In 1966, The Viet Cong Attacked Firebase Gold. It Was A HUGE Mistake.

In 1966, The Viet Cong Attacked Firebase Gold. It Was A HUGE Mistake. This video breaks down the intense and pivotal Battle of Suoi Tre. Watch how a staggering 20-to-1 kill ratio was achieved through desperate bravery, the dramatic arrival of an armored relief column, and the devastating use of point-blank 105mm artillery firing "beehive" flechette rounds. At the center of the chaos was Lt. Col. John Vessey, a leader who rallied his men under extreme fire and would later make history as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - A Fatal Mistake in War Zone C 1:22 - Operation Junction City & Firebase Gold 4:05 - The Warning Signs Ignored 5:54 - The Jungle Erupts: The Battle Begins 9:31 - The Beehive: Point-Blank Artillery 12:14 - A Veteran Remembers 13:09 - The Cavalry Arrives 14:58 - The Staggering Aftermath 16:19 - Why It Matters: The Road to Tet FEATURED VETERAN INTERVIEW: Special thanks to the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) and the veterans of the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team for preserving these stories. The interview featured in this video is from Errol Paige Lanier, a munitions officer with the 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, who personally resupplied the guns during the six-hour battle. SOURCES: U.S. Army Infantry Magazine: "The Battle of Suoi Tre" Vietnam Triple Deuce Association Archives The Official Battle of Suoi Tre Memorial Site National Archives: Vietnam War Combat and Aerial Footage Military Times Hall of Valor: John W. Vessey Jr. Citation Tags: #VietnamWar #MilitaryHistory #BattleOfSuoiTre #FirebaseGold #OperationJunctionCity #USArmy #Artillery #HistoricalDocumentary #ColdWarHistory