A SHORT HISTORY OF 1968:
OPERATION PERSHING, the last large operation in 1967, came to a close with outstanding results on 21 January 1968. The totals for
the operation (division wide) included 5,000 killed, nearly 2,500 captured and over 1,000 weapons confiscated. The battalion moved with
the 1st Brigade to continue operations in I Corps at the beginning of 1968, as this was to turn out to be a memorable one for the battalion
and the 1st Cavalry Division as a whole. Moving into Quang Tri, the battalion protected the brigade's fire bases during the enemy TET
Offensive. The defense of the city itself ran from 31 January to 6 February. At the end of this time, the 8th Cavalry had defeated the
enemy and begun pursuit operations. Operating on the shores of the South China Sea, Companies A and B engaged an estimated
battalion of enemy soldiers and killed 19 while capturing valuable enemy arms. April 5, marked the beginning of OPERATION
PEGASUS; the battalion and other 1st Cavalry elements came to the relief of the Marines at beleaguered Khe Sanh. After successful
operations, the battalion moved on to their biggest operation for the year. The A Shau Valley was the first objective of OPERATION
DELAWARE. Located in a strategic position guarding the passes to Laos and the Ho Chi Minh Trail, all units found large caches of
enemy equipment including crew served weapons, Soviet trucks, rockets and rice. In many respects, this operation in an enemy
stronghold would reflect the battalion's activities in Cambodia a year and a half later.
Later in the year, the battalion began to conduct joint operations with ARVN soldiers and the local forces. This was another sign of
progress as the 1st Cavalry Division already had initiated the Vietnamization program long before it became a national concern. Cordon
and Search operations utilized local Regional and Popular Forces in order to deny the enemy the vital rice which he so desperately
needed. The Summer months and early Fall were spent securing Highway 1 and conducting operations within their own AO, the battalion
had been operating in an area designated as base area 101 by the Viet Cong and continued to engage small enemy units, the classical
way to fight guerrilla war. The last big battle fought by the battalion in I Corps was at Quang Tri City on 22 August.
A new phase was begun in November. The entire battalion moved along with the division to III Corps where the mission was to interdict
infiltration routes and destroy enemy forces. Primary emphasis was on stopping infiltration from Cambodia through the "Angel's Wing"
and the "Parrots Beak" two staging areas in South Vietnam. Maximum coordination was made with the US Navy as the battalion went
"watermobile". This emphasized a maximum use of sea and air power to cover a large area of operations. Joint operations were launched
along the maze of waterways to eliminate enemy traffic, neutralize bases and seek out caches. As a mini-armada of battalion troops in
armed Navy ships moved up stream, they would turn to shore at irregular intervals and deploy troops to search the area long the
waterway. 1968 closed with the NavCav operations, indicating the ability of the battalion to coordinate both with allied ARVN and other
branches of the US Armed Forces. It was a memorable year for the battalion, truly emphasizing mobility from the dusty reaches of Khe
Sanh in I Corps to the waterways of the lower III Corps.
A SHORT HISTORY OF 1969:
In the new year the battalion rose to the challenge of new mission as they continued to work in "NavCav" and interdiction missions. On
20 January 1969, the battalion moved into IV Corps for a short period, thus marking the unit's activity in all four Corps Zones. Working
with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the battalion then continued operations in III Corps. On 15 March 1969, LZ White was
partially overrun. Sp4 Donald R. Johnston of Co D was manning a bunker on the perimeter when a satchel charge was thrown into the
bunker, By diving on the charge, and absorbing the blast, SP4 Johnston save the lives of six of his comrades. His actions resulted in the
award of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the third man so honored for the battalion in Vietnam. Moving to LZ Rock, the battalion
began to operate in the vicinity of the Don Nai River. A series of operations in late May and June uncovered large supply caches and
ammunition with 2 June marking the high spot. A battle on the river banks, with Companies A and B involved, resulting in 54 enemy
killed. Co A was led in this engagement by Captain Walter J. Marm, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor in the 1965 Ia Drang
valley battle. In September a move was made reminiscent of the old cavalry days. The entire battalion, minus the battalion rear, moved
from the Quang Loi region to the Bu Dop CIDG Special Forces camp on the Cambodian Border. The move involved 1,200 men and was
completed in 48 hours. Leaving FSB Jerry, FSB Ellen was established to interdict enemy movement of supplies along one of the major
trails, the Serges Jungle Trail. On 4 November, the FSB beat back the enemy attack and cost the enemy severe casualties. The year was
concluded with operations against enemy forces in the area around FSB Ellen.
As the battalion had moved more deeply into the III Corps sanctuaries of the enemy, the nature of the adversary had changed. In the
earlier years, troopers had been accustomed to fighting Viet Cong guerrillas in more populated areas along the coast. This had given way
by 1969 to fighting North Vietnamese regular units who were rushed back to the Cambodian border away from the populated centers of
the coast. These were trying times for the soldiers as the triple canopy jungle had to be regularly canvassed to root out the enemy bunker
complexes. The job was made more difficulty by the ability of the enemy to slip into Cambodia with impunity and obtain resupply and rest,
since allied forces respect Cambodian neutrality. On 2 December, Co B engaged such an enemy forces in a large bunker complex. For his
heroic actions, 2LT Robert P. Leisy was recommended posthumously for the Congressional Medal of Honor, the fourth such warrior in
the battalion in Vietnam.
A SHORT HISTORY 1970-71 CAMBODIA
The basic mission of interdicting enemy movement in III Corps continued In 1970 with Companies A and B finding several large weapons
caches in Northern Phuoc Long Province. But the inviolate Cambodia territory meant constant enemy resurgence. The overthrow of the
Sihanouk Regime in Cambodia and the establishment of a pro-western government, allowed the battalion and other units to strike quickly
at the Communist controlled border area in Cambodia for the first time. The Jumping Mustangs air assaulted into Cambodia early in
May 1970 and immediately found themselves in a series of regimental sized enemy base camps. For nearly two months, the battalion was
engaged in removing enemy ammunition, weapons and equipment and food in large quantities from the enemy base areas. The enemy
made several attempts to defend his caches and in the fighting around the Cambodian base camps, the Jumping Mustangs killed more
than sixty enemy, losing only five men themselves. This shift of center of operations enabled the ARVN forces to consolidate their gains
in Vietnam and allowed the III Corps area to breathe easier. It is a tribute to this battalion and other units that the task of destroying the
enemy's havens was accomplished quickly and efficiently.
After the withdrawal from Cambodia by Presidential Order, the 8th Regiment continued with the remainder of the division to clear
remaining combat elements from III Corps. This action continued throughout the remainder of 1970.
WITHDRAWAL FROM VIETNAM
26 March 1971 marked the official end of duties in Vietnam for the 1st Cavalry Division. President Nixon's Vietnamization Program
required the continued presence of a strong US fighting force. The 3rd Brigade continued the cavalry mission, headquarters located at
Bien Hoa with primary mission of interdicting enemy infiltration routes in War Zone D.
On 5 May 1971, the colors of the 1st Cavalry (minus 3rd Brigade), including the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, was moved to Fort Hood,
Texas.
OPERATION PERSHING, the last large operation in 1967, came to a close with outstanding results on 21 January 1968. The totals for
the operation (division wide) included 5,000 killed, nearly 2,500 captured and over 1,000 weapons confiscated. The battalion moved with
the 1st Brigade to continue operations in I Corps at the beginning of 1968, as this was to turn out to be a memorable one for the battalion
and the 1st Cavalry Division as a whole. Moving into Quang Tri, the battalion protected the brigade's fire bases during the enemy TET
Offensive. The defense of the city itself ran from 31 January to 6 February. At the end of this time, the 8th Cavalry had defeated the
enemy and begun pursuit operations. Operating on the shores of the South China Sea, Companies A and B engaged an estimated
battalion of enemy soldiers and killed 19 while capturing valuable enemy arms. April 5, marked the beginning of OPERATION
PEGASUS; the battalion and other 1st Cavalry elements came to the relief of the Marines at beleaguered Khe Sanh. After successful
operations, the battalion moved on to their biggest operation for the year. The A Shau Valley was the first objective of OPERATION
DELAWARE. Located in a strategic position guarding the passes to Laos and the Ho Chi Minh Trail, all units found large caches of
enemy equipment including crew served weapons, Soviet trucks, rockets and rice. In many respects, this operation in an enemy
stronghold would reflect the battalion's activities in Cambodia a year and a half later.
Later in the year, the battalion began to conduct joint operations with ARVN soldiers and the local forces. This was another sign of
progress as the 1st Cavalry Division already had initiated the Vietnamization program long before it became a national concern. Cordon
and Search operations utilized local Regional and Popular Forces in order to deny the enemy the vital rice which he so desperately
needed. The Summer months and early Fall were spent securing Highway 1 and conducting operations within their own AO, the battalion
had been operating in an area designated as base area 101 by the Viet Cong and continued to engage small enemy units, the classical
way to fight guerrilla war. The last big battle fought by the battalion in I Corps was at Quang Tri City on 22 August.
A new phase was begun in November. The entire battalion moved along with the division to III Corps where the mission was to interdict
infiltration routes and destroy enemy forces. Primary emphasis was on stopping infiltration from Cambodia through the "Angel's Wing"
and the "Parrots Beak" two staging areas in South Vietnam. Maximum coordination was made with the US Navy as the battalion went
"watermobile". This emphasized a maximum use of sea and air power to cover a large area of operations. Joint operations were launched
along the maze of waterways to eliminate enemy traffic, neutralize bases and seek out caches. As a mini-armada of battalion troops in
armed Navy ships moved up stream, they would turn to shore at irregular intervals and deploy troops to search the area long the
waterway. 1968 closed with the NavCav operations, indicating the ability of the battalion to coordinate both with allied ARVN and other
branches of the US Armed Forces. It was a memorable year for the battalion, truly emphasizing mobility from the dusty reaches of Khe
Sanh in I Corps to the waterways of the lower III Corps.
A SHORT HISTORY OF 1969:
In the new year the battalion rose to the challenge of new mission as they continued to work in "NavCav" and interdiction missions. On
20 January 1969, the battalion moved into IV Corps for a short period, thus marking the unit's activity in all four Corps Zones. Working
with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the battalion then continued operations in III Corps. On 15 March 1969, LZ White was
partially overrun. Sp4 Donald R. Johnston of Co D was manning a bunker on the perimeter when a satchel charge was thrown into the
bunker, By diving on the charge, and absorbing the blast, SP4 Johnston save the lives of six of his comrades. His actions resulted in the
award of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the third man so honored for the battalion in Vietnam. Moving to LZ Rock, the battalion
began to operate in the vicinity of the Don Nai River. A series of operations in late May and June uncovered large supply caches and
ammunition with 2 June marking the high spot. A battle on the river banks, with Companies A and B involved, resulting in 54 enemy
killed. Co A was led in this engagement by Captain Walter J. Marm, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor in the 1965 Ia Drang
valley battle. In September a move was made reminiscent of the old cavalry days. The entire battalion, minus the battalion rear, moved
from the Quang Loi region to the Bu Dop CIDG Special Forces camp on the Cambodian Border. The move involved 1,200 men and was
completed in 48 hours. Leaving FSB Jerry, FSB Ellen was established to interdict enemy movement of supplies along one of the major
trails, the Serges Jungle Trail. On 4 November, the FSB beat back the enemy attack and cost the enemy severe casualties. The year was
concluded with operations against enemy forces in the area around FSB Ellen.
As the battalion had moved more deeply into the III Corps sanctuaries of the enemy, the nature of the adversary had changed. In the
earlier years, troopers had been accustomed to fighting Viet Cong guerrillas in more populated areas along the coast. This had given way
by 1969 to fighting North Vietnamese regular units who were rushed back to the Cambodian border away from the populated centers of
the coast. These were trying times for the soldiers as the triple canopy jungle had to be regularly canvassed to root out the enemy bunker
complexes. The job was made more difficulty by the ability of the enemy to slip into Cambodia with impunity and obtain resupply and rest,
since allied forces respect Cambodian neutrality. On 2 December, Co B engaged such an enemy forces in a large bunker complex. For his
heroic actions, 2LT Robert P. Leisy was recommended posthumously for the Congressional Medal of Honor, the fourth such warrior in
the battalion in Vietnam.
A SHORT HISTORY 1970-71 CAMBODIA
The basic mission of interdicting enemy movement in III Corps continued In 1970 with Companies A and B finding several large weapons
caches in Northern Phuoc Long Province. But the inviolate Cambodia territory meant constant enemy resurgence. The overthrow of the
Sihanouk Regime in Cambodia and the establishment of a pro-western government, allowed the battalion and other units to strike quickly
at the Communist controlled border area in Cambodia for the first time. The Jumping Mustangs air assaulted into Cambodia early in
May 1970 and immediately found themselves in a series of regimental sized enemy base camps. For nearly two months, the battalion was
engaged in removing enemy ammunition, weapons and equipment and food in large quantities from the enemy base areas. The enemy
made several attempts to defend his caches and in the fighting around the Cambodian base camps, the Jumping Mustangs killed more
than sixty enemy, losing only five men themselves. This shift of center of operations enabled the ARVN forces to consolidate their gains
in Vietnam and allowed the III Corps area to breathe easier. It is a tribute to this battalion and other units that the task of destroying the
enemy's havens was accomplished quickly and efficiently.
After the withdrawal from Cambodia by Presidential Order, the 8th Regiment continued with the remainder of the division to clear
remaining combat elements from III Corps. This action continued throughout the remainder of 1970.
WITHDRAWAL FROM VIETNAM
26 March 1971 marked the official end of duties in Vietnam for the 1st Cavalry Division. President Nixon's Vietnamization Program
required the continued presence of a strong US fighting force. The 3rd Brigade continued the cavalry mission, headquarters located at
Bien Hoa with primary mission of interdicting enemy infiltration routes in War Zone D.
On 5 May 1971, the colors of the 1st Cavalry (minus 3rd Brigade), including the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, was moved to Fort Hood,
Texas.
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| Alpha Company 1965-1971 History 1968 - 1971 |
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