Patrol Report

Gunsmoke 

Jim Southall

Jim Southall Web page

January 14th-18th, 1968 #030-68

or photos

Patrol Report #21-68

Jim's 4th Patrol only 1 page found.

The Jim Southall Story, Over 100 Patrol Reports.

Click the link at the bottom of this page for the next patrol report.

Members of PFC Jim Southall's 4th patrol were:

Looking for more Info on this patrol?

Hiep Duc Valley, also known as Antenna Valley OP (Observation Post)

In the summer of 1969, the North Vietnamese Army and U.S. forces decided to make control of the Hiep Duc Valley a test of wills. The ensuing two-week battle 35 miles south of Danang was one of the bloodiest of that year. When it was over, more than 400 Americans were wounded and 80 were dead. The American military said more than 1,000 NVA died.

During that late August battle, A.P. reporter Peter Arnett and photographer Horst Faas filed a story about five G.I.s who, for a brief time, refused to fight.

A few days later I arrived at the battle to write stories and shoot photos for Pacific Stars & Stripes.

The story and photos that follow enraged the top brass in the Army. In a speech to military PR people, the Army's chief spokesman in Vietnam, Col. James Campbell, calling Stripes "the Hanoi Herald," said whether my story was true or not "was beside the point." My writing gave aid and comfort to the enemy, adding, "such stories do not border on treason -- they are treason." Campbell was scheduled to become editor of Pacific Stars & Stripes but his intemperate speech cost him that job.

"...such stories do not border on treason -- they are treason."

The Battle of Hiep Duc Valley

Capt. William H. Gayler (left), company commander of Bravo Co., 4th Bn., 31st Inf., Americal Division, Aug. 28, 1969, during the Hiep Duc Battle.

Soldier remembers day of big battle

David Woods was in Vietnam seven months when on June 12, 1970, he was wounded in a firefight in the Hiep Duc Valley.
A member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 46th Infantry Regiment of the 196th Infantry Brigade of the Americal Division, which spent a lot of time fighting in the Hiep Duc Valley, Woods was on patrol with his platoon on a 14-day mission when he was wounded.
“I heard a mortar round go out,” Woods said. “I looked around and just started running to get out of the area where it was going to land.”
As the round exploded, it sent Woods flying through the air, with shrapnel piercing his left side.
 
Woods, now 64 and living in Davenport, was born and raised in Clinton. He graduated from Clinton High School in 1968, he said, “the year the high school burned down.”
He joined the Army on July 1, 1969. 
“I beat the draft notice to my home by a month and a half,” he said. “I was going to junior college in Clinton, and my grades were in the toilet. So I went to the Army recruiter and signed up for a two-year voluntary enlistment.”
 
 
Woods said he thought about the Air Force, but as he described them, he wore “Coke bottle bottoms” for glasses. He is not a good swimmer, so the Navy and Marines were out. 

The Jim Southall Story, Over 100 Patrol Reports.

Click the link at the bottom of this page for the next patrol report.

 Me atempt to recreate this patrol report. You can find it at the bottom of this page.

Members of PFC Jim Southall's 4th patrol were:

Sergeant Paul Andrews, Only worked this one time with Jim Southall.  Paul's a member of 1st Recon Battalion Association.

LCpl Donald F Cowell, Only worked with Jim Southall on this patrol. Donald's a member 1st Recon Battalion Association.

LCpl Jones, Only worked with Jim Southall on this patrol. 

LCpl Holmbeck, Only worked with Jim Southall on this patrol.

PFC Allen, Only worked with Jim Southall on this patrol.

PFC Anderson, Only worked with Jim Southall on this patrol.

PFC Hickey, Only worked with Jim Southall on this patrol.

PFC Baldera, Only worked with Jim Southall on this patrol.

PFC Phillips, Only worked with Jim Southall on this patrol.

PFC William Allen, Only worked with Jim Southall on this patrol. 

PFC Kelly F Scott, will work with Jim Southall on two more patrols. Patrols 15 & 20 in 1968. Scott's a member of 1st Recon Battalion Association.

PFC Scheckler, Only worked with Jim Southall on this patrol.

PFC James J Collins, Only worked with Jim Southall on this patrol.

PFC Matinez, Only worked with Jim Southall on this patrol.

PFC William C Moon will work with Jim one more time on patrol. Patrol #7 before he was killed on  July 3rd, 1968. Click Here

Corpsman HM3 Cote, Only worked with Jim Southall on this patrol.

 My atempt to recreate this patrol report. 

 16 

 * 

 * 

This page is from Gunsmoke's patrol report 011-68 January 4th, 1968

The Jim Southall Story

Over 100 Patrol Reports.

Click the link at the bottom of this page for the next patrol report. 

Gold Lemon - Delta Company

Nui Tron Mountain

Hill 282

Synopsis: This patrol covered a period of 102 hours with 20 sightings totalling 285 VC/NVA. 15 FM's called resulting in 18 KIA confirmed.