Established in 1918, the 101st Division was first constituted as an airborne unit in 1942.[10] During World War II, it gained renown for its role in Operation Overlord (the D-Day landings and airborne landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France); Operation Market Garden; the liberation of the Netherlands; and its action during the Battle of the Bulge around the city of Bastogne, Belgium. During the Vietnam War, the 101st Airborne Division fought in several major campaigns and battles, including the Battle of Hamburger Hill in May 1969. In mid-1968, the division was reorganized and redesignated as an airmobile division; in 1974, as an air assault division. The titles reflect the division's shift from airplanes to helicopters as the primary method of delivering troops into combat.
Disorganization, confusion, incomplete or faulty implementation of plans characterized the initial phases of the landings. This was especially true of the airborne landings which were badly scattered, as well as the first wave units landing on the assault beaches. To their great credit, most of the troops were able to adapt to the disorganization. In the end, the Allies achieved their objective.
Men of War: Assault Squad 2 - Airborne [portable]
On 18 May, in the course of the fighting, a squad leader with "B" Company,2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry, Staff Sergeant Jimmy G. Stewart, demonstrated theleadership and courage necessary to engage and destroy the enemy. Early inthe morning, a reinforced North Vietnamese company attacked "B" Company, whichwas manning a defensive perimeter. The surprise onslaught wounded five membersof a six man squad caught in the direct path of the enemy's thrust. SergeantStewart became a lone defender of vital terrain -- virtually one man againsta hostile platoon. Refusing to take advantage of a lull in the firing whichwould have permitted him to withdraw, Sergeant Stewart elected to hold hisground to protect his fallen comrades and prevent an enemy penetration of thecompany perimeter. As the full force of the platoon-sized man attack struckhis lone position, he fought like a man possessed; emptying magazine aftermagazine at the determined, on-charging enemy. The enemy drove almost to hisposition and hurled grenades, but Sergeant Stewart decimated them byretrieving and throwing the grenades back. Exhausting his ammunition, hecrawled under intense fire to his wounded team members and collectedammunition that they were unable to use. Far past the normal point ofexhaustion, he held his position for four harrowing hours and through threeassaults, annihilating the enemy as they approached and before they could geta foothold. As a result of his defense, the company position held until thearrival of a reinforcing platoon which counterattacked the enemy, nowoccupying foxholes to the left of Sergeant Stewart's position. After thecounterattack, his body was found in a shallow enemy hole where he hadadvanced in order to add his fire to that of the counterattacking platoon.Eight enemy dead were found around his immediate position, with evidence thatfifteen others had been dragged away. The wounded, whom he gave his life toprotect, were recovered and evacuated. For his valiant actions, Staff SergeantJimmy G. Stewart received the Medal of Honor.
On 21 September, near Bon Son in Binh Dinh Province, part of the squad ofPrivate First Class Billy L. Lauffer, "C" Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry,was suddenly struck at close range by an intense machine gun crossfire fromtwo concealed bunkers astride the squad's route. Private First Class Lauffer,the second man in the column, saw the lead man fall and noted that theremainder of the squad was unable to move. Two comrades, previously woundedand being carried on litters, were lying helpless in the beaten zone of theenemy fire. Reacting instinctively, Private First Class Lauffer quicklyengaged both bunkers with fire from his rifle, but when the other squadmembers attempted to maneuver under his covering fire, the enemy fusilladeincreased in volume and thwarted every attempt to move. Seeing this and hiswounded comrades helpless in the open, Private First Class Lauffer rose to hisfeet and charged the enemy machine gun positions, firing his weapon anddrawing the enemy's attention. Keeping the enemy confused and off balance, hisone man assault provided the crucial moments for the wounded point man tocrawl to a covered position, the squad to move the exposed litter patients tosafety, and his comrades to gain more advantageous positions. Private FirstClass Lauffer was fatally wounded during his selfless act of courage anddevotion to his fellow soldiers. His gallantry. at the cost of his life,served as an inspiration to his comrades and saved the lives of an untoldnumber of his companions. For his valiant action, Private First Class Billy L.Lauffer received the Medal of Honor.
On 17 December, heavy contact was made in the Highway 506 Valley just east ofthe Kim Son Valley. "C" Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry observed an enemysquad moving into the valley and went after them. Air support was called into help and drew ground fire from several positions. The Infantry Platoon of"A" Troop 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry made an air assault into the valley andencountered heavy resistance. The 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry was also broughtin, along with four infantry companies and two platoons of the 1st Squadron,9th Cavalry.
It was also during this engagement on 27 December, Staff Sergeant DelbertJennings, "C" Company, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry was defending an artilleryposition when attacked by a North Vietnamese Army regiment supported bymortar, recoilless-rifle, and machine gun fire. At the outset, StaffSergeant Jennings sprang to his bunker, astride the main attack route, andslowed the on-coming enemy wave with highly effective machine gun fire.Despite a tenacious defense in which he killed at least twelve of the enemy,his squad was forced to the rear. After covering the withdrawal of the squad,he rejoined his men, destroyed an enemy demolition crew about to blow up anearby howitzer, and killed three enemy soldiers at his initial bunkerposition. Ordering his men back into a secondary position, he again coveredtheir withdrawal, killing one enemy with the butt of his weapon. Observingthat some of the defenders were unaware of an enemy force in their rear, heraced through a fire-swept area to warn the men, turn their fire on the enemy,and lead them into the secondary perimeter. Assisting in the defense of thenew position, he aided the air-landing of reinforcements by throwing whitephosphorous grenades on the landing zone despite dangerously silhouettinghimself with the light. After helping to repulse the final enemy assaults, heled a group of volunteers well beyond friendly lines to an area where eightseriously wounded men lay. Braving enemy sniper fire and ignoring the presenceof booby traps in the area, they recovered the men who would have probablyperished without early medical treatment. The extraordinary heroism andinspirational leadership of Staff Sergeant Jennings saved the lives of many ofhis comrades and contributed greatly to the defeat of a superior enemy force.For his valiant action, Staff Sergeant Delbert Jennings received the Medal ofHonor and would later go on to become the Command Sergeant Major (CSM) of the1st Cavalry Division.
On 30 March the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry began operations from LZ Stud ingradually increasing concentric circles up to the Khe Sanh area, working withair cover from the 7th Air Force or the 1st Marine Air Wing. The CavalrySquadron was almost the only means available to pinpoint enemy locations,antiaircraft positions, and strong points that the division would try to avoidin the initial assaults. The squadron was also responsible for the selectionof critical forward landing zones. Their information proved to be timely andaccurate.
On 03 December, near Quan Loi, Sergeant John N. Holcomb, "D" Company, 2ndBattalion, 7th Cavalry distinguished himself while serving as a squad leaderduring a combat assault mission. Sergeant Holcomb's company assault had landedby helicopter and deployed into a hasty defensive position to organize for areconnaissance-in-force mission when it was attacked from three sides by anestimated battalion-size enemy force. Sergeant Holcomb's squad was directly inthe path of the main enemy attack. With complete disregard for the heavy fire,he moved among his men giving encouragement and directing fire on theassaulting enemy. When his machine gunner was knocked out, Sergeant Holcombseized the weapon, ran to a forward edge of the position, and placed witheringfire on the enemy. His gallant actions caused the enemy to withdraw. SergeantHolcomb treated and carried his wounded to a position of safety andreorganized his defensive sector despite a raging grass fire ignited by theincoming enemy mortar and rocket rounds. When the enemy assaulted the positiona second time, Sergeant Holcomb again manned the forward machine gun,devastating the attacking enemy soldiers and forcing them to again breakcontact and withdraw. During the enemy withdrawal an enemy rocket hit SergeantHolcomb's position, destroying his machine gun and severely wounding him.Despite his painful wounds, Sergeant Holcomb crawled through the grass fireand exploding mortar and rocket rounds to move the members of his squad,everyone of whom had been wounded, to more secure positions. Althoughgrievously wounded and sustained solely by his indomitable will and courage,Sergeant Holcomb, as the last surviving leader of his platoon, organized hismen to repel the enemy, crawled to the platoon radio and reported the thirdenemy assault on his position. His report brought friendly supporting fires onthe charging enemy and broke the enemy attack. For his valiant action,Sergeant John R. Holcomb received the Medal of Honor.
The 1st Squadron, 9th Air Cavalry began aerial reconnaissance operations earlyon D-day and by 0740 hours had established contact. Five North Vietnam Armysoldiers and their 2-ton truck became the first recorded casualties of theoperation. At 0800 hours the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry conducted a landingzone reconnaissance which was followed ten minutes later by the combat assaultof an Army of the Republic of Vietnam airborne battalion into LZ EAST. Thelanding zone was secured and became a fire support base when six 105mmhowitzers and three 155mm howitzers were inserted shortly thereafter. Duringthis air assault, three companies of 2-34 Armor, 25th Infantry (OPCON to theDivision) and the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (OPCON to the Division) hadmoved out of their staging area and crossed the line of departure, movingnorth. In the 3rd Brigade area, "C" Company, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry(Mechanized) crossed the Cambodian border at 0945 hours. 2ff7e9595c
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