| |
NAVIGATION
|
|
|
|
|
Webmaster's Note: Lieutenant
Chris Sprole was awarded the Silver Star - the nation's third highest
award for his heroic actions in helping to rescue the beleaguered recon
platoon. When asked about the medal, Lt. Sprole made it clear that he
was no more a hero than the men with whom he served. In Lt. Sprole's
words, "...For this action I was awarded a Silver Star. But really my
guys should also have received Stars." |
|
|
|
 "Very
early of the morning of May 12 Cpt. Ward gave us our operation plan
while it was still dark. Our mission was to go rescue a platoon which
was overrun that night. We were using trucks, Vietnamese Navy boats,
and of course humping to get to these guys. I think it was just past
first light when we got off the trucks near a village along a canal. I
remember the locals starting to pack up just as we arrived. I advised
Bob Ward of this (not a good sign)..." |
|
Lt. Chris Sprole (Part 2)
|
| "The
boats arrived soon but that village was now a ghost town. The boats
were small landing craft like the ones in WWII. As I recall 3rd Platoon
with Lt Dennis Harrison went on the first boat. 1st Platoon was on the
second boat and Capt. Ward and Lt Bob Caltabino were on the third boat.
We started out not that far apart. It seemed we only went 300 yards and
Harrison's boat got hit from both sides of the canal. We also came
under fire and the Navy guy got hit in the back. We all returned fire
with PFC Kiminski getting one bad guy with his M79. The boat driver
being some what in pain would not beach the thing so he and I exchanged
some pleasantries with my M16 almost up his nose to hit the beach. I
believe two of Harrison's guys were KIA and I am sure he and several
others were wounded. We got the dust off's going right away and the bad
guys disengaged. Once Capt. Ward got to where we got off the boats all
the KIA and wounded were evacuated, and we started across dry open rice
patties to help out the other Platoon. .." |
|
Lt. Chris Sprole (Part 3)
|
| "I
can't remember how we got the guys who were hurt and killed on the
choppers but soon after we continued our mission to help out that
platoon. Bob Ward was not sure if they were still in contact with the
bad guys. We crossed about 500 meters to the north of where we beached
the boats. It was on dry rice patties really a walk in the park until
we got to those men. They were no longer a platoon. I remember a squad
maybe five guys. 1st Platoon was on point so I got to the men first.
They were rattled at best they told us to get down fast. The NVA were
in a wood line about 200 meters just to the north. Their Platoon
Sergeant was laying in the open badly wounded so I took a couple guys
to bring him back under some cover. Just as we started toward the
Sergeant the woodline opened up with small arms fire. With a lot of
hugging the ground we got the guy who was already dead. We then took
the remaining members of the squad back towards the company line behind
a rice patty dyke. We called in all kinds of Arty, Gunships and Air
Strikes on the wood line..." |
|
Lt. Chris Sprole (Part 4)
|
| "Once
we pulled back behind the dike we called in atry and an air strike on
the wood line. Once all that was over Capt. Ward gave orders to assault
the wood line where the NVA were dug in. 2nd Platoon was on my left. I
think we held 3rd back as Denny Harrison was now gone. As we entered
the wood line both Platoons came under heavy fire. We got lucky because
we crossed a line of bunkers. So as they came up out of several holes
we were able to get them from behind. Soon however we got bogged down
as 2nd Platoon really got hit. I again got lucky as I ended up in a 155
creater. That's when SP4 Ken Olson got shot and saved his fire team by
falling on a grenade. He was well liked. We then got the word from Bob
Ward to pull back out of that wood line..." |
|
Dedicated to those who died that day
|  |
|
