Photo By Maj. Jason Elmore | A veteran of the Battle of Suoi Tre walks to a memorial ceremony on Fort Carson, Colo....... read more read more
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Fort Carson, Colo. — Veterans of the Vietnam Battle of Suoi Tre were recognized and honored during a memorial ceremony held by the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, at the 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment company operating facility on March 18, 2022.
The battle began on March 19, 1967, and culminated 2 days later. On March 21, 350 U.S. Soldiers and Airmen fought against 2,600 enemy soldiers for four hours until reinforcements came, allowing them to push the enemy back and ultimately achieve victory.
Soldiers from 2nd SBCT, 2nd Bn., 77th FA. Reg., and 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, played pivotal roles in the battle: the former holding ground during the heat of the fighting, and the latter being one of the main reinforcement units.
The victory came with a heavy price. Fifty-one Americans were killed and more than 200 were wounded in the action.
According to Lt. Col. Thomas Carroll, commander of 2nd Bn., 12th Inf. Reg., 2nd SBCT, 4th Inf. Div., winning the Battle of Suoi Tre was vital, as it allowed U.S. forces to establish Fire Support Base Gold which in turn facilitated key search-and-destroy missions throughout Operation Junction City later on in the war.
One veteran of the battle present at the ceremony, Errol Paige Lanier, who served with the 2nd Bn., 77th FA Reg., as a munitions officer, said the ceremony held great importance for his fellow veterans and himself, as it allowed them to pay their respects to all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
“We look to it as a memorial service; it’s not something to really celebrate,” Lanier said. “We all feel very much for our Soldiers that we lost, and we also remember all the Soldiers we have lost since then. Whenever we do these we always go back and remember all the Soldiers from the World Wars and Korea, and also the young Soldiers today who served in Afghanistan and the Middle East.”
As important as it is to remember those who came before us, these ceremonies also perform another important function. Carroll believes opportunities for face-to-face interaction between veterans and Soldiers serving today help preserve the Army’s history and traditions.
“The biggest takeaway that we can gain from today is not only remembering the legacy of Vietnam as a whole, and this battle was obviously a piece of it, but it's important for young Soldiers, especially those that were not caught up in the Global War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, to have an opportunity to speak to the veterans to understand what they went through,” Carroll said.
After the ceremony, Soldiers waited outside next to various military vehicles and weapons systems. The veterans viewed and learned about about the modern equipment and shared their own stories.
Lanier, who still is involved with Army organizations as a civilian, takes great satisfaction in the time he spends with young Soldiers.
“I enjoyed being here with the active-duty Soldiers today,” Lanier said. “I try to spend as much time as I can with them.”
Lt. Col. Adam Ropelewski, commander of 2nd Bn., 77th FA Reg., 2nd SBCT, 4th Inf. Div., echoed a similar sentiment regarding the importance of spending time with veterans.
“Just being able to speak to the veterans about the battle and get a better understanding, for me, is great but, more importantly, for my Soldiers,” Ropelewski said. “Just as it was back then, it's the Soldier who can overcome any adversity who can become victorious. That's what's so important from Suoi Tre. Because these veterans are still alive, and our Soldiers can interact with them and ideally use that to inspire their service.”
| Date Taken: | 03.18.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.22.2022 18:45 |
| Story ID: | 416965 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 239 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Battle of Suoi Tre Memorial Ceremony, by SGT Matthew Rabahy, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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