Good Friday Story

On 4/11/1968, the 3rd Bn, 22nd Infantry, climbed from choppers into a remote jungle area 13 miles north of Dau Tieng. In the few hours before darkness, the Regulars established a perimeter of hastily prepared foxholes. In the darkness, they made themselves as comfortable as possible. At twenty minutes past four o'clock on Good Friday morning, all hell broke loose.

Companies B, C, and D, had "combat assaulted," into the area and carefully swept the outskirts before establishing three ambush patrols and listening posts. The laager position was arranged in a clearing surrounded by jungle, ranging from single to triple canopy. Scattered trees and anthills caused some obstruction, however, the flat terrain provided good fields of fire. The Battalion Commander, LTC Roy K. Flint, employed the three companies on the defensive perimeter, holding the Reconnaissance Platoon as a reserve.

At approximately 0230 hours, the perimeter received light probing fire from the west. The Regulars answered it with small arms, automatic weapons, and Claymore mines. Between 0330 and 0400 hours, the enemy launched a heavy and accurate mortar attack on the perimeter using 61 and 82-millimeter mortars. Approximately 125 rounds landed inside the perimeter. The mortar barrage reached peak intensity at about 0405 hours and a massive ground attack followed. Bravo Company received the main thrust of the attack.

Charlie Company held the right flank and Delta the left. Using small arms, automatic weapons, 90 mm recoilless rifles, hand grenades and bayonets, the Infantrymen repulsed the enemy as fast as they came on. As the attack grew more intense, LTC Flint called for artillery support and it arrived quickly. Launching more and more "human wave," assaults, the enemy penetrated the defensive line. Bravo Company was forced to pull back approximately 50 meters as they were being overrun. Elements from the Recon Platoon and Delta Company moved across the beaten zone to reinforce Bravo and deliver ammunition. Charlie Company turned its left flank machine guns upon the advancing enemy as they streamed across Bravo's bunkers. This crossfire caught the enemy in a vice between Delta and Charlie Companies, as reinforced Bravo Company fought its way back to the main bunker line. Combined with tactical air strikes, gunships, artillery, and the fast approach of the 2nd Bn, 22nd Infantry (M), the foot soldiers or the 3rd Battalion repulsed the enemy and the perimeter was secured by 0630 hours. Fighting had been extremely fierce during the push to regain the bunker line. Some of the enemy died at a range of 5 meters and in some instances, hand to hand combat occurred. 127 enemy died within the perimeter. As morning light appeared, the 2nd Bn, 22nd Infantry (M), merged into the 3rd Battalion's perimeter. They had battled pockets of resistance through five miles of jungle, at night, to get to their American counterparts.

As Captain Bill Allison, Commanding Charlie Company, 2/22 Infantry (M), his troopers approached firing their fifty calibers', the enemy fled west into the jungle. All contact was broken by 0730 hours. The enemy left behind 153 bodies along with a substantial amount of equipment. At 0800 hours, 12 April 1968, Brigadier General Gleason, Assistant Division Commander of the 25th Infantry Division arrived to survey the battlefield and present awards. The following men received "impact awards," of the Silver Star; our Nation's third highest award for gallantry in action: Cpt. Gerald White, Commanding Officer of Delta Company; 1LT Richard Prairie, Commander of Bravo Company; SFC Robert E. Nelson, Company D; Sergeant Edward D. Crow, Company B; SP/5 Carl L. Felgenhauer, Company C Medic and SP/4 David Chedister, Recon Platoon Medic. Captain White's and SP/4 Chedister's Silver Stars were later upgraded to The Distinguished Service Cross. General Creighten Abrahms, US Commander in Chief in Vietnam, came to Fire Support Buell in January 1969 to present these two awards.

The following data was submitted after the battle: 16 US Killed In Action, 47 Wounded. 153 enemy Killed in Action and 53 additional enemy KIA reported forward of the perimeter. Weapons & equipment captured included numerous AK Assault Rifles, Light Machine Guns, RPG-2 Rocket Launchers, Carbines, Hand Grenades, and ammunition. The Regulars departed the perimeter the following morning after burying the enemy dead. They spent Easter Sunday at Dau Tieng.