1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Richard Howett 4-42 Artillery

LT Richard Howett, Excecutive Officer Battery C 4/42 Artillery
Photo taken at a firebase along Highway 19, near the Cambodian border,
southeast of Duc Co, Vietnam, July 28, 1967

Ed., Richard Howett visited the 1st Battalion website and submitted the following recollections.

I was XO of C Btry 4/42 at the time these pictures were taken but, unfortunately, I can't identify the name or location of the firebase. I served with C Btry from December 66 to November 67 through numerous firebases and can only recall the details of two. The first was the one along the Cambodian border in February and March of 67. I was an FO then, with A Company, 1/22. During that month
A Company suffered a casualty rate of close to 100% in three separate actions on 2/16, 3/3 and 3/14.
I can still remember the details of that firebase and the terrain surrounding it. The second was a firebase which was located at the western end of the Mang Yang pass on highway 19 east of Pleiku. My reason for remembering that one is that I had studied the French involvement in Vietnam prior to deployment and the Mang Yang pass was the site of a major ambush of French by the Vietminh. As I recall, there was a cemetery on a hill at the entrance to the pass which supposedly contained the graves of the French killed in the ambush. Unfortunately, I can't date that firebase but it was not the one of 9/24. I do have a picture of me at a firebase near the Special Forces camp at Duc Co in July 67.
That base was on highway 19 near the Cambodian border west of Pleiku but, again,
was not the one of 9/24.

Unknown firebase of 4/42 Art.

The quotation attached to the pictures of 9/24
about high angle fire is familiar.
In fact, it may be mine as there was one
very similar to it published in my hometown newspaper,
the Bethlehem (PA) Globe-Times around that same time.

SGT Hernandez

Several other items on the 4/42 link are familiar.
One is the picture of Sgt. Hernandez of June 67.
Sgt Hernandez was my recon sgt
during my time as an FO with A Company
from December 66 to the end of June 67. He was a fine man.

A second familiar picture is that of the jeep destroyed
in the mortar attack of 3/10. I was there during that attack
and, as I recall, that particular jeep was
technically assigned to me as FO
should we have been fighting in a more traditional setting.

Although I don't remember the ceremony,
I do recall the names of the officers involved
in the firing of the 150,000th round.
In particular I remember Cpt Edmund Solymosy.
I thought very highly of him as a battery CO.

After my service as an FO, I went on R&R the first week of July 67. Upon my return I was appointed XO of C Btry
and held that post until I returned stateside in November. I do not recall the name of the Btry CO at the time I became XO but I recall
that he was tough on the men (and me) but that he was also very supportive of me in those times I made the mistakes young officers make.
Another man who was very supportive of me was 1st Sgt. William Reese. By the time the picture of 9/24 was taken I believe Cpt Tom Wright
had become battery CO. Tom was a pleasure to serve under. He was a West Pointer so perhaps you could contact him through the USMA
and he might be able to help identify the firebase in question.

There are two others I would like to mention. The first is LT Vince Gaughan, FO of C Company 1/22.
In the two major battles fought by A Company (2/16, 3/14) C Company came to bail us out.
Cpt Solymosy once introduced me to the Division CO, MG William Peers, as the best FO in the 4th Division.
I don't know about that but I do know Vince was my equal.
The other was Cpt Christopher Keuker, CO of A Company during that difficult month of Feb-Mar 67.
Cpt Keuker was severly wounded on 3/14. I understand he survived but I have often wondered what happened to him.
He and I often disagreed on tactics but he was one of the bravest men I have ever met.
Perhaps there is someone who has knowledge of these two men and could let me know.

Ed., -- Anyone with knowledge of the two Soldiers mentioned above may contact the webmaster at: