As reported in the 4^th Division “Ivy Leaf” February 1968 by SP4 William Owen

Troop Pulled Through Window

Regular Punches NVA Soldier Out

KONTUM (1/22) – “If I hadn’t been so surprised I probably would have broken up laughing.  Denny just jumped up on the porch, pulled this North Vietnamese Army soldier right through the window and bagged him with a good hard right,” said Specialist 4 Roger Ziegler (Yeagertown, PA.), 1^st Battalion, 22^nd Infantry. (Pictured at Right)

He was describing the action when Specialist 5 Dennis Jones (Pocatello, Idaho), another Regular rifleman, worked over a paunchy NVA soldier just outside the MACV compound during recent heavy fighting in Kontum.

North Vietnamese soldiers had taken over a five-building complex next to the compound, which at one time served as a language center for the Kontum area.  The enemy was dug-in and well-supplied with rockets and automatic weapons and looked like he planned to stay for awhile.

The Ivy battalion’s Company C was to assault the buildings and force the enemy out into the open.

“In the third building an NVA soldier was firing from the window with his AK47,” said Specialist 4 J.R. Farmer (Marion, Va.).  “Private First Class Gary Campen (Washougal, Wash. fired an M79 round into the house and we hit the ground,” SP4 Farmer continued.  “After the explosion we looked up but the NVA was still firing at us.”

The situation looked pretty grim for Company C because it was now pinned down by torrid automatic weapons fire and unable to advance.  Then SP5 Jones decided to resolve the situation.  Mindless of the rounds cracking by his head, he jumped up and dashed towards the building.

The Ivyman yanked the enemy soldier through a window and clobbered him with a quick punch to the head.  The bewildered enemy reeled from the blow and slumped to the ground.

“I can’t really say what made me run up and grab him,” admitted SP5 Jones.  “I guess I was just mad.  He had to be taken out of the picture so I decided to do it.”