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| Information found at The 6/27th Artillery Vietnam web pages Mounted armor in Vietnam by General Donn A. Starry 11thcavnam.org www.blackhorse.com M company K troop D Company Many photos 1968-1970 from; H Company, 2nd Squardron, 11th Cav Myth: The fighting in Vietnam was not as intense as in World War II. The average infantryman in the South Pacific during World War II saw about 40 days of combat in four years. The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year, due to their mobility. Short version of one year in Vietnam.
1. I was assigned to 11th Cav. in June of 1969. In July of 1968, the 39th Colonel of the Regiment, George S. Patton III., assumed command and soon applied his expertise in armored combat tactics. The Regiment moved the armor off the roads and into the jungles,a concept previously thought not feasible. Colonel Patton coined the phrase, "FIND THE BASTARDS, THEN PILE ON", , which remains today as the Regiment�s battle cry. 2. This is where I received My first Purple Heart. John Sexton was the only Blackhorse trooper to be captured by the NVA. It happened on Aug. 12,1969 near Loc Ninh. E-troop was hit hard during a major NVA offensive in that area. They were overwhelmed and left several ACAV'S behind, thinking that all the troopers onboard were dead. When H-co went in the RPG'S were shattering the trees all around them ! They took numerous hits and couldn't supress the NVA. E-troop withdrew through H-co and then they pulled out for airstrikes. John Sexton was repatriated on Oct. 8,1971 after two years and two months as a POW 3. On 1 May 1970, the 11th ACR spearheaded a historic attack across the Cambodian border into an area called the Fish Hook to deny the enemy of these safe havens. Massive air strikes by B-52's had prepared the target area. Second Squadron led the attack, followed by Third Squadron, First Squadron provided rear guard security. Trailing the Regiment were elements of the First Cavalry Division and several Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) units.
4.The Regiment was ordered to force-march 40 kilometers further north to capture the City of Snoul.
Within the alloted 48 hours they reached the city and attacked with incredible ferocity on May 5th.
Major Frederick M. Franks Second Squadron�s S3, joined in an assault on an enemy anti-aircraft position, when a NVA grenade landed near him.
Colonel Starry burst into motion and actually dove into Franks trying to knock him out of the way of
the blast. Major Frank's life was spared with his chicken plate (flack vest), but his left foot was a
total mess. Colonel Starry hadn't worn his chicken plate that day - if he had, he would have only
been scratched. Starry remains the only Colonel of the Regiment to date to have been wounded
while in Command. With Snoul secured and 148 enemy killed, the Blackhorse began a systematic
search of the surrounding area. |