November 8th, 1965 – Remembered
ED: This hit my inbox yesterday from a good mate in the US who fought in the Battle for Hill 65. Unfortunately, it arrived too late to be posted yesterday.
On November 8, 1965, fifty-nine years ago today, the 1/503 173rd Airborne Brigade, roughly 550 men strong, engaged in one of the fiercest battles of the Vietnam War during Operation Hump. This mission targeted Hill 65, a key position held by North Vietnamese Army (NVA) forces entrenched in the dense jungle terrain near Bien Hoa, just north of Saigon. Moving cautiously through the jungle, our unit was suddenly ambushed by a large, well-fortified NVA force. With the enemy positioned on higher ground, they unleashed a relentless assault, taking full advantage of their strategic location to counter our advance.
The battle that followed was intense and chaotic, with our paratroopers bravely pushing forward despite being outnumbered and caught off guard. Throughout the day, the 173rd Airborne fought valiantly, determined to hold their ground and drive back the NVA forces. Yet, by the end of the battle, we had suffered heavy casualties: 48 men were killed in action, and around 90 were wounded. These losses hit our unit hard, as each fallen soldier was a brother we had trained, worked, and fought alongside.
After the brutal fight on Hill 65, we assessed the cost on both sides. Our battalion counted, searched, and buried 403 NVA soldiers who had fallen in the engagement. It was a grim task that underscored the heavy toll of the encounter and reminded us of the unyielding resistance faced in Vietnam.
Years later, a tribute song was written to honor those who fought and fell in Operation Hump. A music video accompanying the song poignantly displayed images of each man who was killed in action on that fateful day, ensuring their memory would not fade. This heartfelt tribute to the men of the 1/503, 173rd Airborne Brigade on Hill 65 serves as a lasting reminder of their bravery and the sacrifices made by our battalion on that jungle battlefield.
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