WALL NOTE FOURTEEN: BILLIE JOE WILLIAMS

DANIEL R. ARANT [email protected] DATE OF INFORMATION: 07 OCTOBER 2013

“WHEN THE LEGEND BECOMES FACT, PRINT THE LEGEND.”

QUOTED FROM JOHN FORD’S THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE STARRING JOHN WAYNE, JAMES STEWART, AND LEE MARVIN.

01. SUMMARY. One of the perennial “tour guide stories” at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is that two servicemen with the exact same name died on the same day. The name of Billie Joe WILLIAMS is inscribed twice on 01W 094. It may make for an interesting story, maybe similar to both John ADAMS and Thomas JEFFERSON dying on 04 July 1826. Two servicemen named Billie Joe WILLIAMS died during the Viet Nam conflict but not on the same day. PFC Billie Joe WILLIAMS, USMC died on 21 March 1966, the result of the shoot down of a UH-34D Seahorse helicopter. Maj. (posthumous Lt. Col.) Billie Joe WILLIAMS, USAF died on 09 December 1972, the result of the shoot down of a RF-4C Phantom II. PFC WILLIAMS more properly belongs on panel 06E; Lt. Col. WILLIAMS is on the correct panel. I can only assume that an unintended error placed the names together.

A. In the spirit of “full disclosure,” I, for a short time, told the “Billie Joe WILLIAMS Story.” But fortunately, a few weeks after I became a volunteer, a visitor’s inquiry “set me straight.” See paragraph 08.

B. There are also a Billy Joe WILLIAMS and a Billy WILLIAMS on the Wall.

(01) Maj. Billy Joe WILLIAMS, USA. Advisory Team 3, MACV Advisors. 06 May 1970. 11W 119.

(02) PFC Billy WILLIAMS, USA. “A” Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade. 12 June 1966. 08E 043.

02. DISCLAIMER. This Wall Note is not an official publication of the U.S. National Park Service (USNPS), the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), or the Department of Defense

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(DOD). My thanks to USNPS volunteer Donald ADAM and to Linda Raye SEALE for proofreading support. Any errors are solely mine. Corrections are welcome.

03. ANNOTATED MAPS/CHARTS. The general maps, annotated 1:50,000 scale Army Map Service (AMS) maps, and annotated 1:500,000 scale Tactical Pilotage Charts (TPC) are provided through the courtesy and permission of U.S. Army tanker (1st Battalion, 69th Armor) Viet Nam veteran Ray SMITH.

A. http://www.rjsmith.com/Vietmap.html

B. http://www.rjsmith.com/Viet-MR-map.html

04. ABBREVIATIONS.

A. AMS: Army Map Service.

B. ARVN: Army of the Republic of Viet Nam. Ground component of the Republic of Viet Nam Armed Forces (RVNAF).

C. DD 1300. Report of Casualty form.

D. HMM: Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron.

E. HOR: Home of Record. May differ from an individual’s Home Town.

F. LZ: Landing Zone.

G. MAF: Marine Amphibious Force.

H. MAG: Marine Aircraft Group.

I. MARDIV: Marine Division.

J. MAW: Marine Air Wing.

K. NLF. National Liberation Front. The NLF was formed in Tay Ninh Province, South Viet Nam, on 20 December 1960. Its aim was to overthrow the government of South Viet Nam. It was composed of Communist and non-Communist elements, but clearly, the Communists controlled the organization. The military arm of the NLF was the PLAF.

L. NVA: North Vietnamese Army. Also known as PAVN.

M. PAVN: People’s Army of Viet Nam. Also known as NVA.

N. PLAF: People’s Liberation Armed Forces. The military arm of the National Liberation Front (NLF). The NLF and PLAF were collectively known as the VC.

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O. RF: Regional Forces. A component of the South Vietnamese Territorial Forces.

P. RF-4C: A reconnaissance version of the F-4 Phantom II.

Q. RVNAF. Republic of Viet Nam Armed Forces.

R. SAM: Surface-to-Air Missile.

S. SITREP: Situation Report.

T. TACAIR: Tactical Aviation. One or two seat fighters, fighter-bombers, and attack aircraft, e.g.: A-1, A-4, A-6, A-7, A-37, F-4, F-5, F-8, F-100, F-104, F-105.

U. TPC: Tactical Pilotage Chart.

V. TRS: Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (USAF).

W. TRW: Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (USAF).

X. UH-1E. Marine Corps version of the Army UH-1B and Army UH-1C. The “proper” name of the UH-1 was Iroquois but the “popular” name was Huey. The UH-1 was originally designated as HU-1.

Y. UH-34D. Marine Corps utility and transport helicopter. Introduced into Viet Nam on 15 April 1962 as part of Operation Shufly (See Wall Note Three). The UH-34D was originally designated as HUS-1.

Z. VC: Viet Cong. Also known as PLAF/NLF.

AA. VMFA: Marine Fighter Attack Squadron.

BB. VMO: Marine Observation Squadron.

05. PFC BILLIE JOE WILLIAMS, USMC. 21 MARCH 1966. 01W 094.

A. On the night of 18/19 March 1966, the 1st PLAF (VC) Regiment captured a South Vietnamese outpost (Hill 141), which was manned by the 936th RF Company. The outpost was near the village of An Hoa in Binh Son District, Quang Ngai Province, I Corps. ARVN 2nd Division commander Maj. Gen. Hoang Xuan LAM countered with a reaction force. This force was supported by USMC UH-34D Seahorse helicopters from HMM-261 and F-4 Phantom IIs from VMFA-542. Heavy enemy resistance necessitated the withdrawal of the Allied force.

B. Maj. Gen. LAM then requested that III MAF (commanded by the newly promoted Lt. Gen. Lewis W. WALT, USMC) provide U.S. infantry, artillery, and air assistance to retake the outpost. Operation Texas (20-25 March 1966) was the result. USMC forces were composed of: (01) 3rd Battalion, 7th Regiment (3/7), 1st Marine Division, (02) 2nd Battalion, 4th Regiment

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(2/4), 3rd Marine Division, (03) 3rd Battalion, 11th Regiment (3/11), 1st Marine Division, (04) 3rd Battalion, 1st Regiment (3/1), 1st Marine Division (initially in reserve), (05) 4th Battalion, 11th Regiment (4/11), 1st Marine Division, (06) 1st Battalion, 4th Regiment (1/4), 3rd Marine Division, and (07) 1st MAW fixed-wing and rotary-wing assets for strike, gunship, air control, and troop lift. The primary ARVN forces were: (01) 5th ARVN Airborne Battalion, (02) 2nd Battalion, 5th ARVN Regiment, and (03) 3rd Battalion, 5th ARVN Regiment. The Vietnamese name for its part of the operation was Lien Ket (Unite) 28.

(01) Not all of the companies or batteries of a specific battalion participated.

(02) USMC forces were initially under the command of Col. Oscar F. PEATROSS, commander of the 7th Marine Regiment. Brig. Gen. Lowell E. ENGLISH, assistant division commander of the 3rd MARDIV, assumed command on 22 March 1966.

C. On the morning of 20 March 1966, it was determined that the enemy had abandoned Hill 141. The remains of 31 RF troops were found and 85 RF troops were missing. The Allies then decided to look for the departed enemy. Subsequently, the Marines and a reinforced ARVN contingent met heavy enemy resistance. As a result, the reserve force, 3/1, was committed on 21 March 1966. In the late afternoon of 21 March 1966, a HMM-363, MAG-36 UH-34D Seahorse helicopter from Ky Ha Air Facility was airlifting troops of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Regiment (“K”/3/1), 1st MARDIV when it was shot down by enemy fire as the helicopter approached an unsecure LZ. All four helicopter crewmembers and all six passengers were killed as a result of the crash. One of the passengers was PFC Billie Joe WILLIAMS, USMC.

D. The USMC Combat Helicopter Association provides more specific details from the HMM- 363 Command Chronology: “At 21:1630 Hours thirty UH-34Ds from HMM-261, HMM-363, and HMM-364 escorted by four armed UH-1Es of VMO-6 lifted two companies plus a command group (a total of 405 troops) of 3rd Bn, 1st Marines from Ky Ha Air Facility to an unsecure LZ at BS494806. Automatic weapons and .50-caliber fire was received from numerous areas in close proximity to the LZ. One HMM-363 aircraft was hit by a severe burst of fire as it approached the LZ and rolled inverted and crashed at BS495815. Three crew members and seven (sic) troops were killed upon impact. The aircraft exploded and burned upon impact with the ground. The pilot was thrown clear and was lifted to Bravo Med at Chu Lai but subsequently died.”

(01) http://www.rjsmith.com/I-Corps-chu-lai-south.html

a. See Xuan Hoa in grid 6739-3, which is the 1:50,000 AMS sheet named Son Ha.

(02) Initial SITREPs state that there were seven passengers killed. This information was later changed to six passengers killed (all that were on the UH-34D). It also seems the co-pilot survived the crash but soon died at the scene. The pilot died at Chu Lai.

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(03) The outpost of An Hoa in Quang Ngai Province should not be confused with the An Hoa basin southwest of Da Nang in Quang Nam Province, I Corps.

(04) The official Marine Corps history states that the helicopter was from HMM-163 instead of HMM-363. I assume this was a “typo” and missed in the editing process.

(05) During Operation Texas, the enemy was determined to be the 60th and 90th Battalions of the 1st PLAF (VC) Regiment and the 11th Battalion of the 21st PAVN (NVA) Regiment.

(06) Lt. Gen. Lewis W. WALT (1913-1989), the recipient of two Navy Crosses (Cape Gloucester/Peleiu) during WW II, became the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps on 01 January 1968. He was promoted to the rank of general on 02 June 1969. He was the first Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps to be appointed to that rank.

(07) The commander of 2/4 was then Lt. Col. Paul Xavier “P. X.” KELLEY. He later served as the 28th Commandant of the Marine Corps (1983-1987) and as Chairman of the American Battle Monuments Commission during the construction of the WW II Memorial. I have met the very amiable and approachable Gen. KELLEY at the WW II Memorial on a number of occasions.

(08) Maj. Gen. Hoang Xuan LAM (b. 1928) became commander of I Corps on 30 May 1966 and as a lieutenant general, he was relieved of that command during the 1972 Nguyen Hue Offensive (called the Easter Offensive by the U.S.).

E. THE CREW OF THE HMM-363, MAG-36 UH-34D KILLED IN THE CRASH.

(01) 1st Lt. Thomas Arnold BIRD, Jr., USMC. Co-Pilot. 06E 028.

(02) GySgt. Calvin Kealohaokalan CHOW, USMC. Crew Chief. 06E 029.

(03) GySgt. Benito IGARTA, Jr., USMC. Gunner. 06E 032.

(04) 1st Lt. Noah Morris KRAFT, USMC. Pilot. 06E 033.

a. Died of wounds after being evacuated to Chu Lai.

F. MEMBERS OF “K”/3/1, 1st MARDIV KILLED IN THE CRASH.

(01) PFC Louis Allen AMBROSE, USMC. 06E 027.

(02) LCpl. Dennis Richard ANDREW, USMC. 06E 028.

(03) LCpl. James Henry CAVICCHI, Jr., USMC. 06E 031.

(04) Sgt. John Albert MITCHELL, USMC. 06E 033.

(05) PFC Bruce Lamar WATKINS, USMC. 06E 036.

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(06) PFC Billie Joe WILLIAMS, USMC. 01W 094.

06. Maj. (Posthumous Lt. Col.) BILLIE JOE WILLIAMS, USAF. 09 DECEMBER 1972. O1W 094.

A. Maj. Billie Joe WILLIAMS, USAF was the pilot of a RF-4C Phantom II assigned to the 14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (TRS), 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (TRW), Udorn, Thailand. The aircraft’s navigator was 1st Lt. Hector Michael ACOSTA, USAF.

B. On 09 December 1972, the RF-4C crew was tasked to photograph potential targets in North Viet Nam. During the mission, the aircraft was hit by a SAM just north of Vinh in southeastern Nghe An Province. 1st Lt. ACOSTA ejected both Maj. WILLIAMS and himself; two parachutes were observed by escorting Phantoms. 1st Lt. ACOSTA was injured badly and taken prisoner; he was released on 29 March 1973. 1st Lt. ACOSTA felt that Maj. WILLIAMS was probably dead before the ejection. Rescue helicopters saw a body, which was thought to be Maj. WILLIAMS. Attempts to recover Maj. WILLIAMS failed because of intense hostile fire, which resulted in damaged helicopters and wounded crewmen.

C. The remains of Maj. (posthumous Lt. Col.) WILLIAMS were returned on 13 September 1990 and identified on 17 December 1990. His Wall status symbol was changed from a “plus” to a “diamond” in October 1991.

D. In response to the massive North Vietnamese Nguyen Hue/Easter Offensive invasion of South Viet Nam on 30 March 1972, the U.S. initiated Operation Freedom Train on 05 April 1972. Freedom Train was followed by Linebacker I on 10 May 1972. During Freedom Train and Linebacker I, U.S. B-52 Stratofortresses and TACAIR struck targets above the 20- degree North Parallel. Linebacker I concluded on 23 October 1972, but B-52 and TACAIR strikes continued south of the 20-degree North Parallel. The loss of Maj. Billie Joe WILLIAMS’ RF-4C was the last U.S. air combat loss prior to the initiation of Linebacker II (18-29 December 1972), during which nine B-52Ds, six B-52Gs, and other aircraft were lost – the subject of a future Wall Note.

E. http://www.rjsmith.com/Vinh-Targets.html

F. http://www.rjsmith.com/Nape-Pass-Mu-Ghia-Pass.html

07. AFTERWORD.

A. The Billie Joe WILLIAMS story was a staple in the repertoire of a very amiable long-time tour guide. I knew that when he stopped at the vertex, he would tell the story of Capt. Mary Therese KLINKER, USAF, 10th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, 01W 122, who was killed in the 04 April 1975 C-5A Galaxy crash (Operation Babylift) - unlike another tour guide, he does not tell his group that the C-5A was shot down by a SAM. He would finish up with Billie

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Joe WILLIAMS. I would never attempt to embarrass anyone in public with differing (hopefully accurate) information, but after hearing his story for a few years, I saw an opportunity to correct him when he was about 20-yards behind and out of hearing range of his group. After hearing the facts, the tour guide exclaimed excitedly: “But I have been telling that story for twelve years!” Rhetorically, when the legend becomes fact – tell the legend?

08. HOME TOWN/HOME OF RECORD REDUX.

A. Wall Note Eighteen: U.S. Unaccounted For in Southeast Asia and East Asia (Update Four) explains the difference between Home Town and Home of Record.

B. When I received my initial Wall volunteer training over twenty years ago, I was told the “Billie Joe WILLIAMS Story.” I had no reason to doubt that two persons with the exact same name died on the same day, and, I along with rangers and other volunteers told the story to visitors. (It is still being told by some.) A few weeks after I became a volunteer, a woman asked me to find Billie Joe WILLIAMS. She said that her sister had dated Billie Joe WILLIAMS when both he and her sister lived in Arkansas in the mid-1960s. Neither of the Billie Joe WILLIAMS in the VVMF Directory of Names was listed with a Home of Record (HOR) of Arkansas. Also, the question “introduced” me to the two Billy WILLIAMS on the Wall, neither of which has an Arkansas HOR. The visitor was sure that the first name was spelled “Billie.” This is when I first discovered the different dates of 1966 and 1972 for the two Billie Joe WILLIAMS on 01W 094. Because of birthdates and ranks, the “Marine” Billie Joe WILLIAMS sounded the more plausible of the two names vis-à-vis the woman’s query.

C. During research for this Wall Note, I checked “Marine” Billie Joe WILLIAMS’ DD 1300 (Report of Casualty), which shows that he was born in Alabama; his draft board was in Arkansas; and his last HOR entry was Kansas City, Kansas - his mother’s address. The HOR conformed to the listing in the VVMF Directory of Names. Other information supported the story of the Wall visitor that the “Marine” Billie Joe WILLIAMS lived in Arkansas before he enlisted in the Marine Corps. Billie Joe WILLIAMS and his parents are buried in Arkansas.

D. I mention all of this only to point out (as in Wall Note Eighteen, which discusses the HARGROVE brothers) that Home Town and Home of Record are not always the same. The “green” VVMF Directory of Names (issued to volunteers) lists the individual’s HOR and not Home Town. If a visitor can’t find a name after a “where was he/she from” question, I recommend that the USNPS Rangers/volunteers explain the difference between the two. Unfortunately, I have seen visitors “turned away” because the “Home Town” did not conform to the HOR, which is listed in the: (01) “green” VVMF Directory of Names, (02) kiosk computer, and (03) hand-held computers. The new “black” VVMF Directory of Names, which have replaced the “green” Directory of Names at the stands near the Wall, list only the individual’s state. I have had the occasion to explain the HOR/Home Town matter, which resulted in confirming the name the visitor was looking for.

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(01) Interestingly, Lt. Col Billie Joe WILLIAMS’ DD 1300 shows that he was born in Blytheville, Arkansas; his HOR is listed as Malden, Missouri.

09. SELECTED REFERENCES / SUGGESTED READING.

A. GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS / OFFICIAL HISTORIES / GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS.

(01) Berger, Carl, ed. The United States Air Force in Southeast Asia, 1961-1973: An Illustrated Account. Washington, DC: Office Of Air Force History, United States Air Force, 1984.

(02) CG III MAF Message 201618Z March 1966. “Operation Texas. Operations Summary.” TGI202200H March 1966.

(03) CG III MAF Message 220333Z March 1966. “III MAF Daily Historical Summary 80-66. 202400H to 212400H March 1966.”

(04) CG FMFPAC Message 220514Z March 1966. “ FMFPAC WESTPAC SITREP No. 357 as of 2124000Z March 1966.”

(05) Shulimson, Jack. U.S. Marines in Vietnam: An Expanding War, 1966. Washington, DC: History and Museums Division. Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1982.

B. BOOKS.

(01) Tilford, Earl H., Jr. Crosswinds: The Air Force Setup in Vietnam. College Station Texas: Texas A&M University Press, 1993.

C. ACADEMIC PAPER.

(01) Phan, Trong Q. An Analysis of Linebacker II Air Campaign: The Exceptional Application of US Air Coercion Strategy. San Antonio, TX: 01 March 2002.

D. NEWSPAPER ARTICLES.

(01) “B-52s Bomb DMZ Area.” New York Times, 08 December 1972.

(02) “B-52s Continue Raids on N. Viet Supplies.” Washington Post-Times Herald, 09 December 1972.

(03) “Demilitarized Zone of Vietnam Under Heavy Bombing 3d Day.” New York Times, 10 December 1972.

(04) “U.S. B-52s Bomb DMZ As Saigon Retakes Outpost.” The Sun (Baltimore), 10 December 1972.

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(05) “U.S. Air Raids Heavy As Ground Action Slackens.” The Sun (Baltimore), 11 December 1972.

10. PREVIOUS WALL NOTES.

A. (TITLE AND DATE OF INFORMATION).

(01) WALL NOTE ONE. The Mayaguez Incident. 25 March 2007.

(02) WALL NOTE TWO. The Fall of Sai Gon, 30 April 1975. 06 May 2008.

(03) WALL NOTE THREE. The Search and Rescue Operation of 08 October 1963. 05 September 2008.

(04) WALL NOTE FOUR. U.S. Unaccounted For in Southeast Asia and East Asia. 06 March 2009.

(05) WALL NOTE FIVE. Arrangement of Names on the Wall: Sp5 Charles R. Lose and the Lost Platoon. 15 April 2009.

(06) WALL NOTE SIX. The Incident of 08 July 1959. 14 July 2009.

(07) WALL NOTE SEVEN. Wall Names Associated With the People’s Republic of China. 18 November 2009.

(08) WALL NOTE EIGHT. U.S. Unaccounted For in Southeast Asia and East Asia (Update One). 27 February 2010.

(09) WALL NOTE NINE. 2010 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Interventions. 01 July 2010.

(10) WALL NOTE TEN. The Ia Drang/Plei Me/Plei Ku Campaign. In Preparation.

(11) WALL NOTE ELEVEN. Medal of Honor Recipients on the Wall. 01 August 2011.

(12) WALL NOTE TWELVE. U.S. Unaccounted For in Southeast Asia and East Asia (Update Two). 10 March 2011.

(13) WALL NOTE THIRTEEN. 2011 Vietnam Vietnams Memorial Interventions. 25 May 2011.

(14) WALL NOTE FOURTEEN. Billie Joe Williams. 07 October 2013.

(15) WALL NOTE FIFTEEN. U.S. Unaccounted For in Southeast Asia and East Asia (Update Three). 09 February 2012.

(16) WALL NOTE SIXTEEN. 2012 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Interventions. 23 May 2012.

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(17) WALL NOTE SEVENTEEN. The Mayaguez Incident (Update One). In Preparation.

(18) WALL NOTE EIGHTEEN. U.S. Unaccounted For in Southeast Asia and East Asia (Update Four). 11 March 2013.

(19) WALL NOTE NINETEEN. 2013 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Interventions. 19 July 2013.

(20) WALL NOTE TWENTY. Status of Names Associated With the 12-15 May 1975 Mayaguez Incident. 16 May 2013.

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