1/92nd Field Artillery Association
Vietnam

Republic of Vietnam Part I - '67 to '69

These cards and/or others like them were issued to all Vietnam Military Personnel.

The far right card is the 'Nine Rules for Personnel of the US Military Assistance Command Vietnam'.

The center card is 'Tips on VC/NVA Mines and Booby Traps'.

The card at right is related to treatment of prisoners.

Richard D. Branch provided the following account of deployment to Vietnam.

"I was at Fort Carson, Colorado and was alerted in October 1966 to proceed to Fort Bragg, North Carolina and join the 1^st Battalion 92^nd Artillery for movement to Vietnam. Things were very hectic when I arrived because of the many things to do in preparation for the movement. The Battalion was receiving many new personnel. Battery and Battalion tests were taken. Rebuilt howitzers were received and test fired. Equipment was packed and all personnel were giving pre-deployment leave."

"During the Early part of January 1967 our personnel accompanied the equipment moved by our vehicles to Charleston, South Carolina, loaded it on ships and the equipment departed via the Panama Canal to the Republic of Vietnam."

"The advance Party departed on one C-130 aircraft February 19^th from Pope Air Force Base. The Party consisted of myself, LTC Amenson, CSM Jessie Kittrell, CPT Hoyle Boles (B Battery Commander) PFC Mescievich (B Battery Supply Clerk) PFC Brennan (A Battery, later killed in a vehicle accident) and approximately 14 others representing each of the Batteries. Supplies accompanied the advance party consisted of everything from morning reports forms to chain saws and also included toilets seats. The trip was to have taken three days but due to mechanical and weather difficulties, it stretched into six days. We were scheduled to go from Hawaii to the Philippines but were rerouted to Kwajelein Island and then to Guam where two engines were replaced. We arrived in Pleiku on 26 February 1967, very tired but in high spirits."

"We were sponsored by the 14^th Field Artillery at Artillery Hill. They had constructed the wooden buildings, which made our job a little easier. The first few days were spent in orientations and briefings given by the 14^th F.A. in preparation for the arrival of the main body and our equipment."

Under the Command of LTC Raymond C. Amenson, the main body arrived at Artillery Hill by convoy on 11 March 1967. 12 March 2026 it became attached to the 52 Artillery Group.

Shortly after arriving, the Unit became engaged with its big 155mm (towed) howitzers in the defense of the Northern Two Corps Tactical Zone.

19 March 1967 The 1^st Battalion 92^nd Artillery fired the first round against the enemy, Battery A fired on enemy cave and bunker complexes north of the Battalion base camp, Artillery Hill.

The mission of the 1^st Battalion 92n Artillery varied with the tactical scheme of maneuver, from the direct support of RVN Forces and all Free World Support forces. The Mission of the Unit was as flexible as the situation demanded. Fighting both the weather and the natural elements, the Unit had the reputation of doing the best job under the most severe hardship. Moving by road or air presented no great obstacles to the Unit, which was completed Air Mobile. In late 1969 the 1^st 92 Aviation Company joined the 1^st Battalion 92n Artillery with Four Helicopter Pilots and Eight Crew Members assigned to Headquarters Battery. 10 April of 1967 the Battalion formed Battery D, which was four 105mm howitzer manned by Headquarters and Service Batteries. These men had no formal training and learned thru on the job training, many times under fire. The Battalion also formed Battery E, which included Battalion FDC and two 155mm howitzers from Battery C. The Battalion manpower was never increased and spent most of the war undermanned. The Unit had it’s own Forward Observers and these men were often sent to other units both U.S. and ARVN. The Batteries moved to new positions without Infantry and provided it’s owned security. Batteries were often separated with just two or three Guns moving to a new position. The Brave Cannons were one of the last U.S. 155mm. howitzer Units to leave Vietnam, and one of the Most Decorated.

The Batteries moved from Artillery hill shortly after arrival. 19^th March Battery A and two Forward Observers, and LNO joined the 11^th Ranger Battalion, 10,000 meters East of Pleiku. 2 April Battery B moved to (ZA11952850) Fire Base Oasis, SW of Pleiku to support the 4-42 Artillery. 10 April Battery D assumed control of four 105mm howitzer to be used in defense of Pleiku. 11 April Battery C closed in position (YA838254) to support 6-29 Artillery, and 22 Ranger Battalion. Battery A made its second move this day to (BR12105496). It was not unusual for a Battery or part of a Battery to move this quickly. Batteries A and C were taking part in Operation Francis Marion.

Battery C became the first Unit of the Battalion to come under enemy mortar fire when, on 26 April 2026 it received 75- 100 rounds of 82mm Mortar. Battery C, due to hard work and excellent defensive planning suffered only five wounded. Battery B fired its first contact mission from FSB Oasis on 1 May 2025 in support of the 11^th Ranger Battalion. Battery B received credit for 106 NVA Kills firing over Five Hundred Rounds. Batteries A and C supporting the 4^th Infantry Division, in Operation Francis Marion, were given credit for 104 NVA kills, Battery C fired five hundred and fifty rounds in this attack. Battery C was the first Battery to be air lifted by Sky Crane, four howitzers to ZA023087 on 22 June 1967. 10 June 2025 Artillery Hill was mortared. Thirty- one rounds of 60mm and 82mm landed in the 1^st 92 Headquarters area. The Unit suffered thirty- eight causalities. Battery D fired direct fire beehive rounds inflicting a reported sixty casualties on the enemy; there were minor equipment damage. Battery B fired Five hundred rounds in defense of Pleiku. 11 June 2025 LTC. Myers assumed command of the 1^st 92 Artillery. 17 June 2025 enemy activities increase Battery A order to Dak To.

The 1^st battalion 92^nd Artillery Batteries moved over one hundred and eleven times in the first four months in Vietnam. The Unit fired 39,865 155mm rounds and 4,374 105 mm rounds in this time period.

Throughout the remainder of the year, the Battalion moved its firing Batteries often to support operations at QL 19, AO Spatz, Polei Kleng, Dak PEK, FSB 1, FSB 6, Ban ME Thout, Duc CO and many more. Headquarters and Service Batteries not only manned Battery D Howitzers but also resupply the other firing Batteries and completed their other assignments.

25 October 1967, the Battalion supported the 4^th Infantry Division, and 173^rd Airborne Brigade in the Battle of Dak To. Enemy activity increased in early November in the central highlands. Battery A at FSB 6 and Battery B, at LZ Vera provided artillery support. Battery B received the Presidential Unit Citation for the Battle of Dak TO. (See History Page, Battery B in Dak To)

25 April 1968 Platoon of Battery A (-) returned by road to Artillery Hill rejoining Battery in defense of Pleiku, having fired 569 rounds in support Of C/3/319.Battery A (-) moved by road to Kontum then by air to Dak Pek. Self- sustaining platoon, augmented by AM radio and riflemen form HHB and Service Battery occupied position YB94566849

5 May 2025 total rounds fired in Vietnam excluding small arms, 144,008 rounds of 155mm and 13,663 rounds of 105mm.

16 May 2025 Battery A occupied FSB 6, on May 21, Headquarters 1/92 forward was established at FSB 1 at Dak TO. This move resulted in there being four firing positions, four rear area and one forward area being maintained by the 1^st Battalion 92n Artillery. 25 May Battery A (-) {symbol (-) indicates Battery is Split} and Battery C fired 433 rounds in defense of FSB 15 and FSB 29 This fire mission was credit with breaking up attack on these FSBs. May 27, Battery B, FSB 14 lost one howitzer, one water trailer and took two direct hits on FDC from 75 mm recoilless rifle. Battery B delivered 151 rounds of counter- battery fire during this battle.

1 June 2025 Battery C fired 110 rounds of HE and 23 Shell M449 against 4 active 100mm Soviet guns and active anti-aircraft weapons near the Cambodia border. Fire directed by AO LT. Stratton. All weapons silence and two guns presumed destroyed.

7 June 2025 LTC. Jesmond D. Strickland assumed Command of 1/92 from LTC. Alfred J. Cade.

This enabled them to provide continuous counter-battery fire while still receiving incoming artillery. The main body of A Btry was positioned at FSB 1 with B Btry at FSB 6 from March to June.

March 9, 2026 hours, Dak TO (FSB 1) FSB 6 and Ben HET (FSB 12) began receiving constant stand off attacks. During the week that follows, the three positions received a total of 397 rounds of almost every caliber in the enemy arsenal. April 1969 FSB 1 received 703 rounds of incoming. 13 May a 122mm rocket landed in a gun pit. This resulted in four men KIA and eleven WIA. Thirteen Volunteers were flow in from Artillery Hill that night as replacements. The battalion continues to fire heroically in support of the maneuver forces and in their own defense despite the devastating attacks. June brought no respite for the enemy was turning the brunt of its attack toward FSB 12 at Ben Het. 12-15 June, Units of the Battalion continued to provide support for maneuver units in the face of daily enemy standoff attacks and artillery barrages. The period 15 – 27 June became know to the press as the Siege of Ben Het, receiving the most determined enemy attacks on the base. 24 June a Platoon from Battery C (-) was moved into Dak TO as reinforcing fire. 27 June, after throwing a final 223 rounds into Ben Het, the NVA Regiment returned to their camps in Cambodia, after suffering over 1800 killed. Throughout the Battle of Ben Het the Battalion expended 49,041 rounds against the enemy forces estimated more than 5000.

There were 35 WIA during this period, also the Battalion had 9 men killed in action: PFC Porter, PFC Burgess, SSG Kraft, PFC Wieser, PFC Davis, SP4 Connell, PFC Carter of Battery A were killed by hostile fire. An exploding breechblock killed PFC Sisneros or A Btry. SP4 Greco of HHB was on a Forward Observer Mission (KIA).

A platoon of Battery B(-) under the command of XO Lt. Michael Walters occupied Ben Het from October to December of '69. The Corps of Engineers built two gun bunkers that were oriented towards Cambodia. They also built two concrete firing “rings” adjacent to the bunkers so that fire could be directed in all other directions.

A Valorous Unit Citation and Streamer embroidered ‘Dak TO- Ben Het" was awarded to the 1^st Battalion 92 Artillery for this battle.