101st Airborne Division
Fort Campbell, KY – Third Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) will honor the 49th Anniversary of the historic Dong Ap Bia or “Hamburger Hill” battle in Vietnam, May 15th-17th, 2018.
The kick-off event will be a 31.87-mile walk / run / road march competition featuring Soldiers, Veterans, and community members. All members of the public are invited to attend and participate in the race and the finish-line party.
Current Soldiers of the “Iron Rakkasan” battalion will be joined by more than 50 Vietnam veterans and their families for a series of events to remember the sacrifice and bravery of that era’s Soldiers.
The “Hamburger Hill” battle was one of the unit’s most dangerous engagements during their four years in Vietnam, with more than 300 killed or wounded.
“The enemy kept hitting them, and they kept fighting,” said Lt. Col. Martin Bowling, battalion commander for 3-187th Inf. Regt. “A lot of men, Iron Rakkasans, gave their lives that day for their buddies to their left and right. And they never quit. When they got ordered to go up that hill, they didn’t hesitate.”
Among the veteran guests will be Major General (ret.) Weldon Honeycutt, former battalion commander of 3-187th Inf. Regt. Honeycutt led the battalion during this time period in Vietnam, to include the battle of Dong Ap Bia.
The unit will host a series of events to commemorate the anniversary. Honeycutt and Bowling will be available for short media interviews.
- May 15th, 8:00am–7:00pm: 31.87-mile walk / run / road march competition featuring Iron Rakkasan Soldiers, Veterans, and community members.
- All members of the public are invited to attend and participate. (Registration will start at 7:00am). A finish-line party will include food and drinks for all participants along with live music from the 101st Airborne Division Band and Nashville artists, award ceremony, and meet-and- greet with Soldiers and Veterans.
For more information see https://www.facebook.com/events/1797272597233330/
