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Contact Info
Home Town Sikeston
Last Address Fort Huachuca, AZ
Date of Passing Jan 17, 1986
Location of Interment Fort Huachuca Post Cemetery (VLM) - Sierra Vista, Arizona
"Lam Nut Bau troi, Rung chuyen Trai Dat" (Crack the Sky, Shake the Earth)
~ Signal to communist forces telling them to commence the greatest battle in the history of Vietnam. The Tet '68 offensive was countrywide and well coordinated, with more than 80,000 communist troops striking more than 100 towns and cities. The Saigon region was among those areas hit.
During Tet '68, the 25th Infantry Division was engaged in fierce battles around Saigon and Ton Son Nhut airfield just outside the Capital. Moving quickly into the path of the Viet Cong Units poised for the attack, the 25th Infantry Division absorbed the full force of the enemy blows and then counter-attacked viciously to smash the enemy offensive. The Division Commander, Gen Mearns and his Chief of Staff, Col Wilson were in the thick of it. Both officers were in constant heliborne control over the the action as it unfolded.
Col Wilson was scheduled to DEROS on TET '68. He extended his tour for another two months to help with the battle. Many soldiers give thanks to the 25th Infantry Division for their actions those days.
Col Wilson was one of the chief architects for the "Rings of Steel" strategy (Hop Tac) used in Vietnam. As an Aide for Gen Harold K. Johnson and Professor at the CGSC, he helped shape and formalize the doctrine used in this approach. Col Wilson worked closely with Bernard Fall regarding the defensive and offensive strategy to be used in South Vietnam (see photo).
Other Comments:
Awards & Decorations:
He was also awarded the Russian Medal for Valor, Knight's Cross Medal 1st OLC, and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm Fourragere. There is currently no provision for this profile to display these awards.
Most profile information taken from: Parameters, Spring 1998, pp. 93-109 "To Change a War: General Harold K. Johnson and the PROVN Study", by Lewis Sorley. ...and Col Wilson's Official Personnel Records on file at the National Personnel Records Center, St Louis, MO. Including my direct knowledge of him - I was custodian of his OMPF and had the opportunity to see him fairly often while we were assigned to the 25th Infantry Division at Cu Chi, Vietnam.
Best Moment Given the opportunity to develop and help implement Hop Tac Program.
Worst Moment Lack of support for the Hop Tac program by South Vietnamese Military Forces.
Chain of Command GEN Westmoreland
Other Memories COL Wilson served as advisor to General Nguyen Khanh. He may have had some involvement with the 1964 South Vietnamese coupe. By appearances he seems to have. He accompanied GEN Khanh by aircraft for for his 'dental appointment' in Saigon on 28 Jan 1964 - days before the Coupe.
He was the chief architect for the pacification program called Hop Tac which was started 12 Sep 1964. The plan called for developing four 'steel rings' around Saigon. Each ring to take a month for it's completion.
