|
Gerald
Hauswirth Rank
1st LT Dates of Service
1968 - 1970 |
Branch of Service
Army War(s) / Conflicts
Vietnam |
Lt. Jerry Hauswirth reported for duty in Vietnam on November1, 1969. The Journey to Vietnam took 3 days. The tour was to be 8 months long. 4 of the months to be served in the field; 4 months safely in the "rear."
As a member of the 101st Airborne Division, Jerry ws stationed at Camp Evans. Camp Evans was located northwest of the city of Hue in the northernmost province of South Vietnam. Jerry moved quickly into leadership positions with the 506th. He became know as the best platoon leader in Alpha Company directly responsible for the men in his platoon and often more as a Commanding Officer.
The primary responsibility of the 506th was to provide security to the fire supporT bases outside of Hue. It had been rather uneventful four months for Lt. Hauswirth in Vietnam. Security of the fire support bases involved hiking through jungle and mountainous terrain. The heat, humidity and rain made life particularly challenging especially while carrying heavy equipment. Nevertheless, Lt. Hauswirth kept an upbeat disposition by looking forward to the future.
That changed on the evening of March 14, 1970 near Fire Support Base Mooney. While leading his platoon on an evening patrol they encountered an ambush. In the initial fighting, one of Jerry's men, the point man, was wounded. Lt. Hauswirth led several of his men to aid the wounded soldier. After regrouping his platoon, they conducted an assault of the enemy positions. Jerry "singlehandedly charged the position and engaged them with grenades until he was mortally wounded. His actions were greatly responsible for the insurgents to flee," was the consolation recorded in the Award of the Silver Star (posthumous). Half-way around the world, in a place that looked nothing like his boyhood home of Greendale, the youngest son of Ray & Eleanor Hauswirth, the little brother of Buddy and Diane (Kapocius), the husband of Sharon, was killed.
As a member of the 101st Airborne Division, Jerry ws stationed at Camp Evans. Camp Evans was located northwest of the city of Hue in the northernmost province of South Vietnam. Jerry moved quickly into leadership positions with the 506th. He became know as the best platoon leader in Alpha Company directly responsible for the men in his platoon and often more as a Commanding Officer.
The primary responsibility of the 506th was to provide security to the fire supporT bases outside of Hue. It had been rather uneventful four months for Lt. Hauswirth in Vietnam. Security of the fire support bases involved hiking through jungle and mountainous terrain. The heat, humidity and rain made life particularly challenging especially while carrying heavy equipment. Nevertheless, Lt. Hauswirth kept an upbeat disposition by looking forward to the future.
That changed on the evening of March 14, 1970 near Fire Support Base Mooney. While leading his platoon on an evening patrol they encountered an ambush. In the initial fighting, one of Jerry's men, the point man, was wounded. Lt. Hauswirth led several of his men to aid the wounded soldier. After regrouping his platoon, they conducted an assault of the enemy positions. Jerry "singlehandedly charged the position and engaged them with grenades until he was mortally wounded. His actions were greatly responsible for the insurgents to flee," was the consolation recorded in the Award of the Silver Star (posthumous). Half-way around the world, in a place that looked nothing like his boyhood home of Greendale, the youngest son of Ray & Eleanor Hauswirth, the little brother of Buddy and Diane (Kapocius), the husband of Sharon, was killed.