C, 1/327, Veghel
Before I went out to Tiger Force, I was assigned as a medic with C company, 1/327.
Everything I learned about being a boonie rat, I learned in C company, everything
I learned about sneaking in the woods, I learned in C company. If I was anything
of a soldier, anything of a medic, anything of a warrior, I learned it with the
men of C company. These are a few of those noble men. Click here
for stories about Veghel.
A Shau Valley as seen from Bertchesgaden or Eagles Nest. The Air strip at A Shau
and the abandonded Special Forces Camp is easily seen below.
The low clouds are Artilery strikes from 175 mm and 8" guns. Photo by Bernard Lipke
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Tigers walking off Veghel. This is not too long after Veghel was taken, since the
bunkers are not yet built, for the perimeter. Instead one can see the rather fresh
clearing work, and rudimentary fighting positions.
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Tigers being dropped off at Veghel. Tigers had been lifted from another corner of
the AO, and dropped here to resupply, and walked off the back side of the Firebase,
to go right back out into the field.
"B" company men in the forground at their fighting position on the perimeter.
Photo by Bernard Lipke
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These 2 photos show Firebase Veghel from a helicopeter just before landing, within
a few weeks of being taken. Interesting to note that in the Division level reports
(click here to see) the site for Veghel was deemed too heavily forested to warrent
it's use as a firebase. The report clearly states that too much defoliant, blasting
and clearing would have to take place to justify taking it and establishing a fire
base. Of course, some bright SOB at division headquarters couldn't let intelligent
thinking get in the way of spending a few lives, so we took Veghel in a costly and
protracted assault that cost too many lives.
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