Roger Salber - Battle of Chu Moor

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

Battle of Chu Moor Mountain

Roger Salber, of D 1/22 Infantry, at Dak To,
recovering from the wounds he received during the Battle of Chu Moor Mountain.
Note the bandage on his right arm.

Two Days on Chu Moor Mountain
by Roger Salber

I remember two days on Chu Moor Mountain very well. This mountain is several
miles from the Cambodia border west of Kontum. It was my understanding that
aircraft were receiving fire from this mountain and we D 1/22 Inf were to
check it out. This was a hot, tough climb and then to be met and ambushed
by an estimated battalion of the 66 NVA Reg, almost at the top.

(Daily Staff Journal Item #56 4-24-68)

My platoon sgt. and myself were two of the first to make contact and were
pinned down by machine gunfire. I took a shot through the seat of my pants
as I was lying there trying to figure out which direction the shots
were coming from. We were in very thick jungle undergrowth. Some well
placed grenades from the platoon leader got me out of this mess. By this
time the whole company was under fire and trying to get organized. We
managed to set up a small perimeter.

The company was almost out of M-16 rounds the first half hour of fighting.

(Item #67 4-24-68)

I remember a helicopter flying over throwing ammo
canisters out hoping we could find them. Thanks to napalm, airstrikes,
artillery. We had no chance without it.
We dug in after dark, my squad was on
the northwest side.

The next morning we did a sweep in front of our
position, when finished we took a break which didn't last very long.
The first incoming shot on the second day, just missed my head
and hit my squad leader in the chest as were talking.

(Item #20 4-25-68)

He desperately crawled to the center of the perimeter. I could not help him as
we were under such heavy fire at this time. The incoming bullets just never
seemed to end. They were even coming from above, out of the tree tops.
I was dug in with sand bags between two very large trees. At one point I
noticed the bark was stripped away from the trees and the sand bags were
getting lower, as the dirt ran out the front.

I eventually did get hit about 2:30 that afternoon by a
B-40, the blast threw me over the sandbags, several other guys were also
hit at the same time. I helped them the best I could.

(Item #95 4-25-68)

I was hit in the neck, arm, jaw. My rifle sling was cut in half, dust cover
was gone, little burn holes in the stock. My helmet was full of dents, frag
jacket was ripped up. I must have looked like hell with blood and dirt all
over. This really wrecked my day, but I know this wasn't the time to quit.
I continued fighting for several more hours until loss of blood did me in.
The fighting was pretty much non-stop, very heavy and vicious.
I was cable-lifted out about 8:00 pm the second day.

(Item #150 4-25-68)

It was reported that this dust off had 17 bullet holes in it
when it landed at the field hospital. I did return to Co.D 1/22 after a couple weeks rest.

Thanks for listening to my little part of a big fight.
Chu Moor Mountain battle lasted about 6 days and many units saw action there.
Many lives were lost and injured! 2 days on Chu Moor Mt. leaves me
with many unanswered questions.

Proud to have served.

Roger Salber
D Company 1/22 April 68-August 68

**********************

A special thanks to Roger Salber, without whose help these pages on the Battle of Chu Moor Mountain could not have been written.
Roger furnished pictures, S-3 logs, his own personal story and much discussion, enabling 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Website
to add this important chapter in the history of 1st Battalion.

BACK