Posted on Apr 6, 2016
How the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley Changed the Course of the Vietnam War
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Turning Point11.14.15 12:01 AM ET
How the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley Changed the Course of the Vietnam War
Fifty years ago today, one of the Vietnam war’s most ferocious battles broke out in the Ia Drang Valley. But the battle’s true toll would prove to be the hubris it bred in U.S. commanders.
Fifty years ago today, November 14, 1965, the first wave of troopers from a battalion of the First Cavalry Division, an elite unit of the U.S. Army that had turned in its horses for helicopters and an experimental “airmobile” assault doctrine, debouched from its Bell UH-1 “Huey” transports into a tree-lined clearing, dotted with patches of elephant grass and red-brown anthills. Suddenly, 90 Americans found themselves in the Ia Drang Valley, deep in South Vietnam’s Central Highlands, a remote Communist base area from the days of the French Indochina War of the late 1940s and early1950s.
How the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley Changed the Course of the Vietnam War
Fifty years ago today, one of the Vietnam war’s most ferocious battles broke out in the Ia Drang Valley. But the battle’s true toll would prove to be the hubris it bred in U.S. commanders.
Fifty years ago today, November 14, 1965, the first wave of troopers from a battalion of the First Cavalry Division, an elite unit of the U.S. Army that had turned in its horses for helicopters and an experimental “airmobile” assault doctrine, debouched from its Bell UH-1 “Huey” transports into a tree-lined clearing, dotted with patches of elephant grass and red-brown anthills. Suddenly, 90 Americans found themselves in the Ia Drang Valley, deep in South Vietnam’s Central Highlands, a remote Communist base area from the days of the French Indochina War of the late 1940s and early1950s.
How the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley Changed the Course of the Vietnam War
Posted from thedailybeast.comPosted in these groups: 
Vietnam War
Vietnam War
Edited 8 y ago
Posted 8 y ago
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL A very good friend and former co-worker of mine (now retired), was a Lieutenant in that unit. I have discussed the battle with him on multiple occasions and the details are fascinating. The bravery of our troops is awe-inspiring. He did read the book, "We Were Soldiers Once, And Young" and found it to be pretty accurate. He refuses, to this day, to watch the movie, as he says he does not want to re-live it.
When I was at the Army War College, Joe Galloway and LTG Hal Moore (participants in the battle and authors of the book) presented a briefing and presented signed copies of the book to everyone. Later, I found out that LTG Moore was going to be in Oak Ridge, Tennessee (where my buddy and I were working at the time) and I told my buddy that I wanted him to attend a meeting with me (where Moore was going to be, but my buddy did not know that). He had not seen LTG Moore for a great many years (as my buddy had chosen not to attend the annual reunions of the unit). When they saw each other, they immediately recognized each other, hugged, and reminisced. What a special moment.
My buddy's son gave him a full-size movie poster of "We Were Soldiers" that had been signed by LTG Moore, CSM Plumley, and Joe Galloway, as well as the actors who portrayed them in the movie (Mel Gibson, Sam Elliott, and Barry Pepper). It was awesome and is a prized possession of my buddy.
After repeated urgings of my buddy's son, he now attends the annual reunion of the unit and enjoys it greatly.
When I was at the Army War College, Joe Galloway and LTG Hal Moore (participants in the battle and authors of the book) presented a briefing and presented signed copies of the book to everyone. Later, I found out that LTG Moore was going to be in Oak Ridge, Tennessee (where my buddy and I were working at the time) and I told my buddy that I wanted him to attend a meeting with me (where Moore was going to be, but my buddy did not know that). He had not seen LTG Moore for a great many years (as my buddy had chosen not to attend the annual reunions of the unit). When they saw each other, they immediately recognized each other, hugged, and reminisced. What a special moment.
My buddy's son gave him a full-size movie poster of "We Were Soldiers" that had been signed by LTG Moore, CSM Plumley, and Joe Galloway, as well as the actors who portrayed them in the movie (Mel Gibson, Sam Elliott, and Barry Pepper). It was awesome and is a prized possession of my buddy.
After repeated urgings of my buddy's son, he now attends the annual reunion of the unit and enjoys it greatly.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
COL Jean (John) F. B. thank you for this heart felt story of LTG Moore, I am lost for words. Thank you tremendously for sharing this with RP, it means a lot to honor the sacrifice of the Vietnam Veteran. What a story for the ages and memories to cherish and endure a lifetime. Thank you sincerely for sharing.
LTC Stephen F. SP5 Mark Kuzinski
LTC Stephen F. SP5 Mark Kuzinski
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL The VC learned to respect American courage, staying and fire power! Have you watched the movie? It is best in the afternoon, way before bedtime.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
CSM Charles Hayden roger that, that's a good copy--break--what a movie and the heroics are remarkable.
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CSM Charles Hayden
One of the heroes of that battle, Cpt Rick Rescoria died in the 9/11 attack on the 'towers'. Hard corps! He was leading m/ directing people down a stairwell!
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
CSM Charles Hayden sorry for the loss, what an leader, I am sure he will never ever be forgotten.
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Capt Christian D. Orr
CSM Charles Hayden - RIP and God bless, Rick Rescorla. I visited the 9/11 Memorial for the very first time during my R&R in NYC last month, Deeply moving experience.
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I have read many books on the account of the battle at the Ia Drang Valley.....this was very tough warfare... changed many things on the battle plans in Vietnam... Harsh lesson learned... Thanks for sharing SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL ..
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SGT John " Mac " McConnell roger that, appreciated for sharing, I must pay my homage to all the brave Warriors that came before me brother!
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