Battle of Phu Huu 2 information
for C/1/9 CAV
B/5/7 CAV
2/20 ARA 1 CAV
From date 661201 to 661203
C/1/9 CAV was a US Army unit
B/5/7 CAV was a US Army unit
2/20 ARA 1 CAV was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Binh Dinh Province, II Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Phu HUU 2
Description: The C/1/9th Cav Blues had spent the night in an ambush position in the Kim Son Valley the night before this battle that would see two different American platoons try to search and clear the fortified village which held three companies from the 18th NVA Regiment. At the beginning of the battle, POWs would latter say their battalion mustered 197 men. Two 1st Cav soldiers received the Medal of Honor in this battle. At 0700H the Blues started moving the final 1K to Phu Huu 2. The platoon started receiving fire as one of its squads moved into the village. SSG Kaneshiro won the Medal of Honor for single handedly clearing several enemy soldiers from a camouflaged trench and bunker system. The platoon leader, CPT Clifford N. Smith, was killed trying to retrieve a wounded soldier. After taking several more casualties, gunships from C Troop fired up the village. One was flown by 1LT Clinton W. Carter. The Blues were able to retreat about 50 away from the village and helicopters were able to extract their wounded by 1030H. During the gunship's attack, all four were hit by enemy fire. One made a forced landing and two had to leave for LZ HAMMOND for repairs. B/5/7th Cav moved 2Ks from their NDP and passed by the Blues at 1400H. The battalion commander was overhead in a C&C ship and directed an ARA team to dump on the village. The ARA ships also received lots of enemy fire. Only one platoon tried to re-enter the village and was hit hard. PFC Lewis ALbanese won the Medal of Honor for killing eight NVA and silencing a major enemy resistence point before he died. Helicopters moved more platoons into smaller LZs around the village all afternoon and into the evening. At 1730H all of the Blues were extracted to LZ HAMMOND to reorganized. The 1st Cav troops sealed the village but a small force had to let 38 NVA move past them at 0300H the next morning. A sweep of the area found 67 dead NVA and several POWs were taken; but it had been a nasty fight.
Comments: CPT Smith, Clifford N.; Blue Platoon Ldr; KIA;
SSG Kaneshiro, Edward N.; SQD LDR; Medal of Honor;
PFC Jones, Hardin; M-79 gunner; ;
SSG Haskett, Willie P.; SQD LDR; ;
PSG Samuel, Lonnie G.; Platoon SGT; ;
SGT Cain, Larry D.; Blue; WIA;
SGT Anselmi, Samuel; SQD LDR; ;
SP4 Ware, Jerry L.; Blue; WIA;
PFC Nelson, Allan J.; Blue; KIA;
PFC Connelly, Clark H.; Blue; WIA;
PFC Martinez, Jorge; Blue; ;
PFC Brown, Ralph S.; Blue; WIA;
SSG Gavaria, George L.; Blue;
PFC Know, Ernest L.; Blue; WIA;
PFC Yates, James; Blue; WIA;
1LT Carter, Clinton W.; C/1/9 CAV pilot; ;
PFC Albanese, Lewis; Medal of Honor; KIA;
The source for this information was Battle for BIRD by SLA Marshall
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
Please send additions or corrections to: Gary Roush Email address: webmaster@vhpa.org
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Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023