"An Ordeal In Dirt and Death... Ben Het at night is a scene that is at once beautiful and fascinating, weird and horrible. Dali, Goya, Bach, The Beatles, Hemingway and Zanuck would understand. Flares hang in the sky, casting milky, light purple shadows. A plane drones and circles overhead, periodically spitting streams of fiery tracers at enemy positions."
- B. Drummond Ayers, Jr. June 30, 1969 - New York Times
No words from the print media ever quite captured a moment in Vietnam battle history like these of Drummond Ayers and perhaps no besieged, ragged, jungle-matted mountain locations other than Ben Het, Dak Seang and Dak To could have inspired them. Due to their proximity to the tri-border and Ho Chi Minh Trail this was no doubt some of the most important and fought over terrain in the Central Highlands.
Year after year Ben Het was in the center of the NVA's sights and 1968 and 1969 were no exceptions. One of the many 6/14 Warbonnets entrenched at Ben Het May through July 1969 was brother Ken Bailey. There were several batteries of artillery under LTC Kenneth R. Bailey, some quad-mount anti-aircraft guns in a ground defense role, M-48 tanks, and reinforcing companies of Civilian Indigenous Defense Group (CIDG) strikers from the camps at Dak Pek and Mang Buk. Command of all U.S. Artillery forces physically located at Ben Het was assigned to LTC Kenneth R. Bailey, who was the current commander of 6th Battalion 14th Artillery

Ken kept a scrapbook of newspaper clippings gathered by his wife, other family and friends. Also Stars and Stripes editions collected by Command Sergeant Major Richard Chrapczynski that covered the daily dramatic events from June 23rd through July 11th.
It's June again, now 36 years later and Ken has been kind enough to share these moments in history with us. Not only did he share the clippings but he is sharing the map he used during this historic battle. During the month of June and July in recognition of this historic struggle, The 6/14 Arty will make digitized copies of the clippings available at the website on the corresponding days of their original release. Its still quite a while before June 23rd but heck, lets kick things off with something... lets have a look at Ken's map of Ben Het and the surrounding area.
Below is a 1.5 by 2 inch detail of the full sized 14 by 22 inch map.

Check out the detail on this beauty... and it's over 36 years old!
If you would like to have a look at the complete map and even save a copy of it for yourself, just click on the detail image above. Don't forget to stop back by as the month unfolds and pick up copies of Ken's great news clippings.
"In their account covering this period of the war, the official historians of the Joint Chiefs of Staff conclude that the forgotten battle, not Hamburger Hill, was the most important thing happening in South Vietnam at that moment."
The NVA's Operation Dien Bien Phu: The 1969 Siege of Ben Het
Many more equally interesting and informative articles and essays found at:
The Veteran - publication of The Vietnam Veterans of America Inc.
and even more in their archive:
The Veteran Archive - for publications prior to July/August 2006
While we are on the subject of Ben Het, if you would like to read an in depth and personal reporting about the true struggle through this "Gauntlet of Hell" from a key member of a U.S. Army Field Artillery Phantom Gunnery Team, then take a jump on over to the Lamerson Publishing page and get your hands on a copy of...
The Phantom of Ben Het
by 6/14 Brother John Lamerson
Hoo-ah!

"Ex Hoc Signo Victoria"
- Thursday 6-23-2005 -
The news began to trickle in...
Yep, the folks back state side just started to hear about the plight of the troopers surrounded at Ben Het. Let's take a look at a bit of the news that appeared in the papers on this day... 36 years ago.

Click on the newspaper clipping for a full size image.
Download a copy for yourself.
Thanks Ken

- Friday 6-24-2005 -
News of supplies reaching beleaguered troops...
News of 6-25-1969 says badly needed ammo and supplies rain in for the troops... but so does enemy artillery and mortar fire.

Click on the newspaper clipping for a full size image.
Don't forget to keep a copy for yourself and stop back by tomorrow for Saturdays news.

- Sunday 6-26-2005 -
The Siege Rains On With No Clear End In Sight...
Whoa, the news began to pour in by Thursday June 26, 1969.
There were gripping reports in almost every paper in the nation.
Get yourself a good cup of coffee and read on about our battered boys of Ben Het in three different publications.
We have first hand reports below that appeared in The New Era, Washington Post and The Stars and Stripes.
If you didn't know how things were going to finally turn out, one might think things were getting pretty grim at the Special Forces Camp.
  
Click on the individual newspaper clippings above for full size images of each.
These are worth keeping in your personal archives so don't forget to nab copies for yourself and do stop back by tomorrow to read the continuing saga of the Central Highlands Battle of Ben Het.

- Monday 6-27-2005 -
"Sappers inside the wire 100 yards away..."
Morale was sinking but the men of Ben Het would not give up.
That was for sure, they took care of business and each other.
Just as yesterday, get yourself some coffee but make it two cups.
More great clippings below that appeared in the Intelligencer Journal, Washington Post and The Stars and Stripes.
The test to see if the South Vietnamese could hold their own against the North was not going well while the Americans hang tough but testy.
 
 
Click on the individual newspaper clippings above for full size images of each.
These reports are really great reading, download copies for your personal archives.
Drop back by tomorrow to see what unfolds...

- Tuesday Afternoon Edition 6-28-2005 -
"Supplies and troops reach Ben Het from the air and land..."
Transport planes drop needed supplies to the brave men of Ben Het while after four days of jungle strafing by air, ARVN and American troops and tanks battle to clear and hold the roads from Ben Het to Kontum and Dak To.
The thirsting troops can dump the cordite flavored water and take some sorely needed relief from the fresh supplies and men.
News comes late today but check out the clippings below from the Intelligencer Journal, Washington Post and The Stars and Stripes.
 
 
Click on the individual newspaper clippings above for full size images of each.
These reports are really great reading, download copies for your personal archives.
Drop back by tomorrow for more home front news of the Battle of Ben Het as it appeared in 1969.
Its very interesting to compare the news reports with writings from men who were there and we can't think of or recommend a better accounting than can be found in John Lamerson's book:
The Phantom of Ben Het
Hop on over to the Lamerson Publishing page and order yourself a copy of this great book today!

- Tuesday 6-29-2005 -
( Sunday - June 29, 1969 Ben Het and Stateside time )
"The road to Ben Het is open... the road is closed..."
The news reaching home is mixed. Some papers say the road to Ben Het has been opened and some say the road is closed, varying from the morning editions to evening.
One thing seems clear, the thirsting troops at Ben Het are receiving assistance from the air as food, water, and badly needed medical supplies parachute in on the tortured hill tops and B52's pound the jungle with over 1,800 tons of bombs and napalm to curb the renewed NVA assault that has rained bullets, artillery and mortar rounds into the camp for 36 hours on Friday and Saturday.
It's now 8:00 AM and we haven't finished working up all the articles for todays editions. Read the following while we work on the others then drop back by a little later to catch the rest, they will be appearing at about 15 to 20 min. intervals until complete.
The Lancaster, PA Sunday News, Stars and Stripes and The New York Times are up for viewing...
more to come
  


Click on the individual newspaper clippings above for full size images of each.
These reports are really great reading, download copies for your personal archives.
Some of these clipping images are rather large files but we did not want to sacrifice to much detail by reducing the resolution any further. If you have any trouble viewing or downloading them, please do not hesitate to ask the webmaster for assistance.
Brew up a pot of coffee tomorrow morning and drop back by for more revealing news of the plight of our "Boys of Ben Het" in 1969.

- Sunday 7-3-2005 -
( Had to go out of town but here are the clipping updates for June 30th - July 2nd )
"Let's not waste any time talking... we're read'n on!"
The Lancaster, PA New Era, Stars and Stripes, The New York Times and The Washington Post
    
   
One of the articles above from June 30th by Drummond Ayres was used as the point of departure for one of the mesmerizing scenes in Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now"
Click on the individual newspaper clippings above for full size images of each.
Don't miss out on downloading copies for your personal archives.
Some of these clipping images are even larger than some of the previous clippings but we still didn't want to sacrifice to much detail by reducing the resolution any further. If you have any trouble viewing or downloading them, please do not hesitate to ask the webmaster for assistance.
More tomorrow morning from July 3rd and 4th to carry us through the holiday weekend not to mention some commentary from Ken Bailey himself and a couple of little beauties for the eyes.

- Monday 7-4-2005 -
Independence Day
"Looks like the Ben Het warriors were getting a little Independence Day of their own... "
Let's read the Washington Post, Stars and Stripes for the news of a little relief for the Ben Het inhabitants.
  
 
Click on the individual newspaper clippings above for full size images of each.
Download copies for your personal archives.
While we're here, let's hear what Ken Bailey has to offer.
"I sent you a scrap book of press clippings from the battles around Ben Het Special Forces Camp. Many of the articles are from the Stars and Stripes and were save by the battalion command sergeant major for me. He did not accompany the battalion command element that was sent into Ben Het. The other articles were saved by my family or sent to me by friends.
Basically the US Artillery in Ben Het consisted of B Battery, 6th Battalion, 14th Artillery (3 - self propelled 175 mm guns and 1 - self propelled 8 inch howitzer), A Battery, 3rd Battalion, 6th Artillery (6 - self propelled 105 mm howitzers), one platoon from 1st Battalion, 92nd Artillery (2 - towed 155 mm howitzers), and the command element of the 6/14th Artillery. The command element did all of the fire planning for the defense of Ben Het to include artillery, Tac Air, Air Force and Army gunships, 52 strikes, plus resupply air missions.
There were also about 12 US Special Forces personnel and about the same number of Vietnamese Special Forces in the camp. The major ground force was about 500 Mountagnard - Montagnard tribal personnel who were trained by the Special Forces.
The first article in the scrap book (from Time magazine) was written after the battle was over. It is a fairly good summary of what happened. The rest of the scrap book is pretty much in chronological order.
The map I used while in Ben Het. The area in blue shows the three major hills of the camp. - A sketch of the camp which was done for John Lamerson's book on Ben Het.
A photo of me taken during a visit to Ben Het prior to the siege (circa April 1969).
I am glad you got the package and that you found the scrap book to be of interest. There were some trying days in Ben Het.
The two crests came from a plaque that was presented to me when I turned over command of the battalion. The inscription on the plaque reads:
"LTC KENNETH R. BAILEY, THE BOSS OF THE BIG GUNS OF CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, OCT. 68 TO JUL. 69, FROM THE OFFICERS OF THE 6TH BN 14 ARTY, VIETNAM."
The two crests were glued to the plaque but over the years fell off. I did not see any need to send the plaque, but thought the crests might be of use for the home page.
I am delighted that the things I sent you are appreciated and that some of them will be shared with others.
I got an email from John Lamerson (who wrote The Phantom of Ben Het) recently telling me that he had made contact with Command Sergeant Major Richard Chrapczynski who was the Sergeant Major of the 6/14 when I was in command. I have had no contact with him since I left Vietnam in 69. He did not come with us to Ben Het, but he is the one who saved the Stars and Stripes newspapers for me while I was in Ben Het. Those papers were the major part of the scrap book.
I sent an email to Command Sergeant Major Ski to renew our ties.
It is the great work you all are doing and have been doing with the 6/14 Association that has made these contacts possible.
Many thanks for all of your work to support this effort!
I will start a wave that hopefully will reach your shores!
Aloha, Ken

These are the two crests from Ken's plaque. Click on the image above for a life sized view of these one of a kind historical items.

- Monday 7-11-2005 -
The Siege is lifted...
Now the news at home relays reflection and assessments of the actions taken at this tortured jungle camp.
We have two final articles from Ken's great clippings bringing to a close our 1969 news review of The Battle of Ben Het. One is from the New York Times written by Drummond Ayers for the July 7th edition and another from Time Magazine from July 11th. Lets read some of the early assessments on ARVN command decisions, troop movement and thoughts on future U.S. withdrawal and disengagement while remembering what Col. Bailey said:
"The first article in the scrap book (from Time magazine) was written after the battle was over. It is a fairly good summary of what happened."
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This is the Time Magazine cover
from July 11, 1969 that accompanied
the article "The lesson of Ben Het"
What a time we lived in, ehh?
Click on image to enlarge
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Click on the individual newspaper clippings above for full size images of each.
Download copies for your personal archives.
We close for today with a great big Warbonnet "Thank You" to brother Ken Bailey for sharing these rare documents. It is this continued support and participation from all the men of the 6th Battalion 14th Field Artillery that has made this site possible. If you enjoyed this series, let us know and we will endeavor to locate similar materials for posting. If you have documents of this type or any others, get in touch with us and we will work out a way to make it available here at your website, The 6/14 Arty.


"Ex Hoc Signo Victoria"
If you are a family member of someone who was with the 6/14 or a member of another unit and you have information, photos, or memorabilia relating to this fine unit, do not hesitate to contact us and let us know the nature of your information. We at 6/14 Arty recognize the importance and precious nature that these items have to you and to history and your gracious sharing of them for inclusion in this archive would be greatly appreciated. Let us assure you that all documents, photographs, and items that you send us for reproduction will be treated with the greatest respect. Every care and precaution will be taken to protect and preserve the integrity of these items and promptly return them to you.
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