One of the best kept secrets of the Vietnam War was what many referred to as a "Bastard Battery", especially those that served in C Btry, 6 th Bn, 16 th Arty. They were absolutely unique as they were the only US Army Tube Artillery Battery to be deployed separately to Vietnam while the remainder of its Battalion remained stateside. But I must tell you that it is only fair to call them a "Battling Bastard Battery" who served the 1 st Air Cavalry Division well in 1966-1967, until early 1968. Along the way they earned a Presidential Unit Citation for their part in the Battle of LZ Bird on 27 Dec 1966. Be it known to everyone that all of those "Battling Bastards of Battery C" have a very special place of honor in the 30 th FA Regiment Family. Those of us that served with them always considered them as "Professionals" in every sense of the word. And because the 30 th FA Regiment was the only real "Parent Unit" to take an interest in their history and in their veterans they have chosen to be adopted by the 30 th FA Association. Fortunately their cause has been championed by BG (R) Joe Ecoppi who brought C/6/16 th Arty to Vietnam in June of 1966. Unfortunately, the US Army Center of Military History never recognized their accomplishments in its 1986 edition of the "Army Lineage Series for Field Artillery."The "Battling Bastards of Battery C" are the finest bunch of Hard Charging Red Legs I've ever had the pleasure of working with and here is a short version of their story:

C Btry, 6/16 th Arty deployed to Vietnam as a separate 155mm Towed Artillery Battery arriving on 17 June 1966 under the command of CPT (Later BG) Joseph Ecoppi). The remainder of the 6/16 th Arty remained at Ft Sill while C/6/16 th Arty was attached to the 1 st Air Cav Div in Vietnam. Eventually CPT Ecoppi deployed C/6/16 th Arty to Landing Zone Bird on 3 Dec 1966.
On approximately 24 Dec 1966, CPT Ecoppi was wounded and evacuated to the hospital. Consequently, the XO, 1LT Samuel Strickland, became the acting-Battery Commander. They were joined on Landing Zone Bird on 12 December 1966, by B Battery 2nd Battalion19th Field Artillery (105mm Towed) in support of 1st Brigade, 1st Air Cavalry Division.
On 27 Dec 1966, Landing Zone Bird was attacked by the 8th & 9th Battalions, 22nd North Vietnamese Army Regiment. During a very rainy night, the NVA sappers penetrated LZ Bird's perimeter and a desperate battle ensued in which 1LT Sam Strickland was severely wounded early in the attack. He was medi-vaced out as soon as the battle subsided. US Forces including members of C/6/16th waged a ferocious battle against the NVA infiltrators who were busy placing satchel charges on the Gun Pits in an attempt at destroying the howitzers and their crews. Crew members were shooting NVA at distances of no more then 10-15 feet as they swarmed over the perimeter wire and onto the edges of the parapets. At one point, PFC Richard Bouchard grabbed an NVA sapper and beat his head against the wall of a bunker until he was dead and then threw his body out of the gun pit.
Eventually "Blue Max" (2/20 Aerial Rocket Artillery) came on station and started placing deadly fire on the attacking force while supporting artillery began shooting defensive concentrations. It was then that members of C/6/16 th Arty heard the cry "Bee Hive.....Bee Hive" coming from the direction of B/2/19th Artillery. As the men dove for cover they heard two successive rounds go off and the whistle of thousands of steel flechetes hitting everything in its path. After the second Bee Hive round was fired the NVA began disengaging and beating a hasty retreat out of Landing Zone Bird. By 0330 Hours, the NVA were gone, but not without leaving 211 enemy bodies in and around Landing Zone Bird.
Two members of C/6/16th FA who displayed exceptional bravery while battling the enemy force were SSG Gregorio Nieto and SP4 Fred E. Weidman. For their fearless actions they were awarded the Silver Star Medal. The US Forces suffered a total of 28 Killed In Action, 67 Wounded In Action, and I Missing In Action. Of that total, C/6/16th lost 4 KIAs & 21 WIAs. The names of CPL Roscoe Wright, Jr., PFCs Ronald J. Zitiello, Roger D. White, and Ronnie E. Norris will be remembered for their ultimate sacrifices during the Battle of Landing Zone Bird. These four brave soldiers were awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart (Posthumously). In addition to the losses suffered by C/6/16, B/2/19th lost 7 KIAs and 24 WIAs; C/1/12th Cavalry lost 15 KIAs and 22 WIAs; 11th Pathfinder Detachment lost 1 KIA; and 229th Assault Helicopter Detachment lost 1 KIA and 1 MIA.
For their bravery during this battle these units were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. As soon as the battle ended CPT Robert "Denny" Middleton came in to replace 1LT Strickland as the Btry CO of C/6/16th and quickly put the Battery back into operational condition to continue its support of 1 st Air Cav Div combat operations.
On 7 Apr 1967, C/6/16th was attached to 1/30th Field Artillery as its fourth Battery. On 10 Apr 1967, orders were received to transfer personnel and equipment between C/6/16 and B/1/30 which had been supporting the1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. The transfer (a.k.a. reflagging) reversed the designations of these two units and B/1/30th Artillery was then deployed to Landing Zone Uplift under control of 1/30th Artillery in support of the 1st Air Cavalry's Operation PERSHING.
C/6/16th Artillery, under the command of CPT Ray Zugel, continued combat operations with the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. In addition to its regular mission of OPCON to the 1st Air Cav, 1/30th Artillery was given responsibility for providing the Fire Support Coordination Center (FSCC) for the defense of Landing Zone ENGLISH (1st Air Cav's Forward Headquarters). C/6/16 th Arty completed their mission with 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division and was returned to control of 1/30th Artillery. When the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division was taken out of II Corp Tactical Zone and sent to I Corp Tactical Zone, they wanted to take C 6/16th Arty with them, but 1st Field Force Artillery (IFFV) would not authorize the transfer at that time. In September 1967, C/6/16 and B/1/30 road marched from Khan Zuong (between Nha Trang and Phan Rang) to Landing Zone OLLIE for close support of another 1st Air Cavalry phase of Operation Pershing. For this operation, C/6/16 and B/1/30 provided an unprecedented rain of firepower. While supporting operations in the Cay Giep Mountains, B/1/30 fired 1,076 rounds in a 12-hour period providing interdictory and blocking fires in support of the 1st Air Cavalry. C/6/16 followed this action a few days later by firing 1,212 rounds in a single day to provide the 1st Air Cavalry with a record number of effective 155mm rounds. From 1 May 1967 to 30 September 1967, the 1/30 planned, coordinated, and executed the movement of 10,000 tons of ammunition and supplies to forward Landing Zones. During peak firing periods, as much as 209 tons of ammunition was airlifted to the Landing Zones in a 24-hour period to support the four 155mm Firing Batteries. Throughout this period, the 1/30th FA & the attached C/6/16th Artillery participated in Operation PERSHING in support of the 1st Air Cavalry. Maintaining four full Firing Batteries in forward positions required extensive and well planned logistical support. Of the 218 days during which the 1/30th Artillery and it's four Firing Batteries supported Operation PERSHING, it expended more than 300,000 rounds in action in the Bong Son Plains, Duc Pho, and the An Lao Valley accounting for at least 300 confirmed enemy Killed in Action (KIA). The attachment of C/6/16th to 1/30th Artillery continued until 26 Jan 1968. C/6/16th Artillery was then attached to Headquarters 7/15th Artillery at Landing Zone Uplift. During this period 1/30th Arty had already began moving some of its Firing Batteries north to Camp Evans in support of 1st Air Cavalry operations in I CTZ. It must be recognized that the history of C/6/16th and the 1/30th are forever joined because of their exchange of colors and because of their combined accomplishments in support of the 1st Air Cavalry. Please note that C/6/16th moved north to I CTZ not too long after TET 1968 to support the 101st Airborne and 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. In October 1968, C/6/16th FA was again reflagged, this time as A Battery, 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery, with the 101st Airborne Division under the command of CPT (later COL) Rufus Hamilton. For over two years the "Battling Bastards of Battery C" made their presence well known to the VC and the NVA. And 35 years later they are making the presence known with the 30th Field Artillery Regiment.