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I was in the field with A Company during my first tour in Nam and was hit in the chest and leg
December 1967 our first day in the field at "Cu Chi." I was sent to Japan to recover.
I rejoined the company in February the day before we were going to assault Hue. A Company
was to cross the river and go over the wall at the rear of the city. I think the NVA moved out that
night and we didn't have to try crossing the river. "We we all relieved, I think we would have
suffered many casualties had we tried that approach. I know now that God was watching out for
us.
I was with the company until April 1968 and was hit again. I think it was near Utah Beach and I
believe it was the third of four days of engaging the enemy. We were working with the ARVNS. I
remember that they started the engagement then they left, I asked their commander where they
were going he said, "home for lunch" They left us in heavy fighting SGT Hernandez (Not sure of
the name) was one of the KIAs along with the M60 gunner I do not recall his name. We left our
dead and went back for them the next morning.
At some point during the battle we called an air strike and an F14 passed over firing Puff on our
position. I think several men were killed but "not sure." I was inside a Buddhist Pagoda with Lt
Shaw and a couple of others, at that moment; I was Lt Shaw's RTO that day. The puff rounds
really peppered the Pagoda. We never were quite sure if we were hit by Puff or by an RPG
because the gooks had fired several rounds at the building while we were in it.
I did get a Purple Heart for that wound, I don't think I was given one for the first wound in
December. After I was released from the hospital I was sent to Bien Hoa HHC then reassigned to
A Company until July of 1968, then I was reassigned again to HHC. Top and Battalion SGT
Major visited a few times and we toured Saigon.
Written by Doug Keefauver
December 1967 our first day in the field at "Cu Chi." I was sent to Japan to recover.
I rejoined the company in February the day before we were going to assault Hue. A Company
was to cross the river and go over the wall at the rear of the city. I think the NVA moved out that
night and we didn't have to try crossing the river. "We we all relieved, I think we would have
suffered many casualties had we tried that approach. I know now that God was watching out for
us.
I was with the company until April 1968 and was hit again. I think it was near Utah Beach and I
believe it was the third of four days of engaging the enemy. We were working with the ARVNS. I
remember that they started the engagement then they left, I asked their commander where they
were going he said, "home for lunch" They left us in heavy fighting SGT Hernandez (Not sure of
the name) was one of the KIAs along with the M60 gunner I do not recall his name. We left our
dead and went back for them the next morning.
At some point during the battle we called an air strike and an F14 passed over firing Puff on our
position. I think several men were killed but "not sure." I was inside a Buddhist Pagoda with Lt
Shaw and a couple of others, at that moment; I was Lt Shaw's RTO that day. The puff rounds
really peppered the Pagoda. We never were quite sure if we were hit by Puff or by an RPG
because the gooks had fired several rounds at the building while we were in it.
I did get a Purple Heart for that wound, I don't think I was given one for the first wound in
December. After I was released from the hospital I was sent to Bien Hoa HHC then reassigned to
A Company until July of 1968, then I was reassigned again to HHC. Top and Battalion SGT
Major visited a few times and we toured Saigon.
Written by Doug Keefauver