TBS 2-67 Cruisebook_Updated_7Jan23

A Tour of Duty in Vietnam
my Dewey canyon experiences, Bill somehow acquired similar
memoirs written by a Green Beret first lieutenant named Rod Burns,
who commanded a Nung platoon in Dewey Canyon. Nungs were one
of the two indigenous peoples who lived in the mountains along the
Laotian border. Burns’ platoon had been inserted into an NVAcontrolled
area across the border in Laos before monsoon weather had
canceled the insertion of the rest of the company. For almost two
weeks the isolated platoon struggled to avoid annihilation by staying
ahead of the NVA with little resupply of food, ammo, or water. Time
after time, they were able to stave off the outnumbering enemy and get
away under the shield of 155mm artillery fire called through their
liaison officer and coming from LZ Cunningham. Bill sent Burns’
memoirs to me with Burns’ contact information, because he realized
that all that artillery support that saved the platoon had to have come
from my battery. Not only were the 155s the only guns with enough
range to get into Laos, my 155s were the only ones in the operation or
even near that part of the world at that time.
I was able to talk on the phone to the still grateful Rod Burns at his
retirement home in Florida. I found out he was from rural Michigan
less than 60 miles from my original home.
JOHN BURWELL WILKES Colonel USMCR (Ret)
Col. John Burwell Wilkes at retirement
A‐85