Roll Call of Combatants
At Pleime-Chupong-Iadrang Battlefront

II Corps: Brigadier General Vĩnh Lộc

Colonel Nguyễn Văn Hiếu, Chief of Staff

Colonel Theodore Mataxis, Senior Advisor

Colonel Daniel B. Williams, Assistant Senior Advisor

LTC Lều Thọ Cường, G3

LTC Ngô Tấn Nghĩa, G2

Major William P. Boyle, G2 Advisor

Captain Lương, G2 IPW

24th Special Tactical Zone: Colonel Nguyễn Văn Phước

Colonel Archie Hyle, Advisor

3rd Armored Task Force: Lieutenant Colonel Nguyễn Trọng Luật

Major Lê Văn Tui, Deputy Commander

Lieutenant Brady Thompson, Advisor

2/5th Armored Battalion: Captain Nguyễn Mạnh Lân

2/6 th Armored Battalion: Captain Dư Ngọc Thanh

First Lieutenant Tuyển

21th Ranger Battalion: Captain Nguyễn Văn Sách

Lieutenant Nguyễn Văn Huân, Deputy Commander

Captain Paul Leckinger, Cố Vấn

Company 1: Lieutenant Vòng Lập Dzếnh

Platoon 1: Lieutenant Huỳnh Kim Tắc

Platoon 2: Second Lieutenant Ngô Hoàng Gia

Company 2: Lieutenant Võ Vàng

Platoon 1: Second Lieutenant Trần Quốc Cảnh

Company 3: Second Lieutenant Nguyễn Văn Chính, sử lý thường vụ

Company 4: Lieutenant Nguyễn Thành Banh

Battalion 1/42: Captain Mã Văn Nông

Battalion 22 BĐQ: Captain Phạm Văn Phúc

Camp Pleime: Captain Harold M. Moore - Captain Trần Văn Nhân

Master Sergeant James A. Bussard

Captain Lanny Hunter, bác sĩ

Sergeant Daniel Shea

First Sergeant Sĩ Joseph Bailey

Sergeant Eugene Tafoya

SSgt. J. A. Giezentanner, nurse

SP4 N. R. Walsh, nurse

Sergeant Leo Drake, nurse

Montagnard combattant 12 year olds named John

91th Airborne Ranger: Major Phạm Duy Tất

2nd Company: Captain Từ Vấn,, Company Commander

Project Delta Team: Major Charlie A. Beckwith

Major Charles Thompson, Deputy Commander

Task Force Alpha Marine: Lieutenant Colonel Nguyễn Thành Yên

1st Battalion: Major Tôn Thất Soạn

4th Battalion: Major Nguyễn Thành Trí

Airborne Brigade: Lieutenant Colonel Ngô Quang Trưởng

Major Norman Schwarzkopf, Advisor

Task Force 1: Lieutenant Colonel Ngô Xuân Nghị

3rd Battalion: Major Khiếu Hữu Diêu

5th Battalion: Major Nguyễn Khoa Nam

6th Battalion: Captain Nguyễn Văn Minh

Task Force 2: Lieutenant Colonel Trương Quang Ân

7th Battalion: Major Nguyễn Bá Trước

8th Battalion: Major Nguyễn Văn Thọ

Task Force Ingram: Colonel Earl Ingram, 2/12 Air Cavalry Battalion

1st Air Cavalry Division Forward CP : Brigadier General Richard Knowles

Colonel George Beatty, G3

LTC John A.Hemphil, G3

LTC Bobby Lang, G2

LTC Raymond Kampe, G4

1st Air Cavalry Brigade: Colonel Harlow Clark

Lieutenant Colonel Ruthland Beard, deputy commander

Major Wilmer Hall, S2

1/8 Battalion: Major Guy Eberhardt for LTC Kenneth D. Mertel

Company A: Captain Theodore Danielsen

Platoon 1: Lieutenant Stewart Tweedy

Sergeant Norman G. Welch

Private first class Ronald Luke, radio operator

2/8 Battalion: Lieutenant Colonel James H. Nix

Major Jim Bachman, S3

Captain Richard Slifer, S2

Sergeant Be, interpreter

Company A:

Company B: Captain John Richardson

Platoon 1: Lieutenant John Meyer

Private First Class Tom Mauritz

Squad: Staff Sergeant Steve Colson

Sergeant Robert Padilla

Sergeant John Baer

Private First Class James J. Crafton

Private First Class Rodrigo Gonzalez

Private First Class James L. Allen

Company C: Captain Manley J. Morrison

Platoon 2: Lieutenant James A. Castle

Squad: Sergeant First Class Payton Watson

Squad: Private First Class Donald Pond

Private First Class William Pierce

Platoon 3: Lieutenant Felix King

Platoon Weapons: Lieutenant John Weiss

Private First Class Thomas Maynard

Company D: Captain Samuel P. Linton III

First Lieutenant Franklin Trapnell, executive officer

Recon Platoon: Lieutenant William A. Ward

Sgt 1st Class Clint R. Marshall

Staff Sergeant Harold G. Rose

Sergeant Robert E. Wilson

Sergeant Richard Coffey

Captain Roger McElroy

1/12 Battalion: LTC Robert Shoemaker

Platoon B: Lieutenant Art West

2/12 Battalion: Colonel Earl Ingram

Company A: Captain Eugene Fox

Company B: Captain Graham Avera

Platoon 1: Lieutenant Garry Hoekebe

Squad: Private First Class Laris White

Sergeant Walter B. Oliver

Company C: Captain William O. Childs

2nd Air Cavalry Brigade: Lieutenant Colonel Ray Lynch

1/5 Battalion: Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Arkenson

Company A: Captain George Forrest

Specialist Five Daniel Torrez, aidman

Platoon 1: Second Lieutenant Larry L. Hess

Sergeant Fred S. Kluge

Sergeant Alfred Montgomery

Company B: Captain Walter B. Tully

Sergeant Mack Cox

Private First Class Ralph Ernst

Private First Class Frank Martin

2/5 Battalion: Lieutenant Colonel Robert Tully

Dr Frank Lenoti, surgeon

Company B: Captain Ed Boyt

Platoon 3: Specialist Four Brian Smedecker

Company C: Captain John Fesmire

Company D: Captain Henry Thorp

3rd Air Cavalry Brigade: Colonel Thomas W. Brown

Lieutenant Colonel Edward C. Meyer, deputy commander

Captain John Prichard, assistant S2

Major Henri-Gerard Mallet, S3

1/7 Battalion: Lieutenant Colonel Harold G. Moore

Captain Gregory Dillon, S3

Captain Thomas C. Metsker, S2

Mr. Nik, interpreter

Sergeant Major Basil Plumley

Company A: Captain Ramon Nadal

Sergeant Jack E. Gell, signal

Platoon 1: Second Lieutenant Wayne O. Johnson

Sergeant Raymond Bernard

Sergeant Troy L. Miller

Platoon 2: Second Lieutenant Walter J. Marm

Company B: Captain John D. Herren

Private First Class Dominic Deangelis, radio operator

Platoon 1: Second Lieutenant Alan E. Devney

Platoon 2: Second Lieutenant Henry T. Herrick

Specialist 5 Charles R. Lose, medic

Sergeant Carl Palmer, squad leader

Squad 1: First Sergeant Robert F. Mohr

: Specialist 4 Galen Bungum

: Specialist 4 Michael L. Patterson

Squad 3: Staff Sergeant Clyde E. Savage

Platoon 3: Second Lieutenant Dennis J. Deal

Company C: Captain Robert H. Edwards

Second Lieutenant John W. Arrington

Platoon 1: Second Lieutenant Neil Groger

Platoon 2: Second Lieutenant John L. Geoghegan

Platoon 3: Second Lieutenant William W. Franklin

Company D: Captain Louis R. LeFebvre

Squad: Staff Sergeant George Gonzalez

2/7 Battalion: Lieutenant Colonel Robert Mc Dade

First Lieutenant Donald C. Cornett, ex of

Company A: Captain Joel E. Sugdinis

First Lieutenant S. Lawrence Gwin, ex of

Second Lieutenant Hank Dunn, artillery forward observer

Private First Class Jack Smith

Recon Platoon: Second Lieutenant Pat Payne

Platoon 1: Second Lieutenant Michael N. Mantegna – Sergeant James L. Fisher

Private First Class Toby Braveboy

Platoon 2: Second Lieutenant Gordon A. Grove

SGT John Eade, fire-team leader

Platoon Mortar: Sergeant First Class Braden

Company B: Captain Myron Diduryk

First Lieutenant William L. Lund, forward observer

Platoon 1: Second Lieutenant Cyril R. Rescorla

Platoon 2: Second Lieutenant James L. Lane

Platoon 3: Second Lieutenant William H. Sisson

Company C: Captain John Fesmire

Second Lieutenant Bud Alley, signal

Company D: Captain Henry Thorp

Recon Platoon: SP/4 Russell L. Ross

AT Platoon: SP/4, Bob Towles, gunner

1/9 Air Cavalry Squadron: Colonel John Stockon

Major Robert Zion

Platoon A Troop: Captain Donald A. Valley

Platoon B Troop: Captain John H. Oliver

Sergeant Kilcrease

Chief Warrant Office David L. Ankerberg, heli pilot

Specialist Four Thomas

Platoon C Troop: Captain Charles M. Knowlen

Sergeant Eugene Pennington

Platoon D Troop: Captain John Hanlon

Sergeant Kenneth Riveer

US Artillery

1/21 Artillery: Captain Don Davis

Captain Robert Barker, C battery commander

Captain Dudley Tademy, liaison officer

1st Lieutenant Arthur McPherson, battery executive officer

1st Lieutenant Ralph Fisher, battery fire direction officer

PFC Joe Scarborough, cannoneer

SSGT Fineburg, gun section chief

SSGT Phillips, gun section chief

Cpl Pike, gunner

2/17 Artillery

2/19 Artillery

C 2/20 Artillery: Major Roger Bartholomew

B 6/14 Artillery: Captain Riley J. McVeay

Second Lieutenant Billy G. Wilson, deputy

Helicopter

227th AHB

229th AHB

Company A: Major Bruce P. Crandall

Captain Ed Freeman, second in command

Captain John Mills

Specialist Five Joseph F. Bishop, crew chief

Private First Class Louis J. Cunningham, door gunner

Miscellaneous

Captain Hank Lang, forward air controller

Captain John Avera, artillery forward observer

Brigadier General Jack Wright, assistant division commander for support

LTC John B. Stoner, USAF ALO

Captain Richard S. Sundt, artillery liaison officer

Captain Myron W. Burr, A-1E pilot down on 22/10/65

Captain Melvin C. Elliott, A-1E pilot down on 23/10/65

Captain Dale L. Potter, rescue helicopter pilot

Lieutenant Colonel William A. McLaughlin, commander of 310th Air Commando Squadron

Lieutenant James W. Rosebrough, helicopter pilot

Field Front B3: General Chu Huy Mân

Colonel Quan, Deputy Commander

Colonel Hà Vi Tùng, Chief of Staff (replaced by Bùi Nam Hà after the defeat at Pleime camp?)

B3 Forward Command Post: Lieutenant Colonel Nguyễn Hữu An

Đặng Vũ Hiệp, Political Commissar

Nguyễn Đồng Thoại, Tactical Assistant

Comrade Mác

Comrade Đức

32nd Regiment: Lieutenant Colonel Tô Định Khẩn

Nguyễn Chức, Political Officer

344th Battalion: Prisoner Nguyễn Xuân Liên

635th Battalion:

4th Company: Prisoner Đoàn Ngọc Định

Prisoner Nguyễn Nghệ Thủng

966th Battalion

8th Company: Prisoner Hoàng Văn Chung

33rd Regiment: Lieutenant Colonel Vũ Sắc, Regiment Commander

Major Bá, political officer

Senior Captain Khôi, chief of staff

Senior Captain Định, deputy chief of staff

Senior Captain Liệu, assistant political officer

Prisoner Sergeant Cao Xuân Hải

1er Battalion: Nguyệt, battalion commander

Prisoner Trần Văn Thanh

2nd Battalion: Captain Bùi Dực, battalion commander

Senior Lieutenant Thụ, chief of staff

Captain Khánh, assistant political officer

Lt Khánh, deputy chief of Staff and training operations officer

Aspirant Né, assistant for Rear Service

Senior Sergeant Cật, military medical chief

Senior Sergeant Hữu, financial agent

Sergeant Chính, armorer

2nd Company: rallier Senior Sergeant Lại Văn Cứ, platoon leader of 3rd platoon

3rd Battalion: Lê Văn Xảo, battalion commander

Prisoner Trần Ngọc Lương

Prisoner Nguyễn Xuân Tiên

Signal Company: Prisoner Sergeant Phạm Sâm

Prisoner First Lieutenant Bùi Văn Cường

66th Regiment: Lê Tiến Hoà, Acting Commander

Phạm Công Cửu, Deputy Commander

Vũ Bào, Chief of Staff

Trung Tá La Ngọc Châu, Political Commissar

Nguyễn Nam Khánh, (or Nguyễn Văn Lanh ?) Deputy Political Commissar

Nguyễn Bá Hùng, Chief of Political Sector

7th Battalion: Vũ Đ́nh Thước, 3rd Company leader

Nguyễn Đình Ngây

Prisoner Sergeant Lê Văn Hiền

8th Battalion: Lê Xuân Phôi

Lê Văn Tam, 2nd company commander

Đinh Văn Để, 6th company political officer

Lieutenant Vũ Đình Dư, 8th company political officer

Lieutenant Đoàn Ngọc Đảnh, 7th company commander

1st Lieutenant Nguyễn Xuân Ngạnh, platoon leader

1st Lieutenant Vũ Đức Thắng, platoon leader

Lê Văn Quỳnh

Hà Huy Trọng

Phạm Văn Tiết

Cao Thái Thưởng

Trần Minh Duyên

Lê Khắc Nga

Lê Văn Điều

Đặng Xuân Ba

Nguyễn Đinh Mai

Prisoner Hoàng Thế U

Battalion 9: Nguyển Văn Định

Prisoner Phạm Ngọc Hoàng

References
- Why Pleime
- Plei Me Fight Stands As War Turning Point
- Plei Me Battle
- Seven Days of Zap
- Pleime Through New York Times' View
- Crushing the American Troops in Central Highlands
- The Political Commissar at the First Battle Against the Americans in Central Highlands
- First Engagement With American Troops at Pleime-Iadrang
- NVA 66th Regiment in Pleime-Ia Drang Campaign
- 20 Năm Chiến Sự – Binh Chủng Nhảy Dù
- Pleiku, The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, J.D. Coleman,St Martin's Press, 1988.
- The 33rd Regiment - North Vietnamese Army: Their Story (and the Battle of Binh Bat), Ernest Patrick Chamberlain, 2014

Nguyen Van Tin
21 August 2011

Updated on 3/7/2015

Documents

- Primary

- Books, Articles

* Pleiku, the Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, J.D. Coleman, St. Martin's Press, New York, 1988.

* We Were Soldiers Once… and Young, General Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway, Random House, New York, 1992.

* "First Strike at River Drang", Military History, Oct 1984, pp 44-52, Per. Interview with H.W.O Kinnard, 1st Cavalry Division Commanding General, Cochran, Alexander S.

* The Siege of Pleime, Project CHECO Report, 24 February 1966, HQ PACAF, Tactical Evaluation Center.

* Silver Bayonet, Project CHECO Report, 26 February 1966, HQ PACAF, Tactical Evaluation Center.

- Viet Cong

generalhieu