The 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne landed at Cam Rahn Bay, South Vietnam on July 29, 1965. The 1st Brigade was
the third unit to be shipped to the new war zone and was comprised of the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 327th Infantry and
the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry. After a brief period where the Soldiers acclimated themselves and received all their
equipment, the 1st Brigade went into action. The Brigade was ordered into the Song Con Valley, about 20 miles
northeast of the town of An Khe. During one mission, the 1st BN, 327th Inf. encountered heavy enemy fire at their
landing zone. Three company commanders were killed and the contact was so close, air support and artillery could
not be called in. As the 1st BN pulled back, they were finally able to call in strikes on the enemy force. That night, 100
sorties and 11,000 rounds of artillery hit the enemy. The next morning, the 1st BN was pulled out. They later
discovered that they had landed in the middle of a heavily entrenched enemy base.
For the rest of 1965, the 1st Brigade continued to mount patrols and interdicted the enemy supplies lines. At the
beginning of 1966, the enemy greatly reduced his operations. In May, the enemy began massing in the Pleiku and
Kontum provinces. The 1st Brigade was moved from An Khe to Dak To, a Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG)
base camp in the northern area of S. Vietnam. Here as S. Vietnamese force was surrounded by the 24th North
Vietnamese Regiment. The 1st Brigade was ordered in to reinforce the S. Vietnamese position.After evacuating the S.
Vietnamese forces, the 2nd BN, 502nd Inf. established their lines inside the abandoned camp and sent C Company
forward in an exposed defensive position. On the night of June 6, the 24th NVA Regiment attacked C Company in a
brutal assault. In a desperate attempt to stop the enemy advance, the commander of C Company called in air strikes
on top of his own position, killing NVA and Americans alike. It was a hard decision to make, but it worked. The 24th
NVA pulled back long enough for A Company 1/327 to be brought in by helicopter to reinforce the C Company
positions.
With the arrival of A 1/327, the 24th NVA began to retreat. The soldiers of 1st Brigade pursued the enemy and several
large scale air attacks were called in. Hundreds of enemy soldiers were killed but the 24th NVA managed to escape
into Laos.
In October and November, 1966, the 4th Infantry and 1st Cavalry Divisions were heavily engaged with enemy forces in
the Kontum province. When it became clear that the enemy was attempting to withdraw into Laos like the 24th NVA,
the 1st Brigade was airlifted to try and block them. After a massive helicopter airlift, the 101st landed just as the
enemy was crossing into Laos and safety. The 1st Brigade was ordered into reserve at Phu Yen.
In early 1967, the 1st Brigade acted as a rapid reaction force, reinforcing American and South Vietnamese forces when
necessary and responding to enemy attacks. The 1st Brigade was become experts in rapid helicopter assaults. In April
of 1967, the 1st Brigade was attacked to Task Force OREGON and placed under operational control of the III Marine
Amphibious Force and moved to Chu Lai.
At Chu Lai, the 1st Brigade assisted in a large-scale pacification effort in the Quang Tri province. Later, the 1st Brigade
was called in to assist a Marine battalion finish off an enemy attack around Khe Sahn, which would be the scene of a
long,. bloody siege in 1968. The 1st Brigade conducted long patrols designed to push the enemy from the villages in
Quang Tri.
In the fall of 1967, Task Force Oregon was reorganized into the 23rd Infantry Division. Better known as the Americal
Division. The 1st Brigade was detached to await the arrival of the 2nd and 3rd Brigades of the 101st Airborne Division,
which arrived in December 1967.
In late 1971, and early 1972 the 101st Airborne Division began returning home to Fort Campbell. It was the last Army
Division to leave South Vietnam. The 101st Airborne spent almost 7 years in combat in South Vietnam. During that
time, the Division became one of the most feared units of the American Army. During Vietnam, Army forces were
ordered to create black and green subdued shoulder insignia that were designed to blend in with the green uniform.
The 101st is the only unit to retain their colored emblem. The North Vietnamese called the 101st the "Chicken Men"
because of their insignia. (The Vietnamese had never seen an eagle before) Many enemy commanders warned their
men to avoid the Chicken Men at all costs because any engagement with them, they were sure to lose.
the third unit to be shipped to the new war zone and was comprised of the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 327th Infantry and
the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry. After a brief period where the Soldiers acclimated themselves and received all their
equipment, the 1st Brigade went into action. The Brigade was ordered into the Song Con Valley, about 20 miles
northeast of the town of An Khe. During one mission, the 1st BN, 327th Inf. encountered heavy enemy fire at their
landing zone. Three company commanders were killed and the contact was so close, air support and artillery could
not be called in. As the 1st BN pulled back, they were finally able to call in strikes on the enemy force. That night, 100
sorties and 11,000 rounds of artillery hit the enemy. The next morning, the 1st BN was pulled out. They later
discovered that they had landed in the middle of a heavily entrenched enemy base.
For the rest of 1965, the 1st Brigade continued to mount patrols and interdicted the enemy supplies lines. At the
beginning of 1966, the enemy greatly reduced his operations. In May, the enemy began massing in the Pleiku and
Kontum provinces. The 1st Brigade was moved from An Khe to Dak To, a Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG)
base camp in the northern area of S. Vietnam. Here as S. Vietnamese force was surrounded by the 24th North
Vietnamese Regiment. The 1st Brigade was ordered in to reinforce the S. Vietnamese position.After evacuating the S.
Vietnamese forces, the 2nd BN, 502nd Inf. established their lines inside the abandoned camp and sent C Company
forward in an exposed defensive position. On the night of June 6, the 24th NVA Regiment attacked C Company in a
brutal assault. In a desperate attempt to stop the enemy advance, the commander of C Company called in air strikes
on top of his own position, killing NVA and Americans alike. It was a hard decision to make, but it worked. The 24th
NVA pulled back long enough for A Company 1/327 to be brought in by helicopter to reinforce the C Company
positions.
With the arrival of A 1/327, the 24th NVA began to retreat. The soldiers of 1st Brigade pursued the enemy and several
large scale air attacks were called in. Hundreds of enemy soldiers were killed but the 24th NVA managed to escape
into Laos.
In October and November, 1966, the 4th Infantry and 1st Cavalry Divisions were heavily engaged with enemy forces in
the Kontum province. When it became clear that the enemy was attempting to withdraw into Laos like the 24th NVA,
the 1st Brigade was airlifted to try and block them. After a massive helicopter airlift, the 101st landed just as the
enemy was crossing into Laos and safety. The 1st Brigade was ordered into reserve at Phu Yen.
In early 1967, the 1st Brigade acted as a rapid reaction force, reinforcing American and South Vietnamese forces when
necessary and responding to enemy attacks. The 1st Brigade was become experts in rapid helicopter assaults. In April
of 1967, the 1st Brigade was attacked to Task Force OREGON and placed under operational control of the III Marine
Amphibious Force and moved to Chu Lai.
At Chu Lai, the 1st Brigade assisted in a large-scale pacification effort in the Quang Tri province. Later, the 1st Brigade
was called in to assist a Marine battalion finish off an enemy attack around Khe Sahn, which would be the scene of a
long,. bloody siege in 1968. The 1st Brigade conducted long patrols designed to push the enemy from the villages in
Quang Tri.
In the fall of 1967, Task Force Oregon was reorganized into the 23rd Infantry Division. Better known as the Americal
Division. The 1st Brigade was detached to await the arrival of the 2nd and 3rd Brigades of the 101st Airborne Division,
which arrived in December 1967.
In late 1971, and early 1972 the 101st Airborne Division began returning home to Fort Campbell. It was the last Army
Division to leave South Vietnam. The 101st Airborne spent almost 7 years in combat in South Vietnam. During that
time, the Division became one of the most feared units of the American Army. During Vietnam, Army forces were
ordered to create black and green subdued shoulder insignia that were designed to blend in with the green uniform.
The 101st is the only unit to retain their colored emblem. The North Vietnamese called the 101st the "Chicken Men"
because of their insignia. (The Vietnamese had never seen an eagle before) Many enemy commanders warned their
men to avoid the Chicken Men at all costs because any engagement with them, they were sure to lose.
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