Screaming Eagles Through Time
May 1971













Home





















May 1 - Colonel Edmond P. Abood became Division Support Command commander of the 101st.

May 7 - Colonel George C. Viney became Chief of Staff for the 101st.

May 15 - Co.'s C & D, 2nd Bn., 506th Inf., discover a regiment sized NVA basecamp six miles south of FB Ripcord. The basecamp included 30 huts, 65 bunkers with overhead cover and several caves. Altogether 9 mortar rounds, 26 B-40 rockets, 70 lbs. of explosives, 3 automatic weapons, and 5,000 small arms rounds were found within the complex. The huts and bunkers were destroyed by explosives before the "Currahee" troopers withdrew.

May 17 - The 3rd Bn., 506th Inf., stood down today after three and one half years of proud service in Vietnam. The "Currahee" battalion participated in 16 major combat operations during their South East Asian stay, including last year's dramatic thrust into Cambodia which resulted in the destruction of NVA sanctuaries and staging areas.

May 18 - A "Pink Team" from C Trp., 2nd Sqdn., 17th Cav., observed 25 NVA soldiers south of FB Rifle. Despite intense ground fire the helicopter engaged the enemy force and killed seven.

May 21 - Chaplain (CPT) Jimmy Young and SFC R.C. Henry, 326th Engineer Bn., led the defense of FB Rifle against a midnight mortar and sapper attack. The two hour battle ended with eight NVA killed and only one American fatality. Infantrymen from C Co, 1st Bn., 501st Inf., joined in repulsing the surprise enemy assault.
Earlier today, Co. D, 1st Bn., 506th Inf., discovered 18 NVA built huts, including two mess halls and a medical dispensary, in the triple canopy jungle near FB Ripcord. Also found in the area were 50 105mm arttillery rounds, 3 B-40 rockets, and other miscellaneous equipment.

May 22 - Thirteen Screaming Eagles received the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry at an awards ceremony at Dong Ha for their personal heroics during Operation Lam Son 719.

May 29 - A "Pink Team" from A Trp., 2nd Sqdn., 17th Cav., destroyed numerous bunkers, fighting positions, a 12.7mm machineguns, and accounted for 15 enemy KIA's near the Laotian border in western Quang Tri Province.
Later today, Air Force jets were called in to the same area and killed 15 more enemy, destroyed 18 additional bunkers, and knocked out another crew served weapon.

May 30 - A "Pink Team" from A Trp., 2nd Sqdn., 17th Cav., killed nine more enemy near the scene of yesterday's encounter.