A Note
from The Virtual Wall
On 11
February 1969, a classified South Vietnamese agent report to HQ II
Field Force Vietnam stated that regimental size NVA and VC units had
massed in strength south of Route 1 and east of the Long Binh
military complex. CPT Ron Himsel, commander of Company D (Ranger),
151st Infantry, was ordered against his objections to insert a Long
Range Patrol team on the evening of 11 February to verify the agent
report.
Team 3-1
was given this extremely dangerous assignment and was inserted 5
kilometers north of Bearcat at about 6:45 PM. Immediately after
hitting the ground the team realized they had landed amid the base
camp of an extremely large enemy force. They received massive fire
from all around the hasty perimeter they had established after their
insertion. Radio operator SP4 Charles Larkins of Beech Grove,
Indiana, notified the command and control helicopter of the team's
dire situation and that his team leader was seriously wounded and
requested immediate extraction. With that, Larkins began to place
fire on the countless enemy targets that surrounded his position and
was mortally wounded, becoming the fourteenth National Guardsman
killed in Vietnam. With the team's situation in total disarray, the
remaining members of Team 3-1 quickly hid Larkins' body and fought
their way to a pick-up zone while carrying two wounded team members.
Captain
Himsel personally met with the commander of the 11th Armored Calvary
Regiment, COL George Patton III, and planned a relief convoy to
recover Larkins' body. Throughout the night, American, Thai and
other allied forces were put into blocking positions to corner the
enemy force. Artillery and air forces continually attacked the enemy
position until the next morning, when elements of the US 1st
Infantry Division and the 11th ACR relief convoy with members of
D/151 arrived to bring back Charlie Larkins, fulfilling the Ranger
creed to "... never leave a fallen comrade in the hands of the
enemy." Team 3-1's contact resulted in over 100 enemy soldiers
confirmed killed.
For his
heroism in ground combat, SP4 Larkins was posthumously awarded the
Bronze Star Medal with "V" device for valor. |
