"Spirit of Robert Rogers in the Footsteps of Lauri Torni and Tutelage of Frenchy Theriault...FIRST Wave"
The legendary Chinese Bandit Recon LRRP Team 1st Bn (ABN) 8th Cav 1965-66 was awarded TWO Presidential Unit Citations, the nation's highest unit decoration for extraordinary heroism for their participation in the Battles of the Ia Drang (Pleiku November 1965) and Nathan Hale (Trung Luong June 1966)...the ONLY Recon, LRRP, Ranger, Special Forces or Special Operations unit to be awarded TWO Presidential Unit Citations during a single combat tour of duty…in ANY US Conflict or War; conducted the historic FIRST night combat rappel during the Battle of the Ia Drang along the Cambodian border while attached to the 1st Airborne Brigade and lead by RANGER Lawson; and performed DOD/MACV/OP-35 directed long range reconnaissance (LRRP) operations lead by 101st RECONDO Grimes along the northern Cambodia and southern Laos borders in the spring of 1966 ..."Laying Down FIRST Tracks in the Central Highlands…Chinese Bandits Penetrate Deeper...and Where Others FEARED to Tread!"
RANGER Jerry Conners, Captain (Class 502), Master Parachutist (Honor Graduate of 101st ABN Jumpmaster Class), Special Forces Weapons Expert (1964-65 SF MOI, Weapons & Branch), 101st RECONDO (Brand Number 1919), Army Aviator, AMOC, NRAS-PAL, Military Intelligence Officer Advance Course, Task Force Gramas..."Loose Nukes" Recovery Team Greece/Turkey 1974, Sensitive Weapons Theft (RAF Terrorist) Interdiction Team Misseau, Fort Campbell Sport Parachute Club 1963-64
Chinese Bandit 13 Chinese Bandit Recon LRRP Team 1st Bn (ABN) 8th Cav 1965-66