The Odyssey of Echo Company by Doug Stanton

Author:Doug Stanton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scribner

ASSAULT OF RECON PLATOON, 1/501, TRUNG HOA

FEBRUARY 18, 1968

Abbreviation Key

R1 = Recon 1st Squad

R2 = Recon 2nd Squad

RP = Recon Platoon

RJS = Recon, Jerry and Stan

R WIA 2 (T&H) = Recon WIA, Tinkle and Hinote

R WIA 6 (P, D, R, K, KL, R) = Recon WIA, Parker, Dove, Russo, Kinney, Kleckler, and Rivera

LZ = Helicopter landing zone

NVA/VC = North Vietnamese Army/Viet Cong locations, machine-gun, small-arms, and RPG fire

TIMELINE

All hours shown in military time

* * *

Order of movement of Recon 1/501, to the NNE on dirt road: North side of road beside water canal, 3rd Squad SP/4 Jerry Austin point man, SP/4 Bob Cromer slack, then rest of squad, followed on north side of road by Recon HQ section; south side of road, 2nd Squad, SP/4 Stan Parker point man, SP/4 Guido Russo slack, then rest of squad, followed along south side of road by 1st Squad, SGT Tony Beke point man, SP/4 Charlie Pyle slack.

0845 hrs: (R1) Recon 1st Squad, point man SP/4 Jerry Austin takes fire from VC scout at edge of village armed with 1918 BAR; Austin engages VC scout, kills 1 VC.

0900 hrs: (R2) Recon 2nd Squad takes lead position with continued movement NNE along south side of road beside rice paddy.

0910 hrs: (R2) 2nd Squad point man SP/4 Stan Parker makes contact with enemy force of unknown size; 2 NVA killed.

0928 hrs: (R2) 2nd Squad point man SP/4 Stan Parker kills a third NVA soldier.

0930 hrs: Recon Platoon breaks contact, pulls back for head count of members, and establishes better position of engagement.

0938 hrs: (RP) Recon reengaged in heavy fighting at same location.

0940 hrs: Recon calls in arty on NVA location.

1000 hrs: (RJS) SP/4 Jerry Austin becomes separated from main Recon force, weapon malfunctions while he is charged by 25 to 35 NVA, and he yells for help. SP/4 Stan Parker hears his call for assistance from about 75 yards away and leaves his position and assaults through a barrage of enemy fire to get to Austin’s location.

1045 hrs: (R WIA 2, T, H) Recon 2 U.S. WIA: SP/4 Dennis Tinkle (3rd Squad) and Terry Hinote (2nd Squad) both with multiple gunshot wounds (MGSW). Recon requested medevac, but medevac request denied because of heavy enemy fire in the area.

1100 hrs: (RP) Recon receiving small-arms, machine-gun, and multiple RPG fire.

1105 hrs: Recon encircled by large NVA/VC force with fierce close-quarter fighting.

1112 hrs: (R1) Recon silences sniper but still engaged in small-arms fire and heavy enemy force.

1125 hrs: Company A 1/501 notified for combat assault to reinforce Recon 1/501.

1210 hrs: Recon captures 1 NVA WIA; POW states their objective was to overrun and kill all Americans.

1230 hrs: Air support requested by 2nd Brigade HQ, 101st Airborne, and denied. Recon in contact at “extreme danger close” quarters with attacking NVA/VC force.

1305 hrs: Company A 1/501 conducts helicopter combat assault into hot LZs and reports 3 WIA.

1315 hrs: Recon engaged overwhelming NVA force at 50 meters or less to immediate front and sides with massive amount of small-arms, heavy machine-gun, and RPG fire.

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