1st Battalion 22nd Infantry May 1970 Page 7

Around first light the next morning, I walked from our bunker towards the chopper pad to survey the damage. I passed through the general area of TOC, mortars, and Arty. You could see the damage done. The 81mm Mortar section had taken a direct hit, it was destroyed.

They, 3rd platoon, had moved the dead sappers from where they had fallen and had placed them together over by the chopper pad. They wore nothing but a loin cloth. Their bodies were rubbed down with charcoal. These were either very brave men or very fanatical men. Maybe both.

According to the Battalion S-3 Logs, the official totals the next morning were 11 US WIA 1 US KIA. Five US WIA Dusted Off completed at 0450. An unknown number of NVA wounded and 2 KIA sappers, one with his satchel charge still on him.

Richard Alan Patterson, C/4-42, died of his wounds, giving the ultimate sacrifice.

SP4 Richard Alan Patterson

Photo courtesy of John Rowley
Executive Officer and Forward Observer
of Battery C 4/42 Artillery Vietnam 1969-1970

According to the 4th Division Artillery ORLL’s, during that long night C/ 4-42, having already fired 450 rounds of HE in support of C/3-506, fires 226 rounds of HE, 84 illumination and then lowers their tubes to fire 4 Beehive rounds in direct response to the assault. The ORLL’s show 9 US WIA. A/4-42 also fires 50 HE in support of the counterattack, I am not certain what firebase A/4-42 was firing from.

Captured enemy weapons and medical supplies FSB Valkyrie - Cambodia May 1970

By the time 1-22 leaves Cambodia, after 7 days, totals are 17 US WIA, 3 US KIA. And 33 NVA KIA and an unimaginable number of weapons, equipment, bunkers and hootches.

Although we were only there 7 days it was an eventful and at times stressful 7 days. God took some of His warriors’ home, but He watched over, guided and protected the overwhelming majority of us.

In concluding this story, I want to thank God, and praise Him for watching over all of us, then and now. It is my most fervent prayer that I do not cause anguish nor angst among any that were there or who read this story, all these many years later. I pray that if they are still suffering mentally, emotionally, or spiritually from these events, that they will embrace Matthew 11:28-30 and take Christ’s yoke upon them, for His burden is light and He will give them rest unto their soul.

We begin being CA’d off Valkyrie mid-morning on the 13th and by mid-afternoon myself, and the rest of Buenzle’s squad, were on the very last chopper out. Both door gunners opened up firing towards the tree lines causing me to jump out of my skin since I had no idea that they were planning on doing that. They were, I guess, talking on their head set to one another. We were not privy to what the crew was saying among itself. There was no return fire, I guess the gooks were just glad to see us go. It was a little disconcerting though, being on the last bird out and for years in my mind I thought it would make a good song title, “Last Bird Leaving Cambodia”.

The journey back to An Khe was not without incident. As we reversed our pathway back, our chopper landed at Plei Djereng. We saw wreckage along the side of the road. At first, we were unsure on what had happened.

It seems a CH47 Chinook, or Hook, carrying troops had tried to land and became disoriented by blowing dust, the pilot drifted sideways and his wheel caught on a deuce-and-a-half also carrying troops from A and B Co’s of 2/35, 4th Inf Div.

In the carnage 4 men were killed and 25 injured. There was also a fire, quickly extinguished, that burned a few men.

We spent two uneventful nights at Plei Djereng and then convoyed in deuce-and-a-halfs all the way back to An Khe.

As God has done all the days of my life, before Vietnam, during Vietnam especially on that last night on LZ Valkyrie, and in all the many years since Vietnam, He has watched over me and guided me and protected me. To Him I owe the glory, the gratitude, and the thanks. And, the gift of the saving grace of Christ Jesus my Savior.