You see me walking down the street,

No cares, no worries to defeat.

Yet deep inside, I am still upset

You'd think that I could just forget…

Forget the years and all the dreams

  Forget the men and all their screams,   

Forget the hopes that we once had

Forget the nights that were so bad,

Forget the politicians lies

Forget the wounded soldiers cries

Forget the dreams of Camelot

Forget Oswald, Dallas, a fatal shot.

  Forget the promises of the past 

Forget the insults… they won't last,

Forget the spit upon your shirt

Forget the ridicule, the hump, the hurt,

Forget the hot and sweaty days

  Forget the missing, the M.I.A. 's 

Forget the prisoners of that long war,

Forget them! For they're dead! I'm Almost sure???

Get on with life,so many said!

Forget the war and all the dead.....

Forget! Forget! So screams my brain

But if we do …

It`s  all in vain.     

173rd   Airborne Brigade .

ActionsReport,                

Nov 22 - Jan 1   68   /   69...

1. /ORGANIZATION.

        a./ The Battalion operated under TC&E 7-35F during 1967.

The normal task organization of the Battalion was as follows.

2. PERSONNEL

          During the first five months of 1967 the 1st Battalion operated out of Bien Hoa and the personnel had PX facilities, Officer, NC0, EM clubs, and recreational facilities for use when they came out of the field. After the Battalion moved north these facilities were no longer available. A PX truck was provided at Dak To during brief periods, and at Tuy Hoa PX facilities were available when the Battalion conducted a stand-down on 12 October. Although the Battalion did not return to Base Camp after leaving in May, morale and Esprit De Corps remained high, and members of the Battalion took great pride in having the highest kill ratio in the Battles for Dak To. The Battalion suffered 59 men killed in action and 405 men wounded.

3. MEDICAL SERVICES.

There were wide variations in medical operations in 1967. This was primarily a result of the many different sectors of the country in which the Battalion operated, the separation of the Brigade in many instances, and the absence or presence of a supporting Medical Company. In all instances Battle Casualties were first treated by Company Aid Men. Afterward they were evacuated to either B Co (Medical) 173d Spt Bn, or directly to an evacuation or Surgical Hospital by DustOff or UH-1D Helicopters or occasionally the Battalion C&C ship.

         During operations in the Bien Hoa and Tuy Hoa areas, evacuations were rapid and made directly to a hospital. However, in the Dak To area, evacuations were frequently delayed, occasionally as much as 24 hours, due to rugged terrain, heavy vegetation, monsoon rains, and subsequent unavailability of a suitable LZ. Also the distance to the nearest Hospital at Pleiku made evacuation to the Brigade clearing station at Dak To a necessity for stabilization and intermediate level treatment of casualties. In these cases the clearing station was a great asset to the medical operations. Due to variations in operational areas and seasonal weather, medical problems of a prevalent nature differed.

In the Dak To area during the southwest monsoon season, primary problems consisted of skin infections, tropical immersion foot, and intestinal parasites, particularly hookworms and ascaris (roundworms). The Battalion had an enviable malaria rate during the monsoon season in a malaria endemic area while at Dak To. In Tuy Hoa the malaria rate rose greatly due to a combination of factors, including the transition stage between wet and dry seasons, a large number and concentration of malaria carrying mosquitoes, and the weary, resistance lowered condition of the Troops after operations in Dak To. The Battalion had a rigid malaria control program which was emphasized quite frequently and adhered to strictly. Upon returning to Dak To in the last two months of the year, malaria and medical problems in general, dropped off sharply and would have been negligible had it not been for a moderately high recurrence of those malaria cases contacted in Tuy Hoa. Medical resupply was generally fair and occasionally good, but sometimes quite poor when supply involved a number of channels as the Battalion was under the operational control of, but a considerable distance from the 4th Infantry Division.

4. LOGISTICS.

The S-4 section of the Battalion Headquarters was run from the Logistics Operations Center (LOC) in the trains area. At the LOC, representatives from each Company and the S-4 personnel processed requests for all resupply and maintenance. The Maneuver units were resupplied every three days almost entirely by Helicopter.

Combat Operations:

During the year 1967, the First Battalion, 173rd Airborne, 503d Infantry, participated in 15 major Combat Operations. The Battalion fought in the Jungles in the South until the end of May, when it was deployed to the Pleiku area in II corps. After three months in the Dak To area, the 1st Battalion moved to the Coastal Lowlands around Tuy Hoa.

    The big action of the year came at Dak To when the Battalion returned in November and engaged elements of the 66th NVA Regiment, resulting in a 10.5 enemy dead for every 1st Battalion Soldier killed. Enemy casualties attributed to the 1st Battalion during 1967 included 415 NVA/VC (BC), 22 NVA/VC KIA (body not recovered), 13 NVA/VC Captured, and 45 enemy bodies found or uncovered.

Combat Operations: {1967 listings.}

 During the year 1967, the First Battalion, 173rd Airborne, 503rd Infantry, participated in 15 major Combat Operations.

OPERATION: NIAGARA FALLS, 4 - 8 January 1967

OPERATION: CEDAR FALLS, 8 - 25 January 1967

OPERATION: BIG SPRING, 1 - 16 February 1967

OPERATION: JUNCTION CITY ALTERNATE, 19 Feb - 15 Mar 1967

OPERATION: JUNCTION CITY II, 21 March - 13 April 1967

OPERATION: NEWARK, 18 - 22 April 1967

OPERATION: UNION TOWN, 23 - 29 April 1967

OPERATION: FORT WAYNE, 1 - 4 May 1967

OPERATION: DAYTON, 4 - 17 May 1967

OPERATION: CINCINNATI, 21 - 24 May 1967

OPERATION: WINCHESTER, 26 - 29 May l967

OPERATION: FRANCIS MARION, 31 May - 17 June 1967

OPERATION: HORACE GREELEY, 17 June - 17 September 1967

OPERATION: B0LLING, 19 September - 5 November 1967

OPERATION: MAC ARTHUR, 6 Nov - 31 Dec 1967