Video captures brutality of combat

In March 1970, CBS Correspondent Richard Threlkeld and his camera crew accompanied a 21-man patrol from the U.S. Army’s Alpha Troop of the 1st Squadron/9th Cavalry, 1st Air Cavalry Division into the jungle of South Vietnam, one mile from the Cambodian border. The point man for the patrol inadvertently came into contact with his North Vietnamese counterpart and with the camera rolling, a fierce firefight ensued, taking us into the teeth of battle. This is near-raw footage of what it was like to take “a peaceful walk in the sun” only to come under enemy fire that disappears as suddenly as it appears, leaving a bloody aftermath. It was originally aired on CBS Evening News on March 27, 1970. To view the video, click here.