"Sappers in the wire: The Life and Death of Fire Base Mary Ann."

mojaveman · 11-07-2022, 10:50

In the early morning hours of March 28, 1971, a Viet Cong sapper platoon assaulted a remote hilltop artillery base in the Quang Tin Province of South Vietnam. When the attack was over 30 Americans were dead and another 80 wounded.

Kind of feel sorry for them and kind of don't. You let your guard down and you suffer the consequences.

Might not be a bad read for the younger troops.

By Keith William Nolan

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...rs_in_the_Wire

**PRB** · 11-08-2022, 12:20

I know the story told in Infantry circles at that time.... I don't know what actually happened but maybe I'll get the book.

Joe was and is Joe.... if there was a failure it was leadership...NCO's and O's.

Penn · 01-09-2023, 20:37

Intimately familiar with the action.
Childhood best friend was the Squad Pig/MG 1st Plt C co 1/46. We hooked up there and in Chu Lai, several times before 2/13/71, the ambush that proceeded the assault on Maryanne, which was a few clicks from the border of Laos, completely controlled by the NVA.
The L shaped ambush completely decimated the squad. MBFF suffered 7/7.62 rounds, having made the decision to go down the trail to assist/pull back/rescue his brothers. Every-time he went back down the trail he has hit again. The book describes the event, but he and those that survived did not tell the full story to Nolan, they held that close to themselves.

Photo's on Maryanne
Photo1 Murph, Lt. KIA
Photo 2 L/R KIA, Lany, Sq Leader KIA, Murph

The Citation for his SS, was a MOH nomination, but it was turned down on Nixon desk, due to the Div Co, The Bde Co, The Co Co being relived of Command. Can't have leadership recommendation for an award, while being relived of command.
Several of us went to DC in '78 to reverse that decision to no avail.

BuffloBob may have more input as he was CO of a Plt in B co 1/46. iirc, after having finished the Q course Alpha. He related that they ran the PLT like 4 ODA's.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_FSB_Mary_Ann

https://blog.togetherweserved.com/20...base-mary-ann/

https://www.historynet.com/deadly-sa...e-vietnam-war/