History of the 4Th Battalion, 503D Infantry, 173D Airborne Brigade
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July - August 2019, Issue 87 See all issues to date at the 503rd Heritage Battalion website: Contact: [email protected] http://corregidor.org/VN2-503/newsletter/issue_index.htm ~ 2/503d Photo of the Month ~ “To me, nothing compares to the responsibility of the medic under fire”. Louis Richard Rocco, Warrant Officer, Advisory Team 162, Medal of Honor Recipient “Trying to avoid intense sniper fire, two American medics of the 2/503d carry a wounded paratrooper to an evacuation helicopter during the Vietnam War on June 24, 1965. A company of paratroopers dropped directly into a Viet Cong staging area in the jungle near Thoung Lang, Vietnam.” L-R are, Doc Gerald (Gerry) Levy of New York (KIA 2 January 66, Operation Marauder), wounded trooper Tony Legmon, and Doc Andrew G. Brown of Chicago. (Photo by Horst Faas) See Tributes to Our Medics on Pages 75-89. 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / July - August 2019 – Issue 87 Page 1 of 91 We Dedicate this Issue of Our Newsletter in Memory and Honor of the Young Men of the 173d Airborne Brigade & Attached Units We Lost 50 Years Ago In the Months of July & August 1969 “The proud young valor that rose above the mortal and then, at last, was mortal after all. You are not forgotten nor shall you ever be.” Unknown Richard John Abraham, 22 Paul V. “Doc” Barrington, Jr., 24 PTE, 9RAR, 7/6/69 SP4, B/3/503, 8/13/69 (Wall of Faces states LCPL) (Virtual Wall states HHC/3/503) “From Whyalla SA. Abraham was 10/7/01: “Service together in killed in action in Phuoc Tuy Province July 6 Vietnam, circumstances of death. Paul 1969. The second eldest of three brothers, was a medic assigned to November Platoon, Richard and Brian served in Vietnam. He is Charlie Company, 3/503 Infantry, 173rd buried in Whyalla.” Airborne Brigade (Sep). He was originally attached to the rifle platoon in June, 1969 when we were based at Bruno Adam Josef Adamczyk, 22 Camp Rock, Bao Loc province in the Central Highlands. CPL, 9RAR, 7/12/69 He accompanied the platoon when it was sent to the “From Schwerte Germany. He was coast near Phan Thiet, attached to a tank unit. As the killed in action in a bunker system in Phuoc platoon went out on a reconnaissance mission into the Tuy Province on 12th July 1969. Buried coastal mountains in August, 1969, SP4 Barrington was Centennial Park Crematorium Adelaide.” sick and stayed at the base for rest/treatment. Before we even returned from the mission, we learned that he Steve Anderson, 22 had contracted severe malaria and died within days of CPL, C/4/503, 7/10/69 diagnosis.” Michael Switzer 7/5/18: “The likes of a brave man. To my favorite Brother, you will all Danny Lance Barron, 24 be remembered. Rest in peace. CPL, A/1/50th, 8/5/69 Roland Anderson 8/9/05: “Dan was as fine a citizen soldier as this nation has ever produced. I can't remember him ever complaining, although it is every infantryman's right to do. Most of the ‘guys’ in 1st Platoon had cool cars at home, or were planning to when they got back to the World. We all fancied ourselves as ‘hot rod’ mechanics. When Dan Barron arrived, there was no doubt who the best mechanic in 1st Plt was. He was a Carl Bracy Ayers, Jr., 20 ‘natural’ as 4th squads driver/mechanic. He knew CPL, C/2/503, 8/29/69 where to drive, and more importantly, where not to 11/20/10: We Remember. Carl is drive his APC; how to act and react in combat; and how buried at St Mary's Cemetery, to maintain the proper tension on the APC's drive Evergreen Park, IL. BSM ARCOM PH.” wheels so you didn't throw a track. All in a day's work. Robert Sage All our drivers were volunteers. It was a serious and dangerous job. Dan was the best. In May '69 1st Plt David John Banfield, 21 was conducting an amphibious assault up the Song Kim PTE, 5RAR, 8/21/69 Son River in Bong Son when one of the other squads “From Ulverstone Tas. Banfield, an sank their track…. assault pioneer was killed during a fire-fight (Tributes continued….) in a bunker system in Bien Hoa Province 21st August 1969. Buried Carr Villa 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / July - August 2019 – Issue 87 General Cemetery Launceston TAS.” Page 2 of 91 ….We dragged it out of the river and towed it back to Timothy Wayne Beverford, 19 our LZ. Dan was the only guy who knew anything about SP4, C/1/50th, 7/28/69 diesel engines and worked on it all day trying to get the 5/30/02: “How would my life have water out of the track's engine and getting it started. changed, had you lived and come home? Our LT was sweating bullets, and wondering if he was Tim, your earily death changed the course going to be sent to Leavenworth for destroying of my life. I volunteered for the army, Viet government property. Late that afternoon the engine Nam and served in ‘71 & ‘72. At that time started, and there was a roar of cheers as 25 guys I chose to extract my pound of flesh for them taking hooted and applauded. I can still see Lt. Parsley, your life. I accomplished what I set out to do by covered in smiles, hugging Dan, covered in grease. becoming a LRRP/Sniper for the Americal Division. Over From his Platoon Sergeant.” Jack Noble thirty years have passed and there are times that I still miss you and long to talk about all the many things that William John Bassignani, 26 never got said. I never told you how much I admired you 1LT, HHC/173d Flt Plt, 8/18/69 and looked up to you. I remember watching you playing 1/2/02: “It was a wonderfully clear football for Hollywood High School, no team seemed to New England summer day. I remember be able to run the ball around your end of the field. how blue the sky was that day with small Most teams gave up trying, you were just that good. puffs of clouds to punctuate the blue. I had You were the middle brother, I always expected you to taken my/our oldest boy, Peter, 20 mos., do the very best out of the three of us. I know now that shopping with me while my sisters, Cyn & Cheryl, cared you are with Jesus, I believe this with all my heart, as I'm for our youngest, Derek, 8 mos. As I turned the corner a Christian now. It just took me a little longer than you of our street, I saw a military vehicle parked across the to come to the truth. Your face is one of the first ones I street and two men in army uniforms standing near it. want to see when I reach there. I love you my brother Pulling up to the curb in front of the house, I thought and I miss you very much. Please tell Bill Taylor, George ‘How nice, Pete will see men in uniform, and he won't be Floyd, Oscar Pearson & Virginia Rodocker I also will see so frightened when he sees his Dad come home.’ them when I arrive.” Bill Beverford Seconds later it hit me that the men were here to tell me 6/24/13: “Tim Beverford was killed when the Bill wouldn't be coming home. 32 years later that blue Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) he was riding hit a sky and Bill remain in my heart.” Mary Ann Bassignani mine. Company was under the Operational Control of 4/27/08: “A Very Special Man. Bill you were the 4th Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry. The APC loved by all who knew you. Your name and your was completely destroyed. In spite of swift evacuation presence will always remain in the Hearts of the men by the Battalion Command Helicopter, Beverford died as from Casper. You’re among the best and above the a result of the blast, never regaining consciousness. rest....a very Special man indeed.” Barbara Anne Wounded with him that day were: Cecil Ratliff, John Cole, Albert Butler, Jack Hamby and Mike Reck.” Michael R. Blanchfield, 19 SP4, A/4/503, 7/3/69 “Michael Blanchfield joined the Army from Chicago, Illinois in 1967, and by July 3, 1969 was serving as a Specialist Four in Company A, 4th Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade. On that day, in Binh Dinh Province, Republic of Vietnam, Michael smothered the blast of a hand grenade with his body, sacrificing himself to protect those around him. Michael, aged 19 at his death, was buried in All Saints Cemetery, Des Plaines, Illinois.” [See Mike’s Medal of Honor citation on Page 18] (Tributes continued….) Left Bill Bassignani, Gordy Anderson on the right. 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / July - August 2019 – Issue 87 Page 3 of 91 Arnim N. Braithwaite, 22 Thomas Castillo, 25 CPL, D/4/503, 7/15/69 SGT, B/4/503, 8/1/69 7/9/18: “I found you. Mom had a 10/17/09: “1969 Served Together in picture of you in a photo album and I Vietnam. Thomas was a great brave man. remember looking at it and wondering We served together in the Recon Team. He what kind of man you were. I found your liked to talk to me about his newly born name on the wall and I cried.