The Battles

A Mixture of PERSONAL ACCOUNTS and OFFICIAL ARMY RECORDS

Operation Blue Light

Movement to Vietnam, Setup and Early Training

The Ace of Spades

How it Came to Signify Charlie Company, 2/35th

Commanders Analysis: Special Thanks to Tony Bisantz, then Commanding Officer of Alpha Co, for this report. "First Battle" 15 March 1966 Alfa Co. 1/35th Infantry was involved in not only its first major battle, but the first major battle of the 3d Brigade Task Force.

VUA: Copy of the Recommendation for the Valorous Unit Award for A Co, 1/35th Inf.  The men of Alfa Co fought courageously against a superior enemy force. In so doing she won the Valorous Unit Award. Includes Battle schematic and analysis.

Recommendation for VUA for 15 March 1966

Printable Valorous Unit Award A Co 1-35th

LZ 10 ALFA TWO COMPANIES AGAINST THE 66TH NVA REGIMENT On 28 May 1966 Bravo Company 2/35th conducted a combat assault into LZ 10Alfa, surprising the NVA. In the afternoon Alpha Company 1/35th was lifted in to reinforce. The two companies fought for their lives for two days against repeated human wave attacks. This account of the days leading up to this defining battle, and the battle itself, combines official reports with the personal recollections of the men who were there. Actions that won Presidential Unit Citations for Bravo Co 2/35th and Alpha Co 1/35th.

LZ 10 Alfa - Capt. Bisantz

LZ 10 Alfa - Personal Remembrances

Accounts from the men who were there, on the ground and fighting to keep each other alive.

Recommendation for PUC Co A 1/35th

Recommendation for PUC Co B 2/35th

Printable PUC Alpha Co 1/35th

Printable PUC Bravo Co 2/35th

19 June 1966

This account was prepared by Dick Arnold is of the actions of Ron Ray, Company A, 2/35th leading to his award of the Medal of Honor.

The Border Battle of 24 June1966

Mike Kellermeyer, 4.2" FO, and Ed Hill, rifleman were members of Recon, 1/35th when the 30-man platoon ran into a hornets nest of NVA regulars. Before it was over almost the entirety of Recon was either KIA or WIA.

3 July 1966

Thomas Giorgi, Jim Smith and Jim Barrett were members of 3d Platoon, Bravo Company, 1/35th when they were caught in a horrific fight in the Ia Drang River valley. Before it was over 19 Cacti had lost their lives.

7 July 1966

"Stars and Stripes Reporter Grabs a Gun"

An article by Gary Cooper while embedded with Charlie Company 1/35th.

31 July 1966

Company A, 2/35th, while on an assignment to assess the results of an arc light mission (B-52 Airstrike), made contact with an estimated battalion size force in the Ia Drang Valley in Kontum Province west of Pleiku.

2 August 1966

LZ 36J - At the beginning of Operation Paul Revere II, Company A and Recon Platoon, 2/35th, went back to the area of contact from 31 July, 1966. The battalion had just moved to LZ 36J. For its actions that day, Alpha Co was awarded the Valorous Unit Award.

Cu Dar - 27 October 1966

On 27 Oct 1966, during Operation Paul Revere IV, Company B, 2/35th,  was patrolling near the battalion CP when it became involved with the NVA.

  Valorous Unit Award: Alpha Co 2/35th

28 October 1966 - Hill 292

On 28 Oct 1966, as part of Operation Paul Revere IV, Company C, 2/35th was attacked by an estimated two companies of NVA.  Withstanding attack after attack, this is the story of that day.

1966 Area of Operations Map and Support Units

2d Bn, 9th Artillery; C Troop, 3d Squadron, 4th Cavalry: 52nd Aviation Battalion; 1st Battalion, 69th Armor; 7th US Air Force

IN MEMORIAM: 1966 Photos of 35th Infantry KIA

Names and photographs arranged by date of loss,

"A Walk With the 35th - Vietnam 1966"

This E-Book by Sgt Jim Anderson (webmaster) is a chronicle of the operations and battles of the 35th Infantry Regiment from her deployment to Vietnam through Operation Paul Revere IV. Included are enhanced battle maps, area maps with LZ locations, the official and anecdotal accounts of the major battles and much more.

1967 BATTLES

1 March 1967: Crescent Ridge

While the 2/35th was near the Cambodian border in early 1967, the 1/35th Infantry was participating in OP Pershing on the eastern coast of Vietnam. Recon 1/35th was in a fight for their life.

6 March 1967: Battle at Hoa Tan

The Battle at Hoa Tan: B Co, 1/35th Infantry, in OP Pershing, became heavily involved in the battle at Hoa Tan. Before it was over, the entire Battalion had been moved into positions to surround the village.

This account is a compilation of observations from those who were there, daily journal entries, the After Action Report and news articles. The battle involved all three companies of the 2/35th and is one of the defining battles of 1967.

12 March 1967: Commander's Analysis

C Company commander, Cpt. Ron "Rick" Rykowski prepared this report of the actions. Detailed with his maps of the day's actions.

Again, this is a compilation of the 21 March, 1967 battle. Included area maps, photos from those who were there, and accounts taken from not only the After Action Report but from the perspective of those directly involved.

"One-Niner" 21-22 March 1967

2/35th This is the official After Action Report as transcribed by Dave Butters who as the Operations Sergeant for the 2/35th when this battle took place. He named the battle for the RTO, "One Niner Seirra", who was KIA during the fight.

21-22 March 1967

This is the account of Maj. Ben Crosby, the Battalion XO at the time. LTC Granger and the battalion command group choppered into the area of the fighting in the attempt to link up with Charlie Company.

16 April 1967: Thach Thang

AAR: The 35th Infantry had just arrived at the Duc Pho area. It didn't take very long to be welcomed by the VC. Battle at Thach Thang. Blue Team 1/9th Cav, A and C Companies 2/35th.

22-23 April 1967

VUA: Battle of Thiep Son 2 expanded from the initial contact by C Company, 1/35th to include B Co and Recon.

AAR: Further welcoming the 3d Brigade and the 35th Infantry Regiment to the communist stronghold around Duc Pho,  the 2/35th's FSB at LZ Liz came under mortar attack on 12 May.

19-20 May 1967: Nga Man

VUA: Battle of Nga Man began with contact by Recon, 1/35th. It soon became evident that an estimated battalion size force was involved. A Co and B Co, 1/35th, along with B Co 2/35th and an element of the Blue Team, 1-9th Cav, were inserted to surround the enemy.

19-20 May 1967: Vien Hien

AAR: The Battle of Vien Hien is named for the villages in which it was fought. This fight covered two days of intense fighting by A and C Companies 2/35th along with APCs from the 3/4th Cav. At battle's end 89 VC had been killed, but at the expense of six 35th Infantry and two 3/4th Cav Troops KIA.

22-23 May 1967: Dien Truong 4

VUA: The Battle at Dien Truong 4 began with A Co 1/35th in pursuit of the 22nd NVA Regiment.  Once it was recognized that they were opposed by a battalion size force, additional units were brought in. B Co and C Co(-), 1/35th, along with the 1/9th Cav, the 3/4th Cav and B Co, 2/35th surrounded the enemy. When the fighting ended, the 7th Bn, 22d NVA Regiment had been destroyed.

27-30 May 1967

AAR: The Battle of Tan Phong stretched over a three day period. The Blue Team from 1/9th Cav initially fought to survive an NVA onslaught. C Troop 3-4th Cav (APCs) with Recon 2/35th were brought into the fight. Later Bravo Co. 2/35th joined in a sweep that put the enemy on the run. But not for long. Set up in ambushes located to the west, 3B's ambush came under heavy mortar attack and assault, with the NVA breaching the perimeter.

21-22 June 1967

VUA: The Battle at Red Hill involved A Co(-) 1/14th, A Co, 2/35th and Recon, 2/35th. Following reports of a large VC presence, the maneuver elements were Combat Assaulted (Helo) to positions surrounding the area. A Co came immediately under attack.

15 July 1967: Chargin' Charlies' Charge

AAR: Major Gerold Tippin's account of "Chargin' Charlies' Charge". Outside of artillery range and in jungle too deep and dense for gunship support Charlie Company 1/35th had no other option. Forming online they charged through the enemy positions.

8 August 1967: An Ba

AAR: The Battle of An Ba occurred far in the northern section of the Task Force's AO. Following intelligence reports of a large VC force in the area, A Co, C Co and Recon, 2/35th were inserted and soon found the enemy trying to elude to the north. To further close the encirclement, A Co, 1/14th was later inserted to the west.

20 August 1967: An Thach

AAR: The Battle at An Thach - A Battle of Tanks, C/2/34th Armor, and Infantry, Recon 2/35th, working together. To complete the encirclement, B Co, 2/35th moved in from the north by foot, and A Co, 2/35th was inserted to the southwest.

20 August 1967

NEWS: Maj. Ben Crosby's article from Armor Magazine about the battle "5-Zero Yankee"

9 October 1967

Dick Arnold - Tim Peters 1/35th

13-14 November 1967

1/35th Dick Arnold

3d Brigade Task Force Operations

VUA: Operations Report for the period 22 April to 20 August 1967, including AO Map and Enemy Location Map

1 Nov 67-30 Apr 68

Full text of Meritorious Unit Commendation recommendation - 2/35th Includes AO maps and a daily synopsis of events for this period. A very good overview of six months in the life of a grunt.

  VALOROUS UNIT AWARD   1ST BN, 35TH INFANTRY AND 2D BN, 35TH INFANTRY

1968 BATTLES

2 Feb 1968

1/35th Dick Arnold

4 Apr 1968

1/35th Dick Beal, CO A Co on actions at LZ Mile High

6 Mar 1969

1/35th Joel Mayne and David Fogg