bobdina
06-27-2009, 04:12 PM
CU CHI - Five Tropic Lightning Battalions were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and two Tropic Lightning soldiers were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by General Creighton Abrams, Commanding General, MACV, in ceremonies in the Division’s Cu Chi base Camp.
The battalions cited were the 2d Battalion, 77th Artillery, 2d Battalion, 12th Infantry, 2d and 3d Battalions, 22d Infantry, and the 2d Battalion, 34th Armor.
AWARDED THE Distinguished Service Cross were 1LT Andres Gutierrez of Co C, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry and Private First Class Donald E. Evans of B Troop, 3d Squadron, 4th Cavalry.
1LT Andres Gutierrez distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actionsduring a rocket, mortar, and ground assault on the Dau Tieng base camp by two NVA battalions reinforced with sapper elements. Gutierrez organized a reaction force and led it to a point in the perimeter that was under heavy enemy pressure.
Spotting three NVA preparing to fire an RPG into a bunker, he killed them with his pistol. During the battle he continually exposed himself to the enemy fire to rescue and treat the wounded and supply his men with ammunition.
PFC EVANS distinguished himself during a reconnaissance-in-force mission in the Boi Loi Woods when his troop came under intense fire from an enemy force in well-concealed, fortified bunkers. As the troop advanced on the bunkers, it was caught in a cross fire. Disregarding his own safety, Evans assaulted a bunker and killed its five occupants. When the troop received heavy fire from another bunker, Evans again ran forward and silenced the position. Later he voluntarily remained behind as his troop withdrew to permit the use of artillery.
The battalions were decorated for their part in the battle of Soui Tre, believed to be the largest single action of the Vietnam war.
The battle of Soui Tre began at dawn, , as the elite 272d Main Force Viet Cong Regiment surrounded the tiny fire support base 30 kilometers north of Tay Ninh City. In two hours of human wave assaults on the entire perimeter, the VC Regiment penetrated in three places, driving the defending artillery men back to the second defensive position around their guns.
BY 8 O’CLOCK the situation was bleak. All beehive rounds had been exhausted, the artillery men were now doing double duty as infantrymen, and the only ammunition remaining was a pile of high explosive rounds fast being fired into the incoming enemy.
“It was the closest thing to the late, late show I have ever seen,” said one officer. “It was the cavalry coming to the rescue ...” It was in fact the 2d Battalion (Mechanized) and 3d Battalion of the 22d Infantry, followed by the 2d Battalion, 34th Armor, thundering out of the woodline using all available fire power to cut down the enemy.
Air strikes were being called in 50 meters from the position as Tropic Lightning soldiers cut through the enemy from behind, firing with every weapon in reach. By 10:45 the Battle of Soui Tre was over, and 647 VC lay dead. http://www.25thida.org/TLN/tln4-25.htm
The battalions cited were the 2d Battalion, 77th Artillery, 2d Battalion, 12th Infantry, 2d and 3d Battalions, 22d Infantry, and the 2d Battalion, 34th Armor.
AWARDED THE Distinguished Service Cross were 1LT Andres Gutierrez of Co C, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry and Private First Class Donald E. Evans of B Troop, 3d Squadron, 4th Cavalry.
1LT Andres Gutierrez distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actionsduring a rocket, mortar, and ground assault on the Dau Tieng base camp by two NVA battalions reinforced with sapper elements. Gutierrez organized a reaction force and led it to a point in the perimeter that was under heavy enemy pressure.
Spotting three NVA preparing to fire an RPG into a bunker, he killed them with his pistol. During the battle he continually exposed himself to the enemy fire to rescue and treat the wounded and supply his men with ammunition.
PFC EVANS distinguished himself during a reconnaissance-in-force mission in the Boi Loi Woods when his troop came under intense fire from an enemy force in well-concealed, fortified bunkers. As the troop advanced on the bunkers, it was caught in a cross fire. Disregarding his own safety, Evans assaulted a bunker and killed its five occupants. When the troop received heavy fire from another bunker, Evans again ran forward and silenced the position. Later he voluntarily remained behind as his troop withdrew to permit the use of artillery.
The battalions were decorated for their part in the battle of Soui Tre, believed to be the largest single action of the Vietnam war.
The battle of Soui Tre began at dawn, , as the elite 272d Main Force Viet Cong Regiment surrounded the tiny fire support base 30 kilometers north of Tay Ninh City. In two hours of human wave assaults on the entire perimeter, the VC Regiment penetrated in three places, driving the defending artillery men back to the second defensive position around their guns.
BY 8 O’CLOCK the situation was bleak. All beehive rounds had been exhausted, the artillery men were now doing double duty as infantrymen, and the only ammunition remaining was a pile of high explosive rounds fast being fired into the incoming enemy.
“It was the closest thing to the late, late show I have ever seen,” said one officer. “It was the cavalry coming to the rescue ...” It was in fact the 2d Battalion (Mechanized) and 3d Battalion of the 22d Infantry, followed by the 2d Battalion, 34th Armor, thundering out of the woodline using all available fire power to cut down the enemy.
Air strikes were being called in 50 meters from the position as Tropic Lightning soldiers cut through the enemy from behind, firing with every weapon in reach. By 10:45 the Battle of Soui Tre was over, and 647 VC lay dead. http://www.25thida.org/TLN/tln4-25.htm