unit history information
for 361 AWC
23 ARVN DIV

For date 691214


361 AWC was a US Army unit
23 ARVN DIV was a Vietnamese Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Quang Duc Province, II Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Bu Prang
Description: The 361st Escort Company's unit history states that the the fire team of WO1 Charles Moutenot/CPT Ken Otto in the lead ship and WO1 Jack Lease/CPT Tom Grant in the wing ship combined with the 1st Bn/53d ARVN Regt to trap an enemy company and kill a comfirmed 38 NVA, capture one plus seven AK-47s and one 57mm RR. The Panthers worked to keep the enemy pinned down while the ARVN moved around the enemy and blocked their escape route. The coordination necessary for this operation was outstanding with a Pteradactyl pilot, CPT John Strange, an O-1 Observation pilot directing much of the Panthers' fire in conjunction with the ARVN advisor. The Panthers worked over the NVA for nearly four hours and expended fully three times onto the enemy positions. This action took place in a running battle just to the northwest of the Bu Prang Special Forces Camp. In action in the infamous Happy Valley area, to the southeast of Ban Me Thuot, an enemy stronghold throughout the entire war, the Panthers with WO1 Jack Lease/CPT Brain Sweet and WO1 Charles Moutenot/CPT Ken Otto, along with Pterydactyl pilot CPT Dyson, found VC in the open and killed a confirmed 10 enemy in a rare encounter. Basically, in the open, they had no change against the Cobras.
Comments: WO1 Moutenot, Charles; team leader; ; CPT Otto, Ken; pilot; ; WO1 Lease, Jack; wing AC; ; CPT Grant, Tom; pilot; ; CPT Sweet, Brain; pilot; ; CPT Strange, John; Pteradactyl pilot; ; CPT Dyson; Pteradactyl pilot; ;

The source for this information was 1969 Annual Sup Unit Hist by CPT Manns provided by Bettie Lou Jordan 1998


Additional information is available on CD-ROM.

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Date posted on this site: 05/13/2023