Where is it that Rakkasans young and old are gathering to remember Hamburger Hill?”
We hope you will use it to find and keep in touch with old friends! ….. Looking for Hamburger Hill vets for a reunion May 16, 17 & 18, 2002 at Fort Campbell … Looking for any info on a Rakkasan gathering in DC for Veteran’s Day, 2001. ….. I remember a young leg private replacement whose father was a preacher. …
Rakkasans young and old gathered at Fort Campbell on May 15 to remember Hamburger Hill, one of the most storied battles of the Vietnam War. The Iron Rakkasan soldiers of 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment — now part of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team — spent 10 days trying to capture the hill, and it proved to be one of the most significant battles of the war. The battle was made famous by the 1987 film of the same name, but those who were there say it was not like the Hollywood film’s account. “They didn’t have hot tubs, smoke marijuana or have prostitutes,” said Lt. Col. Dave Fivecoat, who now commands the Iron Rakkasans. Bob Harkins, who commanded Alpha Company during the battle, said simply, “It was a tough fight.” “We were basically in contact with the enemy every day,” he said of the five months, from January to May 20, 1969, that they spent fighting until the battle was over.
