Vietnam 2nd battalion
Eugene S. Lee
B & A Companies 1968 – 1969
I was commissioned from Infantry OCS on 13 Dec l967. I was then assigned to Ft. Campbell, Ky and was part of the 6th Inf Div which was activated after the rest of the 101st Abn was sent to RVN. I went to Vietnam in Dec 68, assigned to the 101st ABN, ultimately to Co A 2/327 Inf as 1st platoon leader. There was a Lt Fred McMeniman who was in my OCS class who was 2d platoon leader. Our initial AO included FSB Tomahawk and the area around it on the southern side of the battalion AO. During the next few months I served a few weeks on FSB Los Banos (always a shitty tour), but while there I had to escort the Donut Dollies around the AO (I was able to see Tom Carpenter on Hill 88). Also secured one of the bridges and spent many evenings in night ambushes.
My first Company Commander was Cpt Colegrove, who gave me a splendid ass chewing over the radio during my first ambush. It was a terrifically appropriate lesson, one that has and will serve me very well for the rest of my life. My second CO was a Cpt Soto who didn’t last long and my third was Cpt Robert D. Little. We didn’t get along very well and I was sent to the battlaion rear area for a short time, then was sent out to take over the third platoon A/2/327 while Lt Tom Murray was in the hospital. Later I was platoon leader of the second platoon.
As best that my failing memory can recall, we were in the coastal plains during the monsoons, then into the Golf Course west of Camp Eagle. Then in March or April, the big battlaion CA into the Ashau Valley. Spent Easter Sunday 1969 on the Laosan border and went 7 or 8 days before we got resupplied due to really lousy weather. We almost got pulled out to go to Eagle Beach instead we got to CA back into the Ashau on a hot LZ with three companies and no air support. A/2/327 moved up a hill and took light fire then found a battalion or regimental NVA base camp. This little excursion combined with our previous field time gained us the honor of setting a new record for consecutive field time (the prior record was 42 days, I think we went over 50). We then spent some more time in and around the Ashau Valley. Provided security while FSB Fury or Whip (I think) was being dismantled, and helped the building of Hwy 547 from FSB Blaze. Then A/2/327 was sent to the Roung Roung Valley and for a time we were attached to the 17th(?) Armored Cavalry (the Black Horse Brigade). This puts us into July 69, I went on R&R and returned to the costal plains. In late August or early Sept I became XO of B/2/327 where I served until I DEROSED in Nov 69.
NFS
Gene Lee
