Hill 110 Remembered
By
R. J. Caswell
C.O. Charlie 1/5
May 10, 1967

The morning of 10 May 2008 was sunny and bright, just like the morning of 10 May 1967. The river was flowing fast, swollen by the spring runoff. It was quiet – the only sounds were the rushing water and the songs of the birds. Standing on the bank of the Rio Grande River in New Mexico , a Vietnam veteran could imagine he was standing on the bank of the Song Ly Ly or the Song Tra Bong. We had learned to love the rivers on the hot steamy days – as we crossed them you could dunk yourself completely to cool off, rinse out the extra pair of socks we carried draped around our necks, and wet the towel most of us carried to mop off. The nights and the rivers were our friends.

Gathered together on the riverbank this year were many of the victors of the battle for Hill 110. They never referred to themselves as “survivors” – no enemy soldier ever broke through their lines or enveloped their flank. Attending this year to honor their dead comrades and to celebrate life were: Harold Thrasher, Ernie Coleman, Harvey “ Cork ” Cunningham, John Rusth, Bill Pettway, Hillous York, and Jim Caswell. Also there were their loyal wives to support them and assist with the ceremony: Suzanne Thrasher, Chris Coleman, Shauna Rusth, Jayne York, and Nancy Caswell. Two of them had been married to their Marine on 10 May 1967.

On that morning in South Vietnam , C/1/5 took hill 110 and found hundreds of well-armed, well-led, experienced NVA soldiers on the other side. Across the river from C/1/5 were three companies from the Special Landing Force already engaged, With four rifle companies and the weight of their supporting arms behind them, it appeared that the NVA were in for a severe pounding. That is what should have happened, but it didn't.

Charlie Company was receiving fire in a deafening roar. As they normally did they called for artillery and air strikes. No artillery unit could be found to fire for them and no air was received until 1600. The reliable Fire Support Control System was completely broken. The companies from the SLF did not move nor launch any attacks. No other company from 1/5 could reach Hill 110, although Delta and Alpha tried. Then things went from bad to worst – the M-16's which they had been forced to accept to replace their dependable M-14's did not work. McNamara and Westmorland had issued them rifles which double-fed and jammed.

At this point, all the platoon commanders and radio operators were killed or wounded, and the five sergeants of Charlie Company stepped up and took over. They kept the company fighting as a cohesive unit. They directed fire, plugged holes in their lines, distributed ammunition and evacuated casualties. Their leadership is what made the difference. They were: Sgt. Donald Harris, Sgt. Richard Lynch, Sgt. Michael Tigue, Sgt. Hillious York and Sgt. Juan Sanchez.

Our ceremony on the bank of the Rio Grande began with a prayer from Harold, an overview of the battle from Jim, followed by an open discussion. When everyone had spoken Jim read off the names of the comrades we lost that day. We lost two of our three Navy corpsmen: William R. Fowler and John C. Tate. The Marines who were KIA that day were: PFC Allan Berweger, PFC Hugh Blackburn, PFC Dorian Houser, PFC Clarence Washington, L/Cpl. David Suapaia, L/Cpl Fred Tate, Cpl. Nicholas Tague and GySgt. Marcellino Rivera-Cruz. Our group of former Marines and wives then threw ten beautiful white roses into the river – one representing each of the friends we lost that day.

That night we met in our favorite Albuquerque restaurant and continued our celebration of life. We noted with pride that “Suicide “Charlie was never dislodged from the hill.

Photos from our anniversary some 41 years after our battle for Hill 110 in Vietnam.

Charlie Compan Marines present that were in the battle for Hill 110 Left to right are Harold Thrasher, John Rusth, Ernie Coleman, Hillous York, Jim Caswell, Harvey Cunningham, and Bill Pettway.

Ernie Coleman tossing a white rose into the Rio Grande River in rememberence of one of our lost friends from May 10, 1967.

Left to right are Shauna Rusth, Chris Coleman, Jayne York, Nancy Caswell, and Suzanne Thrasher.