Vietnam War Timeline

158
6 March 1967
Bravo 1/35th
Submitted by: Curtis Wimer

Lynn Ferguson

Three AM March 6, 1967, our unit, B Company 1st Battalion 35th Infantry 25th Infantry Division was summoned to an alarm.

A platoon from the 1st Calvary Division had fallen prey to a battalion of 320 armed forces strong of (NVA) North Vietnamese army regulars. The overwhelming odds from a full strength battalion against an 18-soldier platoon was a catastrophe.

B Company was told that there were KIA's and WIA's and that we were the closest unit to the fight. It was dark and the distance from us to them was 3 clicks (3000 meters).

We packed up and were off in the night looking for a NVA battalion. We were chasing them and couldn't find them for some time. It was bad luck for that platoon from the 1st Calvary division.

Tracers could be seen in the dark night along with the sound of war from a distance. From over a hill at daybreak the village was spotted and the smell of death was imminent.

We were company strength of around 80 soldiers split into 4 platoons, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. 4th platoon entered the village walking left flank for B Company. Lt. Blue was our platoon leader and SSgt. Greenwell was our platoon sergeant.

As we entered the village heavy automatic and small arms fire kept us from advancing. It seems that we were pinned down for a long time. Lt Blue gave the order to advance on line. Sgt. Manarie, Jerry Young, Guy, Shineral and I, Curtis Wimer, went on line firing our m-16 rifles while moving forward.

We were about 25 yards in front of the rest of the platoon when we crossed a man-made trench freshly dug by the enemy. A couple of yards past the dugout, Guy was shot twice. He fell backward onto his pack with his head tilting back. The (NVA) combatant that shot Guy was killed by Curtis Wimer. We knew Guy was dead.

We fell back into the trench that we just crossed. Guy could not be reached because of the heavy automatic fire. It was now about mid-day and we were trapped within throwing distance of any hand grenades. We were helplessly trapped in this endless trench as tracers were being blasted over our heads from the platoon that we left and from the enemy we were fighting.

We did manage to fire at the enemy with short blast from our m-16 rifles being careful not to get caught in the crossfire. It has always made me wonder why we couldn't get out of that ditch under constant fire! And how a medic (Lynn Ferguson) could get to Guy, who was dead and in front of us. As soon as Doc Ferguson put his hand on Guy's shoulder he was shot and killed and now lay lifeless next to Guy.

The soldier who had shared stories from back home, the soldier who was there for every man in his unit, was now dead.

The fire fight continued as we remained vulnerable. Then we noticed Guy moving and very much alive. Guy managed to drag himself to the trench and fall into our arms. We took Guy's shirt off to find that Guy had been shot twice in the lungs. We managed to give Guy medical attention by wrapping his chest, keeping his lungs from collapsing and filling up with his own blood.

The order had been given by Lt Blue to draw back to allow air strikes to bomb the village. We managed to pull back dragging Guy with us. Lt. Blue asked for volunteers to bring Doc Ferguson's body out along with his medical gear. The same four who were pinned down started back as "we don't leave our own behind".

Sgt. Manairie, Jerry Young and Shinherl retrieved Doc's body while Curtis Wimer brought up the rear with the medical supplies. Wimer came under intense small arms fire. While pinned down Wimer pulled and threw a hand grenade. Then as he was returning to shelter the grenade was thrown back, wounding Wimer in the back.

Medic Lynn Ferguson's body was put on a helicopter and sent home. Along with medic Lynn Ferguson were Sp4 Stephen Peck, Ssgt William Poole and Pfc Harry Taylor.

A personal note from the author to the family of Pfc. Lynn Ferguson.
The Doc had been with B Company just a few days. The Doc was light complexioned, had light brown hair and wore glasses. Not a large framed man but a man with incredible fortitude and endurance. While the 4th platoon would take a break during any given day the Doc, carrying all his medical gear, would approach each man asking if he needed salt tablets or anything and was prompt each Monday handing out malaria pills. The author hootched with Doc Ferguson twice and had the privilege of hearing stories of his family and girl friend. The Doc was one of those guys who left a good impression with you.

Lynn Ferguson was a brave soldier with inapproachable courage.
I met him and liked him!
Curtis Wimer 08/04/01