1 May 2001 This was a very brave soldier who had broken up an ambush in the past by assaulting the strongest part of it BY HIMSELF. On the day he was killed he attempted it again, but luck was not with him. He had been an instructor at the jump school at Fort Benning. He was the kind of person you respected instinctively. I knew him in the 1-week preparatory school that troops went through when they came to the 1st Brigade, (Separate) 101st Airborne Division. I believe this was in about November, 1966. When he was killed he was in the 1st Battalion, 327th Airborne Infantry, a real fighting outfit. See also 1LT Benjamin G. Wells, who was his platoon leader and was killed at the same time. I was not in their platoon, but knew them both and I bet they were a real good team. He was very well thought of. These men died surrounded by other soldiers who loved them and mourned them. They were not alone. Their families should know that their buddies did all they could for them, even at the risk of their own lives. We still remember them. From a friend, John Yeager, Jr. jyeager@weir.net

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall As noted above, SFC Tieman was awarded the Silver Star for his actions on 7 Feb 1967. Nine men from Charlie 1/327 are known to have died in the ambush: 1LT Benjamin G. Wells, Madison, AL SFC Edward L. Tieman, Carlinville, IL (Silver Star) SSG Alfred G. Kircher, Ozone Park, NY SP4 Leonard A. Enos, Scottsdale, AZ SP4 Joe A. Funk, Wellsburg, WV SP4 Peter J. Gerspach, Eggertsville, NY PFC Alan W. Bonney, Easton, PA PFC Terry A. Harding, Vallejo, CA PFC Edward M. McMullan, New York, NY In addition, Sergeant Gary A. Rathbun and his dog of the 42nd Scout Dog Platoon were killed. The dog's body was brought out with the men he served. According to one report, he was killed while mauling an NVA soldier - and had a piece of the soldier in his mouth when he was brought in. Some reports give the dog's name as "Thunder", but the Vietnam Dog Handlers' Association shows only one dog killed on 25 May 1967 - Rex, tag number 8X60.

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