Stories About D-2-7

STORIES ABOUT CO. D, 2/7TH CAVALRY

JULY65 - THE BEGINNING
Change of station orders were issued 30 July 1965 from Ft. Benning, Georgia to Vietnam. The 2/7 went with the 3rd Brigade on the USN ship "Maurice Rose". They debarked at Qui Nhon on the morning of Sept. 17,1965. They were flown by CH-47 Chinook helicopters to the division basecamp at An Khe.

According to the "Pocket Guide to Vietnam (DoD PG-21A)" dated 5 April, 1966, "All official United States personnel are accorded diplomatic immunity by special concession of the Government of the Republic of Vietnam."

Delta Company consisted of a recon platoon and a heavy mortars platoon (it took 2 guys to carry the base plate). They wore OD greens (not jungle clothes) and had leather boots (not jungle boots).

17NOV65 - BATTLE OF LZ ALBANY
(Based on "Anatomy of a Division" by Stanton)
Note by Peter Cole: This is a very bad day for Delta Company.

The 2/7 Battalion left LZ X-RAY in a column march to LZ Albany 6 miles away to be picked up by helicopters. The column was lead by Company A, followed by Companies C and then D, followed by the battalion command group, and finally Company A of the 1/5 pulled up the rear. The 8th Battalion, 66th NVA Regiment ambushed the middle of the column splitting the battalion in half. Casualties to the 2/7 were 151 KIA, 121 WIA, and 4 MIA. NVA losses were 403 confirmed dead.

17NOV65 - BATTLE OF LZ ALBANY
(Based on "Pleiku" by Coleman)

Many lives were lost because of many mistakes which he writes about. He also reports about "executions" that occurred by the NVA on wounded USA men.

17NOV65 - BATTLE OF LZ ALBANY
(Base on phone call of Ron Benton)

Ron Benton said the Recon Platoon of D/2-7 (of which he was a member) pulled point for the Battalion march. (That means that D/2-7 was split during this march with the Mortar Platoon much further back). He remembers seeing fresh foot prints and other signs of enemy activity. He also remembers the Recon Platoon captured 2 enemy solders.

I wasn't able to contact very many people who served in 1967. These are all the stories I have for 1967:

8JAN67

Timmy Mattingly died on this day.

AUG67
(from letter by Roger Meeks dated 21NOV91 with permission)

When I was in country for about 3 to 7 days and as green as they come, I got the dubious job (as most new guys did) of dragging out of the outhouse, half of a 55 gallon drum. I was told to mix Mogas and oil and stir it up and burn it, but being green, I grabbed two cans of what, I thought, I was supposed to use. It turned out to be JP-4 jet fuel. Well, I stirred it up and didn't quite make the match over the barrel, when the most awful explosion you ever heard, took place. Everyone thought we had incoming rounds but all we had was black smoke and dookey flying about 50 ft in the air. That kept everyone chuckling for quite a while.

AUG67
(from letter by Roger Meeks dated 21NOV91 with permission)

My CO was Cpt. Roper who was a Green Beret. He was into fitness, but didn't last about a month when he stepped on a punji stake. He was Medivaced and never returned.

3DEC68
(From 2/7 S2/S3 Daily Journal at LZ Sue at XT922956)
Note by Peter Cole: This is a very bad day for Delta Company. John Holcomb received the Medal of Honor because of this battle. Although there are many good stories about this day, this Daily Journal "story" is a most powerful one.

     0856 = Log Bird to Bn RTO Fwd: Reports that D Co's back log is complete.
    1038 = Bn RTO Fwd to Bde RTO: D Co C/A report: PZ grid 796954, LZ 934026. First skids up 0925H, last skids down 1025H, lift complete at 1025H. LZ Green.
    1045 = D Co 6M to Bn RTO Fwd: Starting to receive small arms and heavy automatic fire from the North, also believe to have received 02 81mm rounds and also 50 cal. Estimated size of the enemy force is 1 plat. Unknown as to the direction in which the enemy withdrew. Neg enemy casualties. More information will follow. D Co's location is 934026.
     1104 = D Co 6M to Bn RTO Fwd: Request MedEvac for 01 US KIA, and 05 US WIA's; 01 litter with head wound. Sit down mission, a gun ship is requested.
     1150 = D Co CO to Bn S3: Like to confirm 01 US KIA, who was the FO, and 05 WIA. 1 of the WIA's is the Arty RTO. The enemy fire ceased about 1134H. We are now trying to get the WIA's organized for MedEvac Extraction.
     1150 = Bn RTO Fwd to File: MedEvac had to break station to refuel. The A/S's have been put in and the Gunships are on station.
     1142 = Bn S3 to Bde S3: Request immediate C/A to insert A Co into the area of D Co's contact.
     1255 = D Co Field First to Bn RTO Fwd: Receiving fire from the NE, SE, and SW; and possibly some from the N. It is all small arms fire. We possibly have 01 more WIA. Request help - we are low on ammo, and have spotted 03 enemy 50 cal positions.
     1305 = Log Bird to D Co Field First: I have been hit, and am going to try to make it back to LZ Sue. 1310H - Log bird is okay, and is trying to get back to D Co's loc.
     1320 = Log Bird to Bn RTO Fwd: The Co-pilot has been hit, and the pilot took some shrapnel. The ship is trying to make it back to Quan Loi. 1335H - the log bird made it to Quan Loi's MedEvac pad. The ammo was dropped off at D Co's loc.
     1345 = D Co Field First to Bn RTO Fwd: Need help, have hit an estimated Battalion size enemy force. We are about to be over run, and an A/S is now being put in on our eastern perimeter.
     1355 = D Co Field First to Bn RTO Fwd: NVA are inside the perimeter. We need help. We have 50 casualties.
     1400 = D Co Field First to Bn S3M: We need help, people are dropping from heat exhaustion as well as from enemy fire.
     1420 = D Co Field First to Bn S3M: A log bird, #046, approached D Co's LZ and dropped off some ammo, water and 01 radio. The radio was dropped too far off the perimeter.
     1439 = Lift Bird to Bn S3: 6 + 2 on station for A Co's RF.
     1455 = MedEvac 17 to D Co Field First: Tried to enter the LZ, started receiving too much fire. Took neg hits.
     1500 = MedEvac 17 to D Co Field First: Went down and picked up 06 WIA's who were all in pretty serious condition. I will try to get some water out to them on my return. I went in just prior to the A/S.
     1510 = MedEvac 2 to D Co Field First: MedEvac 25 and myself are on station to pick up more WIA's. I am making the approach now.
     1520 = MedEvac 25 to Gunship: Approaching LZ at this time. I have to wait because more slicks are approaching with A Co. I have landed on the LZ and picked up 06 more WIA. Neg contact so far.
     1530 = MedEvac 17 to D Co Field First: I am inbound with water. I am now leaving the LZ with 06 WIA's.
     1539 = MedEvac 2 to D Co Field First: Have approached D Co's LZ, and picked up 06 to 07 WIA's out. 1545H: MedEvac 17 is in again, and he picked up 01 KIA, and 02 WIA's.
     1606 = Bn S3 to Bn RTO Fwd: Reference to A Co's lift: PZ 003994, LZ 934026. 1st skids up 1450H, 1st skids down 1510H; last skids up 1555H and last skids down 1600H.
     1654 = A Co CO to Bn RTO Fwd: D Co has 29 MIA, 23 KIA, and 27 WIA. D Co field first SGT sent to me to pass on to you: Contact started at 1045H, a majority of the contact ceased at 1520H. Fire was received from the NE, SE, and SW. We received heavy automatic small arms fire, and possibly 02 81mm mortar rounds from an estimated battalion size enemy element. The direction in which the enemy withdrew is unknown. We engaged the enemy with M-16, airstrikes, and Blue Max. MedEvac 17, 2 and 25 were on station all afternoon. A Co was inserted into D Co's LZ to reinforce D Co by slicks, last skids down 1600H.
     1740 = Bn RTO to Bn RTO (Rear to Fwd): D Co had a total of 40 WIA treated at Co C, 15th Med today, 37 of these were further evacuated.
     1900 = Bn S1 to Bn S3: D Co has back here now 22 KIA + D Co FO, also 44 + 02 WIA from S-4 + 1 pathfinder WIA, Total so far: 23 KIA and 47 WIA.