Tag Archives: DSC

War Hero Billy Walkabout Passes

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Billy Walkabout is believed to be the most decorated Native American veteran of the Vietnam War. He won the Distinguished Service Cross, five Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars and at least one Purple Heart as a US Army Ranger assigned to Company F (LRP) 58th Infantry (ABN) of the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam. He was a Cherokee of the Blue Holley Clan in Oklahoma and died at age 57 from renal failure brought about by Agent Orange complications.

Walkabout was troubled on his return back home but in later years became a well known voice in the Native American community. He is immortalised by Cherokee artist Talmadge Davis in Walkabout: A Warriors Spirit and is mentioned in several books about the 101st’s “Lurps” in Vietnam, including Eyes of the Eagles by Gary Lecher:

“-‘I shipped out to Vietnam. I wanted to serve my nation and protect my people. I found myself in the jungles of Vietnam, ten thousand miles from home. Under monsoon rains, under a painted sky, leeches crawled on my arms. The little blood-suckers fell off into the night. The rain fell all night. Back in the world, no gal danced the southern dance for me. And the clouds hid the sun. I was burdened with separation from my family and the rez. I couldn’t wear an eaglefeather on my steel-helmet or tear that peace sign away. My war-shirt had blood all over it. I had blood on my hands. I saw people die. I saw medevac helicopters air lift them out. Those guys would remain in my memory. I didn’t have time to grieve then. Firebase on the distant mountain. The jungle was full of mountain ghosts…. “


Rest in Peace Sergeant Walkabout, your mission is over.

Snipers Win DSC for Samarra Battle

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On a hot August morning in Samarra, Iraq a four man Reaper Team of the 82nd Airborne’s 2-505 Parachute Infantry Regiment’s Scout Platoon found themselves in a tight spot. Led by 22yr old Sergeant Josh Morley the team contained 21-yr old Specialist Tracy Willis, 23-yr old Specialist Chris Corriveau and unit armorer 23-year-old Specialist Eric Moser. Detailed to provide an over watch for a search operation below, they secretly climbed an apartment rooftop set up shop. With the search operation coming off without a hitch, the Reaper team went to displace, only to find that insurgents had followed and surrounded them. Armed Al-Qaeda foot solders held the stairwells and streets below them, trapping the team on the roof. Within the first few minutes a bad situation got worse. First Sgt Morley and then Spec. Willis were killed, leaving only Corriveau and Moser in the fight. Bombarded by grenades thrown up the stairwell by unseen hands and taking fire from multiple weapons the two snipers fought on unsupported, with a blown radio and dwindling supplies of ammunition.

The ten minute firefight ultimately ended with a nearby friendly infantry platoon coming to the sound of combat and the insurgents withdrawing. An after-action review found that the Reaper team had held off a squad to platoon sized group of men and inflicted no less than ten casualties. More importantly they kept both the bodies of their fallen brothers and their own from falling into the insurgent’s hand- preventing a propaganda victory for the insurgents. Morser and Corriveau were promoted to Sergeant and awarded the DSC, the 2nd highest award for valor in the Army. Morley and Willis were posthumously awarded the Silver Star. Read more in Jeff Emanuel’s excellent piece.