1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Bill Saling Page 10

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

Bill Saling

1965-1967

After thoughts

Operation Francis Marion along the Cambodian border– spring 1967 -

Firefly ambush

We had been operating out of firebase LZ Regulars for a couple of weeks. There had been several mortar attacks
on the firebase and rumor had it that a NVA attack on the firebase was imminent.

Late one afternoon one of our line companies was preparing to conduct a night ambush along a trail system. It was rumored
that the NVA were transporting material down the trail at night using bicycles. Russ Zink had flown in this afternoon and decided
he and I should join the ambush patrol.

We got our gear together and moved out with the patrol. By now it was dark, really dark and it began to rain. As we moved
along a jungle trail someone up front thought they heard something ahead so we immediately went into a defensive posture
each of us facing outward providing a 360 degrees field of fire.

Zink was ahead of me in the patrol so when we got down I was lying next to him.

That was when I noticed what I thought was a bicycle light coming through the trees right at me. I blinked a couple of times
to make sure my eyes were not playing tricks on me in the dark, but there was a light blinking through the trees.

Nobody else seemed to notice the light so after a couple of seconds I released the safety on my M-16 and prepared to engage the target.
Now when I released the safety there was a noticeable click, which got Zink’s attention since the muzzle of my weapon was close to his ass.

It was only then that I realized the light that I thought was a bicycle light was in fact a lightening bug. Next time you see a lightening bug
you tell me it doesn’t look like a light coming through the trees.

Well God, Zink wouldn’t let it go. He told everybody I was out to kill lightening bugs. Started calling me “bug killer Saling”.
It was terrible. He threatened to write a story for Stars and Stripes about my encounter.

This summer my brother and his wife and I met Russ and his wife on their boat in Boston harbor and the first story Russ told
was about our ambush patrol, 51 years later.

Where were you when I needed you?

In March 1967, A Company made contact with a large NVA force and soon became entangled in a major battle.
I was monitoring the tactical net and could hear the battle unfold.

It wasn’t long before I got a call for an emergency ammo resupply. My platoon and I immediately began breaking out the ammo cases
and charging magazines (loading bullets into the magazine so they were ready to use). We worked all morning and got everything
loaded onboard the helicopter to make the resupply run. The helicopter was warming up with the main rotor turning when
LTC Rosell came up to the helicopter and said “Lt. Saling stand down that is an order” I couldn’t believe my ears,
A Company needed that ammo. My primary mission was to make sure that our line troops had what they needed,
they depended on me and I was being told to “stand down”? LTC Rosell told me to get out of the helicopter
and told the pilot to shut the aircraft down.

We knew that this was a high-risk mission but both the aircrew and I thought it was worth the risk, but it was not to be.

A Company took a beating that day I think they had 31 KIA (killed in action). Their CO (commanding officer, CPT Chris Keuker)
was my friend and he was missing after the battle. We first thought he’d been captured by the NVA but later he was found
badly wounded outside the company perimeter. He had covered himself in leaves to avoid being captured. He was evacuated
barely alive. He had a head wound that was serious and the medics weren’t sure he would survive. He lost one eye and had
brain damage and was eventually medically discharged from the Army.

After I left Vietnam I was assigned to the Armed Forces Entrance and Examining Station in Roanoke, VA. I learned
that CPT Keuker was convalescing in an Army hospital in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. We had an FTS (Federal telephone system)
in the office so I was able to call the hospital direct and finally got through to CPT Keuker. I told him I was happy he made it
and asked how he was doing. After a short pause all he said was “Saling where were you when I needed you?” I’ve never forgotten that call.

June, 1967 – Camp Enari, 4th Division Base Camp, Pleiku, Vietnam

Concertina wire rendezvous

My tour is just about over. Everything is packed and tomorrow we board a C-141 Starlifter at Camp Holloway and head for home.

After dinner several of us went over to the Officers Club for drinks. As sometimes the case, I drank way too much
and was not navigating very well.

Zink had a grand time removing my infantry insignia since my infantry assignment was now over. My basic branch was
Adjutant General Corps and Zink was really on a roll. Badge of shame!! That was the toast of the evening. We had a rousing time
when I decided enough was enough and I was ready for bed.

I stumbled out of the O Club and was trying to find my way back to where I was spending the night when I fell into a ditch
covered with concertina wire.

For those who don’t know what concertina wire looks like think barbed wire on a roll with razor sharp tongs. Problem is when you get
into concertina no matter what you do it hurts. I mean it really hurts. I lay there screaming for sometime until some guys showed up.

Once they quit laughing they got some wire cutters and got me out.

That was my last night in Vietnam. Left Vietnam the next day out of Pleiku on June 7, 1967.

Note: June 7, 1967 was the start of the Six Day War in Israel. As we were flying home there was a rumor floating around
the C-141 Starlifter that we have been tasked to divert to over the pole to Israel to reinforce the IDF (Israeli Defense Force).
We couldn’t believe it. Just left one war zone only to head to another. Good news it was just a rumor.

We stopped briefly at Tachikawa, Japan on the way home to McCord Air Force Base in Tacoma, WA. We arrived
with our wives waiting with signs and a band welcoming us home. It was good to be home.

Post Vietnam – Survivor Assistance Officer

After I left Vietnam I was assigned to the Armed Forces Entrance and Examining Station in Roanoke, Virginia as the
Joint Processing Officer. I was responsible for processing all personnel for the draft and enlistments into all branches
of the armed forces. I eventually became the Commanding Officer in Roanoke.

One of the additional duties I was assigned was that of the SAO (Survivor Assistance Officer) for all Army casualties in the
51 counties in the western half of Virginia. This was during the time period of 1967 thru 1969, a period of
very heavy combat losses in Vietnam.

As the SAO, I was responsible for contacting the next of kin and coordinating the return of the remains to a local funeral home
and providing a military funeral.

What made this task even more difficult was the fact that in some cases I had met the family when their son, brother, husband
enlisted or was drafted into the Army 18 months ago and now I was calling on them to inform them of the death of their loved one
in Vietnam. It was a very sobering experience to drive up to the family home and have the family meet you at the front door and say,
“you killed my boy”.

Unfortunately during that period there were several stories in the national news about families being notified about the death
of a loved one only to find out several days later that the notification was a case of mistaken identity. Since most of the remains
being returned from Vietnam were marked “non viewable remains” it became a real challenge to convince a family their loved one
was in fact inside the casket.

Since I had served in Vietnam and I was able to explain the field identification process and address their concerns.

This was not an easy job but one where you could really make a difference to a family going through a very difficult time.
I learned a lot about people and how they handled grief.

I guess the moral about this story is that you can leave Vietnam but Vietnam never leaves you.

This concludes my entries on my military experience.

Officers from 1/22 Infantry Vietnam 1966-67 reunite in 2018

Left to right: Jim Stapleton, Bob Babcock, Bill Saling

"Tonight, January 22nd, 1/22 Day, Jim Stapleton, Bob Babcock and Bill Saling enjoyed a great meal and fellowship at Mc Kendricks Steak house
reliving our time together in Vietnam 51 years ago. Regulars By God - 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry 4th Infantry Division"

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