Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM 14 UCW MARCH 24-30, 2021 On March 24, 1969, a young Special Forces soldier from Georgia, found himself thousands of miles away from home and family. Instead of coaching Little League or playing catch, he was leading a group of Vietnamese soldiers who were ser v ing in the Civ ilian Irregular Defense Group. The CIDG was part of the Mobile Strike Force Command — other w ise k now n as Mike teams, which were trained and led by American Special Forces. The soldier, Staff Sergeant William Maud Br yant, came of age during segregation, a time of economic and social inequalit y. Unlike many people at that time, Br yant volunteered to join the Army at the age of 20. His first assignment was w ith the 82nd Airborne Div ision. Later, he volunteered to go through Ranger School, graduating as the Honor Graduate. W hen he returned to Fort Bragg, he decided to tack le anot- her challenge: Special Forces. He w rote in his journal that he would "see the guys on Fort Bragg who wore the Green Beret," and "wanted to do what they did." It was at Fort Bragg, as a Special Forces soldier, Br yant found his calling. He w rote that he had "found what he was look ing for in the Army … a chance to lead from the front." He further explained that "amongst the Green Berets, race, color or creed did not matter." With a career he enjoyed and a family he loved, Br yant continued to excel in his militar y life and his home life. He had a w ife, a daughter and t wo sons. For love of countr y, he left his family back at Fort Bragg and headed to Vietnam. Sergeant Br yant was assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne). At that time, the 5th SFG (A) was leading the fight in Vietnam. Once in countr y, Staff Sgt. Br yant trained, adv ised and assisted a paramilitar y counterinsurgency force that included those indigenous to the area — k now n as Light Force 321. On March 24, while leading a patrol of the group in the Long Khanh Prov ince, Br yant's base camp came under fire. During a 34-hour attack, Br yant moved through enemy fire while establishing a defense perimeter, directing fire, distribu- ting ammunition, assisting the wounded and leading a patrol. During the patrol, Br yant was woun- ded but called for helicopter support and directed suppressive fire toward enemy positions. Without fear, Staff Sgt. Br yant charged at an enemy automatic weapons position, destroying three of its defenders, before becoming mortally wounded by an enemy rocket. W hen a helicopter drop of ammunition was made to re-supply the beleaguered force Br yant, w ith complete disregard for his safet y, ran through the heav y enemy fire to retrieve the scattered ammunition boxes and distributed needed ammunition to his men. During a lull in the intense fighting, he led a patrol outside the perimeter to obtain information of the enemy. The patrol came under intense automatic weapons fire and was pinned dow n. Staff Sgt. Br yant sing- le-handedly repulsed one enemy attack on his small force and by his heroic action inspired his men to fight off other assaults. Seeing a wounded enemy soldier some distance from the patrol location, he crawled for ward alone under heav y fire to retrieve the soldier for intelligence pur- poses. Finding that the enemy soldier had expired, Br yant crawled back to his patrol and led his men back to the company posi- tion where he again took command of the defense. Special Warfare Center and School honors legacy of Green Beret Medal of Honor winner with new Bryant Memorial Gallery by JANICE BURTON FEATURE Sgt. 1st Class William M. Bryant was killed in action in Vietnam on March 24, 1969. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions. The headquarters building of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School was named Bryant Hall in September 1974 to honor Bryant. President Richard Nixon presents the Medal of Honor to the famiily of Sgt. 1st Class William M. Bryant on Feb. 16, 1971, in the East Ballroom of the White House.