They Marched Into Sunlight Read online

  Also by David Maraniss

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  First in His Class: A Biography of Bill Clinton

  The Clinton Enigma

  The Prince of Tennessee: Al Gore Meets His Fate

  (with Ellen Nakashima)

  “Tell Newt to Shut Up!” (with Michael Weisskopf)

  SIMON & SCHUSTER

  Rockefeller Center

  1230 Avenue of the Americas

  New York, NY 10020

  Copyright © 2003 by David Maraniss

  All rights reserved,

  including the right of reproduction

  in whole or in part in any form.

  The author and publisher gratefully acknowledge permission to reprint “Elegy” from Archeology of the Circle, by Bruce Weigl. Copyright © 1999 by Bruce Weigl. Used by permission of Grove/Atlantic, Inc.

  SIMON & SCHUSTER and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  Book design by Ellen R. Sasahara

  Maps designed by Gene Thorp

  Picture Section Credits

  Tom Grady photos: 1, 11, 19, 24. The Daily Cardinal: 2, 30, 32, 35, 42. Allen Family photo album: 3, 5. First Infantry: 4, 6. 28th Regiment photo: 7, 8, 9, 10, 16. Army Signal Corps photo: 12. Sikorski family photo album: 13, 14. Tom Hinger photo album: 15. Clark Welch collection: 17, 18. Verland Gilbertson: 20. Richard Calef: 21, 22. Ed Amorosi collection: 23. Fagan Publishing Co. postcard: 25. Jane Brotman photo album: 26. Betty Menacher photo album: 27. The Capital Times: 28, 29, 31, 33, 43, 44. Wisconsin State Journal: 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40. Connections: 41. David Maraniss: 45. Consuelo Allen: 46. Linda Maraniss: 47.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Maraniss, David.

  They marched into sunlight : war and peace, Vietnam and America, October 1967 / David Maraniss.

  p. cm.

  1. Vietnamese Conflict, 1961–1975—United States. 2. Vietnamese Conflict, 1961–1975—Protest movements—United States. 3. United States—Politics and government—1963–1969.

  I. Title.

  DS558.M35 2003

  959.704’31—dc21 2003052885

  ISBN 13: 978-0-7432-6255-2

  ISBN 0-7432-6255-7

  Visit us on the World Wide Web:

  http://www.SimonSays.com

  TO ELLIOTT AND MARY MARANISS, MY PARENTS

  Contents

  Cast of Characters

  A Brief Preface

  Book One

  1 Sailing to Vung Tau

  2 Triet’s March South

  3 Lai Khe, South Vietnam

  4 El Paso, Texas

  Book Two

  5 Song of Napalm

  6 Madison, Wisconsin

  7 Soglin’s Thrill

  8 Sewell’s Predicament

  Book Three

  9 “What a Funny War!”

  10 Guerrilla Theater

  11 Johnson’s Dilemma

  12 No Mission Too Difficult

  13 Michigan Men

  14 For Want of Rice

  15 “The Trees Are Moving”

  16 Ambush

  17 Holleder’s Run

  18 “The News Is All Bad”

  19 The Spectacle

  20 “That’s All There Is?”

  21 Down with Dow

  22 Moments of Decision

  23 Stars and Stripes

  24 “Bombing Washington”

  25 Body Count

  26 “Tragedy Beyond Our Words”

  27 A Life’s Worth

  28 Until the Angels Came

  Epilogue

  Notes

  Selected Bibliography

  Acknowledgments

  Index

  Cast of Characters

  Vietnam Story

  Albin, Ray: Delta weapons platoon mortars plotter

  Allen, Consuelo: Oldest daughter of Terry Allen Jr.

  Allen, Jean Ponder: Wife of Terry Allen Jr.

  Allen, Terry, Jr.: 2/28 Black Lions battalion commander

  Allen, Terry, Sr.: World War II First Infantry Division commander

  Arias, Michael: Alpha radiotelephone operator

  Barrow, Clarence: Delta first sergeant

  Blackwell, James: Black Lions intelligence officer

  Bolen, Jackie: Delta squad leader

  Breeden, Clifford: Alpha rifleman, first man killed in October 17 battle

  Buentiempo, Ernest: Alpha radiotelephone operator

  Bunker, Ellsworth: U.S. ambassador to South Vietnam

  Burrows, George: Reconnaissance platoon rifleman

  Byrd, Dwayne: Delta acting platoon leader

  Cash, John A.: Military historian of October 17 battle

  Colburn, Tom: Delta rifleman from C Packet

  Coleman, William: First Infantry assistant division commander

  Coonly, Bill and Bebe: El Paso friends of Terry Allen Jr.

  Costello, Joe: Alpha grenadier

  Cron, Doug: Delta rifleman from C Packet

  DePuy, William: Hay’s predecessor as First Infantry Division commander

  Dowling, Francis: Black Lions sergeant major

  Durham, Harold (Pinky): Delta artillery forward observer

  Eastman, Phil: Doctor at Ninety-third Evacuation Hospital

  Edwards, Peter: Alpha platoon leader

  Erwin, Bill: Reconnaissance platoon leader

  Farrell, Michael: Alpha radiotelephone operator from C Packet

  Gallagher, Michael: Alpha rifleman

  Garcia, Melesso: Delta rifleman from C Packet

  Gavin, James G.: Retired general and war critic

  George, Jim: Alpha Company commander from C Packet

  Giannico, Paul: Delta rifleman from C Packet

  Giap, Vo Nguyen: Commander in chief of the North Vietnamese Army

  Gilliam, Jim: Delta radiotelephone operator

  Grady, Tom: Alpha executive officer from C Packet

  Grider, Edward: Alpha rifleman

  Griego, Santiago: Delta rifleman from C Packet

  Grosso, Gerard: Black Lions air operations officer

  Hay, John H.: First Infantry Division commander

  Hinger, Tom: Alpha medic

  Ho Chi Minh: Leader of North Vietnam

  Holleder, Don: First Brigade operations officer, former Army football star

  Johnson, Willie C.: Alpha platoon leader

  Jones, Bernard Francis: Special Forces captain

  Jones, James: Alpha forward observer aide

  Kasik, Jim: Bravo Company commander

  Kirkpatrick, Fred: Delta point man

  Lam, Nguyen Van: Commander of C-1 Company, Eighty-third Rear Service Group

  Landon, Gregory: Delta radiotelephone operator from C Packet

  Laub, David: Delta radiotelephone operator

  Locke, Eugene M.: Deputy ambassador to South Vietnam

  Lovato, Joe, Jr.: Delta Company medic

  Luberda, Andrew: Delta platoon leader

  McGath, Bill: Delta rifleman from C Packet

  McMeel, Frank: Delta rifleman from C Packet

  Miller, Peter: Delta rifleman from C Packet

  Mullen, Thomas V.: Alpha platoon leader

  Newman, George: First Brigade commander

  Phillips, Raymond: Delta radiotelephone operator

  Reece, Ronnie: Delta rifleman from C Packet

  Reese, Thomas: Charlie Company commander

  Schroder, Jack: Delta rifleman from C Packet

  Scott, Jimmy: Delta radiotelephone operator

  Scott, Paul D.: Delta radiotelephone operator

  Sena, Faustin: Delta rifleman from C Packet

  Shelton, Jim: Black Lions operations officer

  Sikorski, Daniel: Delta
machine gunner and squad leader

  Sikorski, Diane: Danny’s little sister in Milwaukee

  Sloan, John: Black Lions operations officer

  Smith, Mark: Reconnaissance platoon sergeant

  Stroup, David: Delta platoon leader

  Tallent, Doug: Delta weapons platoon from C Packet

  Taylor, Mike: Delta rifleman from C Packet

  Thompson, Gerald: Delta squad leader

  Tizzio, Pasquale: Black Lions radiotelephone operator

  Triet, Vo Minh: VC First Regiment deputy commander

  Troyer, Mike: Delta rifleman from C Packet

  Valdez, José: Alpha first sergeant

  Warner, Terry: Delta weapons sergeant from C Packet

  Welch, A. Clark: Delta Company commander

  Westmoreland, William C.: Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, commander

  Weyand, Frederick C.: III Corps commander

  Woodard, Carl: Alpha squad leader

  Wisconsin Story

  Archer, Sandra: San Francisco Mime Troupe actor

  Bablitch, William: UW law student and demonstration observer

  Beutel, A. P. (Dutch): Washington lobbyist for Dow Chemical Company

  Boll, James: Dane County district attorney

  Brandes, Stuart: History doctoral student and observer

  Brandt, E. N.: Dow Chemical Company director of public relations

  Brotman, Jane: UW freshman from New Jersey

  Bunn, Peter: UW assistant dean of students

  Center, Charles: UW business school professor

  Cheney, Lynne: UW doctoral student in English literature

  Cheney, Richard B.: UW graduate student in political science and future vice president

  Cipperly, Jack: UW assistant dean of students

  Cohen, Robert: UW graduate student and leftist orator

  Coyote, Peter: San Francisco Mime Troupe actor

  Davis, Ronald G.: San Francisco Mime Troupe director

  Dietrich, Cathy: UW student politician and Soglin girlfriend

  Doan, Herbert Dow: Dow Chemical Company president and grandson of founder

  Dow, H. H.: Dow Chemical Company founder

  Edelson, Morris: UW English graduate student and Quixote editor

  Emery, William: Madison chief of police

  Fleming, Robben: UW chancellor before Sewell

  Gabriner, Bob: UW history graduate student and Connections editor

  Gabriner, Vicki: UW graduate student and mime artist

  Genack, Judy: UW senior and March on the Pentagon participant

  Gerstacker, Carl: Dow Chemical Company chairman

  Goldberg, Harvey: UW professor of European history

  Goodman, Jerilyn: UW freshman and observer

  Goodwin, Everett: UW music school student at Dow demonstration

  Hanson, Ralph: UW chief of protection and security

  Harrington, Fred Harvey: UW president

  Harrington, Jack: Police inspector

  Haslach, Henry: UW Students for a Democratic Society leader

  Hendershot, William (Curly): Dow Chemical Company college recruiter

  Julian, Percy: Madison lawyer representing student activists

  Kaplan, William: UW junior and antiwar activist at Dow demonstration

  Kauffman, Joseph: UW dean of student affairs

  Keene, David A.: UW graduate student and Young Americans for Freedom chairman

  Krasny, Michael: UW English teaching assistant and Dow demonstration observer

  Lenburg, Norm: Wisconsin State Journal photographer of Stielstra picture

  Leonard, Jerris: Wisconsin senate majority leader and Nixon supporter

  Leslie, Jack: Dane County deputy sheriff

  Lipp, Jonathan: High school senior and March on the Pentagon participant

  McCarthy, Tom: Madison police detective injured at Dow demonstration

  McGovern, Susan: UW sociology senior at Dow demonstration

  McMillin, Miles: Editor of the Capital Times, Madison’s liberal newspaper

  Menacher, Betty: UW freshman inside Commerce Building during demonstration

  Mosse, George: UW European history professor and expert on nationalism

  Nathan, Eric: UW junior at Dow demonstration

  Oberdorfer, Michael: UW graduate student and Connections photographer

  Pickart, John: UW music school student and observer of Dow demonstration

  Reiter, Michael: UW doctoral student and lawyer for antiwar protesters

  Roehling, Al: Madison police officer at demonstration

  Rolf, Ray: Dow Chemical Company director of recruiting

  Roseleip, Gordon: Conservative orator in Wisconsin senate

  Rowen, Jim: UW English graduate student at Dow demonstration

  Schiro, George: Madison police captain inside Commerce Building

  Seward, William B.: Dow Chemical Company publicist

  Sewell, William: UW chancellor in 1967 and professor of sociology

  Shapiro, Marshall: WKOW radio news reporter

  Simons, Billy: UW student leader at Dow demonstration

  Smail, R. W.: UW history professor and expert on Vietnam

  Smith, Kent: UW student and March on the Pentagon participant

  Soglin, Paul: UW graduate student at Dow demonstration and future Madison mayor

  Stark, Evan: UW sociology graduate student and leader of Dow demonstration

  Steiner, Alison: High school senior and March on the Pentagon participant

  Stielstra, Jonathan: UW junior who cut American flag cable atop Bascom Hall

  Wagner, Dave: UW student and Connections writer

  Wheadon, Dave: Worker at Oscar Mayer and March on the Pentagon participant

  Williams, William Appleman: UW history professor and theorist on American imperialism

  Zeitlin, Maurice: UW sociology professor and antiwar activist

  Washington Story

  Califano, Joseph: White House assistant to the president

  Cater, Douglass: White House assistant to the president

  Christian, George: White House press secretary

  Christopher, Warren: Assistant attorney general

  Clark, Ramsey: Attorney general

  Fortas, Abe: Supreme Court justice and LBJ confidant

  Helms, Richard: Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

  Johnson, Lady Bird: First lady of the United States

  Johnson, Lynda Bird: Daughter of the president

  Johnson, Lyndon Baines: President of the United States

  Johnson, Tom: Assistant press secretary, note taker

  Katzenbach, Nicholas: Deputy secretary of state

  Kissinger, Henry: Harvard professor and Johnson administration consultant

  Leonhart, William: Assistant to the president

  McNamara, Robert S.: Secretary of defense

  Robb, Charles S.: Marine Corps major, Wisconsin graduate, future LBJ son-in-law

  Rostow, Walt V.: National security adviser

  Rusk, Dean: Secretary of state

  Wheeler, Earle G.: Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman

  A Brief Preface

  THIS BOOK is shaped around two events that occurred contemporaneously during two days in the sixties—October 17 and 18, 1967. The first was an ambush in Vietnam that occurred when the Black Lions, a renowned battalion of the First Infantry Division, marched into the jungle on a search-and-destroy mission forty-four miles northwest of Saigon. The second was a demonstration at the University of Wisconsin where antiwar protestors staged a sit-in aimed at preventing the Dow Chemical Company, manufacturers of napalm, from recruiting on the Madison campus. The title is taken from the first line of “Elegy” by Bruce Weigl, a poem about U.S. infantrymen in Vietnam marching into sunlight on their way to a deadly ambush. But the image applies to all the people of this book who were caught up in the battles of war and peace during that turbulent era. Soldiers in Southeast Asia, student protesters in the United States, President Johnson and his advisers
at the White House—they lived in markedly different worlds that were nonetheless dominated by the same overriding issue, and they all, in their own ways, seemed to be marching toward ambushes in those bright autumn days of 1967.

  Book One

  Some say that we shall never know and that to the Gods we are like flies that the boys kill on a summer day, and some say, on the contrary, that the very sparrows do not lose a feather that has not been brushed away by the finger of God.

  —Thornton Wilder, The Bridge of San Luis Rey

  Chapter 1

  Sailing to Vung Tau

  THE SOLDIERS REPORTED one by one and in loose bunches, straggling into Fort Lewis from late April to the end of May 1967, all carrying orders to join a unit called C Packet. Not brigade, battalion, or company, but packet. No one at the military base in Washington State had heard of C Packet until then. It was a phantom designation conceived by military planners to meet the anxious demands of war.

  The early arrivals were billeted on the far northern rim of the army base in a rotting wooden barracks with flimsy walls known derisively as “the pit.” Many of them checked in at night after long flights and bus rides from forts in Louisiana and Texas or home leaves in the Midwest, and for them morning sunlight revealed an ethereal vision. Out the window, in the distance, rose majestic Mount Rainier. But after gaping at the snowcapped peak, they had little to do. Some were attached temporarily to an engineering battalion, the 339th, but they had no duties. A captain named Jim George, trim and handsome, a marathon runner fresh from the Eighth Infantry Division in Germany, led them through morning calisthenics and long-distance running, which was a drag except for the sight of flaccid lieutenants wheezing and dropping to one knee. One lazy Saturday they organized a picnic at the beach club and grilled hamburgers but ran out of beer, so a young officer rounded up a squad of privates and marched them to the PX and back on a mission for more. It was perhaps the best executed training maneuver of their stay.