The Battle of Ong Thanh was basically a massive ambush of the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Infantry division by an extremely numerically superior Viet Cong division. The 2/28th was outnumbered about ten to one and surrounded on three sides. They were pinned down by snipers and had to deal will multiple mines in the area.
When the ordeal was over (reports vary) 64 members of the 2/28th, "Black Lions" were dead, 2 were missing and 75 were wounded. They went into battle that day with less than 150 men. Almost no one escaped uninjured.
These men, fighting for their lives and for the lives of those around them fought with valor. They fought passionately for each other. They sacrificed, they helped one another, they gave everything they had during this tremendously costly battle.
Among others awarded, were 13 Silver Stars, 2 Distinguished Service Crosses and one Medal of Honor(2LT Harold B Durham). To say they gave everything they had is still probably an understatement.
The Daily Wall today shows 62 men who died in that place that day. Another extremely well researched article claims 57. Whatever the number, the lives that were lost, and damaged that day cannot be emphasized enough.
Today we remember all of those lost and all of those who survived. Many, many lives were forever altered that day. They can never get back what they lost. They will never be the same. Let us honor them and do our best, in whatever small way we can, to thank them for the hell they went through.
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