"The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment" during the Vietnam War (1969) - REEL History

[Music] the black horse regiment the 11th armored Cavalry Regiment brought a new look to Vietnam the natural barriers and unfriendly Terrain in Vietnam make it tough for today's modern Machines of War but surprisingly American mechanized units have surmounted these obstacles through Ingenuity and sheer determination [Music] and it takes determination especially when you can't see what's ahead even 10 ft away a jungle might seem like a strange place for armored vehicles that can cover hundreds of miles per day in Open Country [Music] yet when the enemy can be anywhere armor means a lot to the foot soldier armor helps the soldier beat a path armor means Firepower that extra wallet that keeps the enemy from concentrating his [Music] forces today's mechanized cavalry means mobility and speed a prime requirement of Modern [Music] Warfare since their arrival in Vietnam the Cavalry Troopers of the Blackhorse Regiment have built a proud record of accomplishment while fulfilling their military missions under unique Battlefield conditions never before encountered by mechanized Ground Forces they built a record of leadership of Ingenuity spirit and Valor that will always live in the annals of the 11th Army Cavalry in Vietnam new ways to do old jobs had to be found and these men were equal to the task the third core area where the regiment was assigned contains the capital of South Vietnam Saigon important cities such as binua and the rice bowl provinces it also included strategic areas such as as the elephant's ear and the trackless jungles of the Cambodian border as an independent force in this vital area the 11th armored Cavalry gave needed support to elements of us and Allied Forces immediately after arrival at the Port of vangao in September 1966 the regiment moved to the important headquarters base of long bin for staging then onward to Z on Lock and the creation of its own base camp the regiment was welcomed by General kraton Abrams later commander of all US forces in Vietnam he discussed equipment and organization with Colonel K the regiment's first commander in Vietnam at the conclusion of his welcoming visit General Abrams was impressed with this vital new fighting team The Familiar armored personnel carriers had been beefed up for the counterinsurgency mission in Vietnam each vehicle was fitted with two additional machine guns and modification of armor gave Kwan greater [Music] protection the crew of five men included the vehicle Commander driver Grenadier and gunners [Music] the result was the armored Cav assault vehicle or acav the key vehicle of the new Light Armored platoon after it had been proved in combat the acav was soon employed in other units throughout [Music] Vietnam heavier armor typified by the M48 tank provided each Squadron with a big punch the newest armored vehicle with the 11th is the Sheridan it mounts a 152 mm gun which also launches the shalele missile self-propelled artillery was also part of the squadrons and was assigned to individual units in whatever mix the commander required in the days ahead artillery support would prove to be a valuable asset at first the 11th armored Cavalry Regiment was equipped with self-propelled 105 mm howitzers later these were to be replaced by 155 5 mm howitzers which have greater range the regiment became a completely mobile reconnaissance and striking Force they became the only freewheeling armored unit of its kind in combat in [Music] Vietnam with in its squadrons were custom vehicles and special purpose weapons such as heavy mortars capable of devastating fire and highly trained mobile advisory Scouts a thunder horse troop of air Cavalry within 3 weeks of arrival units of the 11th had met the enemy beginning with a fight for the regiment's line of communication the Viet Kong had plenty of warning as the long lines of armor rolled down the roads and into the northern sector of the core area friendly observers reported the enemy was rising to the bait preparing ambushes in operation Atlanta the men of the 11th routed the ambushes with overwhelming Firepower making a heavy toll in enemy dead and capture many of the enemy's weapons were seized best of all the Viet Kong learned respect for the regiment at the [Music] outset and the people of Lan Province were free again this initial success made the task easier as the Black Horse base camp began to grow its resupply and security gained [Music] importance headquarters became a hub of activity everywhere the camp was being developed into a comfortable main base even though a large part remained under canvas Communications were an important reason for the Camp's existence powerful Electronics equipment at the Tactical operations center allowed full Communications with higher headquarters at long bin and with field units which had mobile armored command posts when in position these field units were made secure against enemy night raids concertina wire and circled the area during daylight hours these forward outposts were busy centers of planning and direction in all this Communications Network proved an outstanding support for the Troopers in the field Fanning out from the base armored convoys patrolled the area and protected vital supply lines as they kept the roads open often an armored Patrol guarded an important Junction or other strategic point after long hours of patrolling far from their base men and vehicles would pull off the road to rest during these short periods of respit however the alert Troopers never wandered very far from their vehicles purely and simply this was enemy country for days at a time they were on duty 24 hours a day but they never dropped their guard and it was mighty hard for Charlie to disturb the peace in January 1967 operation Ceda Falls swept the iron triangle area Northwest of Saigon a longtime enemy Hideout the 11th armored Cavalry acted as a pushing force beating the bushes for the enemy driving them into a waiting block in force composed of main us and Allied [Music] Forces it was a tough dangerous job much of it in country where a man could not see the front of his vehicle from the driver's seat mile by mile the men of the Blackhorse Regiment helped flush the VC out of their tunnels they found everything and anything which the enemy could use to carry out his [Music] mission no Road was safe from VC booby traps here a hole to trap our vehicles with a path left for the enemy to use the answer to this one beat A New Path and move on the operation was an unqualified success documents captured from the enemy attested to the hardships they had suffered as the armored units closed [Music] in then came the Rice Bowl country in the vat region the men of the black horse helped keep the fields and the roads free so the crop would be safe from seizure by the vietcom also the presence of armored units kept the peace and kept the enemy from intimidating the villagers Bridges launched by armored vehicles were often laid down to keep traffic flowing flash flooding of small streams washed away the crude locally built Bridges and buses were unable to make their scheduled destinations the military Bridges helped speed them on their [Music] way the prime purpose of Road and Highway upkeep however was to keep the region open for the fluent movement of military convoys [Music] here in the vat region this scissors Bridge was a useful complement to the regiment's armored strength it could be erected or removed quickly and without any construction work in addition to eating military vehicular traffic these portable Bridges opened newer and shorter routes to nearby marketplaces for the villagers and farmers of the area as the need presented itself these scissors Bridges were moved from one local to another with ease and [Music] speed in the province of Ty nin along the Cambodian Border in the country called the elephant's ear units of the 11th penetrated into terrain previously considered too rough for vehicles once again the men of the 11th armed Cavalry beat the jungle pring forward regardless of terrain there in the dense rainforests they went after the enemy's hiding [Music] [Applause] places and the enemy was [Music] there once again the assigned mission was accomplished [Music] la [Applause] [Music] in operation Junction City a sweep through tyin and War Zone C during July 1967 Rome plows cleared the jungle along the roadsides military convoys and the South Vietnamese people could use the roads in Greater safety from the air it was now possible to spot any Viet Kong activity near these vital [Music] roadways t were used to keep the roads open at strategic points firing to keep the enemy off [Music] balance during the operation command and control were maintained through the Airborne units making it easier for field commanders to visit various units often the air Cavalry troop of the regiment known as thunderhorse had its own helicopter gunship and transports Forward Air controllers performed effectively aison between the Air Force and our armored [Music] units by August 1967 black horse base camp was well established and offered the returning Troopers many of the Comforts of home the return to action comes all too soon [Music] with the almost unbelievable complication of trying to fight a war in which both friends and enemies might be found in the same general area extreme accuracy is a must when firing heavy weapons special weapons like this 4.2 in Mortar mounted in carriers provide additional fire support to the squadrons [Music] fire but it isn't all fighting men of the 11th cab worked closely with soldiers of the South Vietnamese Army to help train local kadre in self-defense the maintenance and use of field communications equipment was one of the primary training [Music] courses other instruction included weapons such as the Carby drills for crew serving mortars soon familiarized the Allied Soldiers with these weapons and as we worked with them the Arvin soldiers gained [Music] confidence it was now late fall of 1967 as the war continued and operations expanded the safety of convoys became a continuing responsibility a young security officer of the third Squadron makes sure his men understand their orders and special road instructions then the Long Hall over dirt roads begins enemy highjackers waiting to seize this valuable Convoy of supplies will call it off when they see the armored units the medical civilian assistance program was also guarded against Surprise by the 11th cab while hundreds of people who had no other Medical Care were treated here the doctors and medical staff were enabled to care for young and old alike without fear of being interrupted in their [Music] work in operation Santa Fe the 11 worked with the Australians who learned to use the American Equipment the AES handled the American armor like veterans [Music] during operation Santa Fe in Juan lock Province the aies conducted a large sweeping operation Driving the enemy forces into the waiting trap set up by the armored units of the Blackhorse Regiment the operation went off with clocklike precision as the Australians pressed the enemy back [Music] armored flamethrowers were used to clear tree lines and suspected enemy [Music] positions then came the Vietnamese New Year T the enemy chose this occasion to unleash well-coordinated attacks in several areas of the Republic everywhere the Viet Kong were met with count for [Music] [Music] attacks striking treacherously where least expected the Viet Kon brought the war to the cities of South Vietnam gunfire roared in the streets and panic spread throughout the [Applause] population the 11th cab Rose to the challenge and in a lightning fast Road March from the area near Cambodia raced to the defense of the embattled Cities there they supported the Arvin troops cutting off enemy Escape Routes the city of B waa was secured by the armored assault of the third Squadron in which the enemy was routed in houset to- house fighting the 11th was also sent to the defense of the capital Saigon large areas of the capital's residential section had been laid to waste by concentrated Viet Kong rocket attacks and mortar bombardment the people displaced wandered aimlessly through the district [Applause] in the midst of all this the fighting continued as military police patrolled the [Music] city day and night in the alleys and in the streets the Relentless hunt for Charlie carried the armored Cavalry men into every nook and cranny of the capital the enemy was forced to give ground with appalling losses [Music] [Music] the Arvin forces distinguished themselves during the T campaign acting aggressively to free their cities wherever they went they were solidly backed by armor often that of the 11th armored Cavalry or their own [Music] armor a few days after the initial attacks the Arvin began to retake and free the [Music] cities soon it became evident that Communications had been secured the bridges remained open once again traffic began to flow with armored vehicles everywhere [Music] the cholan area the so-called Chinatown of Saigon here after the first victories at been haa and Saigon the 11th calav stayed in the thick of the fight Troopers of the black horse moved methodically from block to block probing into every building along the way finally it became apparent the Viet Kong had left the area and they would would be no more battles in the [Music] [Applause] streets as the cities were pacified and the people could begin to pick up the Blasted pieces of their lives the valorous unit award was granted to the 11th armored Cavalry Regiment by the secretary of the Army in part it said the 11th armored Cavalry Regiment was a major factor in eliminating the enemy threat the men of the regiment displayed extraordinary heroism and Devotion to duty which are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and so the tide of T was quickly turned from threat to opportunity as the Allied Forces launched crushing blows against the enemy in the third core area wherever Viet Kong underground fortifications were discovered they were blown Sky [Music] High in operation we arean which means resolve to win the men of the black horse together with the 25th Arin division moved Northwest of Saigon [Music] the Arvin troops with confidence went in after the enemy here the tanks and aavs maneuvered like Cavalry and did so for 41 straight days supporting the arban troops wherever they [Music] went there was a lot of hard dangerous work fiting out the Viet Kong the enemy long in control of this area had over a period of years burrowed into the Earth creating a Labyrinth of underground fighting and sleeping positions searching through this complex was not only difficult but time [Music] consuming in every way the Blackhorse Regiment had earned its spurs by early spring 1968 the black horse Insignia granted Under Fire in Vietnam became a symbol of Valor searching for communist mines was an unpleasant task in order to maintain regular convoys the roads were checked by Min sweeping teams every day the enemy operating under cover of Darkness would plant mines along the most heavily traveled roads despite the best efforts of our patrols a portion of of the road safe today was unsafe tomorrow almost every M sweep uncovered something lethal a Chinese Communist 20b mine big enough to blow the tracks off an acav once uncovered these mines were destroyed by demolition experts using charges of plastic explosives [Music] for these men this is the daily War the no headline war of nerve wracking uncertainty of constant plotting and searching where every footstep may lead to injury or death this is modern Mine Warfare brought to New Dimensions by a cunning enemy despite everything however the 11th armored Cavalry continues to forge [Music] ahead in a land where even the Earth itself fights against men and machines the vast Logistics of Maintenance and Repair keep them rolling in the open country through the jungles and in the cities throughout the third core area or wherever they are needed the men of the regiment fight on for Freedom with the help of armored mobile Firepower [Music] [Music] these are the men who proudly wear the Insignia of the 11th armored Cavalry Regiment in Vietnam symbol of Valor the black horse Pat [Music] thanks for watching if you'd like to help us produce more compelling historical content like this please like comment below and share this video with fellow history Buffs and of course be sure to subscribe to help keep history happening [Music]