22 Jul 2008 Steve, I pay tribute on the anniversary of your death 22 July 1970. We did not talk enough. We were all innocent and struggling to do what was expected and honorable. You made the ultimate sacrifice and your name and smile continues to be an imporant part of my thoughts. God Speed. From an OCS classmate and fellow LT, D Johnson djohnson@cablemo.net

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall Hill 927 was located 20 miles due west of Hue and about 7 miles northeast of the northern end of the A Shau Valley. The 1st Cavalry Division built Fire Support Base Carol on Hill 927 in 1968, and it was used by elements of the 101st Airborne as early as January 1969. The position was of considerable importance because it lay only 5 miles north of Hill 1615, also known as Co Pung Mountain or "The Warehouse", wherein was hidden a major logistics complex which supported the North Vietnamese Army's 29th and 803rd Regiments. Hill 927 was abandoned, then reopened by ground assault on 11 Apr 1970. Elements of the 101st Airborne took up residence in what was now known as Fire Support Base Ripcord and proceeded to make life miserable for the NVA commands in and around the Co Pung. This situation elicited a violent response from the NVA leading to the "Siege of FSB Ripcord" in June-July 1970. The three-week period covering the siege cost the 101st Airborne 75 killed and 345 wounded in action before FSB Ripcord was again abandoned on 23 July 1970. Hill 805, which lies 1.5 kilometers east-southeast of FSB Ripcord, was the location of heavy fighting throughout much of July. On 21 July, "D" Company, 1/506th Infantry, lost five men on Hill 805; on the following day "A" Company, 2/506, lost 12 men in an equally brutal fight, while a 13th died from wounds received: B Btry, 2nd Bn, 319th Artillery, 101st Abn Div, USARV 2LT Steven A. Olson, Chamblee, GA (F/O with 2/506 Inf) A Co, 2nd Bn, 506th Infantry, 101st Abn Div, USARV 1LT William A. Pahissa, Tucson, AZ SSG John W. Kreckel, Milwaukee, WI (Dist Svc Cross) SSG Gerald B. Singleton, Indio, CA SGT Mark G. Draper, Finly, IN (medic, HQ Co w/ A/2/506 Inf) SGT Harvey R. Neal, South Boston, VA (DoW 07/27/1970) SGT Thomas R. Schultz, Pittsburgh, PA CPL John M. Babich, Franklin Grove, IL CPL Virgil M. Bixby, Iowa City, IA CPL Robert J. Brown, Buffalo, NY CPL Danny J. Fries, Council Bluffs, IA SP4 Robert M. Journell, Salem, VA SP4 Donald J. Severson, Superior, WI

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