Top Movies - 1968:
• Bullitt
• Funny Girl
• The Lion in Winter
• Romeo and Juliet
• Rosemary's Baby
• The Thomas Crown Affair
• 2001: A Space Odyssey
• Yellow Submarine

Top Hit Songs - Week of May 20, 1968:
1. Mrs. Robinson - Simon & Garfunkel
2. Honey - Bobby Goldsboro
3. Tighten Up - Archie Bell & the Drells
4. A Beautiful Morning - The Rascals
5. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Hugo Montenegro
6. MacArthur Park - Richard Harris
7. Mony Mony - Tommy James & the Shondells
8. Cowboys to Girls - The Intruders
9. Love Is All Around - The Troggs
10. The Unicorn - The Irish Rovers
11. Do You Know the Way to San Jose - Dionne Warwick
12. Delilah - Tom Jones
13. Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
14. Think - Aretha Franklin
15. Yummy Yummy Yummy - The Ohio Express
16. Young Girl - The Union Gap
17. Cry Like a Baby - The Box Tops
18. The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde - Georgie Fame
19. Like to Get to Know You - Spanky & Our Gang
20. Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day - Stevie Wonder
21. Tip-Toe Thru' the Tulips With Me- Tiny Tim
22. This Guy's In Love With You - Herb Alpert
23. Angel of the Morning - Merrilee Rush

The Platoon is comprised of a Commanding Officer, Sergeant in Charge, Clerk, Vet Tech and four squads of 6 men each. The unit includes one and 1/2 sets of twin brothers. The Hubble brothers were most likely the only set of twins serving together as scout dog handlers in RVN and Jonathan Harraden also had a twin brother stateside. The 47th brings over 28 dogs which allows for 4 extra dogs. The 4 extra dogs were quickly assigned to other units which had an immediate need for replacements. As a new TO&E unit the 47th came fully equipped with four 2 1/2 ton trucks (one for each squad), one Jeep, 6 GP Medium Tents two M-60 machine guns and a grenade launcher. The unit also brought 45 caliber pistols (the official weapon for dog handlers, photo below) for each man. Before leaving Benning Michael Hames and SFC Sprowl went into Columbus, GA and picked up a couple of used refrigerators which were also loaded onto the planes.

"The other night everyone kept giving her food until she got so stuffed she could not move. Her stomach was bulging out and she was laying there in agony. She has recovered since however. It is really strange to see her along with our big dogs. Our big dogs are very curious and do not seem to be able to figure her out."

"LZ Sally is a small base camp with only the necessities. We live in tents on the ground. It is dirty and hot. The terrain is fairly flat and we can see the mountains in the distance. We pay Vietnamese locals outside our perimeter 1 cent per sand bag for filling them for us. When we go back to pick them up they offer to sell us Cokes for 80 cents each."

Note - Rusty Allen recalled that platoon members were assigned KP (Kitchen Patrol) duty (led by Squad Leader SP/4 "The General" Gene Wright) and they decided to report to the Brigade mess with their dogs. When they arrived the Brigade Mess Sergeant became irate upon seeing dogs in his kitchen. The 47th handlers explained that they were under orders to take their dogs everywhere they went. The Sarge sent them packing and that was the last time a member of the 47th was asked to pull KP.

"Yesterday morning we took our dogs out to Scout for a while (only practice). They were not out too long and it did not seem that hot but the dogs were really having a rough time of it. We almost lost Trooper. Trooper got so hot that he literally fell down and could not stand up. By the time we got him back to LZ Sally he still had a temperature of 107 and that was after he had been in the shade and we had poured water over him. Our Vet Tech says that we can expect to lose quite a few dogs due to heat stroke."

Note - Rolf was not hurt during this incident but was later KIA on April 17, 1970 when he and his 42nd IPSD handler Bill Bodnar were reconning an area and walked into an ambush. Bodnar's slack man was also killed at that time. Rolf and his handler were medivaced out by penitrator to Phu Bai where he was put down because of his wounds. Bodnar then brought Rolf back to Camp Eagle and buried him in the 42nd IPSD base camp. (ref: Bill Bodnar e-mail to J. D. Wahl, 10/03/01)

Gunnar Hicks WIA. Purple Heart issued 3 days later.

Bert Hubble's letter home recollects as follows (Butch is Bert's dog):

"Our squad has been supporting "A" Company at a camp named Pinky and "B" Company at LZ Sally. The area around Pinky is real quiet these days. They have not made contact with the enemy in about two months. I went out on about 5 short patrols but they did not amount to much. It is difficult to work the dogs there because there are farmers, water buffalo, and villages to distract the dog. In a few days Pinky is being turned over to a Battalion of ARVN and the Americans are being relocated to Camp Eagle. When I had Butch staked out at Pinky, the Vietnamese interpreter made the mistake of walking too close to him. Butch went after him and landed a bite but it proved not to be too bad of a bite. Our squad is being split up to support the other three squads who are operating out of places named T-Bone, Mongoose, and Omaha."

"We are continuing to go on patrols but most us have a poor attitude about the way things are run. Often times the climate, terrain or mission objectives are not conducive to using dogs but they send us out anyway. Since we are not being used properly, the dogs value is greatly diminished. We have had 5 of our handlers wounded so far. The last handler to get hit may have lost an arm and his dog who took much of the blast was killed. Some of us may start working in the Ashaw Valley (sic) soon. That is further north than where we are now. It sounds like we may be getting some replacements for our platoon soon. On the last patrol I was on, our recon element got into 2 ambushes. In the second one, we had 4 minor casualties. The guys in the line units really have it rough. One of the dog handlers we trained with at Benning who went with the 59th Scout Dog Platoon was killed the other day. His name was Russell Erickson.

One of the pads on Trooper's left rear paw is punctured and he is limping around. Probably won't go out again until he is better. Yesterday we took the dogs down to a river and we all went in. It was quite a bit of fun."

"Tramp is being turned in for another dog. Poor Tramp is going to be put to sleep today. That is what they do to the dogs that do not work out. There are 7 dogs on "Death Row" at this time. It is really sad but all the dogs are doomed - one way or another. If the war did end all of a sudden and they didn't have a use for them any longer, I wouldn't be surprised if they killed them all."

Vet Tech John Carter remembers the radio transmission coming in saying there was a handler KIA and how everyone knew it was Pearce and how weird that was. Platoon Commander Stanley Stockdale recalls flying out and seeing the place where Pearce was killed.

Lt. Stockdale's recollections (e-mail dated 02/15/2000) are as follows:

"Here's what I remember about Pearce's death - although given that it happened so long ago who can be totally sure. Pearce and the unit he was supporting were just starting out on a patrol (traveling through an open area on a trail with knee-high grass on either side). Pearce was leading with one of the platoon's sergeants acting as shotgun. Somewhere back in the middle of the patrol someone hit a booby trap. Standard operating procedure in a situation like that was to get off the trail, get down, and take cover. In this case, Pearce turned to look and the sergeant with him dove off to the side. Unfortunately there was another booby trap that the sergeant hit. Pearce fell down and lay on his back. For a period of time the members of the patrol couldn't understand what was wrong with Pearce - he looked fine. It turns out that a single piece of shrapnel had entered the back of his head and killed him. The saddest thing was that if Pearce had been wearing his steel pot he probably wouldn't have been injured at all.

Pearce was proud to be a scout dog handler and loved wearing a jungle hat with our insignia on it. He was suppose to have the steel pot on but he didn't.

I also remember the memorial service that we held at LZ Sally. A chaplain gave a very generic service and hadn't really taken the time to learn anything about the individual being remembered. I found it especially disappointing - for Pearce, personally, and for my platoon."

Cliff Searcy was with Charlie Company 1st/501st 101st Airborne and was on patrol with Pearce and his dog at the time Pearce was hit. Cliff tells the story in his e-mail to Bert Hubble dated October 3, 2001:

"I was in Charlie Co. 1st/501st 101st Airborne. LZ Sally was our rear camp, never seen it much but is was there. I have looking at THE WALL and looking up old friends. I remember dates pretty well along with names. I had looked up James Watson 46W killed 8/25/68. I came upon Marvin R. Pearce. I remembered his last name but not his first. When I seen he was with the Scout Dogs, I knew I had found something I had been wanting for a long time. I was with him the day he got wounded. I read some things in you scrap book (that page is great) and I would like to tell you what happened on that day. Seven of us had been on a day time ambush and was head back to the rest of the company. We were going down a trail and was about 300 yard from them. "POP" Watson was on point and you could not of ask for a better man to be on point. Behind Pop was our squad Sargent Mike LaPonte next Jimmie Harbor, then Pearce and the dog Prince I believe that was his name, then Daryl Swalley, me then Lou Savoy. Unknowing to Pop he had hit a bobby trapped grenade,when it went off Pearce was turned around talking to us at this time. When the grenade went off it wounded Harbor , Swalley and Pearce. Pop had stopped and was looking back, he had already tripped the second grenade it was between his legs he did not know what hit him. LaPonte was wounded at this time. I ran to the front to check and see how everyone was. At this time is when I saw Pearce on the ground, and it did not look like he was hurt, I also saw the dog. I didn't know what to do. I know when we had to wake Pearce up for guard duty at night we through water on him because the dog would not let us get to him to wake him. I told Savoy to keep an eye on the dog while I worked on Pearce. The dog came over and laid down beside us and gave me a funny look. He knew something had happened. I check Pearce, I had said earlier he was wounded, at that time he was not breathing. That is when I started to clear his air way to give him mouth to mouth. When I turned his head I felt the blood, it was little wound. I started him breathing, I was one proud guy at that time. Help got to us and the chopper came in I was the one the dog went with to get on the chopper. Later I got word that Pearce had died. I was not to proud at that time.

I recall about Pearce not wearing his pot. The steel pot to us was just a every day thing, it was just natural to wear. Just before we left to go on patrol Pearce did not have his pot on and we (some of the guys in the squad) was on him about not having it on. He said something to Sargent LaPonte or Harbor about not wearing and he left to go on the patrol with in on but later changed to his jungle hat and know one said anything. When I was working on him and seen where he was hit I knew if he had of had on the steel pot he might not of been hurt, or at least not as bad. We never forgot that and anytime someone didn't want to wear their pot, it was story time, the pots went on with no more crying.

Before I left for the states in March (I extended to May) I came over to your area at LZ Sally but I could never catch anyone to talk to. The truth is I never tried to hard, and that has bothered me all these years. Just a couple of day before this a dog and handler along with Pop had found a booby trap back up the trail. You handlers and you dogs were something else. I didn't realize that most of the dogs didn't get to come home. What a shame. Of course when we got home we seen and felt how alot of dogs were treated I would like to thank all of you, and thank God I was not on The Wall and was here to tell this story.

PROUD to have served with you all

Cliff
PS I think I feel alot better. Thanks again"

Curt Knapp was a helicopter pilot for the 2nd Brigade HQ, 101st ABN, at LZ Sally in 1968. In an e-mail to Bert Hubble dated April 2, 2001, Curt recalls his mission to medivac Pearce from the field:

"My job as the Brigade CO's pilot encompassed many different missions. I made circles in the sky, drove an airborne taxi, delivered ammo and C's, and spent a lot of time just sitting around. But I do have a recollection of one of those weird trips that just might involve your unit. It's possible that time has melded two different actions into one memory. I kept a diary of most of my tour, and the page for this day is blank, but here goes: I remember sitting in the colonel's Huey on the ground at some infantry battalion field HQ while he was inside the battalion TOC conducting some confab, like they always do. I heard on the aircraft radio that a unit near us had a casualty and needed a medivac. The Dustoff pilot said that he couldn't find the place. I knew right where it was because we had been there not a half hour before. I didn't want to waste time going into the TOC, interrupting the meeting, running this all by the colonel, asking if I could go out and help, and possibly having him say," No." So I just cranked up and took off, finding the place easily. I seem to recall that the Dustoff ship was still in the area but wouldn't land because there was enemy small arms fire in the area. Well, wasn't there always ? I landed at the casualty location, and was surprised to see them load not only a wounded GI but also a scout dog ! Now my major concern was that the dog might not be able to cope with the noisy, confusing helicopter trip since the man who was apparently his handler was unconscious. I flew directly to 22nd Surg at Phu Bai, and of course, the dog was just fine. They were unloaded by medics, and I never heard about either of them again, although I always wondered.( Such is how it goes with us helicopter pilots. We rarely hear what happened to our wounded passengers.) I did get chewed out by Col. Hoefling ( and rightfully so ) for taking "his" helicopter without permission, but he also later put me in for an Army Commendation Medal with V device (editor's note: see below for text of citation). The citation describes a situation very similar to the above without mention of the dog. The date was 25 August 1968. Now, I was reading through the 47th's ' 68 diary page, and I saw that Marvin Pearce was KIA on that date, but his dog survived. Could it be that I hauled Marvin and his dog out of that field 33 years ago, and now I find out that he didn't make it ? Damn."

Special Orders Number 286, 10 January 1969
Award of the Army Commendation Medal with "V" Device

KNAPP, CURTIS E - CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER (CW2)
Headquarters and Headquarters Company 2nd Brigade 101st Airborne Division APO San Francisco 96383

Awarded:	Army Commendation Medal with "V" Device (Second Oak Leaf Cluster)
Effective Month:	December 1968
Date Action:	25 August 1968
Theater:	Republic of Vietnam
Reason:	For heroism in the Republic of Vietnam on 25 August 1968. Chief Warrant Officer Knapp distinguished himself near the city of Hue, Republic of Vietnam, while serving as first pilot of a United States helicopter. While airborne, Chief Warrant Officer Knapp received a call to evacuate three critically wounded personnel from a field location east of Hue near the village of Che Gia Chanh, Republic of Vietnam. From landing in the area, Chief Warrant Officer Knapp directed his crew chief to bandage the wound of a seriuosly injured man, load all three personnel aboard the aircraft, and prepare them for the takeoff. Warrant Officer Knapp learned that a medical evacuation aircraft had arrived in the area but was unable to land. Another medical evacuation aircraft had arrived in the area but was unable to locate the landing zone. On request, Chief Warrant Officer Knapp made a low level pass over the area and marked the landing zone with smoke. He continued to expose his aircraft to hostile fire by remaining at a low altitude over the landing zone. He provided gun cover for the medical evacuation aircraft until it had safely departed the area. Warrant Officer Knapp's personal bravery and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army. signed by N.L. Marsh, MAJ AGC for Dale H. Hayes, LTC AGC Adjutant General

Note - Pearce's dog Prince 14M1 was sent to Phu Bai and then retrieved by 47th IPSD personnel. Prince was later assigned to Thomas Muir.

Note - We have determined that the final resting place of Marvin R. Pearce is the Oakwood Memorial Chapel & Park, 3301 Paul Sweet Road Santa Cruz, CA 95065 Tel: 831-475-2464. He is located in Block 10, Division E, Grave 188.

photo provided by Curt Knapp who visited Pearce's gravesite in the Fall of 2001

Marvin Pearce - Information Releasable under the Freedom of Information Act

"Just after going out we were hit by hurricane Bess. As a result we were unable to get any kind of supply and had to stay out there. The rain and wind was terrific. The landscape for miles around was under 2 feet of water. We tried to hold up in villages as much as possible but some nights we were mighty cold and wet."

"Yesterday I was delighted to receive a letter from Trooper's previous owners. They filled me in on some of his earlier history and were very glad to hear about him. They hated to give him up but he bit a small boy in their neighborhood - not too seriously. Then he bit their little girl quite seriously. They could not understand it as they were always such good buddies. They raised him from a pup so it was like giving away one of their own children. They felt the Army would be a good place for him. The little girl is very proud that Trooper is an Army Scout Dog. Actually Trooper was the wife's dog. Her husband is a Major in the Army stationed in the Philippines."

"Here at LZ Sally there is a stock pile of C-Rations, LRRP Rations and other assorted goodies. It is common practice to sneak in there under cover of darkness and return with arms full of goodies. I don't know if the officers in charge know about it because it just keeps going on and nobody ever gets caught. A while back Bertram and I made one of these night raids. We were not sure of the exact location of the C- Rations. We grabbed all we could carry and upon returning from our mission we discovered we had not gotten C- Rations but instead 60 pounds of cake mix. Bertram, using the ingenuity of a hardened criminal, dumped the evidence in the bottom of a deep bunker which he knew was going to be filled in by tractors later that afternoon. Success - The Perfect Crime. I may be making another raid tonight with some guys who know where the C's are stashed. Tonight should be a good night for such activity as it is rainy and has been very dark out at night."

Rusty Allen and Tom Corsello begin assignment at the DMZ with the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) (Red Devils). They escorted a Marine recon unit to the DMZ who then crossed the river into North Vietnam to recon a suspected buildup of NVA.

In an email dated 06/02/2010, Wright wrote about his and Cunningham's mission:

"When I returned from R&R, Lt. Stockdale sent me TDY to the 5th Mech up at Quang Tri and asked me to choose another team to go with me. We were there less than ten days when the base was mortared and the other handler was wounded, and ended up back in the U.S. because of his wounds. I was out in the field all but about two hours of my time at Quang Tri. Within a few days after the shelling, I was called back to Sally by Lt. Miller who has swapped commands with Lt. Stockdale."

"I heard two stories about the mortar attack. First he was in his cot asleep and the gear stored in the rafters kept him from getting killed. Second story was he was trying to get to his dog to take the dog to safety in a bunker, when a morter round exploded wounding him."

Two Scout Dog Teams worked with the 557th CTT and their work was very satisfactory. Source: Monthly Report of Scout Dog Operations dated January 3, 1969.