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5TH INFANTRY DIV. (MECHANIZED) |
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SYNOPSIS:
Lam Son 719 was a large offensive operation against NVA
communication lines
in Laos in the region adjacent to the two northern provinces of South Vietnam.
The operation was a raid in which ARVN troops would drive west from Khe
Sanh on Route 9, cut the Ho Chi Minh Trail, seize Tchpone, some 25 miles
away, and return to South Vietnam. The ARVN would provide and command the
ground forces, while the U.S. Army and Air Force would furnish aviation
airlift and supporting firepower. The 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile)
commanded all U.S. Army aviation units in direct support of the operation.
Most of the first part of the operation, begun January 30, 1971, was called OPERATION DEWEY CANYON II and was conducted by U.S. ground forces in Vietnam. The ARVN met their halfway point on February 11th, and moved into position for attack across the Laotian border.
On February 8th, ARVN began pushing along Route 9 into Laos. The NVA reacted fiercely, committing some 36,000 to the area. The ARVN held it's positions supported by U.S. air strikes and resupply runs by Army helicopters.
President Nguyen Van Thieu ordered a helicopter assault on Tchepone, and the abandoned village was seized March 6th. Two weeks of hard combat were necessary for the ARVN task force to fight it's way back to South Vietnam.
Randy Ard had been in Vietnam only a few weeks when an emergency call came in for him to fly the Squadron Commander to a platoon command post, work his way down to the 3rd Platoon, (which was in ambush) in the northwest segment of South Vietnam. He flew his Kiowa Scout chopper from the 5th Mech and picked up LtCol. Sheldon Burnett (the Squadron Commander), Capt. Phil Bodenhorn (Alpha Co.Commander), and Sp4 Mike Castro, 3rd Platoon RTO.
Ard mistakenly flew past the command post and west into Laos, Seeing yellow marking smoke, he took the chopper down lower. It was too late to pull up when they heard the sound of a RPD machine gun and AK-47's. They had been tricked into a North Vietnamese ambush.
The Helicopter went down fast (depending of the version of the account), and smashed into the brush, coming down on it's side (or upside down, depending on the version of the account), Ard and Burnett were trapped in the wreckage, but alive. Ard got on the radio and began making mayday calls. Bodenhorm and Castillo, who had been in the rear seat, got out of the aircraft. Bodenhorn managed to free Ard, but he had 2 broken legs and possibly a broken hip.
Burnett was completely pinned within the wreckage, and injured, but alive. Bodenhorn and Castillo positioned themselves on opposite sides of the aircraft for security and expended all the colored smoke grenades they had marking their position for rescue. [NOTE: Mike Castro's name appears in one account of this incident, and his fate is not given. His name does not appear in a second accounting from the U.S. Army Casualty Board.]
Bodenhorn and Castillo soon heard Vietnamese approaching, and killed these Vietnamese. The 2 listened for nearly and hour as others advanced toward their position from 2 directions, and 155 mm. artillery rounds impacted very near them. They couldn't understand why they were not being rescued, unless it was because the enemy was too close to them. A helicopter flew over, but took heavy fire and left. They decided to leave Ard and Burnett and escape themselves. They told Ard, who nodded wordlessly. Burnett was drifting in and out of consciousness.'
Both men were alive!
Bodenhorn and Castillo worked their way to 80 yards away when a UH1C came in on a single run, firing flechette rockets, which seemed to explode right on the downed chopper. Later they watched an F4 roll in for a 1 bomb strike over the crash site. Ard and Burnett were surely dead.
Bodenhorn and Castillo were rescued by ARVN troops an hour later, and Ard and Burnett were officially classified "Missing In Action." The story was released to reporters at Khe Sanh 3 days later. The Army spokesman accurately described the ambush, but told the press that Burnett had been in radio contact with the ambushed platoon, and that he and Ard had appeared dead to the 2 escaping officers. The names of the survivors were not released.
General Sutherland stated "...the decision was made not to employ the Air Cavalry and the Hoc Bao to attempt to retrieve either Lt Col. Burnett or his body...Burnett had no mission, nor units, in Laos. He had no reason, or authority to take his helicopter over the Laotian Border." After 11 days of heavy resistance the 11th ARVN Airborne Battalion fought their way into the area where the helicopter crashed. They searched the wreckage and surrounding area for several days, but found no sign of the missing men, their belongings or anything to indicate that either man was buried in the area.
In 1989, A large portion of this incedent was still classified. There can be no question that Randy Ard and Sheldon Burnett were abandoned by the country they served.
SUMMARY: Losses in
LAM SOM 719 were heavy, The ARVN suffered some 9,000 casualties, almost
50% of their forces. U.S. Forces incurred some 1,462 casualties. Aviation
units lost 168 helicopters, another 618 were damaged. 55 Aircrewmen were
killed in action, 178 were wounded, and 34 were missing in action. There
were 19,360 known enemy casualties for the operation lasting until April
6, 1971. Nearly 6,000 Americans were lost in Laos during the war in Vietnam.
Although the Pathet Lao stated they held �tens of tens� of American prisoners,
Laos was not included in the agreements ending
American involvement in the war, and the U.S. has not negotiated for the
freedom of these men since that day. Consequently not one American held
in Laos has ever been released. These Americans too have been abandoned.
PLEASE CONTACT THE PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, YOUR CONGRESSMEN, AND SENATORS AND ADVISE THEM HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THESE ISSUES! THIS IS THE ONLY AVENUE OF APPROACH WE HAVE TO AFFECT A CHANGE ON THE U.S. POLICIES AND RETURN OUR "NATIVE SONS" TO THEIR HOMELAND ALIVE OR DEAD!
American Legion
National Headquarters
"Guestbook"
of the President of the United States
Some notable Legionnaires at Post 365 (from L - R ) 1994-1995 Dept of Fla., District 9 Commander Dale Lueck, 1994-1995 American Legion National Commander William A. Detweiler, Post 365's First Commander, Arthur R. Lanni ('93-'95), French Shannon, Jr., Post 365's Third Commander ('97-'99), and Ronald E. Sharp, Post 365's Second Commander ('95-'97).
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