STRIKE Vietnam War Weekly History October 29 th November 04 th, 2017 Issue: 72 Brief History of the 501 st, 502 nd and 2 nd Brigade (101 st ABN DIV) The 502 nd, or five-oh-deuce, was activated July 1, 1941 at Fort Benning, Georgia as the 502 nd parachute infantry battalion, as an experimental unit formed to test the doctrine and tactics of parachute assaults. The 502 nd entered combat in World War II on June 6, 1944, by jumping into Normandy, with allied forces landing on D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. Between 1945 and 1964. A major reorganization took place on 3 February 1964, when the 2 nd Brigade of the 101 st Airborne was activated at Fort Campbell, replacing the 1 st Airborne Battle Group, 501 st Infantry Regiment. The reorganization from the battle groups to brigades and battalions placed two battalions of the 502 nd in different brigades of the 101 st. The 2 nd Battalion, 502 nd Infantry was in the 1 st Brigade with 1-327 th and 2-327 th Infantry. Which deployed to Vietnam and arrived at Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam on 29 July 1965, they were commanded by the most notable commander LTC Hank The Gunfighter Emerson. The new 2 nd Brigade s original organic battalions were the 1 st and 2d Battalions, 501 st Infantry, and the 1 st Battalion, 502 nd Infantry. December 1967 the 501 st, 502 nd and 2 nd Brigade deployed by C-141 aircraft and arrived at Bien Hoa Airbase on 13 December 1967. Over the next five years, Soldiers of the Ready to Go Brigade participated in twelve campaigns, compiling of a distinguished combat record as well as an enviable reputation for success in the rehabilitation of a war-torn nation. The Brigade redeployed to Fort Campbell in April 1972.
During this week, in the span of 8 years since the 501 st Infantry Regiment, 502 nd Infantry Regiment and 2 nd Brigade, 101 st Airborne Division deployed in support of the Vietnam War the following are from After Action Reports, Staff Duty Logs, and Personal Accounts. 29 October 1970 Operation JEFFERSON GLEN: Continued heavy rains prohibited major troop movements. Danger of flooding in lowlands continues to increase. All units were advised of the danger of emersion foot and to take corrective measures. 30 October 1968 Operation NEVADA EAGLE: A/2-502 IN in the vicinity ZD112907, had sporadic contact from 1155H to 1815H with trail watchers and delaying forces resulting in one friendly KHA and on VC/NVA KIA with one AK-47. E/2-502 IN OPCON to 1-327 IN BN at FSB Anzio. No further contacts were made. 30 October 1970 Operation JEFFERSON GLEN: Pohl Bridge has been closed due to water level 20-22 inches above bridge level. Both generators are in two to four feet of water. Debris clearing operations are continuing at the bridge and preparation to evacuate the area if need arises are underway. 30 October 1971 1-501 IN, Recon platoon vicinity ZC125996 found cut trees with elephant grass forming a tunnel cave, recent activities 1-2 days. 30 October 1971 Operation MONSOON DYNAMIC DEFENSE: Recon teams 1 and 3 received a suspected RPG round from an unknown size enemy force resulting in the team s medic receiving a slight fragmentation wound. The 2-502 IN BN continued to discover and destroy numerous grass huts, bunkers, and booby traps throughout the month. Constant surveillance of enemy high-speed trails prevented the enemy from infiltrating to the lowlands to acquire their basic needs. The many bunkers and tunnel complexes destroyed by STRIKE Force personnel denied the enemy their much-needed shelter for the monsoon season. The STRIKE Force, by aggressive and continuous patrolling, was successful in denying the enemy the time required to employ their rockets against the cities of Hue and Phu Bai and Camp Eagle. 31 October 1969 Operation REPUBLIC SQUARE: A/1-502 IN conducted RIF and MAP operations with negative results. B/1-502 IN conducted MAP s with negative results. C/1-502 IN secured FSB Arsenal and Pohl Bridge. D/1-502 IN remained at FSB Birmingham to provide security. 1-502 IN BN, Recon platoon conducted MAP s with negative results. Recon platoon then moved to FSB Birmingham and became OPCON to D/1-502 IN. 31 October 1970 Operation JEFFERSON GLEN: Water is receding from Pohl Bridge and is now seven feet below bridge level. Debris clearing continues. Generators and lights on bridge are still inoperable. Villages around Pohl Bridge were not evacuated as flood waters did not reach them. November 1971 Operation MONSOON DYNAMIC DEFENSE: During the month of November, the 2-502 IN BN continued to provide security and prevent infiltration into the southern portion of the 1 st Brigade AO. Enemy activity remained on a low level with only four contacts, two enemy initiated and two friendly initiated. 01 November 1967 Operation WHEELER: At 0900H, C/2-502 IN, 2-502 IN BN, Recon platoon and LRRP Platoon vicinity BT245165 made an airmobile assault against two local force platoons. The raid was controlled by C/2-502 IN. LRRP s and Recondos were used in blocking positions, C/2-502 IN landed on the dominant terrain and served as the driving force. Results: 1 KHA (LRRP s), 1 WHA (medevac), 14 VC KIA (C). (HQ, 2-502 IN; Combat After Action Report, Operation Wheeler; 24 November 1967) 01 November 1968 A/1-502 IN conducted RIF operation, vicinity YD6630. B/1-502 IN conducted security of An Lo, mine sweep and local patrols and ambushes. C/1-502 IN (-) IN was at Phu Vang, providing security for mine sweep of highway 551, occupied strong points on POL pipeline, security of pump station and LCU ramp. D/1-502 IN was OPCON to 1-501 IN BN. Recon was at Apache. C/1-502 IN had 26 elements, at FSB T-Bone, Negative contact. 1 3 November 1969 There were no significant moved or action within the 1-502 IN BN. 01 05 November 1970 Operation JEFFERSON GLEN: 1-502 IN BN moved to Phu Bai for battalion stand-down. All units continued to conduct stand-down operations at Phu Bai during this period. No major incidents during this period. 01 November 1970 Operation JEFFERSON GLEN: 2-502 IN BN moved from Camp Eagle, and deployed to FSB Bastogne, expanding the perimeter defense of the firebase. D/2-502 IN stayed on Bastogne. Soon thereafter line companies began operation west of Bastogne meeting with very light and sporadic enemy opposition. 01 30 November 1971 During this period the 1-501 IN BN conducted search and attack operations in its assigned area of operations, and occupied FB Tomahawk vicinity ZC113011 with responsibility for the Tomahawk AO from 01-15 November when FB Tomahawk was turned over to the Vietnamese Reactionary Force. In addition, the battalion was responsible for securing ASP 107 in Da Nang throughout the reporting period. The battalion conducted refresher training during the period for A/1-501 IN on FB Tomahawk and D/1-501 IN at PBCB. The battalion assumed responsibility for FB Arsenal and the Arsenal AO on 27 November. E/1-501 IN mortar provided 81mm support for the battalion from FB Tomahawk 1-15 November, for Echo Sector, Phu Bai Base Defense from PBCB 15-26 November, and for FB Arsenal 27-30 November.
02 November 1968 1-502 IN BN units continued operations in the same vicinity except that D/1-502 IN returned to An Lo and B/1-502 IN went OPCON to 1-501 IN BN. There was negative contact. 02 November 1968 Operation NEVADA EAGLE: A/2-502 IN, C/2-502 IN and D/2-502 IN were moved out of the canopy by six slicks provided by DIV Aviation, the CP was moved back to FSB Anzio by truck, and A/2-502 IN took up responsibility for Bridges 1, 2, 3 and 4 along QL 1. E/2-502 IN was returned from OPCON. 02 November 26 December 1968 Operation NEVADA EAGLE: Phase IV was conducted. At the beginning of Phase IV, the 2-502 IN BN did not have much to work with. A/2-502 IN secured Bridges 1, 2, 3, and 4, while B/2-502 IN, C/2-502 IN and D/2-502 IN were all OPCON to 1-327 IN BN. E/2-502 IN (-) provided mortar support from FSB Anzio while Recon conducted search vicinity YD915095. 04 November 1968 A/1-502 IN RIF, vicinity YD6630, B/1-502 IN was OPCON to 1-501 IN BN, C/1-502 IN was at Phu Vang, D/1-502 IN conducting security of An Lo Bridge, and Recon was conducting security of FSB T-Bone (Pictured). There was negative contact. 04 November 1968 Operation NEVADA EAGLE: Acting on an intelligence report the local VC had been seen vicinity YD9610 at 0415H Recon conducted CA into the area and killed 4 VC and captured 7 weapons plus miscellaneous equipment. 04 November 1969 Operation REPUBLIC SQUARE: All companies of the 1-502 IN BN remained in their same configuration with the Recon platoon establishing team locations at YD838047 and YD839049. At 2130H, team 1 spotted 2 sets of lights vicinity YD705021 and engaged them with artillery with unknown results.
During this week, in the span of 8 years since the 501 st Infantry Regiment, 502 nd Infantry Regiment and 2 nd Brigade, 101 st Airborne Division deployed in support of the Vietnam War the following awards were awarded to the service members during combat operations. 1 x Bronze Star Medal (1 x Posthumously) 2 x Purple Heart Medal (2 x Posthumously) 1 x Died of Non-Hostile Injuries or Illness 30 October 1967 SP4 Ray E. Coln (B/2-502 IN) was awarded the Purple Heart Medal (Posthumously) for military merit and for wounds received which resulted in his death as a result of wounds received when resupply aircraft dropped an ammunition box on him while on combat operation 7km east of Tien Phuoc in the Quang Tin Province, Republic of Vietnam. 31 October 1968 CPL John E. Urbelis (A/2-502 IN) was awarded the Purple Heart Medal (Posthumously) for military merit and for wounds received which resulted in his death from wounds while on combat operation when engaged hostile force in firefight in the Thua Thien Province, Republic of Vietnam. 02 November 1968 SGT James A. Singleton (C/1-501 IN) was awarded the Bronze Star Medal (Posthumously). SGT Singleton died from Non-hostile causes from wounds received while at a beach when a friendly grenade detonated in the Thua Thien Province, Republic of Vietnam. 02 November 1968 SP4 Jacob McKie (C/1-501 IN) died from Non-hostile causes from wounds received while at a beach when a friendly grenade detonated in the Thua Thien Province, Republic of Vietnam.
STRIKE HISTORY (Citation s and Awards): - None received for this timeframe at this point and time.
ACRONYMS ACAV: Armored Cavalry AD: Americal Division AD: Airborne Division (Would be after numeric numbers) AO: Area of Operations ARA: Aerial Rocket Artillery ARCOM: Army Commendation Medal ARVN: Army of the Republic of Viet Nam (also known as the South Vietnamese Army (SVA)) BDE: Brigade BN: Battalion BSM: Bronze Star Medal BBT: Booby Traps CA: Combat Assault CANOPY: Heavily Wooded Terrain CO: Company CP: Command Post DSC: Distinguished Service Cross DZ: Drop Zone FSB: Fire Support Base HQ: Headquarters IED: Improvised Explosive Device IFFV: I Field Force Vietnam IN: Infantry KBA: Killed by Air or Artillery KHA: Killed by Hostile Action KIA: Killed in Action KNHA: Killed by Non-Hostile Action LZ: Helicopter Landing Zone MI: Military Intelligence MOH: Medal of Honor MP: Military Police NDP: Night Defensive Position NVA: North Vietnamese Army OBJ: Objective OP: Observation Post PAVN: People Army of Vietnam POW: Prisoner of War PF: Popular Forces PZ: Helicopter Pick-up Zone Recon Platoon: Reconnaissance Platoon RIF: Reconnaissance in Force RF: Regional Force ROK: Republic of Korea SA: Situational Awareness SIGINT: Signal Intelligence SSM: Silver Star Medal STRIKE Force: 2d Battalion, 502d Infantry SVA: South Vietnamese Army TF: Task Force TOC: Tactical Operations Center USARV: United States Army Vietnam USARPAC: United States Army Pacific WIA: Wounded in Action WHA: Wounded by Hostile Action WNHA: Wounded by Non-Hostile Action V : Valor VC: Viet Cong