"Someone You Should Know"

Via Jonathan

 

 Sergeant First Class Lawrence Joel, United States Army
Medal of Honor
22 Feb 1928 – 04 Feb 1984

On this day in 1965, elements of the U.S. 173rd Airborne Brigade and the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, numbering around 400 men, came into violent contact with over 1200 Viet Cong.

At about 06:00 on 8 November C Company began a move northwest toward Hill 65, while B Company moved northeast toward Hill 78. Shortly before 08:00, C Company was engaged by a sizeable enemy force, well dug in to the southern face of Hill 65, armed with machine guns and shotguns. At 08:45, B Company was directed to wheel in place and proceed toward Hill 65 with the intention of relieving C Company, often relying on fixed bayonets to repel daring close range attacks by small bands of masked Vietcong fighters. (Shotguns and masked?  Strikes me as strange)

B Company reached the foot of Hill 65 at about 09:30 and moved up the hill. It became obvious that there was a large enemy force in place on the hill, C Company was suffering heavy casualties, and by chance, B Company was forcing the enemy's right flank.

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