PERSONNEL INJURIES 1. The loss or injury of a fellow EOD man touches us all.

The first six months of 1968 accounted for the greatest number of deaths and injuries sustained then over any period. Below is a listing of casualties suffered by EOD men from 1 Jan 68 to 30 Jun 68. 2. The first injury for the period took place at LZ Rose. During a mortar attack on 5 Jan 68, SP6 Patrick Campbell of the 133 rd Ord Det (EOD) received fragmentation wounds of the face when an 82mm mortar burst near him. 3. On 31 Jan 68, nine personnel from the 3 rd Ord Dn (EOD) section received a number of injuries while in the ASP at Long Binh. The EOD section was called into the ASP after a number of timed explosive devices had been planted on ammunition pads by enemy sapper teams. While the EOD men were checking the pads on of the devices functioned causing a pad of 8 projectiles to detonate. This resulted in nine of the EOD personnel receiving ruptured eardrums and various minor fragmentation wounds. 4. On 10 Feb the 85th Ord Det C.P. was hit by an 82mm mortar round. SP6 George Berry was slightly wounded when fragments of the mortar entered his leg and back. Within several days SP6 Berry returned to duty. 5. The 24th of Feb 68, SP6 Deeter of the 25 th Ord Det (EOD) received mild fragmentation wounds to the face and legs at LZ Jans as the result of enemy mortars. 6. On 1 Apr 68 EOD suffered the first death of the year when CPT George Fisher was killed while sleeping in his BOQ at the 3 rd Ord Bn (AMMO). A 122mm rocket entered the roof of his BOQ and detonated on the floor beside his bed, killing him instantly. 7. The next death occurred on 10 Apr 68. MSG Calhoon was killed and SP4 Dick was wounded near An Khe on Highway # 19. Both men were from the 25 th Ord Det (EOD). A controlled mine had been found in the road and MSG Calhoon and SP4 Dick had been dispatched to remove it. When the mine had been removed MSG Calhoon and SP4 Dick were walking off the road to dispose of it when they were fired upon by enemy troops lying in ambush. MSG Calhoon died as the result of bullet and fragmentation wounds. SP4 Dick received bullet wounds in his arms, legs, and jaw. He has since been evacuated to CONUS. 8. SP5 Earl of the 133 rd Ord Det (EOD) received mortar fragment wounds of the neck as a result of an attack at Duc Pho on 15 Apr 68. His wounds were minor and he was treated and returned to duty. 9. The 9th of May 68, SP5 Jones of the 25 th Ord Det (EOD) broke 9 ribs and suffered a collapsed lung when he dove into a hole for cover during a night rocket attack. The hole was 16 feet deep. SP5 Jones was evacuated to Japan. Incl 3

10. CPT Patrick DesChamps, CO of the 42 nd Ord Det (EOD) was wounded slightly by mortar fragments while at Ka Tun on 12 May 68. He was treated and returned to duty shortly thereafter. 11. During the ASP clean-up at Camp Evans, SP4 Gary Barr [of the 3 rd Ord Bn (Ammo)] was critically injured on 4 Jun 68, when what was believed to be an item of selected munitions functioned. Cause of detonation is unknown. SP4 Barr was evacuated first to the 18 th Surgical Hospital at Quan Tri, then to the Hospital ship Repose, Da Nang Harbor. He has since been evacuated to CONUS. 12. Also on 4 Jun 68, SP6 Hull and SP4 Gans of the 99 th Ord Det (EOD) was involved in a vehicle accident. SP4 Gans suffered a collapsed lung, while SP6 Hall received a broken finger. SP4 Gans was evacuated to Japan, but recently returned to duty. 13. While on an incident at Lom Luc Vien on 9 Jun 68, SP6 Crawford and SP4 Henderlong [of the 42nd Ord Det (EOD)] came under attack by an unknown size enemy force. During the firefight SP6 Crawford received minor abrasions and lacerations of the left elbow. SP4 Henderlong received lacerations to his left arm and forearm. Both men were treated and returned to duty. 14. On 15 Jun 68, EOD suffered a third death when SFC Charles Baker was killed and SP4 Stanford was seriously wounded while in support of the 4 th Infantry Division at Pleiku. Four dud M26 grenades were reported on the hand grenade range at the 4th Inf Div base camp, and SFC Baker and SP4 Stanford departed the 85 th Ord Det (EOD) in response. While on the range one of the M26 grenades, possible a hung strike, functioned, killing SFC Baker and injring SP4 Stanford. SP4 Stanford received between 200 and 250 fragment wounds to his body. He is being treated in CONUS and is expected to make a full recovery. 15. Each injury and death severs as a reminder to EOD men everywhere of the inherent danger in our occupation. This, coupled with the ever-present threat of enemy action, exposes the EOD man in Vietnam to perhaps more hazards than the Infantryman faces in combat. With the daily exposure rate that EOD men faces, it is a wonder more casualties are not experienced.

AWARDS EOD personnel in Vietnam, though few in number, have been receiving many awards for their initiative, dedication and heroism. The awards listed below have been presented to EOD men during the first half of 1968. Soldiers Medal Bronze Star w/v Bronze Star Air Medal ACM w/v ACM Purple Heart TOTAL Incl 4 7 21 17 7 36 5 17 110

INJURES TO PERSONNEL 1. The last half of 1968 there was a decrease of injuries from hostile action but injuries from vehicle accidents increased. The EOD man in Vietnam faces the threat of injuries from a hostile enemy and the inherent dangers of his work from day to day, and these accidents are a grim reminder that he is not immune to injury and death from other causes. 2. The 18th of July saw the first death of an EOD man in the second half of 1968. SP6 Lewis D. Black of the 184th Ord Bn (AMMO), EOD Section was killed while working in the Dong Ha ASP. It appeared that one of the many thousands of the improved conventional munitions hidden beneath the surface of the soil functioned" killing SP6 Black. Injured in the incident was SSG James G. Hunt of the 59th Ord Det (EOD). He was evacuated to a hospital ship and later to Japan. He has since returned to duty. 3. On 18 July, SP5 Rawling and SP5 Kern of the 25th Ord Det were transporting ammunition to a holding area when the tire of the trailer detonated a landmine, which caused the ammunition in the trailer to detonate. Both men received ruptured eardrums and fragmentation wounds. 4. The next day, 19 July, at An Khe, MSG Donald Brosius of the 25th was killed in a vehicle accident while responding to a call for EOD assistance while following an MP escort vehicle on rain-slick Highway 19. The EOD vehicle skidded out of control and MSG Brosius was thrown from the vehicle and died from injuries received. SP4 Lilly sustained a back injury in this accident. 5. On 29 August, SFC Cope of the 44th Ord Det (EOD) received minor injuries when the jammed 9Omm'recoilless rifle round (HE) he was attempting to remove detonated. He received fragment wounds and suffered eardrum rupture, but was treated and returned to duty after a week. 6. On 16 Sept, MSG Merriam of the 191st Ord Bn (AMMO), EOD Section received minor frag wounds when a vehicle functioned a landmine near where he was working. He was treated and returned to duty. 7. On 23 Sept 68, SFC Robert Blanchard received fragment wounds to the shoulder. He was unloading unserviceable ordnance for destruction when an M52A5 fuze functioned causing the injury. 8. Four members of the 85th Ord Det (EOD) were injured on 7 Nov when the vehicle in which they were riding overturned. MSG (Gene S.) Wright was evacuated; SFC (Charles L.D.) Ball was hospitalized in-country and SP6 (Clifford) Robinson and SP5 (Charles A.) Scott were treated and released. 9. During an enemy mortar attack at Jake on 15 December, SP6 William Mack received multiple fragment, wounds of the legs, right arm and body. SP6 Mack has been evacuated to CONUS.

Inclosure 3 10. On 21 Dec, SP4 Hays of the 44th Ord Det (EOD) was hit by mortar and glass fragments during a hostile attack at Tay Ninh. SP4 Hays was inside a shop van and was hit by fragments passing through a window. All wounds were superficial and SP4 Hays was returned to duty after treatment. 11. On 22 Dec, SSG Patrick L, Campbell suffered a lacerated finger requiring five stitches while disarming a satchel charge. 12. On 22 Dec, MSG Dwyer and SP5 Scott of the 85th Ord Det (EOD) were responding to an EOD call when their vehicle struck a landmine. MSG Dwyer suffered severe lacerations of the legs, face, and body and has been evacuated to the US. SP5 Scott was hospitalized with a broken nose. Page 2 of Incl 3

AWARDS 1. EOD men are still receiving many awards. Below are the individuals and the awards presented in the last half of 1968: SSG Arthur M. Brodeth SP5 Phillip C. Kirwan SP5 John W. Merwin CPT Briggs K. Sicilia SFC Don D. Fearnow SSG Edward L. Jones SP6 James H. Paget SP5 James L. Scott SP5 Clifford E. Evans MSG John W. Merriam SFC Donald W. Douglas MSG William Ramsey SP4 Vincent F. Ranhorn SFC Stephen P. Shirley SP6 Robert E. Sherrell SP4 Kent S. Voge SP5 David Evers SP6 Philip C. Roesch SP6 Blair H. Coleman SP5 Arthur B. Henderlong SP6 William M. Mack SP5 Haskel G. McLane SP5 Philip G. Shead MSG Edward F. Hochecker Inclosure 4 BSM BSM SM SM 1OLC, ARCOM w/V ARCOM ARCOM ARCOM ARCOM ARCOM PH, BSM w/V BS BS ARCOM BS BS BS PH BSM w/V, BSM BS BSw/V PH, BSM BS BS AM, BSM OLC

SFC George E. Doritty SP5 Michael L. Kern SP6 Willard D. Jones Jr. SP5 Steven R. Rawlings MSG Thomas F. Hall Jr. SP6 Lewis D. B1ack SP6 James W. Estes SP6 William T. Urie MSG Carlos E. Mohundro SFC Leonard T. Smolenski SP5 Patrick L. Gehringer SP6 Roy E. Judkins SFC Arnold A. Neiderhofer SP6 Robert G. Plummer MSG Gene L. Wright SP5 Dennis P. Grzanka SP5 Charles A. Scott MSG James P. Dwyer SFC Thomas S. Wheeler SP5 Franklin H. Mattison CPT Floyd J. Puckett Jr. MSG William A. Campbell SSG James G. Hunt

AM, SM & BS PH BS, & PH AM, BS & PH BS, BS w/V BS & PH (Posthumous) BS BS BS BS BS BS w/V ACM BS BS ACM PH PH ACOM BS BS w/V BS SM, PH

2. The following are personnel that received Awards prior to this reporting period but not previously reported: MSG Donald E. Calhoon SP6 Jarmes D. Phipps SP6 John C. Scott Page 2 of Incl 4 BS w/V, AM, PH, SS (Posthumous) BS w/OLC BS

SP5 Haskel S. McLane SP6 James D. Deeter SP5 Thomas E. Peach Page 3 of Incl 4

ARCOM w/V ARCOM w/V ARCOM