Original Items: Only One Group Available. This is a wonderful, document heavy grouping attributed to Sergeant Roy M. Munyan, a machine gunner with Company A, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division who served during the Vietnam War. We have not been able to locate much information on him, but what we do know is that he was wounded in combat from an unknown event, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Air Medal for actively participating in more than 25 Aerial hours over hostile territory. This is a grouping that is a prime candidate for further, more in depth research!

The Items In This Grouping:

- Purple Heart Replacement Medal Set With Presentation Box, Medal, Ribbon and Lapel Device (Non-Engraved): The set is in good condition but there is wear present on all items. We read in his obituary that he did receive a Purple Heart while in Vietnam, however we have not been able to find out the extent of his wound or how it happened.

- Bronze Star Replacement Medal Set With Presentation Box, Medal, Ribbon and Lapel Device (Non-Engraved): The set is in good condition but there is wear present on all items. He was awarded the medal for “Meritorious service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military operations against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam”.

- Air Medal Replacement Medal (Non-Engraved): The set is in good condition but there is wear present on all items. Fortunately there is a citation accompanying the medal:

Citation
BY DIRECTION OF THE PRESIDENT
THE AIR MEDAL
IS PRESENTED TO
SPECIALIST FOUR ROY M. MUNYAN RA11569298
UNITED STATES ARMY

who distinguished himself by meritorious achievement, while participating in sustained aerial flight, in support of combat ground forces in the Republic of Vietnam. During the period

October 1968 to April 1969

he actively participated in more than twenty-five aerial missions over hostile territory in support of operations against communist aggression. During all of these flights, he displayed the highest order of air discipline and acted in accordance with the best traditions of the service. By his determination to accomplish his mission, in spite of the hazards inherent in repeated aerial flights over hostile territory, and by his outstanding degree of professionalism and devotion to duty, he has brought credit upon himself, his organization, and the United States Army.

- Army Commendation Medal Set With Presentation Box, Medal, Ribbon and Lapel Device (Non-Engraved): The set is in good condition but there is wear present on all items. The Army Commendation Medal is awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States other than General Officers who, while serving in any capacity with the U.S. Army after December 6, 1941, distinguished themselves by heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service. The medal may be awarded to a member of another branch of the U.S. Armed Forces or of a friendly foreign nation who, after June 1, 1962, distinguishes themselves by an act of heroism, extraordinary achievement, or significant meritorious service which has been of mutual benefit to the friendly nation and the United States.

- National Defense & Vietnam Service Replacement Medals: Both medals are in their original boxes and wear is present.

- 5th Cavalry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia: Approved on 19 January 1923, the 5th Cavalry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia (also called "DUI" or "unit crest") features imagery that highlights their combat record up to that time. A cross moline in lower half of the shield is a symbol of the Union cavalry charge at Gaines’ Mill against John Bell Hood’s Texas Brigade, which was not successful in breaking the Confederate line but did help the Union keep its artillery from being captured, epitomizing the motto of "Loyalty, Courage."

The Maltese cross in the chief of the shields recalls the Knights of St. John, from whom the island of Puerto Rico was originally named San Juan. “Black Knights” comes the from the fact that the Knights wore a white cross on a black habit.

- x2 Collar Devices: Good condition with wear present.

- x31 Coins: The coins are from various countries and have dates ranging from the WWI era up to the 1970s. They are tarnished but still able to be identified.

This is a fantastic grouping perfect for the Vietnam War 1st Cavalry Division collector. Comes more than ready for further research and display.

The regiment was reorganized in August 1963 as the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 5th Cavalry Regiment and later as the 3rd Squadron, 5th Armored Cavalry. The units arrived at Fort Benning in 1965, and then proceeded to South Vietnam as air and armored cavalry. The 1st Cavalry Division was the first full division committed to the Vietnam War.

Between 12–13 September 1965, the bulk of the 1st Cavalry Division arrived in South Vietnam and the 5th Cavalry was soon in action; from 18–20 September, 2-5 Cavalry supported friendly elements in Operation Gibraltar. However, their first real test did not come until the Battle of Ia Drang. During the fight for LZ X-Ray, elements of the 7th Cavalry were surrounded by large People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) forces, and 2-5 Cavalry arrived to help. They arrived on the American line and quickly engaged enemy forces, eventually rescuing the "lost platoon" led by SGT Ernie Savage. Once the battle was complete, the 2/5th Cavalrymen set out for LZ Columbus while Alpha Company 1/5th Cavalry and 2/7th Cavalry set out for LZ Albany. The column was ambushed by the PAVN near LZ Albany losing 155 killed for the loss of at least 403 PAVN killed. The 1st Cavalry Division earned the Presidential Unit Citation for their role in the Ia Drang Campaign.

The Viet Cong (VC) was being starved of their food supplies by allied forces, and American commanders launched Operation Paul Revere II on 2 August 1966 to prevent them from capturing rice from farmers; the 1st Cavalry Division was to be used in this operation. Near the border with Cambodia on 14 August, A Co, 1-5 Cavalry inadvertently engaged an entire PAVN battalion, and at the same time, B Co, 2-5 Cavalry began clearing out a series of enemy bunkers dug into the jungle. The next morning, 5th Cav troopers found the bodies of 138 enemy soldiers.

On 13 September 1966, the US Army launched Operation Thayer, the largest air assault operation of the entire war. On 2 October, other elements of the 1st Cavalry Division were engaging in heavy combat, and A and C Companies, 1-5 Cavalry were sent east of the main forces to contain enemy movements. On the morning of 3 October, the two companies attacked south and drove the enemy into blocking positions set up by the 12th Cavalry; a classic hammer and anvil attack.

On 31 October, Operation Paul Revere IV was launched near the Cambodian border, and until 21 November, 1-5 Cavalry only received light contact with the enemy. On the morning of 21 November 1966, C Company, 1-5 Cavalry was operating on the northern edge of the IaDrang Valley and came into contact with a much larger enemy force. 2nd Platoon made the initial contact but was soon pinned down and called on 3rd Platoon for assistance. As 3rd platoon started to move towards 2nd platoon, it was in turn ambushed. The two platoons were significantly outnumbered and fought desperately to survive. 3rd Platoon was overrun, with only 2 survivors, and 2nd Platoon took over 50% casualties, avoiding destruction only by calling for airstrikes with napalm on its perimeter before being reinforced by C Company's 1st platoon. As was common in the first years of the Vietnam war, many of the troopers' early model M-16 rifles malfunctioned early in the battle. Despite the harrowing ordeal of C Company, they managed to inflict 150 casualties on their adversaries.<1st Cavalry after action report and personal recollections of survivors>

On 13 February 1967, 5th Cavalry Regiment elements took part in Operation Pershing, the longest operation of the 1st Cavalry Division. It ended on 21 January 1968, and resulted in the capture of 2,400 prisoners, 1,500 individual and 137 crew weapons from the enemy, as well as inflicting 5,401 casualties.

On 30 January 1968, the PAVN/VC launched the Tet Offensive during the Vietnamese New Year's celebrations. Near Quảng Trị, Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) troops were surrounded by VC, and 1-5 Cavalry and 1-12 Cavalry were airlifted to Thon An Thai Valley to the east. These cavalrymen broke the enemy siege and for ten days, the troopers would hound the retreating communists. Following their participation in Operation Pegasus, the relief of Khe Sanh Combat Base, the 2nd Brigade remained in the Khe Sanh area. From 9 to 16 May, the 2nd Brigade conducted Operation Concordia Square/Lam Son 224 in the Leatherneck Square area of eastern Quảng Trị Province under the operation control of the 3rd Marine Division, resulting in 349 PAVN and 28 U.S. killed.

After Phase II of the Tet Offensive ended in PAVN/VC defeat, US troops launched Operation Jeb Stuart III. 3-5 (Armored) Cavalry was assigned to the 9th Infantry Division and attacked the village of Binh An after they discovered the entire PAVN K-14 Battalion, 814th Regiment was located there. A, B, and C Troops of 3-5 Cavalry assaulted the village from the ground with armor support, while D Co, 1-5, and C Co, 2-5 were airlifted to a nearby LZ and closed in on the village. A final assault was made on the enemy on the morning of 28 June, and at battle's end, the PAVN lost 233 men with 44 captured, while only three 5th Cavalrymen were casualties.

In late 1968 the 5th Cavalry elements participated in Operation Toan Thang II, and in Operation Cheyenne Sabre in February 1969.

Although 26 March 1971 was the official date when the 1st Cavalry Division was relieved from combat duties in Vietnam, 2-5 Cavalry helped established 3rd Brigade headquarters in Bien Hoa by interdicting enemy supply routes in War Zone D. On 12 May, 3rd platoon, D Co, 2-5th Cavalry tangled with enemy forces holed up in bunker complexes. With help from the Air Force and 3rd Brigade helicopter gunships, the troopers captured the complex. On 14 June, D Company was involved in another battle when it ran into an ambush in heavy jungle and engaged a company-sized enemy unit. The troopers were pinned down in a well-sprung trap, cavalry field artillery soon pounded the PAVN positions and Cobra gunship fire rained on the enemy positions keeping pressure on the withdrawing PAVN throughout the night.

On 21 June 1972, the last 1st Cavalry Division troops left South Vietnam. In Vietnam 5th Cavalry units participated in twelve campaigns. Six 5th Cavalry Regiment Troopers received the Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War; Billy Lane Lauffer, Charles C. Hagemeister, George Alan Ingalls, Edgar Lee McWethy Jr., Carmel Bernon Harvey Jr., and Jesus S. Duran. On 27 January 1973, the Paris Peace Accords saw a cease-fire in Vietnam and the departure of most US troops.