1st Battalion 22nd Infantry February 1970 Page 3

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

February 16-27, 1970

By James Henderson B/1-22, 2nd Platoon

Many years later, early February 2001 to be exact, Bob’s sister, Sheila Spurlock, contacted me through our 1-22 web site and we became good
friends, exchanging many emails and spending a lot of time talking on the phone. Their local newspaper, in Duncan Oklahoma, wanted to do
articles on local men killed in Vietnam. Sheila asked me if I would write something about Bob. I told her that I would be honored to do that.
The following short story is what I wrote for her in early January 2001.

Dear Sheila,

Here is my story about your brother, Bob “Rawhide” Frost:

Robert Dean Frost July 7, 1949 – Feb. 22, 1970

Robert Dean Frost first became a part of my life in Nov of 1969. I was assigned to Bravo Company 1/22 Inf 4th Infantry Division in the
Republic of South Vietnam. Frost had already been in Vietnam since July and was a seasoned veteran. We were in the 2nd Platoon of Bravo
Company. At this time, in the 4th Division, the infantry usually worked in platoon size units. There were normally 20 – 25 men in each platoon.
This meant a person became very close to the men around them. Frost was sometimes referred to as “Rawhide”. I don’t recall the origin of this
nickname, at other times Bob or simply Frost.

A platoon normally had two or three, or even more, different soldiers who walked point. Walking point was very dangerous and took a person
of above average courage and daring to be a successful point man. This was because often times the point man was the first person to
encounter the enemy. He was always the first person to encounter the hazardous anti-personnel booby traps. In other words, the point man
was always the first man, and first is a bad place to be in a war zone.

In 2nd platoon we had three men who alternated walking point. Frost was one of these men. Bob was the type of young man who seemed
very much at home in the heavy triple canopy jungle that we operated in. Besides the virtually impassable, thick ground cover, we also
operated in the Central Highlands. The Central Highlands were home to some incredibly steep mountains and equally deep valleys. We had a
saying that there was no “top” or “bottom” to Vietnam. Just when you thought nothing could be steeper or higher than the mountain you just
climbed, it was time to go down the other side. Well, Bob Frost led 2nd platoon on far more than his share of these patrols. He was the type
man who considered it his duty to walk point, since he was so good at it. He was the type point man who made everyone else breathe easier
knowing it was Frost in the lead. He was the type point man who when he wasn’t walking point, everyone else wished that he were. This is a
very abbreviated summation of walking point in Vietnam, I could write an entire book on that topic alone, and others have. Such a book would
center on Robert Frost and men like him. Those who saw a self-sacrificing duty to others and made the commitment to carry through, even if it
cost them their lives. Perhaps John 15:13 says it best “Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends”.

Of course, Frost wasn’t always walking point. He liked to gather with a few of his really close friends like Ed Bennett and Jesse Johnson and
talk of home and life in Southern Oklahoma. Sometimes the talk would center on country music, which Bob enjoyed. This was before it was
known as Country Western Music, it was simply Country Music. In our platoon there was no such thing as an AM Radio. I guess no one was
willing to carry even the slight extra weight the radio would entail. Everything we owned was carried on our backs. Even if one had such a radio,
airtime was very limited as to what was on and when. Unlike present day radio where any time day or night, stations are on the air. In any
event, I recall one time when someone had a radio out in the field. Bob and a few others gathered around it to try and tune in either Hee Haw
or Grand Ole Opry, I can’t recall which. Of course, the only way this was permitted was if they kept the volume so low that you had to have
the radio right next to your ear in order to hear anything! But I guess it was as muchthe spirit of camaraderie as it was the actual event.

In many respects Bob was like the vast majority of the men serving in Vietnam at the time. All were very unlike the Hollywood stereotype or
the type portrayed on TV and in books and by the news media. For some strange reason they have always seemed to focus on the evil
underbelly of Vietnam, which may have existed in some infinitesimally small amount, but was such a small percentile that I spent a year there
and never saw even a fraction of what is viewed by many as common place. The Vietnam War was not fought by evil misfits, it was fought by
your sons and brothers and fathers and husbands, and they were for the most part honorable men.

Robert Frost was a young man who may not have wanted to be in a far away land fighting a war, but one who when called upon by his country
to serve, was proud to do his part. Bob lived his life doing what he believed in, serving his country as called upon. His dedication and
perseverance to the tasks before him, regardless of the dangers and hardships, were the embodiment of what it means to be a true American.
He was a man who placed the greater good of the majority above his own personal needs.

Nothing related to Vietnam angers me more than to hear someone say, “They died for nothing”, even if it is said in the best of intentions.
Let me tell you something -- it is you and I who will die for nothing. The brave men, like Bob, who gave their life for their convictions have no
equal on this earth and if you believe he died for nothing and that his sacrifice was in vain than I pity you for you have “Lived for nothing”
and it is you who will “Die for nothing”. The righteousness of the cause is irrelevant to the righteousness of the sacrifice.

Robert Frost’s death was the first of many in my life, which served to forge a philosophical viewpoint on death, which has served me these
past 30 years. How, when, and where a person dies is of little importance. It is how we live that matters. And Bob Frost lived his life doing
what he believed in. It has been said that a warrior dies the only honorable death because he dies for what he believes. The rest of us,
simply die. Frost was an unquestionably brave and courageous young soldier. Highly looked upon and respected by those around him.
A man who could always be counted on when needed or when the chips were down. Those with whom he served admired Bob’s skills
and art as a woodsman. He had no betters and few equals as a point man.

So, Bob taught me not only in life but also in death. It is often said that when a person we love dies a piece of us dies with them. This is
undeniably true, but I prefer to view it as a two-sided coin and I say when a person we love dies, a piece of them lives with us forever.
His death taught me lessons that I carry to this day. I carry a little piece of him with me everywhere that I go. I’m the better man for having
known Robert Frost and I’ll never forget him. He was a good man. He was my friend.

James Henderson

At this particular time, 2001, I was also in touch with Jim Killian, a fellow member of 2nd platoon, and he agreed to write about Bob as well.

Here is Jim’s story:

January 15, 2001

Hi Shiela,

Please excuse the spelling, grammar and sentence structure. My name is Jim Killian and I was in the same platoon with Bob in Vietnam. I spoke
with Jim Henderson last night. He relayed his conversation with you to me. I am lucky to have contacted Jim and a few of the other men that
were with me back then.

I came to the unit in January of 1970. I was in a machine gun team. Our unit spent most of its time out in the field. Helicopters would bring us
out to different locations and we would search for NVA. The central highlands of Vietnam is very mountainous and densely covered with jungle.
Each man usually carried four days supply of food, eight quarts of water, twenty-one magazines for their rifle, a claymore mine, grenades, a
bedroll, poncho and personal items. I would estimate the weight to be around 50 Ibs.

Quite a load to be carrying up and down those mountains in that heat. Bob was very close to Jesse Johnson (who has recently passed on)
who was my squad leader and gunner. After we would set-up a perimeter at night Bob would come over to our position and talk with Jesse
for hours about his life back home. They would make up cups of that ration coffee or cocoa, smoke cigarettes and tell each other stories about
the usual things guys are interested in at that age, cars, girls, maybe drinking a little too much and driving a little to fast, and a few scuffles.
I greatly enjoyed listening to him. Bob particularly liked to talk about the rodeo. I can remember him telling Jesse about rigging a barrel with
Chevy springs to practice Bronco riding. I did not get to know Bob very well myself, but I have been blessed (or cursed) with a good memory.
To this day I can still see Bob in my mind as if it were yesterday. I can picture him in his Jungle fatigues soaked with sweat with his M16 and a
couple of Bandoliers of ammo. He always wore a black bandana (we called them lifer scarves) around his neck. I remember a handsome
blond curly- haired young man with a mischievous smile and twinkle in his eye. I can still hear the timbre of his voice and the country
mannerisms in his speech. He was so much alive.

Bob was a point man. You can tell someone what a point man is and does, but I think it takes someone with greater writing skills than myself
to give a true picture. It is probably the hardest job an infantryman can have and not just anyone can do it. Bob was one of the best. On days
when we did not move on trails it could be hours of slashing at the jungle clearing a trail for the rest of the platoon in that heat, all the time on
the lookout for an ambush or signs of the enemy. Moving on trails could be worse because of booby-traps, the intense level of concentration
required and all five senses would be working overtime keeping alert for danger. Bob did this not just once but day in and day out. He was one
of the guys who was greatly respected by both the men and the officers in our company

You felt safe when Bob was on point or just in the same area as you. You knew he could handle himself. I admired his strength and his courage.
He was one of the guys you aspired to be like. He didn't complain or whine. He took everything that war could throw at him, heat, bugs, thirst,
hunger, exhaustion, monsoons that left you soaked for days and still come up with a smile and a funny story.

Bob, Jesse, and one other guy came up with an idea to try a three-man team to stay behind for a day after the platoon had moved on. This was
to trap any NVA that were following us. They volunteered to do this in spite of the risk to themselves. If they hit a large size unit moving up
on us it is difficult to say if they would have been able to get away or if we would be able to get help to them in time.

I was out on a patrol when Bob was killed. The point man on our patrol had just killed an NVA and maybe ten minutes later we heard gunfire
in the direction where the rest of the platoon was set up. We heard on the radio that they had been hit so we headed back as quickly as
possible. By the time we got back Bob and another man had been medivaced out. I can only give a second hand account of what happened
and I know you have talked with Ed Bennet who was actually there at the time

As I remember that whole area was very hot with enemy activity. They had actually inserted us there to raid a POW camp that was holding
South Vietnamese prisoners. There were numerous dwellings (huts or hootches) and there was somewhat of a prison compound there with
old-fashioned stocks (a device that would hold a prisoners head and hands).

Well, that's a condensed version of my recollections. I wanted to get this to you as I know you have a deadline. I will call soon.

Yours truly,

Jim Killian

Sheila sent us back a copy of the newspaper article. It was as follows:

In 2001, both of Bob’s parents were still alive, as well as Sheila. The closeness of Bob’s family was obvious, even all the years later. I was struck
by the thought, that we are duty bound to live up to our abilities. Not all in life falls our way, but we are to move forward with resolution when it
doesn’t. The tight bonds of family allow us to survive challenge and to prosper. We should love unconditionally. And trust in God’s Will.

Robert Dean Frost

Company B 1/22 Infantry

4th Infantry Division

KIA 02/22/70

Bob Frost on a firebase in Vietnam

Bob Frost in Basic Training

Photo by Jeff Johnson from the Find A Grave website

Bob Frost at the Base Camp at An Khe

Decorations of Bob Frost

A rubbing of Robert Dean Frost's name from the Vietnam Memorial Wall
submitted by James Henderson

Cemetery monument for Robert Dean Frost

Photo by Jeff Johnson from the Find A Grave website

Grave marker for Robert Dean Frost

Photo by Jeff Johnson from the Find A Grave website

Several years after hearing from Shiela, approximately 2010, I got the surprise of my life when Joe Rocha called me on the phone. It was the most
pleasant of surprises! I had never known what happened to Joe. And to hear that he was doing well and that the years had been kind to him,
made me feel great. He said that the gooks had taken pot shots at him while he was being hoisted up by the jungle penetrator and that in the end,
he had been shot 8 times! Joe has reconnected with many of the guys from that day and even attends most of the reunions. Joe remarked all these
years later "I remember parts like it was yesterday" "When you're 19 years old, there are moments in life where you have no control of fear or
feelings, you just let your heart lead you"

Joe and Alice Rocha at B Company reunion 2018

The night of the 22nd, we stayed in the same place again for a second night. I don’t know why we would do that, knowing that the gooks had us
zeroed in, but that is what the Logs indicate. Since Cpt Derrico was traveling with us, it would have been his decision. Thankfully the night passes
uneventfully. I’m sure no one slept a wink, although I don’t actually recall.

At 0320 in the morning of the 23rd we report hearing small arms fire to our west. It’s far enough away that it poses no threat to us but is
disconcerting, nonetheless. At first light that morning, the 23rd, we pack up with the clear intention of leaving this depressing night perimeter
behind us. We saddle up and move out. At 0710, Alpha Company reports that their POW has escaped with his hands and feet tied. They don’t
think he’s very far away. Alpha was having more contacts than the other Companies on this day, and finding more equipment, among some of the
interesting items that they report finding are 3 German Mausers rifles. At 1317 our 3rd Platoon finds 18 hootches all with bamboo fences around
them. That’s very odd, was this actual housing for people? We, 2nd platoon, are continuing to hump to a new night location, wherever that may be.
Uneventfully, thankfully. At 1412 A Company engages 3 gooks with small arms fire and kills one of them. They say he is their escaped POW
because “he had a portion of his big toe missing on his right foot.” A most peculiar means of identification, I’d say. Most of the enemy soldiers
that we had been encountering in this AO had been what was commonly referred to as VC, Viet Cong, they wore what we called black pajamas.
The NVA that we were much more accustomed to fighting wore regular NVA uniforms, khaki colored military uniforms. There is what I find to be
an odd entry in the logs, it states, “… whenever anyone kills an enemy soldier in a blue or gray uniform, they are to send back a piece of the
uniform…”. I never saw nor heard of a blue nor gray uniform, only black or khaki. I have no idea what this meant, but I found it odd enough to
mention it. At 1840 2nd platoon is at its proposed new night location. We have movement and employ small arms fire. We sweep the area and find
no trace of anyone or anything. As nightfall is fast approaching, we begin to dig our holes. The day has been tiring but thankfully uneventful,
for the most part. And the night was also.

The morning of the 24th finds us breaking camp and preparing to move to a new location. Even though humping through the jungle with a heavily
loaded ruck sack was physically demanding, I think we would all rather be doing that then staying in one place and have the enemy know our
location. We learn that during the night, at 0230, Recon platoon had movement and the CO, Commanding Officer, had thrown a frag,
fragmentation grenade, in the direction of the movement and then fallen on a stump and broke his arm. Recon is requesting a Dust-Off chopper.
Alpha Company is still the company with the most action, which suits us fine. They find an estimated 2 ½ tons of rice and assorted documents.
Later at another location they find 5 tons of rice and 500 pounds of potatoes. They spot one enemy soldier and employ small arms with negative
results. It should be noted that when finding huge stores of food and equipment and radioing it in, sometimes Higher Higher, the commanding
officers, will decide that they want it back hauled, sent by chopper back to headquarters. If you’re deep in triple canopy jungle, you don’t want
to carry this stuff 4-5 hours to a location where a chopper can land. Sometimes the totals reported might not be altogether accurate. Although
usually I would guess they’d come closer to being under reported. We, the troops, preferred to destroy them in place. Meanwhile our Bravo
Company 1st platoon has captured a POW. He is wounded in leg and hand and also has an old wound and possibly a broken leg. He was brought
to our, 2nd platoon, location. I don’t know why, probably because the CO was still traveling with us and wanted to see him. I recall this incident
and remember the the guy was in really bad shape. I have no memory if he came under his own power or whether they carried him on a jury-rigged
litter, we did not have actual litters. We called in a Dust-Off with a jungle penetrator and sent him off. Charlie Company reports finding an SKS rifle
in excellent condition in a hollow log. We, 2nd platoon, have arrived at our new night location and we begin digging in for the night. We pass the
night without incident.

Above: Three types of SKS rifles as used by the NVA (North Vietnamese Army) and Viet Cong
Top: Type 56 carbine with folding spike bayonet made in China
Middle: SKS-45 carbine with folding blade bayonet made in Soviet Union
Bottom: Type I SKS rifle with folding blade bayonet made in North Vietnam

Courtesy of the collection of Michael Belis

At 0015 on the 25th, our B Company 3rd platoon reports movement and opens up with small arms. Negative results. Maybe it was a wild pig,
they do tend to root around at night. All of the Log entries are for the other companies, particularly Alpha. They continue to find an enormous
amount of food and equipment. It’s literally page after page in the logs, far too much to list.

Recon reports that they had a Kit Carson Scout, usually an NVA soldier that had come over to our side and often mistrusted by American soldiers,
possibly set up a Claymore Mine pointed backward toward the US troops. Later they say that it was just an accident. I don’t think that I’d want to
be around him anymore, whether he did it on purpose or he’s just plain stupid, either way, I wouldn’t want him around. Alpha reports finding 12
spear booby traps with trip wire running across the trail and the spear being somehow spring loaded to impale the person when the wire was
tripped. We never encountered anything that sophisticated as far from civilization as we worked. The closest to that that I ever recall seeing or
hearing about was a Chi Com grenade in a can with a trip wire across the trail and when tripped out comes the grenade and explodes. This very
thing happens to Joe Kidder, but that’s April if I ever get there. B Company 2nd platoon has a totally uneventful day, what a relief! We do move to another new November Lima, where we spend a peaceful night.

Lam, Vietnamese Scout

On the morning of the 26th we pack up and move out to map grids 501-022 where the Logs state we were to prepare to CA the next day.
We spent the night of the 26th uneventfully, at Grids 501 022. I do not have the Logs for the 27th but on my own CA list, I showed we did
indeed CA to what we would later refer to as the Elephant AO. You’ll have to read about the naming of that AO next month. I also do not have
the Logs for the 28th so therefore, I have no Grid locations. I assure you though, I was never so glad to leave a place in my life!

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