Courtesy John Freiberger
Now, there is a much lesser known connection between the 48th AHC and 10th Mtn Div/10th Avn Bde that most people don't know about. Here's the story.
When the 48th's old timers were in RVN our primary support went to the 327th Abn Inf Bn /1st Bde/101st Abn Div commanded by Major David Hackworth. Major Hackworth's counterpart, at the 502nd, was none other than Col. Hank Emerson , aka the Gunfighter. I can not tell you that Col. Emerson always carried whiskey in his canteens, but I can say that he had a young captain under him known as the "Lonesome End" from West Point's football team. But on 9 June 1966, at Dak To, the same Captain William S. Carpenter, Jr. commanding C/2/502 made contact with elements of the 24th NVA Regiment. In the heat of battle when he believed his company was to be overrun at hill 1073, Carpenter called for napalm on his own position. That strike stopped the enemy cold allowing his men to regroup. For the next few days, the 48th went extra miles supporting Red Legs in both the 327th and the 502nd as they slugged it out with the enemy under triple canopied jungle. In essence then, I guess we kind of saved Wild Bill's young ass. And by the time the 80's rolled around with the 10th Mtn Div taking over Fort Drum, they did so with Maj. Gen. William S. Carpenter. So, there you have it - were closer to Fort Drum than most people think.