Operation Hump
part of the Vietnam war
Date: November 5th- November 8th 1965
Location: South Vietnam, Bien Hoa
Result: American & Austalian Standoff
Combatants:
United States North Vietnam
Australia
Commanders
173rd Airborne Brigade Viet Cong
Strength
Total Force around 400 Fource around 1200
Casualties
US 48 killed 403
many wounded
2 Australians MIA

On November 5th 1965 the 173rd Airborne Brigade initiated Operation Hump
a reconnaissance in force in an area about 15 miles north of Bien Hoa.
On Novemeber 8th 1965 the 173rd Airborne Brigade on Operation Hump war zone D in Viet Nam were ambushed by over 1200 VC 48 Americans soldiers lost their lives that day, Severely wounded and risking his own life. Lawrence Joel a medic was the first living black man since the Spanish American war to receive the United States Medal of Honor for saving so many lives in the midest of the battle that day.
Nile Harris retired 25 years United States Army, one of the wounded who lived. This song is his story. Caught in the action of kill or be killed, greater love hath no man, than to lay down his life for a friend......
He said goodbye to his momma
as he left South Dakota
to fight for the red, white and blue
he was 19 in green with a new M-16
Just doin' what he had to do.
He was dropped in the jungle
where the choppers would rumble
with the smell of napalm in the air
then the sargeant said "look up ahead"
and like a dark evil cloud
1,200 came down
on him and 29 more
They fought for their lives
but most of them died
in the 173rd Airborne
On the 8th of November
the angels were cryin'
as they carried his brothers away
with the fire rainin' down
and the Hell all around
there were few men left standin' that day
saw the eagle fly,
through a clear, blue sky
1965, the 8th of November
Now he's 58
and his ponytails grey
but the battle still plays in his head
he limps when he walks
but he is strong when he talks
about the shrapnel they left in leg
He puts on a grey suit
over his airborne tattoo
he ties it on one time a year
and remembers the fallen
as he orders a tall one
and swallows it down with his tears
On the 8th of November
the angels were cryin'
as they carried his brothers away
with the fire rainin' down
and the Hell all around
There were few men left standin' that day
saw the eagle fly
through a clear, blue sky
1965, the 8th of November
Saw the eagle fly
through a clear blue sky
1965
On the 8th of November
the angels were cryin
as they carried his brothers away
with the fire rainin' down
and the Hell all around
There were few men left standin' that day
saw the eagle fly
through a clear blue sky
1965, the 8th of November
The 8th of November
The 8th of November
He said goodbye to his momma
as he left South Dakota
to fight for the red, white and blue
he was 19 in green with a new M-16
just doin' what he had to do.
SONG: THE 8TH OF NOVEMBER
BY; BIG AND RICH.