Clyde Earnest Savage was a squad leader in 2nd Platoon, Company B under the leadership of Lieutenant Henry Herrick. Soon after hitting the battlefield, Herrick spotted enemy troops and his platoon set off in hot pursuit, running right into 150 North Vietnamese troops. His platoon was surrounded and became the infamous “Lost Platoon”.
After his platoon leader, platoon sergeant, and weapon’s squad leader were mortally wounded, Savage took command, saving the lives of three wounded comrades and calling in artillery support.
For his actions, he would be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
VIDEO HERE (26:12 minutes)
I ran into him once at Bldg 4 at Fort Benning, in 1994 or 1995. This was a couple of years after “We Were Soldiers..” came out. Nice guy, if I recall. Not sure I fully appreciated him, as a 22-year-old 2LT.
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