Orange Historical Society, the Memorial Hall Museum, Deerfield, Mass. and the Custer Battlefield Historical & Museum Association sponsored the event at the grave of this soldier. The CBHMA donated the funds to purchase the plaque. A member of Major Marcus A. Reno’s battalion who participated in Valley and Hilltop fights, Private Taylor wrote his recollections of the Little Big Horn while a resident of this community in western Massachusetts. His account was also based on correspondence received from First Sergeant John Ryan and other battle survivors. Collector Greg Martin published Taylor’s manuscript (“With Custer on the Little Big Horn”) in 1996 after purchasing it at auction the year before. The original document is at Memorial Hall Museum, Deerfield. The former soldier’s “Notes” for this endeavor is located in the Coe Collection, Beinecke Library, Yale University. We would like to acknowledge both Dennis Picard, the director of the Storrowton Village Museum, West Springfield, Mass., and CBHMA Board Member Dennis Farioli for their efforts to realize this ceremony as well for their participation in this event. (Please refer to the attached photograph.) We also wish to thank Dennis and Rosemary Farioli for sharing the attached and other images. Information about the graves of other Little Big Horn veterans would be appreciated, so as to ensure proper acknowledgement of their participation in this battle during the Plains Indian Wars. Lee & Michele Noyes, Editors Submitted by: Bill Ricardson, President 7th Cavalry Association |
12th October 2011911 Ceremony at the Infantry Museum - Fort Benning, GASubmitted by: Jim Brigham |
8th October 2011Tennis “Jack” Castleberry
Margie called me to tell me that Jack had just passed away. She’ll have her daughter Janet email me with funeral details and I will pass that along. For those of you who didn’t know Tennis “Jack” Castleberry, he is featured in the white shirt on the far right of this photo. This photo is the first group gathering of the 3rd & 4th platoons of C 1/7 1968 – taken at a Division Assn reunion in Orlando around 1994. Jack, and Lynn Hardin (far left), were predominantly responsible for locating their buddies and keeping them united by rotating annual gatherings at one of the group’s home. They are the largest C 1/7 group that I know of. My first contact with Jack was easy. When I was tracking people down, I was given his full first name “Tennis” and told that his nickname was “Moultrie” because that’s where in Georgia he was from. There was only one listing for a “Tennis Castleberry” in Moultrie – his uncle – who then gave me Jack’s Mom’s number. His Mom said Jack “had married and moved away… (long pause) …would you like his phone number?” Timing is everything. As I spoke with Jack that night he kept repeating my words to someone else. When I asked what was going on he said “Lynn Hardin is here. He was with us. This is the first time we’ve seen each other since ‘Nam.” I’m going to back-track a bit. About a week prior I spoke with a guy in California – Ray A. Puckett – aka “RAP”. Ray was certain that anyone he knew was dead by then and felt that I likely wouldn’t find anyone who he knew or who remembered him. So, in that phone call to Jack I also spoke with Lynn (both really excited about finding long lost buddies) and, as a closing thought I asked if he remembered a guy named Pucket? Lynn’s immediate reply was “Pucket? Hell I still got his watch! Do you have a number for him?” Jack was a mailman in the Lakeland FL area. At one of his usual stops he noted a car in the driveway with a Cav patch on the bumper. Jack handed the lady her mail and asked if her husband was in ‘Nam. She said it was her ex-husband and yes he served with those “horse-army people”. A few more questions and it was Hello, Bobby Tillman, aka “Old Man” of the 1st platoon. When I was attending one of their first gatherings, Jack offered to pick me up at Orlando Airport. My flight was Delta to Atlanta and a plane change to Orlando arriving around 7pm. The flight was delayed due to a storm and I missed the connection – very pissed off - arriving in Orlando around 2am. As I walked into the predominantly empty main terminal, two 6ft tall figures came from the shadows to greet me. Jack and Larry McDaniel. They just “hung out” and talked until I finally got there. I have many more fond memories of Jack and he will be missed a lot, by me personally and by many. Submitted by: Ron Migut "C" 1-7 |
1st October 2011Heart, heroism and the sound of a bugleUS Army PFC Ira Rolston sounding the bugle found by Rescorla during the Battle of Ia Drang. 
He saw a flash of dirty brass amid the blood and entrails oozing from a dying Vietnamese soldier’s torso and reached out to grab it. It was a bugle, that most basic of brass instruments used by armed forces around the world for centuries. This particular bugle was dented in spots and engraved with elaborate French lettering, over which Vietnamese characters had been scratched. It was November of 1965, and Cyril Richard “Rick” Rescorla was knee-deep in the horrific Battle of Ia Drang in Vietnam when he found his combat zone keepsake. Historians agree the bugle was a Clairon d’Ordonnance, mostly likely brought to the elephant-grass covered highlands of central Vietnam by French forces during the First Indochina War in the late ’40s and early ’50s. Somehow it came into the possession of the People’s Army of Vietnam soldiers, and from them to Rescorla and the American Army. Continue News Article |
Honoring Rick Rescorla Blog
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