bird dog or spotter plane.

[james]

Has anyone ever contacted or spoke to the pilot who was flying the bird dog spotter over the palm trees in front of us on the 5th of May? I have talked to John Smerdon on several occasions and he said he met the pilot several years ago and he told him that he had reported back to command about the large amount of ememy below him and tried to warn them to move back the small force that was sent there to face them. Can anyone help to find him and learn what he knew or watched. James out.

[Jim Sheppard]

Doc,

On my next trip to the Archives, I plan to begin researching and copying the Brigade Daily Staff Journals for the 173rd Airborne for the period from the 1st of April in 1968 through the end of that year. Possibly there may be spot reports of interest during the May 5-7 period...but in particular, I hope to see if there are any references such as you mention and also from the other 503rd unit that observed from the ridge line...but was held back from reinforcing.

These records were never "pulled" (by me) since I was thrilled to have the Battalion records for the period. I realize now that our Battalion Daily Staff Journal would NOT reflect communications between these various elements and BRIGADE headquarters.

There may be nothing there...and I am not 100% sure the 173rd DJs exist...but it seems to me they probably do. If so, I will have them all scanned & ready for distribution at the next Benning Reunion in 2011.

[Bob Bihari]

Interesting comment Jim - about the 503d not being "allowed" to reinforce us on 5-5-68 while we (A Co.) were getting cut to pieces down in the paddies. That would NEVER have happened if we were still with the 1st Cav at that time..... But then, we probably would never have been put in that situation to start with....

I know that hindsight is 20/20, but I always felt that the 173d Airborne treated us like bastard children... the Cav knew what we could do, and used all our abilities to the max. To the 173d, we were a necessary evil, and I don't think they quite knew what to do with us .... I think An Bao was a wake-up-call for them, but a lot of good men died to teach them that lesson.....

Just my humble opinion.....

[Jim Sheppard]

References are being made to the story by Tarlon Mobley: http://www.ichiban1.org/pdf/mobley.pdf

[james]

Jim, I just looked over the story of sgt. Mobley. I didn't see anything about the bird dog.I am also really confused about where sgt. Mobleys plt. was when he was watching our battle.I don't remember any stream where any of our apcs were. The mountains were to our left and there was a trench in between us and the mountains. Directly to the front of the apc I was in was a long line of palm trees coming away from the mountains running to my right towards a far off village( in the direction of high way one} where people were seen running. The elevated dried up rice paddies were all very hard and surrounded with very high and thick scrubs and bushes. After the two tracks from first plt. were knocked out, I headed to the front of the palm trees and than turned to the right towards highway one and tried to head in the direction we first entered the dried up rice paddies. I didn't cross or see no streams that I can remember. I'm not saying sgt. Mobley is wrong in anyway for we all had our own perspected view of what we saw and remember. Also I have been thinking of Mike Horvath who was there with us on the 5th.He came to our first reunion in dc but hasn't stayed in contact with us on the bd. I do send him a Christmas card every year and He always sends one back to me. Thanks Jim or anyone who can shed more light about the 5th. James out.