Post by Frank Reyes SSG Ret on Mar 29, 2005 22:10:03 GMT -5
Charlie Co, 14th Combat Engineer
“The Ambush”
October 17, 1970
My name is Frank Reyes; I was assigned to Charlie Co.14th Combat Engineers on October 17, 1970, the day started off pretty much like any other. We had formation at 05:45am at which time each platoon was given its assignments for the day.1st platoon was given point as usual. After breakfast, SSG Tom Scott and I took off about a ½ hour prior to the rest of the company. Tom and I were the point men. We had been walking point for the last 7 months and everybody let us. I guess because we both like walking point. We had just passed check point #7 when Tom mentioned that something was wrong. I asked what was bugging him and he said, look out in the rice paddies, that there was no one out there. Not normal, because there were always people from the village working in the rice paddies or kids playing all over the place. They’re was not anyone any where to be found. SSG. Scott made a sit/rep (situation report) to our TOC (tactical operation center) to let our new company commander Capt. Raymond Morse knows what was going on. We couldn’t get a hold of him for what ever reason and so we stop at check point #10 to wait for the rest of the company. We knew that 1st platoon was in the lead position and that the Heavy equipment guys from the 59th Land Clearing were right behind them, the Dozer’s, The Graders, Bucket loaders and then the 5 ton’s. Tom and I were sitting in this culvert because we both had this bad feeling that something was really wrong.SSG.Tom Scott first spotted a couple of guys who were doing the mine sweeping and then we both saw the lead jeep with Sp/4 John Zager and a Sergeant whose name I don’t recall at this time, Come around check point #8.That’s when all hell broke loose. We both saw him take a hit, we found out later he John was hit 3 times, once in the head and twice in the chest. He died instantly. The Sergeant was hit twice in the chest, but survived. Mainly because he was wearing his flax jacket. The dozer directly behind the jeep hit a land mine and Norman Crane was blown off his dozer, landed about 20 feet away. But took some shrapnel over 70% of his lower body. We could hear over our PRC 25 that the rear guard was being hit, the enemy had ambushed the rear of our convoy and taken out the last two 5 ton’s to block any method of our escape. They had us boxed in good. We could hear Sp/4 Shirley Koskela from 2nd platoon over his PRC 25 radio screaming that we were being hit and hit hard. He was also screaming that our primary Medic, had jumped off the back of a 5 ton and landed on a land mine. He was going to run up front to render aid to our wounded, we again later learned that he did survived his wounds. At this time we could see SSG Turner and SSG Matthew’s screaming at the rest of the company to get the hell off the trucks and set up into a defensesive position to start repelling enemy fire. We could also see guys coming forward to render assistant, but the fire power that was coming from the enemy was over powering at this time, we had RPG’s, mortars, AK fire coming from both sides of the road. SSG Scott told me that we needed to get down there and help out. But just then we heard SSG Turner scream at us to stay down because they had us pinned down pretty good, which was true, because every time we started to get up, we took fire something crazy. We couldn’t move. Then we saw
Sp/4 J.J. Quinn get up and start running tower us and then took a hit to the chest, he was dead before he hit the ground. We could still hear the SP/4 Koskela over his radio, informing our tact center of what was happing on Barbara Road; we knew that they were still taking a tremendous amount of heat from the enemy. As it turned out, SP/4 S.Koskela had the ONLY working PRC 25 radio that was in communication with FSB Nancy. We learned later that Lt. Gribble and Sgt Bruce Kennedy were pinned down by heavy enemy fire while trying to direct the of the rest company to dismount all the vehicles and start repelling enemy fire. A squad of Duster’s with quad 50’s showed up from who knows where to also help repel the enemy fire. By the time SSG Scott and I made our way down Barbara road, we decided to go behind check point#10. Everything was pretty much over by then and we were in the process of cleaning up. Our secondary Medic Sp/4 Mark Tuggle was busy as hell; He was pretty shaken up because he and Hoppy had been real close friends. Our X.O Lt.Gribble started getting our people out and on E-Vac choppers to the nearest MASH. Which was the 18th MASH in Quang Tri?At this time 1st Sgt Smith and Lt Gribble told SSG Scott and myself to Bag and Tag all our dead so we could take them home for a proper burial. By the time all this was done, we had 2 KIA’s. SSG Turner told Sp/5 Tony Eschuk to dig a hold with his Bucket loader so we could dump all the dead NVA bodies into it. He released the 1/39th Artillery and sent the rest of the company back to FSB Nancy. He held our platoon back to police up all the dead. Sp/5 Eschuk had to dig 3 holes so we could bury all the dead off to the side of the road next to Check point # 7 threw 10.After we got back to FSB Nancy to get cleaned up and go to the TOC for debriefing. This is when we learned of who we lost, and who was wound. The debriefing consisted of, who was where and what was done wrong. At that time, we were informed, that key personnel were considered for certain commendations and a few medals. SSG. Turner, SSG Matthews, for there leadership while under heavy enemy fire.Sp/4 Shirley Koskela for remaining in Constance communication and rendering aid while under heavy enemy fire. Lt. Gribble for his leadership. There were others who were told of this also. It’s taken all of us a great deal of time to come to terms with what happen that day. None of us realized how bad some of the guys had been hurting emotionally. You see, John and J.J. were more than just our friends. They were family. What occurred that day many years ago, still to this day has a lasting emotional effect on those of us who were there and witnessed a tremendous lost of life, of two men that we called our friends.
Thank You
Sincerely
Frank Reyes
Charlie Co 14th Combat Engineers
18th Engineer Brigade, 45th Group.
Republic of South Vietnam
1969-1971
“The Ambush”
October 17, 1970
My name is Frank Reyes; I was assigned to Charlie Co.14th Combat Engineers on October 17, 1970, the day started off pretty much like any other. We had formation at 05:45am at which time each platoon was given its assignments for the day.1st platoon was given point as usual. After breakfast, SSG Tom Scott and I took off about a ½ hour prior to the rest of the company. Tom and I were the point men. We had been walking point for the last 7 months and everybody let us. I guess because we both like walking point. We had just passed check point #7 when Tom mentioned that something was wrong. I asked what was bugging him and he said, look out in the rice paddies, that there was no one out there. Not normal, because there were always people from the village working in the rice paddies or kids playing all over the place. They’re was not anyone any where to be found. SSG. Scott made a sit/rep (situation report) to our TOC (tactical operation center) to let our new company commander Capt. Raymond Morse knows what was going on. We couldn’t get a hold of him for what ever reason and so we stop at check point #10 to wait for the rest of the company. We knew that 1st platoon was in the lead position and that the Heavy equipment guys from the 59th Land Clearing were right behind them, the Dozer’s, The Graders, Bucket loaders and then the 5 ton’s. Tom and I were sitting in this culvert because we both had this bad feeling that something was really wrong.SSG.Tom Scott first spotted a couple of guys who were doing the mine sweeping and then we both saw the lead jeep with Sp/4 John Zager and a Sergeant whose name I don’t recall at this time, Come around check point #8.That’s when all hell broke loose. We both saw him take a hit, we found out later he John was hit 3 times, once in the head and twice in the chest. He died instantly. The Sergeant was hit twice in the chest, but survived. Mainly because he was wearing his flax jacket. The dozer directly behind the jeep hit a land mine and Norman Crane was blown off his dozer, landed about 20 feet away. But took some shrapnel over 70% of his lower body. We could hear over our PRC 25 that the rear guard was being hit, the enemy had ambushed the rear of our convoy and taken out the last two 5 ton’s to block any method of our escape. They had us boxed in good. We could hear Sp/4 Shirley Koskela from 2nd platoon over his PRC 25 radio screaming that we were being hit and hit hard. He was also screaming that our primary Medic, had jumped off the back of a 5 ton and landed on a land mine. He was going to run up front to render aid to our wounded, we again later learned that he did survived his wounds. At this time we could see SSG Turner and SSG Matthew’s screaming at the rest of the company to get the hell off the trucks and set up into a defensesive position to start repelling enemy fire. We could also see guys coming forward to render assistant, but the fire power that was coming from the enemy was over powering at this time, we had RPG’s, mortars, AK fire coming from both sides of the road. SSG Scott told me that we needed to get down there and help out. But just then we heard SSG Turner scream at us to stay down because they had us pinned down pretty good, which was true, because every time we started to get up, we took fire something crazy. We couldn’t move. Then we saw
Sp/4 J.J. Quinn get up and start running tower us and then took a hit to the chest, he was dead before he hit the ground. We could still hear the SP/4 Koskela over his radio, informing our tact center of what was happing on Barbara Road; we knew that they were still taking a tremendous amount of heat from the enemy. As it turned out, SP/4 S.Koskela had the ONLY working PRC 25 radio that was in communication with FSB Nancy. We learned later that Lt. Gribble and Sgt Bruce Kennedy were pinned down by heavy enemy fire while trying to direct the of the rest company to dismount all the vehicles and start repelling enemy fire. A squad of Duster’s with quad 50’s showed up from who knows where to also help repel the enemy fire. By the time SSG Scott and I made our way down Barbara road, we decided to go behind check point#10. Everything was pretty much over by then and we were in the process of cleaning up. Our secondary Medic Sp/4 Mark Tuggle was busy as hell; He was pretty shaken up because he and Hoppy had been real close friends. Our X.O Lt.Gribble started getting our people out and on E-Vac choppers to the nearest MASH. Which was the 18th MASH in Quang Tri?At this time 1st Sgt Smith and Lt Gribble told SSG Scott and myself to Bag and Tag all our dead so we could take them home for a proper burial. By the time all this was done, we had 2 KIA’s. SSG Turner told Sp/5 Tony Eschuk to dig a hold with his Bucket loader so we could dump all the dead NVA bodies into it. He released the 1/39th Artillery and sent the rest of the company back to FSB Nancy. He held our platoon back to police up all the dead. Sp/5 Eschuk had to dig 3 holes so we could bury all the dead off to the side of the road next to Check point # 7 threw 10.After we got back to FSB Nancy to get cleaned up and go to the TOC for debriefing. This is when we learned of who we lost, and who was wound. The debriefing consisted of, who was where and what was done wrong. At that time, we were informed, that key personnel were considered for certain commendations and a few medals. SSG. Turner, SSG Matthews, for there leadership while under heavy enemy fire.Sp/4 Shirley Koskela for remaining in Constance communication and rendering aid while under heavy enemy fire. Lt. Gribble for his leadership. There were others who were told of this also. It’s taken all of us a great deal of time to come to terms with what happen that day. None of us realized how bad some of the guys had been hurting emotionally. You see, John and J.J. were more than just our friends. They were family. What occurred that day many years ago, still to this day has a lasting emotional effect on those of us who were there and witnessed a tremendous lost of life, of two men that we called our friends.
Thank You
Sincerely
Frank Reyes
Charlie Co 14th Combat Engineers
18th Engineer Brigade, 45th Group.
Republic of South Vietnam
1969-1971