On March 25, 1969, the reinforced two-platoon strong Hatcet Force unit was inserted into Target Area Lima-6 to interdict traffic on the Ho Chi Minh trail and search for a suspected truck park.
After the insertion, the Hatchet Force dug in on a hill above the road to remain there overnight. The night passed without any incidents.
On the morning of the 26th, Lieutenant Sheridan led his point platoon down to the road to interdict any truck traffic they might encounter. As they approached the road, they met with enemy fire from a nearby refueling station. The station was guarded by a bunker complex. Sheridan and two other men maneuvered to within a few meters of one of the bunkers, causing the enemy to withdraw.
Platoon Sergeant John Holan had simultaneously fired an M72 LAW rocket at one of the bunkers and silenced it. Terry felt something hit his left ankle and at first thought it might be shrapnel from the rocket.
Sergeant Holan and two of the Montagnards followed the fleeing NVA that had shot at Terry to the bunker that he had entered and noted a tunnel at one end. One of the indigenous soldiers threw a CS (tear gas) grenade into the hole. They could hear coughing inside the tunnel, and someone told the indigenous interpreter to tell the NVA soldier to come out and surrender. When he emerged from the hole with another SKS he was shot dead by the Montagnards.
After removing his boot, Terry realized the NVA had hit him in the ankle with his SKS. The bullet struck his ankle bone and was lodged just under the skin facing out, opposite from the way it had entered. Medic Ollie Garcia bandaged Terry's ankle. Terry then gave himself a shot of morphine from one of the two syrettes he carried.
This photo is of the SKS used to shoot him. Terry discovered that his initial burst of fire, before his weapon jammed, had struck the receiver on the NVA's first SKS causing it to malfunction.
The enemy bunker complex and refueling area had conveniences such as a makeshift table. Both Gron and Terry saw an empty Shell fuel drum in the refueling area. After several hours, Terry were medevaced to Dak To by the Kingbees. Upon arrival at Dak To, Terry received another shot of morphine.
Around 5 p.m. he was flown to Kontum and taken to the CCC Dispensary. On the morning of the 27th, he was flown to the 71st Evacuation Hospital in Pleiku where they removed the bullet. After several days in Pleiku, he transferred to Japan for a month of rehabilitation.
An interesting side note is that Terry had an unsettling dream the night after the insertion on the 25th, that he would be shot in the left leg the next day.
Terry Cadenbach:
When I was in Japan for rehabilitation, I was allowed to call home and talk to my mother. Although not allowed to reveal to her where I was when I was wounded, she told me she had the same dream and knew that I had been shot in the left leg.
