Comments on: Tet Offensive: 7th Infantry Regiment in Saigon

By: John Tessier

John Tessier — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:00:39 +0000

Oscar, do you remember an F-104 buzzing the slicks that night??!!

By: John Tessier

John Tessier — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 01:58:34 +0000

I was a medic w/199th, Co A, 3/7 moving into the "track". Was there when the 2nd APC blew thru the wall to enter. I don't remember many names but the faces I can't let go of. We live it eveyday, Bro.
"Doc" Tessier

By: Tom Lassek

Tom Lassek — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 06:44:36 +0000

I was stationed in Phu Lam, a small signal complex outside of Saigon, near the Cholon area. During the first TET, 2 signal soldiers left our complex towards Regional Comm Group down the road from the Pho Tho racetrack in a jeep, heavily armed. They were shot up by the enemy near the racetrack. One soldier was later identified at the TSN Mortuary, however, the other body wasn't found and he's still carried MIA. Anyone have any info ??

By: Steve Warren

Steve Warren — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 04:26:45 +0000

Doc- I remember.

By: oscar bird

oscar bird — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 19:59:39 +0000

i was in 2d platoon c-3-7 199th .we were loaded on choppers around midnight,ithink. the choppers were shut off and we remained aboard for several hours. it was early morning not nighttime,as stated in the article, when we got to racetrack. we received some fire approaching racetrack but none once we landed. we operated out of racetrack for several days and had some contact on each of those days, but for my platoon the worst came on feb. 8. we had been sent back to binh chanh as the article stated and on the morning of the 8th we were sent out on choppers to a village to our east to investigate nva troops that a recon chopper had supposedly seen. i dont remember which squad was point but my squad was 2d in line. as the point squad approached the village we were opened up on by a lot of small arms . we were engaged for most of the day . we for some reason had the artillery fo`s r.t.o. but not the artillery capt. that sometime accompanied us. he, the r.t.o., called in artillery expertly and probably prevented us from being wiped out .we retreated back to a wooded area near where we had landed that morning dragging our wounded but leaving 2 dead behind. medivacs came for our wounded but several more were wounded trying to get them onboard. the medivacs didn`t try anymore and it looked bleak until the rest of our company came to our rescue. the nva broke contact and we set up a defensive perimeter and our wounded were airlifted out. the next morning one of the other platoons was sent in to retrieve our dead and to make a body count. supposedly there was 39 dead nva. our casualties were 2 dead, 1 mortally wounded who died the night of the 8th,(he had 11 days left in country), and 8-10 wounded.

By: John Tessier

John Tessier — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:29:22 +0000

I was medic for the US Army, 199th, Co A, 3/7, going in to the "race track"., during the 1967-68 Tet. I am sorry I don't remember your names but the faces still haunt me. I am having trouble putting the dates with the places. Thanks for getting it straight.
John, "Doc"

By: Bob Morrison

Bob Morrison — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:09:16 +0000

I was the squad leader of the 716th Mp Bn reaction force at the race track, We retrieved two wounded MP's and two were lost plus an Inf officer I believe comeing in to assist. We engaged the enemy from about 0400 until after noon when a helicopter landed on the roof of the empty building we had taken a stand in. I told the Captain we had already seen about ten five man squads go past us, and anything in front was fair game. We were only about 100 yards from the race track wall. APC's with co-ax fifty cals came in and made short work of the problem. My men got back to our billet about 1830 five blocks away. My thanks to all of your men. Welcome home.

By: Walter Baker

Walter Baker — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:34:03 +0000

I was Point Man for the US Army, 199th, Co A, 3/7, going in to the "race track"., during the 1967-68 Tet. Thank you so much for this article. I was under Capt. Smaldone all my of tour of duty. I remember him very well. I remember this action all to well. I lost a very good buddy during this action. I was wounded in April '68 and was shipped out due to the injuries. Thanks again for this very informative article.
Bud

By: Thomas E. Lassek

Thomas E. Lassek — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 10:22:44 +0000

Had 2 American freinds killed in Cholon, right at the Phu Tou race Track, in a jeep, as they made their way from Phu Lam to Regional Communications Group in the early morning 31 Jan 68, 1st TET. One body ended up at Tan Son Nhut Mortuary, the other never found. I understand that the 7th was the first through this area – wanting to find out who took the body to TSN and what happened to other soldier. Need contacts for questions.