Edward Joseph Drew, II
Private First Class
C CO, 2ND BN, 1ST INFANTRY, 196TH INFANTRY BDE, AMERICAL DIV, USARV
Army of the United States
Des Moines, Iowa
February 07, 1943 to January 06, 1968
EDWARD J DREW II is on the Wall at Panel 33E, Line 56

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Edward J Drew
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In the first week of 1968 the 196th Infantry Brigade sent elements of three infantry battalions into the Hiep Duc Valley in Quang Tin Province - 2/1st Infantry, 3/21st Infantry, 4/31st Infantry. By 04 Jan the units were having increased contact with VC and NVA forces.

On the morning of 05 January, Charlie Company, 2/1st Infantry, made contact with a larger and very aggressive North Vietnamese Army force. In a day-long fight, the outnumbered Americans managed to avoid being surrounded and at nightfall were able to establish a reasonable defensive position on more favorable terrain. Shortly after midnight on 05/06 January the NVA attacked the Charlie 2/1 position but were unable to over-run it. By dawn the NVA were withdrawing into the hills and US reinforcements were relieving Charlie 2/1.

Twenty Americans were killed and 54 wounded in action during the two day engagement. Among those with Charlie Company were 2 men of the Forward Observer Team from A Battery, 3rd Battalion, 82nd Artillery, and a combat photographer from Brigade HQ who was attached with 4/31st but must have gone with C Company as the 31st had no casualties in this two day period. The men were:

PFC Drew was survived by his wife, Patsy E. Drew, and a daughter, both of Oakland Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa. He was also survived by his mother, Mrs Ester L. Drew, E. 7th Street, and his father Edward J. Drew, Waterbury Road, Des Moines. PFC Drew was buried in Glendale Cemetery, Des Moines, Iowa.


- - The Virtual Wall, September 28, 2014

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