III Corps Fighting

 The Wandering Warriors of the 101st Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade finally returned home to stay on October 2, 1968.
     Rain fell in a soft drizzle as a C-130 aircraft settled to the airstrip at Hue-Phu Bai and the Screaming Eagle band struck up "Rendezvous  with Destiny."  Command elements of the brigade headquarters and their direct artillery support battalion, the 2nd Bn., 319th Arty., moved toward Major General Melvin Zais, the division commanding general, halted, and the tall, slender colonel leading the formation saluted and said, "Sir, the 3rd Brigade reports for duty."
     With this message, Col. Joseph B. Conmy Jr., commanding officer of the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division reunited his brigade with  the Division from which it had been separated since February.
    As the new base camp was under construction, the maneuver battalions moved out to begin familiarizing themselves with their new AO (area of operations).
     It was all old hat to the wanderers, who had seen action in all four tactical zones.  Such names as Bien Hoa, Phuoc Vinh, Song Be, Dak To, Dak Pek, Cu Chi, and Dau Tieng are all  familiar.  Each has seen elements of, if not the entire brigade, fighting on its terrain.
     When the Warriors arrived at Bien Hoa Air Base in December, 1967, under the command of Col. Lawrence Mowery, the first move was made to Phuoc Vinh.  In-country training began and quickly turned into full scale combat against the Viet Cong located in the edge of War Zone D and south of Phuoc Vinh.
    The young Paratroopers gained confidence and battle savvy.; they became Warriors who were to wander and fight throughout Vietnam.
     As the first sounds of gunfire of the Tet Offensive broke over the sprawling Bien Hoa complex, the 2nd Bn., 506th Abn. Inf. was loaded on helicopters to be set down to the rear of the 101st Division headquarters.  Fifty meters beyond the headquarters, the first enemy contact was made and 36 hours of persistent fighting began which resulted in over 150 enemy deaths.  The title "Warriors" was earned.