photo #2035070

ON THIS DATES IN MARINE HISTORY MAY 11,12 AND 13, 1969Hotel and Golf Companies 2nd Battalion 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division were preforming a sweeping operating in what we called the Arizonian Territory about 21 miles southeast of DaNang, Vietnam. It was just after the Easter Cease Fire and enemy activity in the area was light. Or so I was told. Then at 11:30 on the 11th of May Golf and Hotel companies were both hit simultaneously by an endless wave of North Vietnamese regulars. The enemy fired mortars into the CPs of both Golf and Hotel companies killing several of their officers and Corpsmen. Then at 0001 the enemy tried to over run the Marines with a massive wave of North Vietnamese Regulars. By about 0300, or there about, most of the Marines in both Golf and Hotel had run out of ammo and were forced into hand to hand combat with the enemy. One Marine gunner a Lance Corporal Armstrong after running out of ammo put down his M-60 and rushed the enemy with nothing more than his E-Tool killing about 100 North Vietnamese. The other Marines also dropped their weapons, picked up whatever they could and began attacking the enemy. When the sun rose in the morning the rice paddies were laden with the bodies of the North Vietnamese Soldiers who had been killed that night by the Marines. Marine casualties were somewhat light as the Marines held off the enemy. It has been reported that the Marines of Hotel Company had killed some 230 North Vietnamese that first night. (Stars and Stripes)During the day on the 12th of May the Marines of Golf and Hotel companies learned that AnHoa had also been hit by the North Vietnamese. And that they could be hit again so they reinforced their positions using the bodies of the North Vietnamese they had killed during the previous night's action. Throughout the day the Marines were unable to be resupplied as the resupply choppers would come under heave enemy small arms fire and driven back to DaNang. Although a couple of choppers were able to withstand the withering small gun fire to deliver their supply of ammunition and C-Rations. Unable get reinforcements as well as evacuate their dead and wounded the Marines prepared for another night's action. The Marines had dug secondary positions 10 feet behind their primary defensive positions. Than shortly after dark the Marines moved to their secondary positions and waited for the enemy attack.Then at 0001 the North Vietnamese struck by first firing mortars into the Marines primary positions with amazing accuracy. That was followed up by a massive wave attack at 0030. Only this time the Marines had a guardian angle in the night's skies above protecting them. They were 2 C-130s with 16 mini guns and 18 hours of illumination each. They were called Spooky. The Enemies worst nightmare. Just prior to the battle the Marines were ordered to alternate as one Marine was to crouch down in the bottom of their Fox Hole with a lit cigarette while the other Marine fired his M-16 at the enemy. This was to let Spooky know where the Marine's positions were. That way the Marines were also able to maintain a continuous stream of fire at the enemy. By the time Spooky broke off from the battle at about 0500 the enemy had already started to break off from the battle also leaving the Marines to fight off the final wave of North Vietnamese.During the day on the 13th of May Hotel company was ordered to sweep along the river bank across the river from AnHoa to locate the enemy's night time position that they were using to fire mortars, rockets and 105 recoiless rifles at AnHoa from. At about 1400 the Marines from Hotel 2/5 located the enemy's position and relaid the coordinates to the Battery at AnHoa. Then the Hotel Marines returned to their company position and prepared for the night's action. At exactly 0030 as anticipated by the Marines the enemy began their attack. Only this time without firing mortars first. Wave after wave of North Vietnamese soldiers sacrificed themselves to the withering fire from the Marines. Then just as suddenly as it had started at about 0430 it was all over.Out numbered, completely surrounded and cut off the Marines of Golf and Hotel companies stood their ground as they repelled an enemy force of 5,000 North Vietnamese Regulars killing all but 2 of the North Vietnamese soldiers one of whom died of his injuries on the Ho Chi Min Trail. That according to the Vietnamese government. The Marines suffered heavy losses as they went from 2 Marine Companies reinforced or 360 Marines to about 45 Marines left standing by the battle's end.This was my first of several battles yet to come for me and my Marines of Hotel 2/5. I was flown out to the Bush during the Easter Cease Fire and had gotten my first 3 confirmed enemy kills about a week before this battle while we were sweeping the Arizona. Just after the fighting was over on May 14.1969 it was discovered that I had contracted some unknown disease and had a temp of 1.04. Unable to medivac me out right away I staid out in the Bush until we could get another Medivac Chopper to fly me back to 1st Med in DaNang. Those of us who fought this battle dubbed it the Mother's Day massacre because that was the battle where we decimated the enemy and showed the North Vietnamese we were there to stay.