Don Moore

Posts Tagged ‘Big Red 1’

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Capt. Ray Starsman commanded 105 mm Howitzer battery in Vietnam

In Bronze Star, U. S. Army, Vietnam on January 27, 2012 at 4:38 am

Col. Ray Starsman of Punta Gorda Isles is pictured in Vietnam in 1967 when he was a captain in command of Delta Battery, 1st Battalion, 5th Artillery, 1st Infantry Division. He was in charge of six, 105 millimeter Howitzers and the men who serviced the big guns. Photo provided

“I was a 27-year-old captain who commanded Delta Battery, 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery, 1st Division. That battery was the longest serving unit in the history of ‘The Big Red One.’ It went back to the Revolutionary War when its original commander was Alexander Hamilton,” the 72-year-old retired Punta Gorda, Fla. bird colonel said. “That was kinda cool.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Combat engineer in Vietnam recalls the lighter moments in war

In Vietnam War on August 23, 2010 at 5:00 am

1st. Lt. Gordon Quick is pictured in Vietnam when he served with the 588th Combat Engineer Battalion attached to the 1st Division in 1965. Photo provided

Gordon Quick, who lives off Burnt Store Road south of Punta Gorda, Fla. near the county line, served in the 588th Combat Engineer Battalion in Vietnam in 1965-1966. His unit was under command control of the 1st Infantry Division—the “Big Red 1” with division headquarters and the support command located at Di An.

Read the rest of this entry »

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‘Black Lions’ faced death in Vietnam

In U. S. Army, Vietnam War on June 28, 2010 at 6:00 am

Maj. Jim Shelton, author of the book, left, is pictured with Lt. Col. Terry Allen, commander of the “Black Lions,” center, and Sgt. Maj. Francis Dowling. Both Allen and Dowling were killed by the VC at Ong Thanh. Photo provided by Jim Shelton

The ”Black Lions” were looking for a fight. The battalion had been on a search-and-destroy mission for more than a week. Now the men of the 2nd Battalion, 28th Regiment, and 1st Infantry Division were exhausted from chasing the Viet Cong through the jungle 50 miles north of Saigon. Read the rest of this entry »

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He fought Viet Cong in jungles of Vietnam

In Bronze Star, Korean War, Silver Star, Vietnam War on May 10, 2010 at 6:00 am

Lt. Col. Rufus Lazzell of Punta Gorda Isles, Fla., commander of the U.S. Army’s 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division tells Gen. William Westmoreland, commander of American troops in Vietnam, about the fire fight he and his men just had with the Viet Cong while some of the general’s staff listen. The 1967 shootout, in which a number of VC were killed, near Lai Khe, 40 miles north of Saigon. Photo provided

From the looks of him you’d never know Rufus Lazzell is a highly-decorated Airborne Ranger with two wars under his belt. He is a little guy with a matter-of-fact attitude who doesn’t spend much time talking about his military exploits in Korea or Vietnam decades ago. Read the rest of this entry »

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