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The Battle of Polei Duc

Into the Valley of Tears
22 March 1967




Plei Trap Valley

The Plei Trap Valley is located in Vietnam's Central Highlands, west of the Nam Sathay River and close to the Cambodian border. During the war, the Plei Trap was heavily used as an infiltration route and base area, connecting at its northwestern end with the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail. The area is a torturous place with some of the most difficult terrain imaginable - steep mountains, mist-shrouded valleys, dense jungle coverage. The low-lying areas are overshadowed by rugged mountains, and daylight temperatures soar above 105 degrees. In 1967, potable water was scarce, but insects and other pests - including the enemy - were plentiful.

The Plei Trap had a nickname - the Valley of Tears. And into the Valley of Tears came the men of the 4th Infantry Division.

The 4th's Second Brigade had arrived in Vietnam in August 1966, and the entire Division had closed by mid-September 1966. Between September and the end of the year, 4th ID engaged in heavy jungle training and operations in the coastal plain area of I Corps.

In early January 1967 the 4th Infantry Division moved into the western area of the Central Highlands, determined to engage the North Vietnamese Army's 1st and 10th Divisions. Operation Sam Houston began immediately, with US units clearing the highland plains of Pleiku and Kontum Provinces, preparatory to more substantial campaigns west of the Nam Sathay River.

The 2nd Brigade, 4th ID, crossed the river in mid-February, entering the Valley of Tears. Artillery and air support was difficult due to the terrain and weather conditions. Joined by the 1st Brigade, the 4th Division pushed slowly westwards, hoping to trap the NVA close to the Cambodian border. Instead, they suffered constant ambush in ideal defensive terrain. By mid-March, both brigades began pulling back to the eastern side of the Se Sanh River.

In the last major engagement of Operation Sam Houston, elements of the 1st Bn, 8th Infantry, were employed as blocking forces intended to hamper the movement of NVA forces. On March 21, 1967, Company A and with Company B were dropped by helicopter into Polei Doc to search for a missing Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP). After stopping for the night, the two companies split up. Within 15 minutes of breaking camp on the morning of March 22, Company A came under attack by a North Vietnamese force about three times their size and familiar with the terrain. The NVA attempted to split the company in half.


"We were supposed to be a blocking force against a small unit of NVA that had been spotted by a Recon Team and spotter plane. We choppered out to an LZ on the 21st and proceeded to march towards the NVA force. When we set up our perimeter that night I as well as others were on LP's.

Next morning we set out for the final position and were ambushed by a Battalion sized NVA outfit. The battle started around 7:30 AM and the heaviest fighting ended around 4:30 PM. Lighter fighting continued after 4:30 PM while the choppers were getting the wounded out."
John Nelson, SP4, A/1/8

McNerney moved to the front to assess the situation. He was confronted by heavy machine gun fire and moved forward through it to kill the machine gunner. While returning to his lines he was blown off his feet by a grenade. When he returned to his unit he learned the company commander and all of the officers except 1st Lt. Rick Sauer had been killed or wounded. Within a few minutes, Sauer was incapacitated by gunshot and shrapnel wounds.

Due to the intense action many casualties were not evacuated until late in the afternoon. Company B, several kilometers from Company A, fought all day to reach the unit, reaching them late in the day. Despite his own injuries, McNerney refused to be evacuated and remained with A Company until a new commander arrived the next day.

During the Battle of Polei Doc, A Company's (totaling 108 troops) casualties include 22 men killed in action and 42 wounded, a 60% casualty rate. After the battle, U.S. troops identified 139 NVA KIA around the A 1/8 perimeter, and another 400 NVA graves were located in the area a short time later. As a result of their actions during the battle that day, two men were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, 7 the Silver Star, 25 the Bronze Star, and 65 a Purple Heart. McNerney was awarded the Medal of Honor. To evacuate wounded and bring in fresh supplies, helicopter pilot CWO Donald Rawlinson repeatedly returned to the company's position despite heavy enemy small-arms fire. Lt. Col. Rick Sauer later said, "He came and flew out the wounded. He risked his life multiple times. ... The back of his Huey helicopter was just flowing in blood from continually taking out the wounded people. He did quite a job. " Rawlinson was recognized with the Distinguished Flying Cross and was adopted as a member of A Company by its troops. The battalion was one of the most highly decorated battalions of the Vietnam War. Four members were recognized with Medals of Honor within a 60-day period.


During the fight, Alpha 1/8 suffered 22 men killed in action and an additional 42 wounded - a 75 percent casualty rate. But the greatly outnumbered GIs were not routed by the NVA - they held their ground until relieved and they brought their dead and wounded out with them. Immediately after the battle 139 NVA dead were counted around the A/1/8 position. A subsequent sweep of the area identified approximately 400 NVA graves.

Medal of Honor     Distinguished Service Cross      Silver Star      Bronze Star      Purple Heart     

The day's action brought the men of Alpha 1/8 one Medal of Honor, two Distinguished Service Crosses, seven Silver Stars, a number of Bronze Stars, too many Purple Hearts - and the pride of brotherhood and heroism.


Bravo Company, 1st of the 8th, simultaneously was engaged by a smaller NVA force several hundred meters distant from the A/1/8 position. Although pinned and unable to assist A/1/8, Bravo Company withstood the attacks on their position, sustaining much lighter casualties.

These soldiers of the Ivy Division died that day at Polei Duc

Alpha Company, 1st of the 8th Infantry
PFC Floyd Barker PFC James A Cunningham
PFC Blair E Dennis PFC Ralph Gray
PFC Charles F Harrison PFC Jacob A Horn
PFC Richard D Kaminski PFC Gary M Ladd
SP4 Raul Montes SP4 John A Mott
SGT Timothy X Murphy SP4 Dennis A Prentice
CPT William D Sands SP4 Richard S Sedies
SP4 David Vasquez PFC Ralph M Wentzel
PFC Junior Wilkerson PFC Billy J Witzkoski
PFC John Zupan ARVN Scout (Name unknown)
A Bty, 6th Bn, 29th Fld Arty, FO Team
PFC Jerry L Pickworth 2LT Thomas E Shannon
 
Bravo Company, 1st of the 8th Infantry
SP4 William T Kauffer PFC William J O'Brien
PFC Joseph R Piambino PFC Daniel M Taylor
PFC Robert D Jenkins SP4 Calvin E Schwartz

Remembrance

I remember Vietnam like it was yesterday
And all the soldiers I knew and miss today.
It was March 22nd 1967
when 22 brave men went to heaven.
We were ambushed by a Battalion of NVA
I'll never forget what I saw that day.
We fought for our lives, these men were great
85 Men from A Co First of the Eight
4th Infantry Division. Alpha Company
Ambushed in the Plei Trap Valley,
Forty-two wounded, twenty-two KIA
I know I will never forget that day.
One Medal of Honor, two DSC'S, seven Silver Stars - we made history.
Numerous Bronze Stars, 55 Purple Hearts
These brave men from Alpha company, Never apart
Those 22 killed - they all gave their all
Forever remembered by us and the Wall.

Johnathan Lee Nelson
A 1/8 4ID Vietnam 1966 1967
Deceased 2002

Poem Copyright 2001 Johnathan Nelson>

As noted above, First Sergeant David H. McNerny won the Medal of Honor at Polei Duc. In Bravo 1/8, Platoon Sergeant Bruce Grandstaff was awarded a Silver Star; he would receive a posthumous Medal of Honor for an action on 18 May 1967. Another Bravo 1/8 soldier, Staff Sergeant Frankie Molnar was awarded a Bronze Star at Polei Duc; on 20 May, two days after P/Sgt Grandstaff's death, SSG Molnar would also win a Medal of Honor at the cost of his own life.

Medal of Honor recipient and 4th Infantry Division Veteran David H. McNerney passed away at the age of 79 on October 10, 2010 at the VA Medical Center in Houston, TX. An extraordinary soldier, his four tours of duty in Vietnam--two as an advisor and two as an Infantry Company First Sergeant (1SG) -- spanned most of the years from 1962 through 1969.

1SG McNerney also served two tours in Korea in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, and continued to have a distinguished career in the US Customs Service. His father, Edward McNerney, received the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's second highest award for valor, also while serving as a US Army Infantry Company 1SG in World War I.

1SG McNerney once observed about his family, We all seemed to feel a deep obligation to the United States, probably from our father, who didn't say much, but who certainly set an example as an American." 1SG McNerney humbly summarized his prestigious military service in the Army by saying "I was a professional Soldier."

1SG McNerney MOH

McNerney's Medal of Honor citation reads:

1st Sgt. McNerney distinguished himself when his unit was attacked by a North Vietnamese battalion near Polei Doc. Running through the hail of enemy fire to the area of heaviest contact, he was assisting in the development of a defensive perimeter when he encountered several enemy at close range. He killed the enemy but was painfully injured when blown from his feet by a grenade. In spite of this injury, he assaulted and destroyed an enemy machinegun position that had pinned down 5 of his comrades beyond the defensive line. Upon learning his commander and artillery forward observer had been killed, he assumed command of the company. He adjusted artillery fire to within 20 meters of the position in a daring measure to repulse enemy assaults. When the smoke grenades used to mark the position were gone, he moved into a nearby clearing to designate the location to friendly aircraft. In spite of enemy fire he remained exposed until he was certain the position was spotted and then climbed into a tree and tied the identification panel to its highest branches. Then he moved among his men readjusting their position, encouraging the defenders and checking the wounded. As the hostile assaults slackened, he began clearing a helicopter landing site to evacuate the wounded. When explosives were needed to remove large trees, he crawled outside the relative safety of his perimeter to collect demolition material from abandoned rucksacks. Moving through a fusillade of fire he returned with the explosives that were vital to the clearing of the landing zone. Disregarding the pain of his injury and refusing medical evacuation 1st Sgt. McNerney remained with his unit until the next day when the new commander arrived. First Sgt. McNerney's outstanding heroism and leadership were inspirational to his comrades. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.


- - The Virtual Wall, December 17, 2018

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  12/17/2018