Vietnam veteran: Let's honor civilians and military personnel who move toward danger

The Greenville News heralded students and staff in the recent school shooting in Charlotte, where young heroes chose to charge toward the shooter instead of wisely retreating for cover. In the recent shooting in a suburban Denver school, the movement toward shooters was made by a student and staffer identified as former or future Marines.

Active, reserve and military veterans are socialized to move toward danger, not away from it. This phenomenon is based on powerful repetitious training and team learning. It is reasonable on this Memorial Day to honor all civilian and military personnel who have answered the call by moving toward danger to protect others.

I recall hundreds of hours on drill fields in Quantico, Virginia, during the fiercely hot summer of 1955, as a Marine officer candidate. We responded to commands of our drill sergeants, “Heels, Heels, Heels,” along with a crescendo of, “By the right flank, by the left flank, and to the rear, March.”

Fast forward to my first year-long tour in Vietnam. In May 1965, in 100-degree-plus heat, we settled into our Chu Lai conclave to provide artillery support for four infantry regiments and our recon units, who were in turn assigned to support the Amy of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). At that time the Viet Cong (VC) and its Northern Vietnam Army (NVA), were concerned about a permanent SATS (Short Airfield for Tactical Support) being constructed by a Seabee battalion. Our military leaders believed they were prepared to attack and destroy this operation.

On July 12, 1965, the Third Reconnaissance Battalion’s element was southwest of our conclave searching for and trying to pinpoint intentions of the enemy. The recon unit of 18 Marines, led by Lt. Frank S. Reasoner, was attacked by approximately 100 enemies. During the ambush, Reasoner’s radioman was hit. Responding to his training, the lieutenant moved toward his beloved radio operator, who had been hit again. As the lieutenant moved forward, he was mortally wounded.

Shortly after, Operation Starlite, commencing Aug. 18, 1965, was designed as a “Hammer and Anvil,” with a vertical helicopter and amphibious operation to entrap and destroy the competent First VC Regiment operating south of Chu Lai. A fierce battle raged. An unknown number of Vietnamese were killed, as well as more than 54 U.S. Marines. There were many examples of running toward enemy fire. Two Medals of Honor and five Navy Crosses (the second-highest award for Navy and Marine personnel) were awarded.

In addition, a company commander was killed as a grenade was rolled toward him. A battalion commander died when he stepped on a booby-trapped artillery shell.

In late fall 1965, the Marines and US Army would engage the First VC Regiment again west of Chu Lai, in Operation Harvest Moon, resulting in the same excessive loss of life and heroism.

Back to the sands of Chu Lai, on Aug. 6 and 7, 1965, my friend Capt. Cal Morris’ 3rd Battalion, Third Marines, found strong evidence of a trained and reinforced First Viet Cong regiment. At sea was the USS Boxer, with its Seventh Marines, and supporting units who on order moved toward the coast of South Vietnam. On board was Col. Oscar Peatross, who would command Operation Starlite, and, supported by troops already ashore and air support from the base at Chu Lai, would pull off Gen. (William) Westmoreland’s favored “Hammer and Anvil” operation designed to trap the enemy regiment between helicopter-borne forces and land-based infantry units. A fierce battle ensued, and there were many of both ours and the enemy troops, moving forward toward each other.

Of all the heroics that day, two were recognized for giving their lives to save wounded comrades. Lance Cpl. Joe E. Paul was in a savage firefight that had wounded five Marines from his unit. Among the sounds of explosions and rapid machine gun fire, he heard, “Corpsman up.” He picked up his M60 and splashed across the paddy, unleashing volley after volley, allowing the Navy Corpsman to pull out the wounded. Paul ignored his pain, crawled back to his weapon, and succumbed to his wounds. The posthumous Medal of Honor winner and 50 other Marines who continued firing gave their lives to accomplish the assigned mission.

In the same battle was Cpl. Robert E. O’Malley, a Medal of Honor recipient, who had already distinguished himself in battle the previous day. He bravely charged toward the enemy position, although hit twice. In the three-day battle, six Navy Crosses were awarded, one to LCpl. Paul’s company commander, who that first day was killed by a VC grenade, while moving forward to carry out his orders.

At the same time of the 10-year war on the peninsula of Southeast Asia, national leaders were worrying about the long-term blood and treasure cost of a protracted war. Today at home, our current leaders are looking for ways to control the availability of specially designed combat weapons in the hands of those who should not be able to possess them. In the late, 1960s the Marines were examining the methods of fighting that cost the lives of LCpl. Paul and his company commander.

In 2003, the former Secretary of Defense, Gen. James Mattis, while commanding the famous 1st Marine Division, tested new maneuver warfare, from our Education and Development Center, in Quantico, Va. In Operation Iraq Freedom, Mattis and his unit leaders moved the enemy at such speed that Saddam Hussein’s armor could not mass and attack. Newly developed LVT’s (amphibious tractors) were designed to keep our grunts safe until enemy contact was achieved. That swift action saved countless lives on both sides.

It seems that such strategies used in war to protect and save lives could help prevent some school shootings. Tactical responses such as more weapons inside schools seem to this writer to be a shortsighted “get- even” response. A national strategic master plan might include: profiling; reducing student and staff dissatisfaction; reducing access to weapons; strategic leadership of Congress, the White House, and state and local leaders; hiring more veterans; involving student leadership; (understanding of) science, technology, and human behavior; and more awareness, training and education for those who would run toward the sounds of the guns. This should reduce the idea of turning open public learning centers into foxholes for malcontents.

Lt. Col. George A. Baker III lives in Taylors. He has provided op-eds in remembrance of Memorial Day for more than 20 years.

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