The “Gary Owen Task Force”, a brigade of the 1st Cavalry was still in country near Saigon as a combat infantry unit in August of 1972. Probably left about the same time that month as the 82d FA elements up north.

By Bob Flournoy on Sep 10, 2008 at 12:09 pm

What about air or support units? What US personnel were permitted per
the 1973 agreement? How were advisors or technical support organized
and how did they leave, right to the end in 1975?

Thanks

MEC

By MEC on Nov 17, 2008 at 12:56 am

Hey! Hold up there. You are refering to artillery units as being the last combat troops to leave Viet Nam. A FACT is that C Troop 10th Aero Cavalry left Viet Nam in February 1973. I don’t know if they were the absolute last unit, and I don’t want to quible about who is combat and whom are not, but I will suggest that anyone who was medivaced out of, or extracted whole from, a hot LZ would probable not doubt that helicopter crews were in fact , combat troops
Sincerly,
Rick Reavill, UH-1H Crew Chief, 176th Assault Helicopter Co 69/70, A Conpany, 158th Assault Helicopter BN, 101st Airborne, 71

By Rick Reavill on Mar 21, 2009 at 9:13 am

The 1st Aviation Company, 1st Brigade, 1 Calvary, 12th Combat Aviation Group, F Troop 8th Cavalry was there until at least Feb 1973.

During the Easter Offensive 1972, F Troop, 8th Cavalry was attached to the 11th Combat Aviation Group from June 1972 to October 1972.

The U.S. Army 11th Combat Aviation Group’s activities were closely coordinated with those of the ARVN units. This group provided essintial support with troop lift logistical support, gunships and medevacs.

F Troop, 8th Cav was there in Quang Tri, the day the Easter Offensive started. The movie ‘Bat 21′ portrays the the time as during the ‘Tet Offensive’ …this is totally incorrect. It took place and began March 29-30, 1972 in Quang Tri. The book is much better than the movie too….and it’s all true. Men of F Troop, 8th Cav gave their all and some – their lives – in the largest search and rescue ever.

Some of the F Troop, 8th Cav were kids and probably still don’t know to this day that they fought in the probably the biggest and bloodiest battle ever.

Because of the intensity of the war, most of the F Troop, 8th Cav, 12th CAG files are not available. The service of many from F Troop are not documented.

By Fran Lawrence on Apr 4, 2009 at 3:29 pm

Air cavalry units with the primary mission of supporting South Vietnamese Army forces were the only active Army combat units in Vietnam throughout 1972. Both the 11th CAG and the 12th CAG, (Combat Aviation Group), were there until at least Feb. 1973.

Many of these men fought, supplied logistical lift and provided medevacs in support of the ARVN troops in the biggest battle of Vietnam, ‘The Easter Offensive’ or ‘The Spring Offensive’.
‘The Easter Offensive’ began and ended in “The Second Battle of Quang Tri’. Some of these men died there.

March 29-30 1972 at Quang Tri, was the first time that SAMs and regular AAA weapons were used. The NVA introduced the Soviet-built SA-7 (Strella) heat-seeking, shoulder-fired missile, for use against low and slow-flying Allied aircraft. It was deadly, and numerous Allied aircraft losses were attributed to the weapon.

Until USAF fire power could be transported back from Saigon, (sent there from the ‘drawdown’), 1st Calvary, Combat Aviation Groups held down the fort with help from the Marines that where still there. There were still some Navy offshore that helped too later with firepower. The Army of the Republic of Vietnam, backed by the United States Army, shelled more than 80,000 tons of ordnance, the destructive capacity equivalent to almost six Hiroshima-size atomic bombs.

When the massive firepower was first unleashed, unsuspecting NVA soldiers reporting for duty were in the city at the time and Quang Tri was referred to as ‘Hamburger City’ by some that saw the aftermath.

As well, leading out of the city was still ‘The Highway of Horrors’ from when
South Vietnam had earlier lost its Quang Tri Province on May 1st, 1972 and the NVA cut down masses of panic civilians, war refugees, who were fleeing the city and got stuck at Truong Phuoc Bridge because of the traffic jam after an enemy artillery shell heavily damaged the bridge. Chaos occurred when enemy artillery began a rain of many hundreds shells from their 130mm guns on the refugees. A moment later, Communist foot soldiers attacked the crowd with infantry weapons that included mortars and grenade launchers.
When ‘The Second Battle of Quang Tri’ was over, (Sept. 16, 1972 the city was taken back. On Oct. 22, 1972 Quang Tri Province firebases were secured), not one building remained standing. The intense bombing, combined with U.S. use of the Agent Orange defoliant, turned the land into a virtual moonscape.
This all took place during ‘Operation Ceasefire’ when we were standing down and turning over the bases to the ARVN.

Americans still have little knowledge of this time in Vietnam and the part that brave American troops, including U.S. Army Air Calvary Combat Aviation Groups, took in it.

By Fran Lawrence on Apr 7, 2009 at 1:23 pm

An excerpt from the very well researched and written literature:

READJUSTNMENT PROBLEMS AMONG VIETNAM VETERANS
The etiology of Combat-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders
By Jim Goodwin, Psy. D.
Published by Disabled American Veterans

Page 6-7
“For both World War II and the Korean War, the incidence of neuropsychiatry disorder among combatants increased as the intensity of the wars increase. As these wars wore down, there was a corresponding decrease in these disorders until the incidence closely resembled their particular prewar periods.”

However, the Vietnam experience proved different. As the war in Vietnam progressed in intensity, there was no corresponding increase in neuropsychiatry causalities among combatants. It was not until the early 1970’s, when the war was winding down, that neuropsychiatric disorders began to increase. With the end of direct American troop involvement in Vietnam in 1973, the number of veterans presenting neuropsychiatric disorders began to increase tremendously (President Commission on mental Health, 1978).”

Interesting, isn’t it?

By Fran Lawrence on Apr 7, 2009 at 1:25 pm

I am not sure the last troops came out in 72-73 I was a member of the 5th special forces group was reasigned to the (MACV SOG)/ CCN and as a member of this elit special observation group I was not out until around late 74-earily 75 can you shed some light on this please as i was very young and it was a long time ago i want to be sure i am right. thank you please reply to my e-mail address with any information

By brad on Jun 10, 2009 at 3:22 pm

I served with my brother for six or seven months in 1972 at
Marble mt compound, DaNang. We were with the 11th CAG.
I WAS WITH HEADQUARTERS AND HE WAS WITH THE 282 THEN THE 48TH. His name was Morris. Did any other brothers serve together in vietnam at the same place and time?

By Roger Petersen on Oct 13, 2009 at 5:21 pm

Thank you General Truong for giving credit to the Americans that were there assisting the ARVN in the Battles of Quang Tri during the Easter Offensive until the very end and calling them by name. It means so much to me – especially since it has been the only reference that I have found on the Internet doing so.

Our own American military have given them no public credit whatsoever, these troops that stayed and fought and served long after the all of the ground troops went home in August 1972.

But you gave them credit where credit was due. Thank you.
May you rest in peace.

Ngo, Lieutenant General Quang Truong, The Easter offensive of 1972. Washington DC: U.S. Army Center of Military History, 1980.

“In addition to support provided the U.S. Air Force, I Corps forces also received much assistance from the U.S. Army 11th Combat Aviation Group whose activities were closely coordinated with those of ARVN units. This group provided essential support with troop lift logistical support and gunships.”

By Lizzie on Oct 18, 2009 at 7:12 am

Statement byJerry Morelock, Armchair General, Senior Historian

“Some American troops (no combat troops) were still in Vietnam until they left in 1973.”

You are wrong. Aviation COMBAT Groups (CAGs) were there at least until March 24, 1973 that I know of personally.

May I suggest you read a few After Action Reports or Command Histories? Something? If you do, you will see that I am correct.

Combat Aviation Groups in Vietnam were COMBAT TROOPS in EVERY sense of the word and the few left behind were fighting HARD and NON-STOP after everybody else went home until ceasefire. It was very dangerous after ceasefire as well.

Please help honor our veterans by correctly recognizing them and their sacrifices, especially as a senior historian.

By Lizzie on Oct 18, 2009 at 7:27 am