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David Robert Beyl 7/18/70
Paul Gerald Guimond 7/14/70
James Thomas Hembree 7/14/70
William E. Jones 7/14/70
John Lay Keister 7/14/70
Jay Allen Muncey 7/28/70
Terry Allan Palm 7/14/70
William David Rollason 7/18/70
Gary Lee Schneider 7/15/70
Keith Edward Utter 7/14/70
Wilfred Wesley Warner 7/23/70
They are not forgotten
July 1-11, 1970 For the first 11 days of July, Delta Company operated in the vicinity of FB O'Reilly without any contact or notable incidents.
2122H (YD362188- Hill 805, 1.5-2 KM SE of FB Ripcord) Delta received 30-40 RPG rounds and small arms fire from an unknown size enemy force 250m Northeast of their position. Delta returned organic weapons fire and the enemy withdrew in an unknown direction. The brunt of the attack was received by the 2nd PLT sector of the perimeter, which faced a trail along a ridge line leading up to the hill. 81mm mortars, ARA, air strikes, and a flareship were employed. A first light check of the area was made.
Results: 13 US WIA( 3 medevaced to Camp Evans shortly after contact and 10 evacuated to Camp Evans the following morning including Barry L. Barnes, Jackie L. Brumbelow, Keith A Cluff, Larry Ertel, Willie J. Lewis, James L. Poulard and Carl E. Robinson.
A medevac was completed for 2 men (Paul "Rat" Gulmond and Denny Belt) at 0353H. Gulmond was dead on arrival at Camp Evans. A medevac was also completed at 0426H for 1 man (Jack L. Godwin) who had a foot blown off by a satchel charge, for 1 man (Rodney "Nose" Collins at 0753H, and for 6 men (Joseph A Adams, Bruce "Tony" Chandler, Terry Cooper, Warren R. Hanrahan, David L. Weaver, and Bobby G. Hill) at 0945H. Airstrikes, flareship, ARA, artilery, Quad 50 (on FB Ripcord) and 81mm mortars were employed.
A first light check on the area revealed 5 NVA KIA, 1 RPG launcher, 4 RPGs, 1 AK-47 and a bag containing 10 1|2 lb satchel charges. There were no indications of the enemy unit on the KIA clothing. There were also numerous signs of blood trails leading from the area.
Results 6 US KIA (Paul G. "Rat" Guimond, William E. Jones, John L. "Red" Keister, James T. Hembree (2nd PLT SGT), 1Lt Terry A Palm (1st PLT Leader) and Keith E. Utter; 9 US WIA (E: Denny Belt, Jack L. Goodwin, Rodney Collins, Joseph A. Adams, Bruce Chandler, Terry Cooper, Warren R. Hanrahan, David L. Weaver and Bobby G. Hill); 6 US WIA (M).
1330H 1Lt Ralph Selvaggi (Delta XO) along with 12 men (including 7 cherries) reinforced Delta- which had 29 men extracted from the field during the previous two days; with 1Lt Selvaggi assigned as the new PLT Leader of 1st PLT, successing 1 Lt Terry Palm (KIA).
1438H an airstrike was completed for Delta at YD363180 and YD363176.
1525H An airstrike was completed for Delta at YD348177
2253H Hill 805; Delta received an unknown number of RPGsm satchel charges and small arms fire from an unknown size enemy force 20M to the South and Southeast of their position. The element returned organic weapons fire and the enemy withdrew in an unknown direction. 81mm mortars, artillery (105 & 155), ARA, Quad 50 and flareships were employed.
0357H Hill 805; Delta observed 3 trip flares ignite 15m Westof their position. The element employed organic weapons fire and artillery was employed to the West of their position. A first light check of the area revealed indications that numerous bodies had been dragged through the area. Also located were a wallet containing miscellaneous documents and photos, miscellaneous clothing with no indications of enemy unit, 2 first aid packs and a bloddy trail leading Southwest. The element followed the blood trail until it ran out. Resluts: 1 US KIA (Gary Lee Schneider), 1 US WIA (E), documents evacuated. rest destroyed.
1208H Delta requested medevac for one man (James Plenderleith) wounded previous night, beleived to have collapsed lung, medevac completed at 1245H.
1525H A logbird resupplying Delta had a power failure on LZ YD360188 (directly facing the 1st PLT sectir on Hill 805). The bird was secured by 1st PLT. At 1545H, while attempting to extract the logbird, a CH-47 (Varsity 549) received a heavy volume of fire, but extraction failed because the strap broke. All rafios were removed from the aircraft. The pilot crew was evacuated but the door gunners spent the night with Delta on Hill 805.
1845H Hill 805: Delta received 3 82mm mortar rounds from an unknown enemy location impacting 40m West of their position with negative results.
0371H Hill 805: Delta observed an unknown size enemy force 250m North of their position moving towards their location. the element engaged the enemy with organic weapons fire and AFA. The enemy did not return fire and withdrew in an unknown direction.
0413H Hill 805: Delta heard a mechanical ambush detonate to the North of their position and engaged the area with organic weapons fore. There was no return fire and at first light a check of the area was made revealing 2 NVA KIA by motars, 2 AK-47s, 5 full AK-47 magazines , 2 pouches containing 5 1/2 Lb satchel charges each, 50 AK-47 rounds in a leather pouch, 1 knife, 5 Chicom grenades and 4 bottles of an unknown type liquid. Results: 2 NVA KIA.
0710H (YD360188- LZ facing 1st PLT sector of Hill 805) 1st PLT secured the downed logbird from a distance because it appeared that the aircraft had been tampered with overnight, a rope previously put to secure the rotor blade had been removed and a small compartment in the bird had been opened.
0715H A Pink Team was put on station for Delta.
2031H Hill 805: Delta engaged suspected enemy movement with organic weapons fire 100m Southeast of their position. ARA was employed and a first light check of the area was made with negative results.
2055H Col. Lucas (CO of 2/506 on FB Ripcord) reported that they had intercepted a NVA radio transmission. A Kit Carson scout translated saying the NVA were massing for an attack on Hill 805.
2353H Delta observed their mechanical ambush detonate 150m to the West of their position. Artillery and 81mm mortars were employed on the suspected enemy position. A first light check of the area was made with negative results.
July 17, 1970 0006H Hill 805: Delta observed suspected enemy movement to the West and North of their position. ARA, artillery and 81mm mortars were employed. A first light check of the area was made with negative results.
0230H Hill 805: Delta observed their mechanical ambush and trip flare detonate on the West side of their perimeter. The element engaged the area with organic weapons fire. The enemy returned satchel charges and small arms fire and withdrew in an unknown direction. ARA and artillery was employed. A first light check of the area was made with negative results.
1630H Delta minus 2nd PLT moved off of Hill 805 to the North, crossing LZ360188( facing the hill), after the Company consolidated all that was left on the hill and piled it on top of the hill. 2nd PLT was temporarily left on the hill to destroy what was left while the remainder of Delts waited for the platoon 30m Northwest of LZ360188. While Delta was waiting for 2nd PLT to rejoin the Company a Kit Carson Scout (attached to 3rd PLT) sitting near the center of delta's perimeter, either killed himself by pulling the pin on a hand gernade or accidentally discharged a hand gernade. the company engaged their perimeter with organic weapons fire thinking they had received an enemy mortar round.
Two men were medevaced (David Bey and Wilfred Warner, who later died of their wounds from the gernade) and 3 other wounded men (Mike Cooksley {1st PLT SGT}, Drew Gaster and Ron Grubidt) were taken out by a loach from the nearby LZ. At approximately 1830H Delta moved to YD358190 where they established their NDP. Results: 2 US KIA (David R. Bey and Wilfred W. Warner), 3 US WIA (E: Mike Cooksley, Drew Gaster, Ron Grubidt), and 4 US WIA (M)
1700H YD360188- LZ facing Hill 805: While descending a ladder over the LZ facing Hill 805, a sensor team and the aircraft took fire. The sensor and equipment were dropped in but 1 man fell from the ladder breaking a foot. Permission was requested to abort the mission due to the time required in moving them to a NDP site. the injured man was evacuated. The pilot did not have como with Delta, the closest ground unit and did not ask for smoke.
Later in the day during the afternnon, FB Ripcord suffered a crippling blow when a CH-47 (Chinook), in logistic support on the firebase, was shot down by enemy ground fire and crashed on the 105mm ammunition storage areas, causing a major fire and extensive damage. There as 1 US KIA (William D. Rollason, formly of Delta) and 4 US WIA.
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