OFFICERS RELIEVED OVER
OPERATION GREEN LIGHTNING
Lt Dick Arnold (1/35th) shares an important "post-mortem"
to the OPN Green Lightning report
The
1/35th, "Alpha" and "Delta" Companies, were treated very
badly up there (on the Chu Pa) in late January, 1969 if you look at the list
of KIAs.
A MedEvac was shot down on 1/23/69
(as reported by Lt Mike Kurtgis) with
many lives lost. And Thomas Bennett, medic with "Bravo" Company,
1/14th awarded the Medal of Honor(P) for heroism shown from 2Feb69 - 11Feb69.
Now,
as Paul Harvey would say, here is the rest of the story. The Battalion
Commander for 1/35th was relieved of duty shortly after the Chu
Pa disaster. For probably a culmination of things but I have a dependable
source that claims the final straw was when he and the Asst Brigade
Commander ordered the Operation when the Brigade Commander was
on R&R. Then the ASA (Army Security Agency) boys caught them
chatting with regards to covering it up.
Webmaster Note: A very sad commentary on the status of our leadership
in Vietnam.
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