June 19 Input from "Big Gun"- Update to June 16 Post (Neil)

Requested information from Spec 4 Joe LaFave (aka "Big Gun"), M-60 machine gunner for my platoon, has just arrived. He had written a review of the night of May 24, 1968, when two men from my squad were killed and three wounded while on a night listening post (LP). I wrote of this event in an earlier post, June 16 Getting It Off My Chest.
Joe "Big Gun" LaFave Holding the M-60


Joe references a date of May 23, while I used May 24. The LP was sent out the evening of May 23, but the KIA date for McFaddin and Paterson was May 24. Without access to my letters and Joe's written review, I used the KIA date. Joe is correct that it all went down between 7 PM and midnight May 23.



Here it is in Joe's words:


On the night of 23 May 1968 five of our men were assigned to go out on Listening Post (LP) at about 1900 hours (7pm.) Sp-4 Neil Hannan was saddled up and ready to go when it was decided that Sergeant Patterson would take his place. Sgt. Patterson was new (in-country) and needed the experience. Therefore, Sgt. Patterson, Sgt. Weaver, Sp-4 McFaddin, Sp-4 Hoover, and Sp-4 Keller started out together, right in front of my position. 

  As I arrived at Hannan's fox hole, Sgt. Weaver had multiple fragmentation wounds and Hannan was tending to him. Sp-4 Hoover & Sp-4 Keller had made it back, wounded but appeared to be alright. Sgt. Patterson was dead, and Sp-4 McFaddin was missing. I went out front and found him, he was dead. 

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