Army Reporter information
for 4 INF DIV
D/1/10 CAV
For date 680525
4 INF DIV was a US Army unit
D/1/10 CAV was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Pleiku Province, II Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Camp Enari
Description: The following is an edited version of an article titled "Ivy Crew Chief Chases One, Gets 12 NVA - Rocket Cache" from the 25 May 1968 issue. A 4th Inf Div helicopter crew chief recently jumped from his ship, overcame the enemy's fire superiority and initiated an action which cost the enemy 12 dead and a lethal arsenal. The arsenal included 20 122mm rockets, seven AK-47s and three 75mm recoilless rifles in addition to assorted ammunition. Operating a visual reconnaissance mission 10 miles west of Camp Enari, a helicopter form D/1/10th Cav spotted a NVA soldier hiding in a large thicket and went down to investigate. As the helicopter touched down, SP5 Thomas J. Ewing, the ship's crew chief, and his door gunner and a Chieu Hoi interpreter dismounted. They set out to catch what they thought was a single foe. Moments later the three men located and took under fire a far larger number than they had anticipated. The three men reeled, all wounded from the initial barrage. It did not stop Ewing, however. He let loose with a steady stream of M16 fire, and after firing his last shell, returned to the ship to get more. Acquiring the ammunition, the crew chief made his way toward the wounded Chieu Hoi. He lifted the wounded Vietnamese and carried him back to the helicopter, dodging intense enemy fire. Then Ewing realized he was once again low on M16 ammunition. He grabbed an M60 machinegun from the helicopter and went back in the direction of the wounded door gunner. His friend, however had died. Soon the cavalry's aero-rifle platoon, led by 1st Lt. Robert J. Young, was inserted, made immediate contact and completed the routing of the enemy force. When the platoon later swept the area, it uncovered the arsenal of rockets. "It was mainly through Ewing's efforts that we were able to contain the enemy in the immediate area," said WO Riford W. Fowler. The crew chief was given credit for killing four of the NVA soldiers.
Comments: SP5 Ewing, Thomas J.; D/1/10th Cav CE; ;
LT Young, Robert J.; D/1/10th CAV ARP Ldr; ;
WO Fowler, Riford W.; D/1/10th CAV pilot; ;
The source for this information was 6805AR.AVN supplied by Les Hines
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
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Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023