www.18inf.org APRIL 2006 www.18inf.org

During the 2004 - 2005 deployment in Iraq, the idea was proposed to erect a suitable memorial for our fallen soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry. Some funds were raised at the time, but development of plans was postponed until 1-18 INF returned to Germany. Once in Schweinfurt, soldiers were asked to submit ideas for a monument, which needed to be portable in order for it to accompany the unit back to the United States when that time comes. In addition, the memorial concept was expanded to cover soldiers killed in Iraq during Desert Storm, and to include any soldiers killed in future deployments to Iraq. The design chosen was a combination of those submitted by the soldiers. The design is simple. It is a granite stone, with a bell affixed on top (engraved with the unit crest) and a large brass plaque inscribed with the names of the fallen and a map of Iraq to show where they fell (see www.18inf.org for picture). The bell is intended to become a part of battalion tradition, rung in honor of fallen brothers during a roll call at ceremonies commemorating the honored dead of the 18th Infantry. The plaque can be altered or replaced as needed.

The total cost of the memorial monument is expected to be about $5,500. The polished granite stone is estimated at about $2,500. The brass bell at about $2,000. The plaque at about $1,000. The soldiers of the battalion have contributed about $3,000. Therefore, another $2,500 is needed (the project got bigger than originally conceived). It is hoped that a commitment can be made soon, so that the memorial monument can be dedicated on 25 May 2006 (Memorial Day Weekend).

The Association treasury is such that we cannot commit to this concept without significant donations from our members (we do not spend what we do not have). Therefore, we are again relying on your generosity to enable us to participate with out active-duty soldiers in this worthy project. Please make your donation checks payable to: The 18th Inf Regt Assn. Note in the memo line: fallen soldiers. Send checks to: Jim Stone, 18th Inf Regt Assn, 258 Pells Rd, Rhinebeck, NY 12572.

If you know of individuals or organizations who might contribute, please pass this information to them, or call George Gentry, 562-596-8097, and I will contact them. This is a worthy project, and the monument will stay with the battalion (the Army will dismantle it and ship it with battalion property when they return to the United States), and you will be able to see this monument at Fort Riley (or Fort Knox) when they return. Thank you for your generous support of our soldiers!

Colonel William B. "Bryan" Norman commanded 1-18 INF during 1997-1999, taking them for a tour of duty in Macedonia, on the Serbia and Kosovo borders. Last year, Colonel Norman was assigned to assist with standing up the new Iraqi army. As he neared completion of his assignment, during a right seat ride with his replacement, Colonel Norman's vehicle was hit by an IED on Christmas Eve. He was severely injured, losing the use of his left arm and hand. He is at home and in good spirits. His recovery is progressing well and he hopes to return to duty soon. Good wishes may be sent to him at: COL Bryan Norman, 815 Kings Rd, Hinesville, GA 31313.

The 2006 BRO Reunion is scheduled at the Arizona Biltmore in the Phoenix, AZ area for July 12-16. This is a classy location and we expect accommodations even better than those last year in Washington DC, where we had a large turn out and a great time together. As usual, the 18th Infantry Annual Meeting will be held on Friday morning, and the grand banquet on Saturday night.. Don't miss it.

For information, please contact Jennifer Sanford, 1933 Morris Rd, Blue Bell, PA 19422. Ph: 1-888-324-4733.

E-mail: soc1ID@aol.com or www.bigredone.org

The Vietnam War was a conflict of small units. Battalions usually operated independently. Therefore,

1st Battalion: In January 1966, LTC Karl R. Morton assumed command of the 1st Battalion. Not long after, Operation MALLETT required 1-18 INF to clear the road to Vung Tau, which was completed by mid-February. Then came Operation MASTIFF, in the area near the village of Dau Tieng, and a series of search and destroy missions. On April 18, 1-18 INF returned to base camp at Bien Hoa and immediately moved the base camp to Bearcat, where it was assigned as "palace guard" for Division HQ. Their luck did not hold, and by the end of May they were in the mangrove swamps of the Rung Sat Special Zone on Operation LEXINGTON. The mangrove swamps was tough duty. The Rung Sat was unfriendly terrain that was an extensive VC staging area, with training and munitions facilities. This was the first of two deployments to the Rung Sat, where the battalion adopted a new nickname, "Swamp Rats". Each company spent two days in the swamps, two days as ready reaction force and battalion CP security, and two days drying out in Vung Tau. During this operation, one soldier was killed and four were wounded, but the VC suffered at least sixty-one killed and an unknown number of wounded. It was during this time that Colonel Morton left the battalion, which was commanded by MAJ John C. Bard until LTC Warner S. Goodwin, Jr. assumed command in July. While in the Rung Sat swamps, Company A sank a small VC ship, probably the only ocean going vessel sunk by Infantry during the war. The Swamp Rat moniker lasted about a year, until the call sign "Duchess" was changed to "Dogface", but those who were there take great pride in being remembered as the Swamp Rats of 1-18 INF.

2nd Battalion: LTC Herbert J. McChrystal, Jr. assumed command on January 23, 1966. This change in command was followed by numerous search and destroy missions in Bien Hoa Province, resulting in only light contact. However, in late February, 2-18 INF joined 1-18 INF in Operation MASTIFF, near Dau Tieng, where it encountered some fierce fire fights in the Boi Loi woods. In April it returned to Bien Hoa and moved to the new base camp at Bearcat, where it conducted more search and destroy missions. While 1-18 INF went off to the swamps of the Rung Sat, 2-18 INF took part in Operation EL PASO II near Quan Loi, where it participated in the Battle of Sroi Dong and the Battle of Ho Krignou.

In March 1966, MG William E. DePuy assumed command of the Big Red One. Two, of many, invocations he brought to the 1st Division were the "cloverleaf" method of saturation patrolling and the DePuy fighting position, a covered foxhole required to be dug each time a unit stopped for the night -soldiers complained at this requirement, they were not easy to dig, but it will be important in the battle description that follows. On June 30, near the village of Sroi Dong, elements of the 9th VC Division ambushed the 1st Platoon of C-2-18, which was infantry support for Troops B and C, 1-4 CAV. It was an "L" shaped ambush, but the ambush was broken by desperate and determined fighting. Naturally the rest of 2-18 INF and 1-4 CAV converged to rescue the ambushed soldiers and engage the enemy. There are conflicting reports, but somewhere between 270 and 350 VC were killed and 17 live POWs were captured. Live POWs were rare at this point in the war. For this action, 2-18 INF and 1-4 CAV were awarded the South Vietnamese Presidential Unit Citation (Cross of Gallantry with Palm). The first such awards made to American units.

The next day, 2-18 INF was assigned to block exit trails into Cambodia, which it moved to do late in the afternoon. Upon reaching their assigned area, 2-18 INF began to dig in - of course, digging the required DePuy foxholes. Small unit contact started almost as soon as the rifle companies arrived. As it turned out, these exit trails were in the vicinity of an undetected assembly area of another VC Regiment of the 9th VC Division. The VC struck the 2-18 INF positions at dawn. The battle raged for two hours, but the DePuy foxhole were designed for just this type of action and 2-18 was not overrun. Finally the enemy broke contact and fled into Cambodia. In mid July, LTC McChrystal relinquished command to LTC Lewis R. Baumann and assumed command of the 2nd Brigade. Note: 2-18 INF was the first Big Red One unit to occupy Quan Loi, a French Rubber Plantation about six kilometers east of An Loc, and the scene of many future battles for the 18th Infantry.

During Operation EL PASO II, all three of the regiments of the 9th VC Division were engaged. 1st Division units involved were 1-4 CAV, 2-18 INF, and one battalion each from the 2nd, 16th and 28th Infantry Regiments. The first Medal of Honor was awarded to a Big Red One soldier (posthumous) for action during this operation. The cost was high to the VC. From actual body counts and prisoner interrogations, it is estimated that the 9th VC Division suffered at least 2,000 casualties, causing it to withdraw to Cambodia for survival.

Forty years ago, the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 18th Infantry, acquitted themselves well during the first half of 1966.

Colonel Karl R. Morton

Karl Morton dropped out of high school in order to enlist in the army. He took his basic training at Ft Knox and qualified as a medium tank crewman, too late for action in WWII. Nevertheless, he stayed in the army and, at the age of 18, was commissioned a second lieutenant from OCS at Ft Benning. He saw combat in Korea, where he received a CIB and purple heart. He went to Vietnam in 1965, assigned to MACV in Saigon and then Executive Officer of 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. He was assigned to command 1-18 INF in December and assumed command in January 1966, relinquishing command in May 1966 to take a job as Operations Planner for US Army Pacific. He returned to serve a second tour in Vietnam as commander of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, and ended his career as the first commandant of the Sergeants Major Academy at Ft Bliss, retiring in 1975. He died at home on April 27, 2006. He was loved by his soldiers. Colonel Morton is survived by his wife, two children and two grandchildren. Cards may be sent to: Jean Morton, 2718 Hummingbird Ln, Pinetop, AZ 85935.

American Iliad - Written by Robert W. Baumer, with Mark J. Reardon. This is an outstanding book about the exploits and achievements of the 18th Infantry Regiment during WWII. Orders may be placed directly with the publisher by telephone at 866-265-9063. A portion of the proceeds go to the 18th Infantry Regiment Association. If you don't have it, get it . If you have it, buy a copy for your local public or high school library. This story should be read by every American.

18th Infantry Memorabilia is available. 18th Infantry ball-caps, Golf Shirts, unit crests, lapel pins, belt buckles, and more! We have a limited supply available, but more can be ordered if the demand is great enough. These items are usually for sale at our reunion CP, but they can be ordered by phone, mail, or email. Contact Larry Van Kuran, 6378 Jamieson Ave, Encino, CA 91316. Email: vankuran@ix.netcom.com

VANGUARD SIX'S FOXHOLE -

Vanguards! Another few months have passed and the Active Duty Vanguards are trained to the razor's edge. We have completed an eight month train-up cycle that has culminated with platoon live fires in Grafenwehr and a Mission Readiness Exercise in Hohenfelds. The harsh 17 degree weather of Bavaria, with three feet of snow, was not able to stop the Vanguards from dominating the battlespace. The Opposing Forces commander complained he just could not get into our sector - he kept losing too many of his forces in AO [Area of Operation] Vanguard. From the Commander of the Joint Multinational Operations Group to Danger Six himself, the Vanguards proved too lethal for the fight. It seems the training and discipline have paid off in spades with the 200 some new Vanguards falling in on the veterans and everyone carrying themselves as professionals - trained and ready. It is quite humbling to be part of such an organization.

On the recent Brigade Leader Recon into Iraq, we toured the most dangerous sector in Iraq - out west in the town of Ramadi. It seems the 28th Infantry Division from Pennsylvania is currently there and we may end up replacing them. It is only appropriate, with our replacing them in the Hurtigen Forest back in 1944, that we be linked to them again. But there are still a few decisions to be made before we deploy this summer, so the options are still open. But rest assured, given any mission, any place, any time, your Vanguards are trained, ready, and will be The First to Battle!

LTC George A. Glaze, Vanguard 6, commanding 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry

A short report I think is in order after a long winter that seems to not want to let go in some parts of the country. The battalion is gearing up to go back to Iraq this summer at an unspecified date. They have been hard at training throughout the winter at such garden spots at Graefenwoer and Hohenfels in Germany. (The sun never shines at the former and the mud never dries at the latter.) I know the Battalion will be at the top of its form before it deploys again because it has the best Soldiers, NCO's and Officers in the Army in it! We will be looking for ways to support the Battalion and its families once they deploy.

LTC George Glaze and Chaplain Seth George have both sent me emails on an initiative to create a living memorial to the fallen soldiers from Desert Storm and OIF. The concept is simple and there will be two monuments. One will travel with the Battalion wherever it may go and the other will be permanently based we hope in Wheaton, Illinois. Michele Senatore who led the way on getting the house built for Sgt Joel Gomez in Wheaton has been working with us to have Wheaton "adopt" the Regiment so that after 145 years of serving all over the world, the Regiment will have a place to call home again. This will be our first home since we formed the Regiment at Camp Thomas, Ohio in May of 1861. This is altogether fitting and proper since Wheaton is also home to the Big Red One Museum where much of our lineage and history is displayed. More on all this later in the year.

On a sad note, Colonel Karl Morton, one of our 1st Battalion commanders from the Vietnam War has passed away. Lee Banicki wrote a very moving tribute to Karl that is well worth reading. I'm sure Lee wouldn't mind sharing it with you so here is his email address: Leroy.Banicki@eh.doe.gov

In Omnia Paratus! Colonel E.W. Chamberlain III, Honorary Colonel, 18th US Infantry