Page:Eyewitness Statement of Virgil Meyers, Danny Gipson, and James Noe, Company D, Second Battalion (Airborne), 501st... - NARA - 305388.jpg



On 21 February 1968 the Delta "Raiders" (Co D) 2/501, was engaged in severe fighting with a large North Vietnamese force near the city of Hue. SSG Sims was a squad leader in the 2nd Platoon, initially held in reserve. But as the fighting picked up the CO committed the 2nd Platoon as well. SSG Sims was given a special assignment rather than moving with the rest of his platoon. First he was to cover the CO and his party as it crossed a large expanse of rice paddies to get to the woods. Then when he brought his squad into the woods he was instructed to help the 1st Platoon. SSG Sims led his squad in an attack that drove back the enemy and got the 1st Platoon out of serious trouble. Then he was instructed to help out the 3rd Platoon, but they were quite a distance to the right. They encountered a number of obstacles along the way, and the enemy fire never let up. Before the squad reached their destination they encountered a bunker, and SSG Sims took it upon himself to see if it was empty. As he moved forward a booby trap went off and everybody froze. But SSG Sims shouted a warning then dove on it, fatally wounding him. However he had covered the blast with his own body, and thus saved the lives of those in the area.