July 30, 1964 - Communist machine-gun fire raked forward elements of a South Vietnamese Ranger battalion advancing through guerrilla-infested jungle today, killing a United States Army captain and nine Vietnamese.
The U.S. Army identified the officer killed in action as Captain Dale B. Thomas (pictured) of Greensburg, Kentucky.
The battalion had moved about eight miles in eight hours during the night, heading toward embattled Ben Cat, 30 miles north of Saigon. Just before dawn, the Viet Cong opened fire with automatic weapons from a jungle region across open paddy fields.
An airborne battalion that had moved up to strengthen Ben Cat yesterday headed west to relieve the ambushed battalion but was held up by scattered fire.
In addition to the fatalities, 25 of the Rangers were wounded. Casualties in the Viet Cong force, estimated at 500 to 700 men, were not known.
The ranks of American war dead in South Vietnam have ranged from private first class to lieutenant colonel. Captains are most often casualties since Air Force captains fly combat planes, Army captains fly helicopters, and infantry captains serve as battalion advisers and in other field positions. All of these are dangerous jobs.
Casualties among enlisted men are relatively low, primarily because the U.S. has no infantry units in Vietnam. The enlisted men there are mostly technicians, clerks, and in other supporting positions.

Support this project at patreon.com/realtime1960s
Comments