I am E-mailing with regard to PFC Danny C. Barnes, who was KIA on the 7th of January, 1967.   Barnes and I both came into the Company on the same day.  I will tell you what I remember about PFC Barnes.       We went together to the three day in country schooling at Cu Chi, and since Company A was out in the field when we completed schooling, we were choppered out to the company.     When we returned to base camp, I was coming into the hooch after cleaning my M-79, and PFC Fred Cagnesso had Barnes and was showing him the .50 MG and telling him he was going to be .50 MG gunner.  Barnes told Cagnesso that he didn't want to be .50 MG gunner.  So, I told Cagnesso I would take the .50 MG.  Cagnesso said ok.  He then told Barnes that he would be M-60 MG gunner for the squad.      On Christmas Eve of 1966 the squad had stolen a case of whiskey.  We were sitting around in the hooch in our T-shirts and shorts, drinking whiskey mixed with unsweetened, Orange Kool-Aid and talking about what Christmas was like at home.   At about 12:00 AM we heard a band playing Christmas music.  There was a semi truck with a flatbed trailer on it, which had been decorated with Christmas lights.  On the trailer was a brass band.  The truck was traveling around the base camp, stopping at each company, so the band could play for the troops.  We all got up and walked out to the truck, where we stood around and sang Christmas  carols.       On Christmas Day of 1966, Barnes had KP.  Company A was chosen that day to provide security around the base camp of Cu Chi for the Bob hope show.  So, Company A didn't get to see the show.      Company A moved out to the field on the morning of the 26th of December, 1966.  That night, Barnes, Lampart and Cagnesso were sent out on LP.  When they got to where the LP was to be located, they set up their Claymores.       At about 11:30 PM Barnes told Cagnesso that the wire from his Claymore was moving a lot.  Cagnesso told Barnes to blow it.  All three of them blew their Claymores.  Then, they began running back to the company CP.  Lampart was in the lead, and he fell into a punji pit.  Cagnesso was right behind him, and he cut to the right or left, I can't remember witch, and fell into another punji pit.  Barnes came right up in between them, and made it back to the CP.  Luckily, we had moved in before the VC had time to put the punji stakes into the pits. So, neither Lampart nor Cagnesso were injured.   The password that night was "Holy cow".  It sure was funny hearing, "Holy cow!  Holy cow," echoing through the jungle, as Barnes, Lampart and Cagnesso hollered it out, while they ran back toward the CP. Barnes always filled his two canteens with water, then dropped two Fizzies tablets into each one.   On the night of the 6th of January, 1967, and on the following morning, I was on ambush, and during that time period, nothing occurred.  When we came in and moved out on the morning of January 7th, I went to sleep on the tanker rolls.      Somewhere between 10:00 and 11:00 AM that day, Barnes woke me up and told me that the old man wanted the area checked out.  I can't tell you anything more, because I was the first one hit that morning.   On the morning of the 7th of January, 1967, there were 3 Kia and 17 Wia in the company. In the squad: PFC Danny Barnes was KIA, PFC Dennis W. Mattson was WIA, PFC Frank Morales was WIA and PFC John T. Barnard Jr. was WIA.   If you entered the hooch through the door from the mess hall side, Barnes's cot was the first one on the left.  From his cot down toward the other door were the cots of: PFC John T. Barnard, Jr., PFC Dennis W. Mattson, Sp4 E4 Murphy and SGT E5 James E. Bostock.  On the other side going back toward the mess hall were: Sp4 E4 Frank, Sp4 E4 Harry J. Lampart, PFC Fred Cagnesso and PFC Frank Morales.   Sgt E5 James E. Bostock was Squad Leader.  He was KIA on February 5th, 1967.   As far as I know, PFC Barnes and Sgt E5 Bostock were the only ones in the squad, who were KIA.  All the others were WIA at least once.   Sp4-E4 John T. Barnard, Jr., medically retired from the US Army johnherk@cox.net

PFC - E3 - Army - Selective Service
25th Infantry Division

Length of service 0 years
His tour began on Dec 5, 1966
Casualty was on Jan 7, 1967
In BINH DUONG, SOUTH VIETNAM
Hostile, died while missing, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Body was recovered
 
Panel 13E - Line 119

More information on January 7th, 1967

IIf you have anything to add to Danny's tribute please email it to Randy@Bobcat.ws*
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