At the 1st of the 92d

A simple gift of soap may be responsible for saving the lives of many men.

When Battery C, 1st Battalion, 92d Artillery, moved to their present location west of Pleiku, one of the first things Battery Commander Captain Walter E. Olson, of Chicago, did was visit the three Montagnard villages close by. With each visit the captain became better acquainted with the village chiefs. Gifts of soap and vegetables were brought to the villages and the battery's medic, Specialist 4 Robert L. Black of Detroit, began treating the sick.

One morning on of the village chiefs appeared at the artillery position and asked to see the commander. He led the captain and a patrol to four freshly dug Viet Cong (VC) mortar positions. The VC never got the chance to use those positions against the camp.

This spirit of friendship is prevalent wherever the 1st of the 92d is. The 155 millimeter howitzer battalion came to Vietnam from Ft. Bragg N.C. in March. Headquarters and Service Battery personnel worked long hours on construction projects in the base camp and in less than two months the headquarters and billets tents were replaced by permanent structures.

Drink up - Sp4 Robert L. Black of Detroit, Btry. C's medical specialist, helps a young Montagnard boy swallow medicine during a recent visit to a nearby village. Such aid is just one of many civic action programs conducted by the unit.

Death & Life

Two of the battalion's three firing batteries are strategically located along Highway 19, east of Pleiku. They provide artillery support for infantry units along this vital road link. The third battery is supporting 4th Infantry Division units in the jungles of the Central Highlands.

During Operation Francis Marion, Batteries A and C combined for 106 VC confirmed kills in a one week period. In another recent fire mission, Btry. C's six guns pumped out over 550 rounds when a platoon of 4th Div. infantrymen located an enemy battalion base camp.

But these powerful weapons also save lives-the lives of the soldiers they protect and the lives of the friendly Vietnamese. And by providing aid and assistance, the men of the 1st of the 92d, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Raymond C. Amenson, Green Bay, Wisc., have gained the loyalty and friendship of those they are here to help.


"On The Way" - As the 155 millimeter howitzer hits full recoil, SSgt. Fred R. Dwinells of Fayetteville, N.C. tells the fire direction center that another round has left the tube and is headed toward a Viet Cong position in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.