P Co (Airborne) 75th Infantry (Ranger)

2006-05-01T20:09:00.007-04:00

Ranger Frank Couvillion
공수 부대 특별 기습 부대
P Co (Airborne) 75th Infantry (Ranger)
Quang Tri, Vietnam

Ranger Frank's Awards & Decorations

P Co (Airborne) 75th Infantry (Ranger) History

On 1 February 1969, P Company (Airborne) 75th Infantry (Ranger) was activated to perform reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition for the 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division (MECH). The personnel used to man PAPA Company were all volunteers and usually Airborne qualified, with a few exceptions. Team Leaders were usually graduates of & U. S. Army Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia or combat experienced non-commissioned officers. This was not always the case, as the most experienced and qualified men in the company were not always the ones with the highest rank. Team members had a wide variety of Military Occupational Specialties (MOS's) and training was usually done on the job. Recondo training was at the 5th Special Forces RECONDO SCHOOL in Nha Trang and was available to selected personnel as training allocations became available. PAPA Company was also equipped with trained Snipers, but because of terrain and mission objectives, they were seldom used operationally. The process of getting the company combat ready was declared complete in March of 1969.
PAPA Company fielded on average, six combat ready 6 man Ranger 'HUNTER-KILLER' teams that consisted of a team leader (TL) an assistant team leader (ATL), a radio operator (RTO) and 3 scout observers. Each team member performed a variety of tasks as assigned by the team leader. Generally speaking, 2 Ranger teams would be out in the field, 2 teams would be on 'READY ALERT' to back up teams out on patrol or to become a "REACTIONARY FORCE" as needed, and 2 teams would be in a stand down mode to resupply and prepare for their next assigned mission.
Missions assigned by the lst Bde., 5th Inf. Div. (MECH) generally consisted of an assigned 4 to 6 square kilometer area known as a 'BOX: The mission duration was normally 5 days and 4 nights unless the team was compromised or if contact was made with the enemy. In the northern I Corps area, to include the entire Demilitarized Zone, the enemy encountered was usually the hard-core NVA regulars, who were better equipped, better trained soldiers than their Viet Cong counterparts. A typical Ranger mission, if there is such a thing, would have the team recon and observe an area for enemy presence or movement for the first 4 days and attempt to ambush on the last night and day of the mission, prior to extraction. This was not always the case as some teams were authorized to ambush earlier in their mission, depending on circumstances.
PAPA Company Ranger teams were usually inserted and extracted by helicopter, but also used the assets of the 5th Infantry Division (MECH) which resulted in 'stay-behind' missions and direct insertions by tanks and armored personnel carriers.
Support for the PAPA Company teams was provided by 'REDLEG' artillery units at firebases A4 (known as Alpha 4) and C2 (known as Charlie 2) which were located just south of the Demilitarized Zone, a buffer zone that separated North and South Vietnam. Air support was provided by among others, the 158th Assault Helicopter Battalion of the 101st Infantry Division (AMBL) in Camp Evans, near Phu Bai, and the 17th Air Cavalry, stationed at Camp Red Devil in Quang Tri. Also at the disposal of the Rangers were naval vessels in the Gulf of Tonkin for fire missions, land and ship based attack and fighter aircraft, and bombers based in Thailand. Forward Air Controllers (FAC) and their aircraft were also available for spotting, radio relay, and for directing air strikes as needed. Bomb Damage Assessment (BDA) missions were common for the Rangers in PAPA Company.
By late 1970, & PAPA Company Rangers found their missions to be centered more in the Khe Sahn Plain. Much of the intelligence gathered during this period, through the early part of 1971, was instrumental in the success achieved by friendly forces during LAM SON 719 in April of 1971. The PAPA Company Rangers continued patrolling the DMZ, Khe Sahn area, the Citadel, Rockpile, and the Tri-Border Area until they began stand down procedures on 23 July 1971. All personnel were transferred out of the unit by 5 August 1971.
P Company (Airborne) 75th Infantry (Ranger) was officially de-activated on 31 August 1971.

P Company Rangers Killed in Action in Vietnam

August 10, 1969

SFC David Edward Carter (28) 20W L121

December 21, 1969

SSG Thomas Joseph Dowd (21) 15W L77

SGT David Leon Barber (21) 15W L76

SP4 Roy Jeffrey Burke (19) 15W L75

PFC Gary Philip Sinclair (22) 15W L79

SP4 James Howard Dean (21) 15W L77

March 15, 1970

SP4 Ronald Lee Biegert (22) 13W L129

April 1, 1970

SP4 William Peter Kastendiect (20) 12W L69

April 28,1970

SP4 Vernon Ray Riley (22) 11W L64

May 5, 1970

SSG Rodney Kenneth Mills (22) 11W L104

September 20, 1970

SGT Harold Erwin Sides (20) 7W L79

SP4 Raymond Hugh Apellido (30) 7W L75

PFC Glenn Garland Ritchie, Jr. (20) 7W L79

SP4 Anthony Joseph Gallina (18) 7W L77

SP4 Dale Alan Gray (20) 7W L77

March 1, 1971

PFC Stephen Lee Smith (20) 4W L15

SP4 James Thomas Williams, Jr. (28) 4W L15

March 20, 1971

SGT Michael Edward Koschke (25) 4W L61

SGT James Daniel Schooley (23) 4W L62

April 1, 1971

SP4 Steven Charles Wray (22) 4W L100

April 4, 1971

SSG Johnny Harold Lawrence (25) 4W L106

The Ranger Creed

Recognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and "esprit de corps" of the Ranger Regiment.

Acknowledging the fact that a Ranger is a more elite soldier who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land, sea, or air, I accept the fact that as a Ranger my country expects me to move farther, faster and fight harder than any other soldier.

Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be. One hundred percent and then some.

Gallantly will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well trained soldier. My courtesy to superior officers, my neatness of dress and care for equipment shall set the example for others to follow.

Energetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a Ranger word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country.

Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission, though I be the lone survivor.

Detachment C, KMAG
Inje-gun, Kangwon-do
Republic of Korea

April 1962 through April 1963

Assigned to Detachment C KMAG (Korean Military Advisory Group) located just above the 38th parallel at Kwandae-re. Detachment C KMAG advised the III ROK Corps that was commanded by General Che. The Detachment C KMAG commander was Colonel Thomas. The Detachment had military advisors and civilian advisors. The military advisors were of high ranking officers and enlisted personnel, to include: 3 – Colonels, 1 - Lieutenant Colonel, 1 - Major, 1 – Captain, and 1 – First Lieutenant (Aviator that piloted an L-19 Bird Dog), 3 Sergeant Majors, 3 Master Sergeants, 4 Sergeant First Class, and lower ranking enlisted support personal. Also, Vinnell Corporation had 6 GS-12 or higher civilian personnel assigned as advisors.

My assignment at Detachment C KMAG was mail courier between Kwandae-re and Chunchon. This was accomplished with a ¾ ton truck over dirt roads and a one way pass at Young-ku. The round trip between Kwandae-re and Chunchon was 90 miles (drove approximately 32,000 miles in one year). This was done 7 days a week and included US Mail, Classified Documents, and PX for the personnel at Detachment C. The KMAG assignment has left me with very fond memories of Kangwon-do. The villages in Detachment C area were: Kumya-le, Bupyong, Sinnam-re, and Sinnam. I met my wife, Kang Oakja at Sinnam-re and have many wonderful memories of friends from that time to include: Sergeant Major Toto and Sergeant First Class Hanson and KATUSA Sergeant Kang. When not at Detachment C, I lived at Park Won Hae Room, Sinnam-re, Nanmoon, Inje-gun, Kangwon-do.

42nd Civil Affairs Company
95th Civil Affairs Group
Fort Gordon, GA

April 1963 – November 1963

Assigned to the 42nd Civil Affairs Company, 95th Civil Affairs Group. 95th Civil Affairs Group responsible for stabilizing an area of operations during combat operations and civil strife.

HQ 8th US Army
Youngsan, Seoul
Republic of Korea

1970 – 1971

Assigned to HQ 8th US Army and was allied with the National Security Agency. Custodian of Top Secret, Cryptographic, PRP, SIOP documents to include two-man control material. Member of the A Team for two-man control material. Colonel Spence and Master Sergeant Houston were my primary mentors and provided outstanding professional leadership for this very sensitive area.

3rd Battalion (Abn) 325th Infantry
82nd Airborne Division
Fort Bragg, NC

1971 - 1974

Assigned to the 3rd Battalion (Abn) 325th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC. Participated in Airborne Operations with both the T-10 & MC 1-1 Parachutes. Primary aircraft used for Airborne Operations were the C-130, C-141, UH1H, and occasionally the CH-47 and C-7A.

2nd Infantry Division
Tongduchon, Republic of Korea

March 1979 - March 1980

Assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division and station at Camp Corner, Youngsan, Seoul, Korea as the 2nd Infantry Division Liaison NCO.

CIVILIAN LIFE AFTER MILITARY RETIREMENT

Atlanta Police Department
Police Officer Badge 3359
Zone 1, Beat 2103
Zone 4, Beat 2401

January 1981 - November 1986

Police Officer for the City of Atlanta. Policed the West End area of Atlanta in Zone 1 and Zone 4. My Beat was 2103 and Beat 2401; the beat lines were Gordon Street to Ashby Street to Simpson Road to West Lake Ave to Interstate 20. At that time the Zone 1 Precinct was off of Collier Road and Zone 4 Precinct was behind Greenbriar Mall.

International SOS Assistance

February 1996 – November 1999

Registered Nurse employed as a subcontractor with International SOS Assistance to International Launch Services for Launch Campaigns at Baikonur Cosmodrome and Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC). As the Overseas Medical Coordinator for International SOS Assistance I provided medical care for US and indigenous personal, coordinated medical supplies, and synchronized medical evacuation as needed.

Baikonur Cosmodrome
Космодром Байконур
Lenisk, Kazakhstan

Baikonur Cosmodrome Launch Campaigns and Security Badges:

ASTRA 1F
LMI 1
TelSat
ASTRA 2A
InmarSat 3 F2
AsiaSat 3S
TelStar 5
TelStar 6
ACeS

Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC)
西昌卫星发射中心
Xichang, Sichuan Province
Peoples Republic of China

Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC)
Launch Campaign and Security Badges:

ChinaStar 1

Registered Nurse
1986 - 2007

Registered Nurse in the Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Department, and Radiology Special Procedures. Employed as a Charge Nurse, Staff Nurse, and Special Assignments in Overseas Areas.

Registered Nurse Medical Escort, LLC
2007 - Present

Registered Nurse - President/Owner of Registered Nurse Medical Escort, LLC - providing professional worldwide medical escort for patient with acute and/or chronic illness and/or injury for repatriation to the country of origin.

US Army Airborne Ranger

P Co (Airborne) 75th Infantry (Ranger)