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During Operation Perishing in the area South of Bong Son,  C 2/5th Cav made another first in the application of the Airmobile Concept.  C Company made a night amphibious landing from landing vessels of the 1098th Boat Company, 1st Logistics Command, Qui Nhon. The mission was to board the boats at night and then move by water to a village complex along the South China Sea coast.  On the 9th of May 1967,   C Company,  commanded by CPT Donald Markham, was given the mission to make a night landing in order to cordon and sweep the village of Lo Dieu.

It was late in the evening when the company met with the landing craft on the beach southeast of Lake Dam Tra O.  Cavalrymen turned sailors were accompanied by Navy "swift boats".  At 0300 hours on the morning of the 10th the craft landed the men in total silence and darkness. One boat landing north of Lo Dieu, and one south.  I was on the north boat.  We moved in land and the platoon leader stationed men at intervals moving in land through hedge rows and vegetation and trees. I was told to take a position by a bush. The rest moved on. There was gun fire to the south of the village red and green tracers passing over and around me. The NVA were between me and the south cordon. In what seemed a long time I could hear a large group of people coming my way.  I swear they were talking in Vietnamese.  I had the feeling it was my end.  I lay prone on the ground behind the bush,  clicked off the safety and was about to fire when I heard "JENSEN".  We had been landed too far north and a river was between us and the village. The platoon leader was picking up the men placed in the cordon and going back to the sea.  I was new and no one at first could remember my name. Someone remembered, and called out my name. My first close brush.

After getting in the proper position, we received intermittent fire till dawn. At first light we swept the village and captured 12 NVA and there were 5 NVA KIA. 

C Company made one more water assault in the summer of 67. That was enough for me. The helicopter is a better way to go.

SGT  E-5  Donald G. Jensen,  C Company, 2/5 Cav,  April 67 to April 68.

(Webmaster Note:  The action is found in May 1967)

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Updated January 29, 2001