Bud Gibson

In March 1969 , a Michigan reconnaissance team led by Eldon Bargewell (pic 1) infiltrated the northwestern Asho Valley in South Vietnam. Their mission was to reconnoiter the North Vietnamese People's Army (NSB) command posts and communication stations, preparing for a subsequent attack by a Tomahawk force led by Jerry “Mad-Dog” Shriver (picture2) (a common SOG tactic, typically involving a small recon team scouting the target area before a larger, heavily armed Tomahawk force assaults it). At noon that day, the reconnaissance team was attacked by North Vietnamese mortar fire as soon as they landed from their helicopters. One soldier, wearing a green beret, was wounded. Bargewell ordered the helicopter to evacuate the wounded to base. After the helicopter left, the North Vietnamese shelling ceased, presumably assuming the team had retreated. The reconnaissance team had only traveled a few hundred meters when they discovered a cluster of North Vietnamese bunkers. While the bunkers were empty, they unexpectedly found numerous maps and documents detailing North Vietnamese supply points, shelters, and other locations. This intelligence would undoubtedly allow the U.S. military to inflict significant losses on the North Vietnamese. The reconnaissance team continued searching the vicinity. During their search, Bargewell found an AK-47 and a bullet pouch near a bunker . He had been wanting to take some souvenirs home, so he gave the AK-47 to one of his men, a local villager, and put the bullet pouch with the magazine on himself. He then led three men up the mountain to continue reconnaissance, while the others covered the rear. After climbing about 40 meters, they discovered 5-6 North Vietnamese soldiers playing cards around a table. Just as the reconnaissance team approached to capture them, a North Vietnamese soldier spotted them. The M79 marksman in the reconnaissance team opened fire, attempting to wound and capture one of them alive. However, the angle of fire was too high, and several North Vietnamese soldiers retreated into the bunker. Just as Bargewell rushed into the bunker, a North Vietnamese soldier fired at him. A bullet struck him in the chest, knocking him to the ground. After lying there for several minutes, he realized he wasn't dead, but in excruciating pain. It turned out that the magazine in his chest pouch had stopped the bullet. At this moment, the M79 gunner fired another shot into the bunker, covering Bargewell's retreat and allowing him to rejoin the rearguard. Embarrassed, Bargewell didn't tell the others about his recent experience. The deputy captain contacted forward air traffic controllers on the radio, requesting them to notify the Tomahawk troops to come and assist, but was told they wouldn't be able to arrive immediately. Bargewell then decided to return to the bunker himself. Inside, the reconnaissance team discovered a large amount of maps and intelligence. As their search deepened, they found various weapons, ammunition, equipment, and supplies. Each member of the reconnaissance team was fully loaded with these items and boarded a helicopter to return to base. Bargewell remained silent about being shot until he returned to his barracks. In a daze, he told his roommate that he had been shot in the chest by an AK-47 . He took off his sling, pulled out a magazine with a bullet hole, and gently shook it; bullets tumbled out. The following morning, Bargewell was informed that the intelligence brought back by the Michigan reconnaissance team was of extremely high value, and the U.S. military would send B-52 bombers to bomb the area. Later, Maddog 's Tomahawk force arrived in the area, drove out the North Vietnamese troops, and captured a large amount of supplies . It took 15 helicopters to bring all the spoils back to base.

Just had the Team Sgt for ODA 523 (RT SOUTH CAROLINA vet Carlos Parker’s old ODA) call me to chat. The team is wanting me to come up to Ft. Campbell for a tour of the ranges, the BJJ gym , team room and the Hall of Heroes. Gotta say this wasn’t on my life bingo card lol