Page:Eyewitness Statement of Dale A. Urban, Company D, Second Battalion (Airborne), 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division - NARA - 305376.jpg



On the 21st of February 1968 the Delta Raiders were fired upon from an enemy stronghold. Sgt Joe Hooper moved across the river in pursuit of an enemy position. When he was across the river the rest of the company followed. After everyone was on line we moved out sweeping the village. After we were ten meters within the village, PFC Hopkins was hit. Sgt Hooper crawled to his position and got the man out of danger while under enemy fire.

As we moved forward PFC Delaney was hit. And again Sgt Hooper moved to his position to help the wounded man. All the time he was under heavy enemy fire, and was even hit himself. However Sgt Hooper refused to quit fighting. As we move on there were but just a few men left. Continuing the sweep forward he knocked out bunker after bunker; upon one of these bunkers Sgt Hooper, with utter disregard for his own safety, fought a NVA officer in hand to hand combat.

Sgt Hooper by his brave and courageous actions kept the Delta Raiders on line to finish the deadly battle. After the fighting had died down, Sgt Hooper helped the more severely wounded men to safety for evacuation while all this time he himself had been wounded in the fighting.