Endnotes for Chapter
V
1 One of the latter units, the 2d Squadron, 17th Cavalry, arrived in mid-December
1967 and was immediately pressed into action at Song Be in the northern III
Corps Zone. The squadron, equipped with wheeled vehicles as part of the 101st
Airborne Division, fought with distinction during Tet.
2 For the battles in Saigon during the Tet period, the 3d Squadron,
4th Cavalry, was awarded a U.S. Presidential Unit Citation. Four of its members
received the Distinguished Service Cross, seven of them the Silver Star, and
many the Bronze Star.
3 Shortly before this fight, three tanks and an APC from the South Vietnamese
1st Squadron, 5th Cavalry, had engaged heavy enemy forces at the "Y"
bridge. They were unable to convince the higher commands that they were in a
fight. When one entire lane of the four lane bridge blew up, mechanized reinforcements
were finally sent.
4 One of the most welcome improvements made during this period in U.S. units
was the conversion of the M113 to the diesel-powered M113A1. A main drawback
of the M113, the danger of fire, was now reduced. Other free world units were
scheduled for conversion later.
5 The first of these new regiments, the 11th Armored Cavalry, was deployed
on 18 July 1968. Out of respect to superstition there was no 13th regiment.
The South Vietnamese armored force also began a change to five APC's per troop
(U.S. platoon)a move which gave a squadron (troop) twenty-two tracked vehicles
and significantly increased firepower.
6 But they also had to discontinue pacification support missions until late
in 1968.
page created 17 January 2002
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