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First Lieutenant Thacker was serving as the team leader of an Integrated Observation System with elements of two Vietnamese Army units at Fire Base 6. A numerically superior North Vietnamese force launched a dawn attack on the small, isolated, hilltop fire base. They penetrated the perimeter defenses and engaged the defenders in hand-to-hand combat. Throughout the morning and early afternoon, Lieutenant Thacker rallied and encouraged the U.S. and ARVN soldiers in efforts to repulse the enemy. He held an exposed observation position for four hours while directing friendly air strikes and artillery. By late afternoon the situation had become untenable. He organized and directed the withdrawal of the remaining friendly forces and remained inside the perimeter alone to provide covering fire until all other friendly forces had escaped from the besieged fire base. Then he called for friendly artillery fire on his own position to allow his comrades more time to withdraw safely from the area and, at the same time, inflict even greater casualties on the enemy forces. Although wounded and unable to escape from the area himself, he successfully eluded the enemy forces for eight days until friendly forces regained control of the fire base. |
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