Region. 2017-2023 Tribute Archive. Learn more about . Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Despite these losses, Colonel Honeycutt adamantly protested the relief of his battalion, demanding that his men, who had already paid such a high price, be allowed to continue the mission to take the hill, saying all he needed was one additional company. On May 16, the plan called for the 3-187 to continue its attack as before up the two ridges, but to hold short of the summit to exert pressure on the enemy defenses while the 1-506 assaulted from the west and south to sweep across the top of Hill 900 toward Hill 937. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Weldon Honeycutt (63619626)? I think he looked up to me because I was older and from Los Angeles. Melvin Honeycutt, age 92, of Blacklick, OH, passed away on February 15, 2022. The intensity of the controversy heightened on June 5 when orders were given to abandon Dong Ap Bia. The thick foliage and close proximity of friendly troops inhibited the use of indirect fire, further slowing any progress. We have set your language to Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Memorials. Alpha and Charlie companies of 3-187 had moved only a few hundred meters from their landing zones, however, when they discovered enemy huts and bunkers all along their lines of advance. Bravo Company, unable to move forward, withdrew into defensive positions for the night about 1,000 meters from the summit. Photos, memories, family stories & discoveries are unique to you, and only you can control. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. There is a problem with your email/password. During the Korean War, he joined the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team. Veterans across the country conduct reunions each year. In a subsequent newspaper account, Sharbutt described the bloody battle to the American public, writing, The paratroopers came down the mountain, their green shirts darkened with sweat, their weapons gone, their bandages stained brown and redwith mud and blood. He reported that one of the paratroopers said, That damn Blackjack (Honeycutt) wont stop until he kills every one of us. Sharbutts gripping description of the meatgrinder battle horrified readers and set off a firestorm of protest that spread all the way to the floor of Congress. Of the four original company commanders in the battalion, one was dead and one was wounded, and eight of 12 platoon leaders were casualties along with several NCOs. Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. I have this ability to go numb when things like that happen, said Baylor about his draft notification from the U.S. Army. On August 15, General Abrams received a new mission statement for MACV instructing him to focus his efforts on assisting the South Vietnamese armed forces to take over an increasing share of combat operations. Moreover, MACV was to assist the Republic of Vietnam in assuming full responsibility for the planning and execution of national security and development programs at the earliest feasible date., Perhaps Colonel Harry Summers best summed up the impact of the Battle of Hambuger Hill on its 30th anniversary: The expenditure of effort at Hamburger Hill exceeded the value the American people attached to the war in Vietnam. When Trautmann told his men of the upcoming mission, they were apprehensive to say the least. Drag images here or select from your computer for Weldon S Pete Honeycutt memorial. A retired Army major general and a former commander of Delta Force died after a lawnmower accident, according to a report. More than 600 enemy bodies were found on the hill when the battle was over. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Nixon administration officials admitted to Hedrick Smith of The New York Times that such costly victories would further undermine public support for the war and thus shorten the administrations time for successful negotiations that were ongoing in Paris. Drag images here or select from your computer for Weldon Elias Honeycutt memorial. These men earned his respect and the respect of the nation. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Weldon Elias Honeycutt I found on Findagrave.com. By May 13, the brigade commander realized that the hill was occupied by more NVA than the 3-187 could handle alone. Recommend Dr. Weldon's obituary to your friends. Make sure that the file is a photo. May 12, 2021 Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. While they waited for the arrival of the 1-506, Honeycutt directed his troops to prepare for the next assault up the mountain. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. English He was also preceded in death by a sister, Priscilla Adkins Honeycutt and a brother-in-law, Larry Peterson. The brigade plan for the next attack called for the insertion of two additional battalions to the northeast and southeast of Dong Ap Bia. There was a problem getting your location. He succeeded in securing the thill after a 6 10-day long battle but he made numerous blunders that cost the lives of numerous soldiers. He will be missed for his sense of humor and great story-telling! With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Weldon Huneycutt of Berthoud, Colorado, who passed away on May 12, 2021 at the age of 92. He began the year as a regional favorite and ended the year with 17 recordings having been on the Billboards Top 100 singles chart, 11 TV appearances, and a movie. Colonel Weldon F. Honeycutt was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School 24 November 1951, Class #5-51. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. They found themselves in a battle every bit as brutal as the one for Hill 875 at Dak To in 1967, but unlike the 4/503rd PIR that fought that battle, these guys didn't have a unit made up of professional regulars led by old pro squad and platoon sergeants. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Add Weldon's birthday or the date he died to see a list of historic events The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Experiences, organizations, & how he spent his time. General Zais arrived on the scene around this time and considered calling off the attack because of the heavy casualties and intense media attention but, backed by General Stilwell and General Creighton Abrams, MACV commander, he decided to continue the attack. He hoped that this pounding would allow the Currahees to initiate a breakout and get their attack on the mountain underway to alleviate some of the pressure on the 3-187. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Melvin H Honeycutt to pay them . Baylor was evacuated off the hill without ever making it to the top. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. Legacy invites you to offer condolences and share memories of Weldon in the. Make sure that the file is a photo. He was also preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Shelby Jean Rice Honeycutt who died May 19, 2019; sisters, Bleaka. There is a Memorial Donation Fund in the name of Weldon Huneycutt set up. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. He distinctly remembers the battle hardened Soldiers looking at the inbound Soldiers and saying Theres one, theres one. Theres one what? Weldon graduated from Cleburne High School, Tarleton College, San Jacinto College, and earned his doctorate at the Texas Chiropractic College. Still, Conmy knew that the North Vietnamese were in the area in force and spoiling for a fight; he was eager to oblige them. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. The operation was conceived as a reconnaissance in force; Conmys intent was to find the enemy and pile on. He was a kind and gentle man. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. He is preceded in death by his three siblings, Arvel Huneycutt, Reba Young and Jeannie Winnett; brother-in-law, Nolte Crosier. He lives in Georgetown, Texas. The steep slopes of Dong Ap Bia were cloaked by a heavy undergrowth of sawtooth elephant grass, thick stands of bamboo, and double-and-triple canopy jungle. AncientFaces is a place where our memories live. Delta Company almost made it to the top of the hill as the battle degenerated into a close-quarters fight, with friendly and enemy troops separated by only a few meters. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made, by making a donation to Weldon Huneycutts favorite charity, the St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Select the next to any field to update. VIEW ALL OBITUARIES. Dr. Weldon Glen Huneycutt passed away May 12, 2021 in Loveland, Colorado. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. He and Billie Jean traveled to 35 countries after retiring, in addition to many fun camping trips in the U.S.A. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. That is exactly what Lt. Col. Martin Bowling facilitated during his command of the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, Iron Rakkasans. read more The next day, nine veterans and 11 Soldiers boarded an aircraft and flew to Da Nang Airport, for a five-day journey recounting the steps they took exactly 50 years earlier. You may leave a message for the family by clicking here. Baylor, with his eyes toward the enemy, then saw Trautmann take a bullet to the femur and drop. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Ten brutal days of miserable fighting on a jungle-shrouded mountain in the spring of 1969 left scores of American dead and hundreds wounded and fueled a raging outcry from the American body politic that irretrievably altered the course of U.S. military policy in Vietnam. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. He was born September 23, 1928 to Dr. Semeion Fairenton Huneycutt and Lena Viola (Turner) Huneycutt in Sherman, Texas. James Baylor, by returning to that hallowed battlefield in the A Shau Valley for on the battles 50th anniversary. A system error has occurred. Billy was born on January 8, 1935 in Carthage, MS, to Joe Curtis and Hazel . He couldnt even look me in the eye mentally, he was gone. When I heard members of the battalion were making a trip back to Vietnam with veterans, it was a no brainer for me. Did Weldon serve in the military or did a war or conflict interfere with his life? You can always change this later in your Account settings. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. A native of Yancey County, he was a son of the late Ed and Ruth Howell Adkins. The 2-501 and 1-506 were to look for the enemy in their assigned operating areas and block enemy escape routes into Laos. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. By this time in the battle, the two companies had lost a total of 36 men, taking both down to half-strength. Honeycutt ordered Charlie Company to the aid of Delta, but a sudden blinding rainstorm halted the attack and the Rakkasans again reluctantly withdrew back down the mountain. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. There was an error deleting this problem. The most recent obituary and service information is available at the Patterson-Forest Grove Funeral . Advertisement. OBITUARY Weldon Glen Huneycutt September 23, 1928 - May 12, 2021 IN THE CARE OF Allnutt Funeral Service - Hunter Chapel Weldon Glen Huneycutt was born on September 23, 1928 and passed away on May 12, 2021 and is under the care of. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. The seizure of Dong Ap Bia had been a costly affair. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Then, Lt. Col. Weldon Honeycutt would command these brave Soldiers through the most trying times of their lives. One of those killed and three of the wounded were victims of friendly fire, hit by helicopter gunships that mistook them for enemy soldiers. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Ill say to myself, Ok, thats what it is, and Ill go numb. Search above to list available cemeteries. Even though the valiant effort of U.S. troops was, in the end, successful in taking the hill and inflicting heavy enemy losses, the terrible price of the drawn-out fight and its seeming senselessness among both troops on the ground and the general public made this one battle an enduring symbol of the overall futility of Americas war in Vietnam. He joined the army in 1946 and joined the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team during the Korean War. Not wanting to give the enemy a chance to reinforce and strengthen his position on the mountain, Honeycutt decided he could not wait for his sister battalion to arrive. Conmy expected that the 1-506, the Currahees, starting from their location some 4,000 meters south of Hill 937, would be in position to provide some relief to the 3-187 no later than the morning of May 15, but it would take 5 daysuntil May 19for the Currahees to reach a position where they could support the Rakkasans. James Baylor, 1st Platoon, Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Year should not be greater than current year. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? I remember flying into country, and two jet fighters approached on either side of our plane. With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Weldon Huneycutt of Berthoud, Colorado, who passed away on May 12, 2021 at the age of 92. 2022 TUSOCSAA. The fighting was intense and progress was slow as gunships, artillery and mortar fire continued to pound enemy positions on the summit while the paratroopers clawed their way up the hill against heavy enemy fire. Crutts saved my life, said Baylor. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Lieutenant Colonel Weldon F Honeycutt was assigned to the .. Weldon received the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) while serving during Please contact us with any biographical data, pictures or other information regarding the service and life of Weldon Honeycutt, Distinguished Service Cross recipient.. And we did, we made it to the top of the hill together.. They began stockpiling supplies, passing out new protective gas masks and bringing up concussion grenades for use against the dug-in NVA troops in the bunkers and trench lines. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. As they attacked, they mistook the 3-187 command post for enemy and opened fire, killing two Americans and wounding 35, including the battalion commander. Select the pencil to add details. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. After basic training, he was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, and there his association with General William Westmoreland began. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Weldon S Pete Honeycutt I found on Findagrave.com. He married Billie Jean Matthews on August 3, 1947 in Cleburne. Spc. These memories would stay buried deep in Baylors memory for the rest of his life, and as he grew older, his curiosity for the top of Hamburger Hill grew. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. He was predeceased by : his parents, Dr. Semeion Fairenton Huneycutt and Lena Viola Huneycutt (Turner); his siblings, Arvel Huneycutt, Reba Young and Jeannie Winnett; and his brother-in-law Nolte Crosier. Biographies are our place to remember and discover more about the people important to us. Oh yeah, and were going to take them back to Vietnam. North America. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.. By this time, both Honeycutt and Conmy realized that the North Vietnamese, who usually fought hard for a while before quitting the battlefield, were going to stand and fight on Dong Ap Bia. I had never seen a jet fighter up close, and I remember thinking then, that was it, and we were coming into something heavy. Retired Maj. Gen. Eldon . Billy passed away peacefully at his home in St. Francisville on May 1, 2019 at the age of 84 surrounded by his wife of 64 years, Emily Odom Honeycutt, and his extended family. During the 1972 Easter Offensive, Willbanks, then a captain, was an adviser with a South Vietnamese infantry unit at An Loc. When you click on the link below, you will be taken to the West Point Association of Graduates website and instructions on how to give to the Center. The valleys formidable terrain was dominated at its northern end by what local Montagnard tribesmen called the mountain of the crouching beast, Dong Ap Bia. Please enter your email address or username below. When he turned around, the commander was nowhere to be found. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. The West Point Center for Oral History is a privately funded organization that relies on the generosity of donors. 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