My name is Jim Doescher. Like many my age, I served some time in Vietnam. I had graduated from Mississippi State University in 1966 with a degree in Forestry Management and upon graduation I had several really nice job offers, the "draft" or OCS in the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines. I chose Army OCS.

   After basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, OCS Prep and OCS at Fort Sill and almost a vear as a "Butter Bar" Lieutenant at Fort Rucker, I got orders to the Republic of Vietnam. I made First Lieutenant about the time I got in country and was assigned to the 9th Infantry Division. After a few days of in processing at Bear Cat I was further assigned to the 1/11th Arty Battallion at Dong Tam. I spent a few days pulling 12 hour shifts at the Battalion TOC becoming acclimated to the weather and radio traffic. Then I was assigned to replace the Forward Observer (FO) at A Co. 3/39 Inf. I'm sorry, but I don't remember his name.

   The old FO introduced me to Capt. Bill Wallis, the CO or "6", and Lt. Steve O'Neal one of the platoon leaders. I also met the rest of my FO team, Sgt. Juan Riveria, Recon Sgt., and Cpl. Bob Price, our RTO. Within hours we began preparation for my first mission. While I was packing my gear, I noticed several riflemen coming by, some just glancing my way and some stopping to stare. I ask Steve O'Neal what was going on and he replied that were just sizing me up. They were all wondering if I was going to be able to get the job done. I was hoping I wouldn't screw up.

   The first few days as FO were just hot and wet, no firefights, no successfiul ambushes. I did adjust a few defensive concentrations (Defcons) around night defensive positions. Then it happened. We were in the field and got a call that Charlie 3/39 was in contact and needed help. Choppers picked us up and inserted us in a hot LZ to the west of Charlie 3/39. During the chopper flight I remember looking at my map again and again to confirm and reconfirm map coordinates of the LZ. As we approached the LZ, I confirmed again that the coordinates were correct and then we were on the ground running like race horses toward a ditch just west of the LZ. We had just cut off an escape route for some very angry VC. The troops from Alpha 3/39 returned blistering fire from the cover of the ditch letting the VC know that there was no escape to the west.

   As I remember it, Charlie 3/39 had taken several casualties and that Charlie's FO team was making an adjustment to the arty fire mission when Cpl. Price got us on the fire net. I remember seeing a battery one fall about 2-3 hundred meters to our northeast. Then we heard someone from C 3/39 was screaming that the arty had come in right on top of them. About that time the Div. Arty Aerial Observer appeared overhead in an Ol Birddog and we moved the Arty away from C 3/39.

   In the meantime other units of the 9th Div. were being inserted and surrounding the VC. This I later learned was the Doughnut used so successfully by the 9th. Division. As the other units were inserted, adjacent units would link up and secure a perimeter. Then the FO teams would work the areas in front of their respective units with arty, air strikes and gunships.

   Sometime later a Forward Air Controller (FAC) came up on our fire net and advised that he had Fastmovers (Jets) on station. I think his call sign was Tamale 16. I threw a smoke grenade in front of our position and advised Tamale 16 to put the napalm about  100 meters to the southeast of my smoke. Tamale 16 fired a Willie Peter rocket exactly where we wanted the napalm.

Then the jet began his run. The pilot either missed the target or he was focused on my smoke grenade. The napalm fell right in front of us. Fortunately, a few singed eyebrows were all the damage we suffered. Note: During my entire tour as an FO, I was never able to talk with a Fastmover pilot. All adjustments and corrections were made through the FAC.

   Tamale 16 then advised that he had another Fastmover on station with bombs. The Aerial Observer and all the other FO's agreed that the designated area was clear of friendlies. The pilot made his approach and released the bomb. I could see the bomb clearly and it appeared to be going well past the impact area toward friendlies. But, just as it got exactly over the correct spot out popped some stabilizing fins and it dropped dead on target.

I thought the world had come to an end. That bomb blew trees, mud, blood and guts for fifty yards over and past where we were laying in the ditch. I think that one bomb turned the tide of battle. We continued to pound the area with arty through the night. Each FO, working with the AO, adjusting several batteries of arty in front of our troops.

  The next morning our company, A 3/39, was chosen to assault that area. We formed up on line and made the assault. Afterward when the area was secure and body count complete, many of the troops from the company came by to comment on how close I had called in ordinance.  Several said that it was really great having an FO that wasn't afraid to call ordinance in close. I told them that they didn't know fear when they saw it.

   I was proud, and still am, that I was FO for A 3/39 from July to October 1968. I couldn't have served with a better infantry company and Sgt. Riveria and Cpl. Price were simply the best.