July 18, 1963 - Three American Special Forces men were slain in a Communist ambush on “Bloody Route 13” this morning, bringing to 89 the number of Americans killed in the South Vietnamese war. The Pentagon identified the men as Capt. Lawrence E. Hackley (middle) of Roanoke, Va., Capt. Robert K. Mosier (top)of Fort Bragg, N.C., and M/Sgt. Jack D. Goodman (bottom) of Bonifay, Fla. The three were distributing medical supplies to villagers in Binh Long province, 70 miles north of Saigon, when they were attacked. Red guerrillas opened fire with small arms as the three-vehicle convoy drove up the road near the village of Loc Ninh. The Vietnamese driver of the leading jeep and another Vietnamese were wounded. The guerrillas then let loose with automatic weapons and lobbed a grenade into the second jeep. Sgt. Goodman, who had been scheduled to leave South Vietnam in five days, was killed outright, and the two captains were fatally wounded. One died in a helicopter flying him to Saigon, the other after arrival in the capital city. The road through Red-infested territory is known as “Bloody Route 13” because of the number of casualties Americans have suffered there.
