L-R.. SSgt. Unknown..Tom Tviet [Twitty]..Sgt. Garza..Nick Trama..Rick Raddigan..Unknown..Unknown
June '69 - June '70

On 12 February 1970 while we were working the A Shau Vallet, we came a upon a rice field that had a narrow road across it. It was the only way to get to the other side, so Lt. Walter Bradford told us not to cross because of the golden rule. The Company Commander Captain Rodger Ford decided that we should cross it. Lt. Bradford argued with him but nothing would work. Frank
Reeves put the tank into gear and away we went, about twenty feet and we were airborne. I slammed my head on the turret and was thrown to the front of the tank, Nick Trama was right behind me. We thought we were taking small arms fire so we both tried to get back into the tank through the commander's hatch. As always the TC was in the hatch but that didn't stop us, we all ended up on the floor cursing. The NVA got a " That-A-Boy" that day, and I hear later that Captain Ford was relieved after a couple more occurences.

Captain James W. Herrington, although trained as an Infantry Officer, was chosen to lead A Company 1st Battalion as the unit deployed to Vietnam in the summer of 1968. There weren't enough Armor Captains to go around, so Jim served as a temporary tanker, after on-the-job training. Later he served as the Battalion S1.