Thank you for being over our firebase the night of march 26 1968 we were over run, FSB 14 was maned with 2 company's 4th inf div, and 4 105 artillery guns and a few engineers. We had lost 19 kia and 51 wia in a few hours, I was one of the 51. You said there was thousands coming up the hill. The New York Times said 1200 to 1500 NVA regulars with flame throwers came into our base that night. We were mortared before they charged up the hill so heavy that it sounded like one solid explosion. I prayed in my foxhole to live. Lt Gerlach got out of his foxhole in all that to ask for volunteers to go get ammo, Herb and I went with him, got the ammo but he died just after dropping it off and was awarded The Silver and had a Sports field named in his honor at Ft Leopardwood Mo. The Steven H Gerlach sports a stadium. Herb Appleby had only 2 weeks left on his tour but still volunteered to go get ammo with us. After the mortar went off that killed Lt , herb was standing next to him and I was next to Herb who had taken a lot of shrapnel and spent 2 years in a Texas Army Hospital recovering. He had a Teflon plate put in the back of his head where shrapnel tore off his skull bone, 3 sucking chest wounds, muscle ripped off both legs where he had to use metal crutches for the rest of his life. Holes to his face and jaw so bad I had to lift his jaw up to try and blow air into him to keep him alive . He was awarded second highest award The Distinguished Service Cross. At 77 he is still alive in Kansas City Mo. with a wife Bev and 4 kids. I had a little shrapnel that made it past Herb one in my right eye and one in my left knee, I was sent to the 106 gen hospital in Yokohama Japan then to Vallry Forge Army Hosp. When the 81mm mortar went off at Lt Gerlach feet,we were standing about 5 ft apart, It picked us up and blew us down the kill. When I woke up I couldn't hear or see out of my right eye. Herbs clothes were still on fire I don't know if it was from the mortal or the flame throwers, Lt was screaming to be killed to stop the pain but dead seconds later, Appleby was in very bad shape, his clothes were still burning. Since he was standing between me and Lt Gerlach He received most of the shrapnel. To hear more check 4th inf div after action report for March 26th 1968 or Chu Tan Kra 3/26/1968. Again thanks Joseph Brinn you were our Saviour's that night