Thanks, Zofo. An interesting site. This site covered a time period ['70-'71]after I got out of the service. Also, the 101st had changed some by then. These units [1-2/501] weren't in-country when I was there [JUN66-JUN67]. At that time, it was only one brigade. This consisted of 1-2/327, 2/502, 320th Arty, and 326th Eng.. The rest of the division started coming over from Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, in late '67.
2nd Lt. Joe Hooper, mentioned in one of the articles on the site, was the most decorated soldier to come out of the VN War. By the time of the incident mentioned in the article, he was probably on about his 3rd tour. He was an officer by coming up through the ranks. Unlike his WWI and WWII counterparts [Sgt. Alvin York and Audie Murphy], there was never any books written about him or any movies made about him. He went pretty much unknown to the American public, and probably to most VN Vets. A sad statement on the times. Like Audie Murphy, I think his wounds kept him from a military career. Unfortunately Joe Hooper is deceased, having passed away several years ago at a relatively early age. I don't recall the cause.
The Vietnamese scout who had been an NVA soldier mentioned in one of the articles, was one of many called Kit Carsons. These were enemy soldiers who had defected under the Chieu Hoi [Open Arms] Program. Some of them were retrained and attached to U.S. and Allied units. I guess many of them, like the one cited, were quite effective, knowing how their former comrades moved and operated. Personally, I was kind of leary of them. Alot of us figured that if they turned once, on their own countrymen, they could do it again on a former enemy. It was never personally founded in fact, just the way some of us felt. The one mentioned in the article was awarded a Bronze Star w/V device for valor. I think this is the highest American citation that can be awarded to a foreigner for valor. I could be wrong on this.
I hope this info makes the site alittle more interesting for you.
