Rare Accolades For A Remarkable Soldier
Story
by SPC Charles Ames; Photos by SPC Ames
& Courtesy United States
Army - Posted May, 2000
In May of 1965 MSG Gibson (then a PFC) found himself embroiled in the Vietnam War. He was assigned to Task Force 1-503 of the 173rd Airborne Brigade.... the "Herd". For 10 months, he and his comrades fought back and forth across the tangled, jungle-covered countryside against an elusive and dedicated enemy. In March of 1966, with only a few months of his tour remaining, the unit took up operations in the Long Khanh Province - an area dubbed "War Zone D". Operation Silver City was underway.
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During the operation, the men of Task Force 2-503, Gibson's sister unit, found themselves surrounded. The Brigade Commander sent in TF 1-503 to reinforce and relieve TF 2-503. Unbeknownst to Gibson and his comrades, the enemy had planned for just such a move. They were walking into an ambush.
What followed was a brief but hellish action that brought PFC Gibson and the rest of the Reconnaissance Platoon into a well-prepared kill zone planned by North Vietnamese Regulars. These men did not have time to think - there was only time to act. It was a time for heroes, and as it turned out, several just happened to be on hand.
Specialist Al Rascon, the Platoon Medic, was one of those heroes. He darted back and forth across the kill zone rendering aid to soldier after soldier, under heavy enemy fire, with total disregard for his own safety, often shielding patients with his body against incoming grenades. All the while the heavy thumping of a machine gun could be heard. That was PFC Gibson, the platoon's Machine Gunner, providing covering fire for his buddies.
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The rest of the Platoon was armed with M-16 rifles which lacked the kind of range and penetration needed to reach the enemy behind their prepared defensive positions. Gibson used his 'pig', an M-60 machine gun firing heavier 7.62mm rounds, to suppress the enemy as his comrades maneuvered against them. He moved up and down the narrow trail, exposing himself to enemy fire, again and again, to gain a better firing position. He was wounded but continued to fire.
When he ran out of ammunition, he rushed back into the kill zone, picked up ammo from a wounded soldier and continued to suppress the grenadiers and encroaching enemy soldiers.
Within 10 minutes, 2 American Paratroopers lay dead and another 7 were wounded. However, it could have been much worse. When the smoke cleared and the enemy had been beaten back, it was realized that were it not for the heroic actions of the men of the Recon Platoon, American casualties in both Task Forces would have been much higher, and the battle could have raged for days.
While Gibson and Rascon were immediately recommended for awards, there were other heroes that day. Two others were recommended for awards: Sergeant Elmer Compton - the Squad Leader that had been 'walking point' that day and whose leadership under fire held the small group of trapped Americans together, and PFC Bobby Edge, a rifleman who displayed remarkable bravery under fire. In truth, every man on that blood-soaked trail was a hero.
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But in the chaos that was the Vietnam War, somewhere in transit between Southeast Asia and the United States, the records of that fateful day in the jungle were lost.
Many years later, however, the men who had shared these intense moments, and many other moments as well, began to band together into the 173rd Airborne Brigade Association. At reunions over the years and at regular meetings, notes were compared and records were checked.
The oversight soon became evident and the search for the missing records and affidavits began.
It took many years but the errors were finally rectified. On 8 February 2000 SP4 Al Rascon (now a retired Captain) was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Shortly thereafter, at the dedication of the memorial to the 173rd Airborne Brigade at Fort Campbell, SGT Elmer Compton was awarded his Silver Star. Finally on 29 April 2000 the last of the awards were made to MSG Gibson.
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At the February awards ceremony in Washington D.C. President Clinton said of the action that led to a total of 4 Silver Stars, numerous Purple Hearts and the Congressional Medal of Honor, "Albert's platoon was sent to Vietnam in May of 1965. On March 16, 1966, they were in Long Khanh Province helping another platoon that was pinned down by the enemy. In his words, 'it was ten minutes of pure hell'."
And so this day Generals, Colonels, Command Sergeants Major... hundreds have come to witness this historic event; the Silver Star - our nation's fourth highest award - being awarded to MSG Larry Gibson.
Major General Raymond Rees, the Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau had come from his post in Washington D.C. to present this prestigious award. He has known MSG Larry Gibson since 1977 when Gibson was a Platoon Sergeant in the Oregon National Guard and Rees was serving as that state's Adjutant General.
"He clearly understood what taking care of soldiers is all about. He was serious about his business and about service. He stood out from everybody else as someone that could be relied upon. I think that's the epitom of being an NCO", said Rees.
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The audience is subdued as the Silver Star and Purple Heart are placed upon Gibson's chest. Polite applause greets guest speakers, but as the guest of honor takes the podium, the ovation explodes and sustains.
MSG Gibson is a quiet and dignified man. Wire-rimmed glasses shade his gentle, yet attentive eyes. His movements are spare. No motion or word is intended to draw attention to himself. He has the friendship and respect of some of the most capable soldiers in the Washington National Guard.
Prior to giving his speech to the assembly, he had been pulled aside by both Major General Rees and Brigadier General Legowik, the Assistant Adjutant General (Army) in Washington. Their friendly chiding hinted that he was in for a rougher time giving the speech than he had during Operation Silver City. But for the anticipation of so many this day, MSG Gibson did not let them down.
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"Especially I would like to thank my mother, who like countless..." a solemn pause fills the auditorium as Gibson fights to retain his composure, "...countless other mothers worried, fretted, and agonized when their sons and daughters were in some distant land in harm's way. I thank her - and all mothers. For those anxious times are something that only mothers can know. I thank them very deeply for the sacrifices that they make. I'm deeply humbled by this honor... but the honor is not just mine. We will find many of their names on that long black wall?"
"I know you don't recognize those names, but they are the same names you would have found in the Marine Corps up north in I Corps, the pilots in the air, the airmen on the ground, the soldier standing guard down in Guantanamo Bay, or on the wall in Berlin. They're the same names as the specialist clerk delivering mail at Long Bihn, or that the sailor making the 'cats' work on the Connie [USS Constellation] off the coast. They all served with distinction. They all served with courage. They all served with honor."
Gibson wrapped up by stating that all those who have ever worn the uniform are his heroes. He takes a step back from the podium and salutes those acknowledging him this day. But MSG Gibson is not alone. He thinks of those who have fallen. It is on behalf of them that he salutes.
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How "The Herd" Got It's Name (Really!)
The history of the US Army's airborne forces, now spanning more than 50 years, is filled with many legends, myths, and the occasional "tall tale". Some are based more on fact than others. While he was in Vietnam, MSG Gibson served with a unit that was certainly one of the more famous - the 173rd Airborne Brigade - also known as "the Herd". MSG Gibson relays an interesting story about how the 173rd got it's unusual nickname.
"When I arrived at the 1st of the 503rd, and we were on Okinawa for a short time, there was a battalion formation called so that the commander could inform us that we would deploy to Vietnam about three days hence. It was a hurried formation, like, 'stop what you're doing right now and form up'. I was advised by my NCOIC, SSG Pierce, that no matter what happened, I was not to laugh. He didn't have time to explain; I thought he was kidding."
"Turns out that the Battalion Commander, LTC Bolin, was a crazy sort of commander. He was the type you would follow into hell... come to think of it we did. Anyway, after he told us we were going to war, he called the battalion to attention. Then over the loudspeakers came the theme song from the TV series "Rawhide"! LTC Bolin, instead of giving the expected command of "Commanders, take charge of your company and pass in review", bellows out "Head 'em up, and move 'em out"! We then passed in review to "Roll'em, roll'em, roll'em, keep them doggies rollin', Rawhide. Head'em up, move'em out!, move'em out, head'em up!, Rawhide!"
Well, I didn't laugh but several others in the formation did, including one of the Company Commanders. Seeing this LTC Bolin did a PLF (1) off the platform, pulled the Captain off to the side and dropped him for 50 pushups! No one laughs in Bolins' formation... glad I didn't. From that point on, the 1/503rd was called "the 1st herd". As we moved into Vietnam, it came to be that anyone in the 173rd was from the 'Herd' and as such, the legend became reality. In fact, while we were in Vietnam, our running password (2) was "Rawhide"!
(1) A "PLF" is an acronym for Parachute Landing-Fall, and is basically a controlled fall to the ground intended to keep airborne soldiers from breaking bones after having jumped out of a perfectly good airplane.
(2) A running password is an emergency recognition signal used by soldiers in the event that they must quickly return through their lines while hotly pursued by the enemy. The hope is that those defending the friendly position will hear this password and not shoot the wrong people!
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