August22, 2007

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Gettysburg Camp No. 112

GAR Hall

53 E. Middle St.

Gettysburg, PA 17325

http://dors2005.tripod.com/camp112suvcw/

There are no minutes since the last newsletter, because there has not been a meeting.

Breaking News.

       Charles (Charlie Kuhn) our present Camp Commander has been elected the New Commander-in- Chief of the SUVCW at its annual meeting held in St. Louis Mo. I’m sure our camp members would like to wish Charlie well as he steers the SUVCW for the upcoming year. Congratulations Commander-in-Chief Kuhn. We wish you well.

 

FROM THE EDITOR

               Have you ever wondered what it ‘takes’ to be a hero?  Some say all it takes is an ability to out-run, out-hit or out-throw everyone else. As a kid, I would have agreed with that statement by citing Johnny Unitas or Brooks Robinson. But now, as an adult, I know it takes a great deal more than an athletic ability.               As some of you know, since my retirement from the Baltimore City Fire Department, I have been working as an Escort Vehicle Driver for over-sized loads across the U.S. and Canada. It was during one of these jobs recently that I had the opportunity to meet a real hero, which I will never forget.                               Upon our intial handshake introduction it was clear that his hand had suffered a terrible injury for it was twisted, mangled, scared and missing a finger. As we spoke I noticed he had a whole list of names on the side of his truck under the heading “COMPANY B MAY 12, 1966”. When I enquired about this, he explained that out of the 14 men of his Marine Company that went into battle on the day in 1966, only two came back alive. He was one of them. I saw that there were 3 names that were listed separately. He explained that those 3 men died when they attempted to rescue the original 14 Marines. When I remarked that he was lucky to have survived, his answer contained a deep and profound sadness…”I often think I would have rather been one of those names on the list.”

   I could tell he was thinking of those men and what they had gone through on that day in Vietnam, for his whole face clouded over and he became silent. After a long minute of silence, we went back to the business at hand.             The entire trip I couldn’t shake a feeling that there’s more to the story than he told me. When I returned home I did some research on the internet and found the complete story on www.virtualwall.org.  I include it in it’s entirety.

He was

BRAVERY AND DEATH IN RED AMBUSH
By Robert D. Ohman
Da Nang, Viet-Nam, 13 May (1966)

Pvt. Reuben Morales is a young Marine who went out on a routine patrol yesterday with 13 buddies. They left the company area in a broad valley 17 miles southwest of Da Nang, at 6:30 a.m.                                                                                                            Three hours later, about 200 Viet-Cong attacked the patrol.                                             Morales was one of only two men who survived, but the patrol killed 30 guerrillas before being overwhelmed.                                                                                                 Marine Corps reinforcements plus artillery and air strikes killed 145 more Viet-Cong in the battle that ended at dusk.                                                                    Morales, 19, La Puente CA, said today from his hospital bed that he was shot in the head and neck, feigned death as Viet-Cong executioners killed other Leathernecks - and fled from a burning evacuation helicopter before finally being rescued.

THE BATTLE OPENED as a patrol was crossing a rice paddy. "The first guy hit was the point man," Morales said. "Then they hit a corpsman and then a private on the right flank."                                                                                                               As bullets poured into the patrol, one struck Morales' head, and he fell.             "The radio was hit, and we couldn't call the company," Morales said. "When someone tried to run, he was hit. A Filipino boy - he had only two days left to serve here -- tried to make a run for it. He was hit in the back, but got up and started running again. Then he was hit again and fell. I knew he was running for help.                 "He fell three different times. I stood up after the second time. I was dizzy, but I could see the Viet-Cong coming toward us. I wanted to take it standing up. The other guys who could stand, stood up, firing away. The wounded were shooting too. They fought all the way.                                                                                                          "The Viet-Cong? You could close your eyes and not miss.                                                 " I ran out of ammunition when the V.C. hit the first paddy wall, a low mound of dirt, and I was ready to start swinging my rifle when I got hit in the neck.                             "I FELL ON MY BACK but I was not unconscious. I heard all the noises - the mortars and grenades.                                                                                                   "A few seconds later, it stopped. Then the shooting started again. I opened my eyes and saw the Viet-Cong shoot two other guys out in front of me on the second paddy wall.                                                                                                                                                "I heard them coming toward me and closed my eyes. They took my rifle, a grenade I had, and ammunition. Then one picked me up by the shirt to search me, but dropped me back. I was waiting, thinking, 'When will he pull the trigger?'                     "More shooting started and the two V. C. near me started walking away. When the mortars opened up, I looked and saw them running back into the treeline.                                "I heard another Marine calling, 'Corpsmen. Over here. Over here!' I heard our troops (the reinforcements) trying to get to us, but they couldn't. After awhile the other Marine stopped hollering.                                                                                      I was scared. I though we had been left."                                                                            AS THE SUN ROSE HIGHER, temperatures went above 100 degrees. Morales, lying for more than three hours in the parched rice paddy and blistering under the burning heat, decided to take a chance.                                                            "As I started to crawl, I expected them to shoot me in the back," he said. "There was a Marine with his legs over the paddy wall. He said he couldn't move and I told him I'd be back. I could see our troops across the field, but they were moving very slow.                                                                                                                "I came to another trooper from our squad, but he couldn't move his legs. And I saw three others, all of them face down. I guess they were dead. Then I crawled over to Binkley. He said he was all right, but he couldn't use his arms."                                                                                                                        Pfc. James K. Binkley, 19, of Ashland City TN was the other survivor of the patrol. He was shot through both arms. The Viet-Cong also took his rifle and passed him for dead.                                                                                                                     MORALES TOOK OFF BINKLEY'S cartridge belt and "we started moving to where we could see our troops kneeling. Then we started walking and when we finally got there, the first thing we asked for was water."                                     Morales and Binkley were given water and first aid. With a number of Marines suffering from heat exhaustion, they waited for a medical evacuation helicopter.    "I ran to the helicopter," Morales reported. "There was all sorts of firing and a lot of confusion. Someone said a bullet hit the chopper's fuel line and we had to get out. I ran and dived into some weeds -- I heard slugs flying over us. The (helicopter) crew told us the chopper was going to explode and I ran again, just before it blew up."                                                                                                                                           Pfc Larry Stulz, 21, Chicago, who was in Morales' I Company and near the burning chopper, tossed a rifle to his friend. They ran to a trench. "When another chopper landed, I gave my rifle to a trooper and went out," the dark-skinned, dark-eyed young Marine recalled. "it brought me here."

Seattle (WA) Times, 13 May 1966

NO STRANGER TO COMBAT,
TACOMA CORPORAL KNEW DANGER
OF FINAL WEEKS OF VN DUTY
By Charles Rice

Edgardo Caceres, 21, an out-standing athlete at Clover Park High School a few years ago, was to have left Viet Nam for home today.                                                             But he was one of those who didn't make it.                                                            Marine Lance Cpl. Caceres was a member of a small squad from the 3rd Marine Division that stumbled into some 200 Viet Cong last Thursday 18 miles southwest of Da Nang. The men were out-numbered 10 to 1, but stood their ground for 10 hours.                         When a relief force finally arrived, there were two wounded survivors. One of them was Caceres. He later died.                                                                                                      The news of his death came as his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Florencio Q. Caceres, of 3220 S. 92nd St., were counting the days until his return. And they were planning. Eddie wanted to attend the graduation exercises of his sister, Tessie, next month. He also had saved money for his college education.                                                     Eddie's parents had just purchased a 1965-model automobile as a surprise gift for their son, reported Maj. John Fahey, of the Marine Corps Training Center here. The car was sitting in front of the Caceres home.                                                                 His plans died last week near Da Nang.                                          But way down deep, his mourning parents believe Eddie knew what his fate would be. They cited his last letter, dated 28 Apr (1966):                                                  "I just found out today the date I'm leaving Viet Nam for home. I'm leaving the 17th of June."                                                                                                                         Then he added: "Tomorrow our company is going out in the front line again. That means I have a couple of weeks of fighting to do here. I just hope I make it through all right."                                                                                                                            His other letters are filled with small talk and jokes. They ask about his brothers and sisters - Linda, 19, Tessie, 17, Marie, 15, Lillian, 13, and Robert, 8 - and his mother's bowling score. His last letter is solemn and to the point.                  COMBAT VETERAN - "Maybe he had a feeling," his mother said. "He had one experience early in the war. Eddie was pinned down for 30 minutes and was almost killed."                                                                                                                                    Now Mr. and Mrs. Caceres have only a memory. They read again and again his last few letters. His pictures are around the home. On the mantel piece are Eddie's trophies: The Clover Park Inspiration Award in 1963 and 1964 and the school boxing championship for his weight class.                                                                TRACK ATHLETE - A clipping from the school newspaper tells how the youngster competed in the 100-yard dash, and the 220, the low hurdles, and the broad jump and the high jump, the mile relay and the 880 relay. Eddie's father, retired after 30 years in the Army, is a barber. His mother is a Tacoma beauty operator.                                                                                                                           It hurts them (the other children) very much," Mrs. Caceres said. "They loved their brother.                                                                                                                       "And it hurt us too. It is especially hard when he was due home so soon."

Tacoma (WA) News Tribune, 17 May 1966

 

 

Note from The Virtual Wall

The fourteen men from Bravo 1/9 Marines who died in the action described above were

• 2ndLt John B. Capel, Glen Ellyn, IL
• Sgt Dallas C. Young, Salem, IL
• Cpl James R. Howell, Tucson, AZ
• LCpl Edgardo Caceres, Tacoma, WA (Silver Star)
• LCpl Ralph G. Erdely, Springfield, MA
• LCpl Richard W. Huntoon, Leicester, MA
• Pfc Neal A. Denning, Willow Springs, NC
• Pfc Robert E. Jones, Corona, CA
• Pfc Ronald H. Justis, Selma, IN
• Pfc James P. Laclear, East Lansing, MI
• HN Pedro Munoz, El Paso, TX, Corpsman (H&S w/ B/1/9) (Silver Star)
• Pfc Wallace S. Perkins, Dallas, TX
• Pfc John J. Schultz, Harper Woods, MI
• Pfc Tommy R. White, Kennett, MO

 

Instead of making Athletes heroes for our children, it is time we should tell our children about the real American Heroes, those that are willing to give their lives in the protection of our country, so that we all can live in the Greatest Country on earth. It isn’t every day that you meet a true American Hero, I had that privilege a couple of weeks ago.

TRIVIA

 

 

Who said, "No pack of whining, snarling, ill-fed, vagabond street dogs ... ever more strongly produced the impression of forlorn, outcast, helpless, hopeless misery."

           

Dates in HistoryIn order to draw Pope's army into battle, Jackson ordered an attack on a Federal column that was passing across his front on the Warrenton Turnpike on August 28. The fighting at Brawner Farm lasted several hours and resulted in a stalemate. 

Pope became convinced that he had trapped Jackson and concentrated the bulk of his army against him.

On August 29, Pope launched a series of assaults against Jackson's position along an unfinished railroad grade. The attacks were repulsed with heavy casualties on both sides. At noon, Longstreet arrived on the field from Thoroughfare Gap and took position on Jackson's right flank. 

On August 30, Pope renewed his attacks, seemingly unaware that Longstreet was on the field. When massed Confederate artillery devastated a Union assault by Fitz John Porter's command, Longstreet's wing of 28,000 men counterattacked in the largest, simultaneous mass assault of the war. The Union left flank was crushed and the army driven back to Bull Run.

Only an effective Union rearguard action prevented a replay of the First Manassas disaster. Pope's retreat to Centreville was precipitous, nonetheless. 

The next day, Lee ordered his army in pursuit. This was the decisive battle of the Northern Virginia Campaign.

Result(s): Confederate victory

On August 16, 1863, Major General William S. Rosecrans, commander of the Army of the Cumberland, launched a campaign to take Chattanooga. Col. John T. Wilder's brigade of the Union 4th Division, XIV Army Corps marched to a location northeast of Chattanooga where the Confederates could see them, reinforcing General Braxton Bragg's expectations of a Union attack on the town from that direction.

On August 21, Wilder reached the Tennessee River opposite Chattanooga and ordered the 18th Indiana Light Artillery to begin shelling the town.  The shells caught many soldiers and civilians in town in church observing a day of prayer and fasting.  The bombardment sank two steamers docked at the landing and created a great deal of consternation amongst the Confederates.  Continued periodically over the next two weeks, the shelling helped keep Bragg's attention to the northeast while the bulk of Rosecrans's army crossed the Tennessee River well west and south of Chattanooga. 

When Bragg learned on September 8 that the Union army was in force southwest of the city, he abandoned Chattanooga

Answer To Trivia Question:                                                        This quote by Frederick Law Olmsted describes the retreating Union Army after the First Battle of Bull Run

 

ADOPT-A-SITE

 

The next adopt a site will be held on October 7, 2007 @ 8:30a.m. More  info next month

NEXT MEETING

 

Meeting for the Month of September will be on September 9, 2007. The business meeting will start at 1:00p.m. and we will have a guest speaker  Mr. Hugh Boyle @ 2:00pm, Please try and attend.

Election for the camp will be held in November, please think

about running for office.