Description

In June 1966 during Operation Hawthorne, Company C, 2d Battalion, 502d Infantry was conducting a mission to locate elements of the North Vietnamese People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 24th Regiment. Charlie Company made contact with what was estimated to be a battalion-sized enemy element. Under heavy enemy fire and unable to maneuver in any direction, CPT Bill Carpenter called for air strikes on top of his position in an attempt to force the enemy to withdraw. “We might as well take some of them with us”, he radioed to the 2nd Battalion command post. The Napalm attack injured seven of Carpenter’s men, but the PAVN ceased fire long enough to allow Company C to consolidate, reorganize and establish a position