Very Important People In The Lives Of Recon

November of 1965- 12 men from recon went on an ambush patrol.They were to cross the SuiBa river and set up their ambush site.( the river was about 100 meters out side the1st Div Base camp at Lai Khe) On reaching the river the patrol saw that the water was high and very swift,they strung a rope across it and proceeded to cross hand over hand.Half of the men made it across the river,when the VC launched their attack with semi and automatic rifle fire.Seeing this the men that had not crossed the river,laid down their own volume of fire at the VC, enabling the men that were under attack, to cross back over the river to join their buddies.The men then took cover behind some rice paddy dikes and tall grass.The men could hear the VC splashing across the river coming in their direction,then came the first of several attacks,the patrol was running out of ammunition,some even fixed bayonets.Just as the men were about to be overran,came the crash of mortar rounds,the rounds landed right in the middle of the on coming VC,killing and wounding many.Rick Doyal and his mortar squad, had put the mortar rounds right on target.The patrol was trying to get their wounded back to the safety of the perimeter,With the smoke,the tall grass and the remaining VC,the patrol was dazed and confused ,Knowing that the patrol was in trouble ,Rick Doyal left the safety of the perimeter,with a .45 pistol and a arm full of smoke grenades.Ignoring the VC that were still in the tall grass,Rick started throwing the smoke grenades ,marking a safe path for the men to follow back to the safety of the base camp.What Rick did that day, earned him the right to be included in the history of the 28th Inf's Recon Platoon.Rick Doyal was also at the Battle of Loc Ninh Plantation.Rick put his mortar rounds on the VC that were engaged with Recon,he suffered that day knowing that his friends were being overran.