F Troop 17th Cavalry (Armor) Compilation of Vietnam Articles Forwarding note from Leslie Hines, ADVA Vietnam era historian for 2020. The Americal Division Veteran’s Association Historical Data Base contains many news articles, reports, unit albums, casualty reports, KIA information, videos and maps relating to units that served with the Americal Division. My work on this effort began way back in the 1990s. Many items came from veterans sharing their news articles with me or from tedious efforts to locate and transcribe the text and images from microfilm copies. Today the data base now holds only approximately 40% of the stories of our service in the Americal Division and supporting units. But it is the result of my best effort. I have realized that it might be difficult for a veteran to find stories about their unit from the data base if they did not have some computer skills. This compilation may come too late for some, but it is always something that I hoped that would be done by a unit’s web master or some other helpful soul as I continued to add more material to the data base. But it is time that I start making the effort. If for no other reason than to illustrate what can be done if someone makes the effort to compile their own unit stories from the data base. This compilation had to be limited in scope. Items were selected from “Pacific Stars & Stripes” and the “Army Reporter” which published many of the articles provided by the Americal Division Information Office. It also includes brigade command newsletters (196th LIB), the division daily newsheets, the Americal Division magazines (12 issues), the Americal Division Book (printed in July 1970), and 117 issues of the “Southern Cross” published in Vietnam were included. Notable sources of stories that were not included in the compilation were the ADVA Newsletter/Journal stories. Some of the ADVA “Newsletters” have been scanned as read only images. The issues of the ADVA “Journal” can be searched electronically and currently is complete. It would be possible to select several more articles if I had time to research stories that did not provide the company name. For example a story might only refer to the action of a unit of the Americal Division or the 196th Bde engaging the enemy. If the story indicated their were 23 enemy killed and a cache of 12 B-40 rockets I might be able to identify that the unit was F Trp 17th Cavalry. from the Division S2/S3 TOC reports. Without this extra research we only know that the action involved a unit that might or might not have been F Troop 17th Cavalry. Note: References to photos may indicate that we have an image taken from microfilm or xerox copy. These may be found in PDF files in the historical data base or you may request copies of the images the ADVA historian. Four military yearbooks exist that include F/17th Cavalry. These books are similar to high school year books. These were created under the direction of the officer assigned duties as historian for the battalion. A 1966 196th Light Infantry Brigade (Ft. Devens) yearbook was published with a captioned group photo of the men from F Troop 17th Cavalry. A 1967 196 Light Infantry Brigade yearbook was published with a listing of the men who were serving with F Troop 17th Cavalry. This is an edited version of the list found in the year book: A 1971 1/1st Cavalry Yearbook was published with a small section of photos for men serving in F Troop 17 Cavalry. And a 1972 1/1st Cavalry & F Troop 17th Cavalry yearbook was published with a section with a section of individual photos for men serving in F Troop 17th Cavalry. The photos are too numerous to provide here. You will want to see the PDF files made of these two yearbooks to peruse through the photos. A 155 page document has been made of the Americal Division S2/S3 report entries that referred to actions of F Troop 17th Cavalry. This document covers a period from October 22, 1967 through November 11, 1971. The entries will not be duplicated in this document. Another source that has not been worked is the news releases sent to home town newspapers with stories about our veterans. This is the information about Troop F, 17th Cavalry service found in the “Stanton Order of Battle” reference book. Unit awards for F Troop 17th Cavalry (Armor). SOURCE: Department of the Army Pamphlet 762-3 Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register (1960-1978) Dated: May 1980 RVNGC16 Apr 68 - 28 Aug 69 DAGO 6, 1974 RVNGC24 Aug 69 - 31 Aug 69 DAGO 42, 1972 RVNGC31 Mar 70 - 30 Jun 70 DAGO 42, 1972 RVNGC1 Apr 71 - 30 Jun 71 DAGO 6, 1974 ABBREVIATIONS: DAGO: Department of the Army General Order PUC: U.S. Army Presidential Unit Citation VUA: U.S. Army Valorous Unit Award MUC: U.S. Army Meritorious Unit Citation RVNGC: Republic Of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation RVNCAHM Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal - First Class Unit Citation N-PUC U.S. Navy Presidential Unit Citation N-MUC U.S. Navy Meritorious Unit Citation HHC Headquarters & Headquarters Company HHB Headquarters & Headquarters Battery DETACH Detachment DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY Headquarters, Americal Division APO San Francisco 96374 GENERAL ORDERS 16 February 1970 NUMBER 1578 AWARD OF THE BRONZE STAR 1. TC 439. The following AWARD is announced. SPECIALIST FOUR Hal Smith. Troop F, 17th Cavalry, 196th Infantry Brigade APO 96256 Awarded: Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device Date of service: 26 December 1969 Theater: Republic of Vietnam Authority: By direction of the President under the provisions of Executive Order 11046, 24 August 1952 Reason: For heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Specialist Four Smith distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 26 December 1969 while serving as a medical aidman with Troop F, 17th Cavalry. On that date, the troop was engaged in combat operations when it came under heavy fire from an enemy force of undetermined size. In the initial exchange of fire, a vehicle was hit by a rocket propelled grenade round which caused several casualties. With complete disregard for his personal safety, Specialist Smith ran through the enemy fire, and went to the assistance of his wounded comrades. With the aid of a fellow soldier, Specialist Smith moved the wounded driver of the vehicle from his position, and administered aid to his comrade. Continuing to expose himself to hostile fire, Specialist Smith treated three other wounded soldiers. He remained in a vulnerable position to care for the wounded men until a MEDEVAC aircraft arrived, and they were extracted from the site. Through his timely and courageous actions, Specialist Smith was instrumental in the swift evacuation of his wounded comrades. Specialist Smith’s personal heroism, professional competence, and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Americal Division, and the United States Army. FOR THE COMMANDER: OFFICIAL: T. H. TACKABERRY COL, GS Chief of Staff (signed Larry D. Flowers) LARRY D. FLOWERS CPT, AGC Asst AG DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY Headquarters, 23rd Infantry Division APO San Francisco 96374 GENERAL ORDERS 12 May 1971 NUMBER 5376 AWARD OF THE BRONZE STAR 1. TC 439. The following AWARD is announced. FUNE, CLARENCE E., SSAN xxx-xx-xxxx), SPECIALIST FIVE F Troop, 17th Cavalry, 23d Infantry Division, APO 96374 23rd Infantry Division, 96374 Awarded: Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device Date of service: 4 March 1971 Theater: Republic of Vietnam Authority: By direction of the President under the provisions of Executive Order 11046, 24 August 1952 Reason: For heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Specialist Five Fune distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 4 March 1971 while serving as a Medical Aidman with F Troop, 17th Cavalry. On that date, while in a Night Defensive Position near Tien Phuoc, the platoon came under attack from and enemy force employing Rocket-Propelled Grenades, mortars, small arms fire, and 57MM recoiless rifle fire. One of the vehicles in the per- imeter received a direct hit by a Rocket-Propelled Grenade, set- ting the vehicle afire and wounding several of the crew members. Although Specialist Five Fune had been painfully injured in a prior engagement, without regard for his own personal safety and despite the hostile fire and imminent danger of secondary explo- sions from the flaming vehicle, he repeatedly entered the burn- ing vehicle until all crew members were successfully evacuated. He then administered aid far above what is normally required of a Medical Aidman. His actions undoubtedly saved the lives of his wounded comrades. Specialist Five Fune’s personal heroism, pro- fessional competence, and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 23rd Infantry Division, and the United States Army. FOR THE COMMANDER: OFFICIAL: WILLIAM R. REICHARDSON COL, GS Chief of Staff (signed L, D. Cummings WO1 BERT A. ROSEFIELD 1LT, AGC Asst AG DISTRIBUTION: F 1-CO, USA Pers Svc Spt Cen, ATTN: AGPE-F, Ft., Benj. Harrison, Ind. 46249 F Troop 17th Cavalry participated in these operations: Operation Cedar Falls Operation Fitchburg Operation Hood River Operation Attleboro Operation Junction City I & II Operation Wheeler Wallowa Operation Caroline Hill Operation Frederick Hill Operation Geneva Park Operation Pennsylvania Square Operation Middlesex Peak Operation Lam Son 719 (tentative list to be reviewed) Operation Benton Operation Gadsden Operation Pocahontas Forest (TF Oregon) Operation Oregon Operation Malheur I Operation Malheur II Operation Benton Operation Cook Operation Wheeler Operation Nebraska Rapids F/17th Cavalry conducted the final U.S.