submitted by Hal Davis

1st Squad, 3rd Platoon, 1967-1968.

Hal Davis writes; I served in 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon, 1st Provisional Rifle Company from December of 1967 through November of 1968. In May of 1968 I became the Squad leader for 1st Squad. I did not ever work in my MOS, which was supply. My entire tour of duty involved duties with the 1st PRC. As you can imagine 1968 was a busy year. We were in a listening post in a cemetery, when the Tet Offensive started and we were loaded in trucks the next morning and taken into Da Nang and were involved in the action at Da Nang all off that 1st day of Tet. The 2nd day of Tet we were taken North to a city known as Namo, which is 12-15 miles North of Da Nang. An NVA Battalion had taken the city the night before and there were dead NVA all around the combined action platoon base on the South side of city. We were the 1st squad to attack Namo at approximately 07:00 that morning and we were ambushed twice and driven out twice. An ARVN Company attacked the city from the East side. We had heavy air support, which subsequently dislodged the NVA and then it became a running fire fight in the Mui Tach Son islands. We captured an NVA Captain and an NVA Major who was shot in the knee cap. The rest of my time involved squad sized patrols which resulted in a few fire fights.

Some of the people who served in my squad were a Private Gatz, Pfc. Mullens, Lance Corporal Lewis, Corporal Frunk, Private Ted Sprouce, Lance Corporal Green, Lance Corporal Lawrence, Corporal Lucas, Corporal Purden, Corporal Kozinski, Lance Corporal McKinney, Lance corporal Lynch, and Corporal Gordon Hamblin. My interpreter on day patrols was a sergeant Minh. In September 1968 there was a Company formation one day. We had never had a company formation previously. A Colonel McCormack walked through the lines and came up to my squad with the Platoon Commanders and Company Commander and read off all of these things that I was supposed to have accomplished during my time with PRC. I was informed that I had been nominated for the Bronce Star. I never received same.

I have talked to some 0311's who were honest enough to tell me that during their tenure in Vietnam they had seen probably less action that year than we did the year of Tet. Yet none of us, to my knowledge, have combat action ribbons. Do you know of anybody who could advise as to why we do not have Combat Action Ribbons. Also, the Veterans Administration has informed me that my word does not have the same credibility as a 0311 does under their rules and regulations and that if I could show that I had the duties of an infantryman then my word would have more credibility. This sort of blows my mind that there is absolutely no record that I spent my entire year doing nothing but leading patrols, setting up ambushes, etc. Yet my DD214 shows only that I was in supply. If there is anyone who could help me with this matter or help all of us with regard to the Combat Action Ribbon I would appreciate hearing from them.

I would certainly appreciate you placing this letter on your website so that persons can contact me who may have known me in Vietnam. I notice a lot of our brothers who have written to your website served with PRC "clutch platoon" after 1968 and I have found very few that have visited your website that served during the year of Tet. I appreciate your kind cooperation and assistance and would look forward to hearing from you or any of the other brothers.

Semper Fidelis

Corporal Hal W. Davis

1st Squad, 3rd Platoon, 1st PRC

Courtesy of Hal Davis

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