D Company Contact — Tay Ninh Province, July 13, 1969
July 13, 1969 — D Company contact, Tay Ninh Province
D Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry was on a search and clear mission in Tay Ninh Province when the point element walked into an ambush — mines, machine-guns, and small arms fire at close range. The initial contact wounded several men in the platoon.
SGT Clyde Bonnelycke, acting as Platoon Leader of the Second Platoon, moved forward to his wounded machinegunner and picked up the weapon. He laid down an effective base of fire that gave the platoon room to mount a counter-attack. When his ammunition ran out, he seized grenades and silenced an enemy bunker with accurate throws. Five men were evacuated. The ambush was broken.
Bonnelycke was awarded the Silver Star with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster (2nd Award) for this action. General Orders No. 10412, HQ 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), August 26, 1969.
If you served with D Company, Second Platoon, 2/8 Cavalry in Tay Ninh Province in the summer of 1969, we'd like to hear from you. SGT Clyde Bonnelycke led the platoon through an ambush on July 13, 1969, and was awarded the Silver Star for his actions. Any detail about that day — a grid, a name, what happened afterward — is welcome.
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