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FORT CARSON, Colo. — Veterans of the Battle of Soui Tre, a Vietnam War battle, salute during the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Heritage Ceremony at the unit’s headquarters building March 21, 2018. The 2nd IBCT, 4th Inf. Div. ceremony honored the 51st anniversary of the battle, its veterans and fallen Soldiers. (Photo by Scott Prater)
By Scott Prater
Mountaineer staff
FORT CARSON, Colo. — As 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment Soldiers recognized the 51st anniversary of the Vietnam War era battle of Soui Tre March 21, 2018, their fellow 4th Infantry Division units trained nearby for upcoming combat deployments.
Speeches by veterans who fought in the battle were nearly drowned out by small-arms fire, artillery explosions and the rumble of convoying armored vehicles near the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team headquarters building.
The sights and sounds of nearby training activities presented a near perfect backdrop for the heritage ceremony, which memorialized the epic battle of Soui Tre, its participants and the 51 U.S. Soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice during the battle that took place March 21, 1967, in Tay Ninh Province, South Vietnam.
Lt. Col. Donald L. Cherry Jr., commander, 2nd Bn., 77th FA Reg., 2nd IBCT, 4th Inf. Div., said the battle was not only an important moment for the veterans who experienced the desperate and extreme circumstances that day, but also for the Soldiers who now serve in the same unit 51 years later.
“This is a unique opportunity for our Soldiers to connect with a piece of history,” Cherry said. “These veterans served in this same battalion. We still have the same Howitzers in the 277th, we train to conduct direct fire, we train as a combined arms team and we understand the importance of being ready at all times to support our fellow infantry fighters.”
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FORT CARSON, Colo. — A display featuring photos of fallen Soldiers and a Vietnam War era U.S. Army uniform greeted visitors who attended the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Heritage Ceremony March 21, 2018. The 2nd IBCT conducted the ceremony to honor the 51st anniversary of the Battle of Suoi Tre, a Vietnam War era battle that claimed the lives of 51 U.S. Soldiers. (Photo by Scott Prater)
At Soui Tre, artillery Soldiers fought side by side with infantry Soldiers during a desperate battle, which included hand-to-hand combat skirmishes. In just over five hours of intense fighting, 4th Inf. Div. units used more than 3,000 rounds of ordnance and killed nearly 650 enemy Soldiers.
“This brigade has two of the three battalions that were involved in that fire fight, our unit and the 2nd Bn., 12th Inf. Reg.,” Cherry said. “When you hear about the details from the Soldiers who experienced it, it drives lessons home. And, when our Soldiers see these veterans, it makes the story of the events real to them. It shows them that they are a part of something bigger as opposed to just coming to work every day and putting on the uniform.”
While Paige Lanier, a former 2nd Bn., 77th FA Reg. lieutenant and munitions officer, provided details of
the battle, a formation with current 2nd Bn., 77th FA Reg., stood at attention near a Vietnam War era M101 howitzer that is to be dedicated to the unit’s historical lineage and placed near the 2nd IBCT headquarters building.
“This gun is the same type we used at Soui Tre,” Lanier said. “There is just one difference, though. We had to remove all of the armor from ours because the armor made them too heavy to airlift to the battlefield.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Anara Fofana joined Cherry and Lanier to lay a wreath near the howitzer, which represents the commitment of current service members to preserving the fallen and their gratitude for the service of those who came before them. Current 2nd Bn., 77th FA Reg., Soldiers and veterans read the names of the 51 fallen U.S. Soldiers of the Battle of Soui Tre.
“The only difference (between us and current Soldiers) is time,” Lanier said. “We had a job to do, and we did it to the best of our ability. Today’s Soldiers are doing the same thing – and, they’re doing it well.”
While the ceremony officially honored those who served at Soui Tre, Cherry hopes that more people will come to appreciate the battle.
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FORT CARSON, Colo. — 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Soldiers participated in a 2nd IBCT Heritage Ceremony March 21, 2018, outside the brigade’s headquarters building. The unit dedicated a Vietnam War era M101 Howitzer, shown here, in remembrance of the Battle of Soui Tre. (Photo by Scott Prater)
“It was only one day, but it was a brutal and intense one day of combat,” he said. “It was a critical moment in American history and a key moment for the Soldiers in this battalion, brigade and division. It’s something to be proud of, and we’re glad to recognize and remember those who were lost.”
The ceremony also provided a chance for today’s battalion Soldiers to thank and appreciate Vietnam veterans.
“Those of us who redeployed from Iraq and Afghanistan know what it’s like to be greeted by Vietnam veterans who welcomed us home and shook our hands,” Cherry said. “These Vietnam veterans have done an outstanding job making sure we received the homecoming they never received. I’m glad we can do a little something to show our appreciation for them.”