Lest We Forget..US Army Private First Class William Noel Cole Killed In Action June 17, 1967 during the Battle of Xom Bo II – Vietnam.

Operation Billings from June 12th to 26, 1967, was planned and conducted by the 1st Infantry Division to destroy elements of the Viet Cong 9th Division which occupied base camp areas north of Phuoc Vinh in Binh Duong Province.

The operation began with 1st Infantry battalions moving progressively north of Phuoc Vinh. Intelligence suggested that the Viet Cong had moved to a large clearing designated Landing Zone (LZ) X-Ray. Third Brigade troops moved from another LZ overland to LZ X-Ray.

On the morning of June 17th, the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment entered LZ X-Ray. The 1/16th Infantry established a perimeter in the tree line around the clearing and waited for the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment to arrive.

As the first units of 2/28th Infantry arrived, a patrol reported a group of VC approaching from the northwest. At 1:00 PM, the Vietcong attacked, penetrating the northern and northwestern perimeters before being forced back by artillery and gunship support.

The Vietcong then launched a second attack against the southeast perimeter, overrunning the defending platoon with the survivors withdrawing into the center of the perimeter. At 1:45 PM, air strikes forced the Vietcong to begin to withdraw and they disengaged under cover of a steady mortar barrage. US losses were 36 killed in action.

A search of the immediate area found 226 VC dead. Over the next few days, the Americans found more VC dead, including one assembly area where 35 were found killed by artillery and airstrikes.

The US casualties included: (B/2/28) PFC Richard A. Anderson, PFC Alan W. Denney, PFC Alan J. Farhat, SGT Bobby Minton, SP4 Michael J. Morrow, PFC Victoriano P. Sosa Jr., PFC James E. Starks, SP5 John H. Stout, and PFC Lloyd C. Wohlford Jr.; (HHC/1/16) PFC William N. Cole, PFC Gary J. Ernst, SP4 Sammy L. Holmes, SP4 Charles W. Hook, 1LT Douglas A. Logan (posthumously awarded the Silver Star medal), PFC Wallace Nye, SP4 Martin L. Plotkin, PFC Leroy Reed, and PFC Douglas Wallin; (A /1/16) PFC John A. Brantley, PFC Emanuel K. Brickhouse, PFC Jerry R. Cook, SP4 Guy W. Clinger Jr., PFC Ronald D. Edenfield, PFC James M. Elchert, PFC Robert T. Harris, SGT Edward E. Heyer, SP4 Carl Johnson, PFC Charles P. Kelly, PFC Robert S. Maguire, SP4 Howard A. Mucha, SP4 Stephen M. Noggle, SP4 Wayne A. Pettersen, SGT Alan J. Roese, and SGT Frank Romo; (B/1/16) PFC Paul E. Kelly Jr. and PFC Edward Smith.