The pictures of the air strike were taken in the afternoon, on 28 October l968, in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam. The air strike (F-4 Phantoms or F-l05 Thunderbirds) was in support of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Air Cavalry Division. This was the day that SP4 Jay Wayne Parola was killed in action (KIA).
The following is a summary of events for 27- 28 October l968, which ends with the air strike:
On 27 October l968, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Air Cavalry Division was conducting operations, in the rolling foothills near LZ Nancy, Quang Tri Province, Vietnam. During this period I was the 3rd Platoon Leader of Company A. We had just come down from the mountains where we had been patrolling out of LZ/FSB’s Mooney and Miguel. We started the day, 27 October 1968, with an early awakening, from the ‘chunking’ sound of our 50 Cal Machine Gun after an undetermined number of the Peoples Army Vietnam/North Vietnamese (PAVN) Soldiers approached our Forward Operating Base (FOB), a perimeter defense, which was located, on the left side, near the top of a draw. The PAVN Soldiers were moving up the draw and set off a trip flare within 50 meters or less, from the FOB. They were taken under fire, by the 50 Cal MG first and immediately followed by all other small arms fire, which were facing toward the kill zone. The engagement lasted only briefly and sounded about like the famous MAD minute that we frequently employed. The MAD minute was the term used when everyone fired his weapon for a minute, which started exactly the same time following a countdown and lasted for one minute. The 50 Cal MG was positioned in my 3rd Platoon sector. Usually, if situation permitted, we would bring the crew-served weapons, such as the 50 Cal, 8lmm Mortars, 90mm Recoilless Rifles, into our FOB in the evenings and backhaul them the following morning. Captain James Mace (Company A Commander), as I recall, had instituted a policy of having the Weapons Platoon carry a 60mm Mortar, which remained with the company at all times. Soon after the engagement and it became light enough to see, I, along with others, approached the kill zone. As I approached the kill zone, I saw two PAVN KIA’s, that were about 30 feet apart. In between them was a large clump of grass. I thought to myself and probably said aloud that there could be someone behind that clump of grass. I fired two rounds or maybe three into the clump of grass, from only about l0 feet away. I had an M-79 man fire several High Explosive (HE) rounds down the draw, in the direction the PAVN’s retreated. Everything was quiet and suddenly a PAVN Soldier stood up, from behind that clump of grass, with his AK-47. I reacted by jumping him and taking him to the ground, before he could do anything. About the time, I took him to the ground, Captain Mace landed on top of me, while I was relieving the PAVN Soldier of his AK-47. I still remember Capt Maces’ words “What’s going on here” and my reply was I believe “This is a mean one”. I’ve often wondered how I could have fired 2-3 rounds into that clump of grass without hitting that man. After searching and policing the area, we returned to the FOB, a tracking team came in on the LOG Bird, which was bringing in a hot meal. That morning, I led the 3rd Platoon on patrol. The Battalion Chaplain accompanied the 3rd Platoon. We had only traveled about 300-400 yards when enemy contact was made. The point man, SP4 Flickinger, was hit in the stomach by one or more rounds fired from an AK-47 or SKS. My 3rd Platoon immediately returned suppressive fire and the enemy fled. I stopped the Platoon, set up security and SP4 Flickinger was almost immediately evacuated. In this particular area, there was very little difficulty, in landing a Helicopter because of the small trees and open areas. SP4 Flickinger was the only person wounded, as I recall, during this engagement. After SP4 Flickinger was evacuated, my 3rd Platoon checked the area and found several bunkers that had just recently been evacuated probably early that morning and had left a delaying force behind. That was probably where the PAVN’s were going when they ran into our FOB. I returned with the 3rd Platoon to the FOB later where we spent another night. On the morning of 28 October 1968, after having our usual hot meal and the backhaul went out, on the Log Bird, carrying the crew-served weapons and etc. I remember SP4 Parola being one of the servers in the Chow line that morning. After the backhaul was completed, we saddled up and went on our usual daily patrol. The captured PAVN Soldier was with the Company and, as I recall, we got some intelligence information from him through our Kit Carson (SGT Kahn). My 3rd Platoon’s Operation Order that morning was to move out in a different direction/area than the remainder of Company A. Company A, minus my 3rd Platoon, moved out in the direction of the area where my 3rd Platoon had made contact the previous day. SP4 Parola was walking point for the lead Platoon. I don’t remember the Platoon that he was with, but I believe SP4 Parola had just recently been transferred to that Platoon from, I think, Weapons Platoon and I believe he had requested to walk point. He had just received notification that his extension (6 months), on his tour of duty in Vietnam, had been approved. Company A, minus my 3rd Platoon had traveled for approximately 500 meters when SP4 Parola was hit and KIA. My 3rd Platoon was approximately 300-400 meters, from the main body, at the time. Company A, led by SP4 Parola and his Platoon was approaching a Y in the trail and there were two PAVN Soldiers waiting in ambush, with their position (foxhole) in the Y. My 3rd Platoon was ordered to link up with the Company at this point. I presume there were two PAVN’s in that ambush position, since there were both AK-47 and M-l6 brass laying in the foxhole. Of course, the M-16 brass was from a M-l6 that had probably been captured from U. S. Forces previously. The ground was almost level along the trail, with a slight depression, where SP4 Parola had fallen. He managed to get off two or three magazines of ammo before succumbing. Soon after this engagement and after moving just a short distance, is where the air strike took place and I took the picture.
About a month after SP4 Parola was KIA, Captain Mace, got a letter from SP4 Parolas’ mother. As I recall, while at a Platoon Leader/Platoon Sergeant meeting, Capt Mace passed the letter around for all to read. In the letter SP4 Parolas’ mother stated that he, SP4 Parola, was her third son to have been KIA in Vietnam. As I recall, one of them was a Captain. Everyone were instructed to check with everyone who knew him, to see if he had mentioned previously about loosing two brothers and I don’t think he had revealed such information. As I recall, Capt Mace said, “Had I known that, I would not have approved his 6-month extension”. The event was very sad to say the least and there will always be lasting memories with me.