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Claude Williams - Page 3

I recall Jerry Cunningham reporting at an OPHSA reunion that he was positioned on the flank of Harry when the napalm was set off. He said "It sent a lot of Gooks to a fiery grave."
 

Road up to Artillery Observation Post Howe  (photos by Claude Williams stitched by James Jarboe)

"Brad, I never thought (outpost) Harry showed up in that picture.  It was probably the next day before I was able to see the outpost.  A private named Scott and I ended up on the MLR with some C3 setting charges to loosen up some rock for a new bunker.  Both of us were new at this and we worried a little about using a short fuse (not too bright). I had no camera that day or I could have gotten some good pictures of Harry. A few days later we were working nightly on the OP.  Scott was wounded on the 27th of April."

James Jarboe comments:

"Claude Williams sent me two small b/w prints he took of the road up to OP Howe.  I spliced them together with my new software to make a pan shot.  Note that there is a tank moving up the hill toward the left, followed by a jeep.  The tank and jeep show twice.  Look at the annotated aerial shot I sent of OP Howe and you can see that the curves in he road match as does the knob at upper left (just right of the near ridge he was on), which is the buried OP bunker with radio antenna sticking out of the top.  The trench that is seen just a little left of center can be matched up in the aerial as well."

Claude Williams comments:

Steve Markle sent me this off his late Dad's computer.  Gene had sent it to me before he passed on but my computer had lost it.

As best as I can remember,  this probably happened 16 May 1953. This was our Company Commander, 1st Lt. Alan A. Lichtenberg's jeep. I kept a note on a phone call to him back in 1993 where he stated he was on a mine laying detail when the jeep was hit by a mortar round.  When I walked by it that morning it was still smoking.

Pat Carbone comments:

That's a Company C jeep.  I'm also quite sure the taller of the two is Lt. Arno Fries.  He was 1st platoon leader I would recognize him anywhere.

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©Copyright 2002 Claude Williams