Today, May 6, is a date that is etched in the minds of survivors of the two platoons of A 3/21 196th Light Infantry. Locked into combat on the DMZ with Major Tha's entrenched and numerically superior NVA battalion, Lieutenants Kimball and Smith bravely led their platoons against the enemy bunkers. Lt. Smith was twice wounded while in assault of the enemy positions. With our dead and wounded numbers increasing with each passing minute, it was obvious that the dire situation just plain couldn't be reversed. The 300-man entrenched NVA force was overwhelming. In the heat of what author and Vietnam War historian Keith Nolan termed the worst "meatgrinder" battle of which he was aware, Lt. Kimball died while directing artillery fire onto the enemy positions. Faced with probable extermination, the order was given to pull back. Under the circumstances, it was impossible to extract our fallen. As you know, in the aftermath, Major Tha took a razor from the fatigue jacket pocket of Lt. Kimball. Today, on the anniversary of that horrific battle, I mailed the razor to Lt. Kimball's family.
You can learn more about the battle of May 6 by revisiting the blog entry from last year's Vietnam trip:
May 6-Nightmare Battle at Nhi Ha
Significant is the fact that Lt. Kimball's razor is finally on its way home.
Neil
You can learn more about the battle of May 6 by revisiting the blog entry from last year's Vietnam trip:
May 6-Nightmare Battle at Nhi Ha
Significant is the fact that Lt. Kimball's razor is finally on its way home.
Neil
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