SP4 Richard Robert Kelley, Weymouth, MA on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall

Fire Support Base AIRBORNE was located on the northern point of a ridgeline which ran parallel to the A Shau Valley in western Thua Thien Province. A/2-501st Infantry was brought into the area on 8 May and assumed responsibility for security of the newly created FSB AIRBORNE which was manned by three artillery batteries.

On the night of 12/13 May at 0330 hours, the base was attacked by the 6th NVA Regiment supported by 46 men from the K-12 Sapper Bn. The bloody fight which followed left 27 Americans dead and at least 61 wounded.

NVA losses were not accurately known since the attackers had, as usual, taken as many of their dead with them as was possible, but 39 NVA bodies were left behind.

This attack occurred in the initial phases of The Battle of Hamburger Hill. A battle of the Vietnam War that was fought by U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) forces against People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) forces from 10 to 20 May 1969 during Operation APACHE SNOW.

Although the heavily fortified Hill 937 was of little strategic value, U.S. command ordered its capture by a frontal assault, only to abandon it soon thereafter. The action caused a controversy both in the American military and public.

The Battle of Hamburger Hill was primarily an infantry engagement, with the U.S. Airborne troops moving up the steeply-sloped hill against well entrenched troops. Attacks were repeatedly repelled by the PAVN defenses. Bad weather also hindered operations. Nevertheless, the Airborne troops took the hill through direct assault, causing extensive casualties to the PAVN forces.

Charlie Battery, 2/319 Artillery and Alpha Company, 2/501st Infantry had borne the brunt of the attack on FSB AIRBORNE:

SP4 Richard Robert Kelly was survived by his mother Caroline Louise (O'Connell) (1920-1997) Kelley, father Robert J. Kelly (1921-2008), sisters Nancy L. and Carolee, and brothers Robert J., Jr.and Mark R. Kelley.

Richard is buried with his parents in Blue Hill Cemetery, Braintree, Norfolk County, Massachusetts.

- - The Virtual Wall, July 25, 2018