30 Years of Continuous Fighting Against the VC and NVA

30 Years of Continuous Fighting Against the VC and NVA

Keith Nightingale

This is Major Nguyen Hiep. He was my counterpart in the 52d Ranger Battalion 67-68. I hold him in great a regard as I do LTG Gavin-perhaps even more so as truly I owe him my life. He was about 5' 4" but a towering soldier. He carried himself with exceptional poise and confidence-both hard earned in 30 years of continuous fighting against the VC and NVA.

His father was killed by the Vietminh in 1953 and his mother brought him to the South. He graduated from Dalat Military Academy and was commissioned in the French Colonial Army. Through a series of acts by the Gods of War and Chance-he became an exceptional combat leader and developed a degree of combat intelligence and instincts unique in my memory.

As a captain, he was the acting Ranger Bn Cdr that led his unit on an emergency air assault directly on top of the VC at Dong Xouai and personally rescued SF Cpt Robert Q. Williams who was awarded a CMH for his actions there.

Later, again as acting battalion commander in the absence of his drunken senior, he led a Joint US-RVN air assault that broke up a major VC ambush along the Saigon-Vung Tau Highway. His unit was awarded the US Presidential Unit Citation by LBJ specifically under his leadership.

Always, clear and unequivocal-he was shunned by many of his counterparts who were afraid of both the intensity of his views but also his uncompromising principles.

I joined him as the Deputy Advisor in Xuan Loc in May of 1967. In June, we were inserted into an LZ in War Zone D to find a reported company-sized basecamp. We had approximately 450 Rangers. It was, in fact, occupied by at least two Main Force VC regiments in a well-planned ambush (subject of my first book). We emerged from this encounter with an initial strength of 32 in the perimeter by my count. It was 100% due to his strength, example and tenacity that we survived-there is no other explanation.

On the initial encounter, he went up to the front and saw the density of positions and relative strength and immediately ordered a further attack. His explanation was quite simple as he explained it at the moment; "If we withdraw, they will pursue and cut us up. If we attack, we may succeed and they cannot escape us."

Slightly later, some Rangers began to filter toward the rear. In immaculate starched fatigues and spit shined jungle boots, he drew himself up-pulled out his pistol-chambered a round and pointed it at the closest soldier. In Vietnamese he said in a calm voice (as he translated for me)-Turn around and fight or I will kill you. His look was clear as was his intent. The Rangers returned and performed to a high standard.

As the situation became truly desperate, he ordered an act not found in any Benning book. The senior advisor would stack up tac air at first light and as the first strike landed, the center company, the most engaged, would get up and charge forward into the massing VC. As that happened, the remaining elements would slide behind them and go from strike crater to strike crater as the tac air drew an explosive line from the base camp to the original LZ. His company commander's saluted and returned to continue the fight.

As the first aircraft screamed in at dawn, the center company commander fired his pistol into the PRC 25 frequency dial and led his men forward. Everything after was a blur.

An hour later in our final Alamo perimeter, I took a count and found 32 people including the command group. Hiep was calmly smoking a Pall Mall and reading his map-he was not yet done.

In all my career, I have never seen a man so composed, so disciplined and so correct in his persona. It is highly doubtful that any unit, regardless of history could have held as his unit did glued by his example and iron will.
He was truly an extraordinary human being. For this action, the 52d Ranger Bn was awarded a second US Presidential Unit Citation.

We went to fight in Tet 1968 migrating from Xuan Loc to Baria, to Cholon to Bien Hoa in constant grinding urban combat. Always, he was immaculate, up front and unrelenting in applying pressure and discerning the weakest points to exploit.

On a personal basis, even in the heat of battle, he would turn to me and explain what was happening, what he would do and what the reaction would be. He took great pains to "make me smart" as a personal duty. It was the greatest single professional education in warfare I had and was immeasurably valuable as a later company and battalion commander. He taught me to think and act as the enemy but a step ahead. This was the ultimate example of mentoring-and he didn't have to do that but he chose to do it which made it all the more special and unique.

The experiences did not change him. As always, he was an outcast but a recognized combat star. He went on to command a Ranger Group in the closing moments of the war. He was immediately sent to a "Re-education camp" where his continued intransigence earned him both the respect and hatred of his guards. In a fit of frustration, a guard had him killed.

His wife departed Vietnam with his children and now resides in a Catholic nunnery near Baltimore where hopefully she has found some peace and solace in his memory.

This is a man I can never forget and is etched in me forever. I was truly priviliged to have served with him and to share him with you.