On March 16, 1966, the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry of the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate) engaged in a desperate relief mission in the Long Khanh Province of South Vietnam. This tribute honors the memory of Specialist Four Jerry “Red” Donald Lewis, an HHC Radio Operator whose professional background and ultimate sacrifice are central to the history of the 173rd Airborne.

A Legacy Forged in Europe: The LRRP Background

Before deploying to Vietnam, Jerry Lewis served with the elite LRRP (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol) units in Nellingen, Germany. These units were the U.S. Army’s vanguard, training for high-stakes missions including covert observation, demolition operations, and intelligence gathering behind enemy lines. While formal LRRP programs were still being established within Vietnam’s combat divisions in 1966, Jerry arrived with this specialized training already ingrained, providing him with a tactical mindset that was invaluable to the 1st Battalion.

The Siege of Landing Zone Zulu Zulu

The 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry, had been inserted into an area known as Landing Zone Zulu Zulu, where they were surrounded by a reinforced regiment of North Vietnamese forces. Hearing the sounds of the intense firefight occurring several kilometers away, the 1st Battalion was ordered to move as a relief force.

The “Ten Minutes of Hell”: Running to the Front

The 1st Battalion moved at a relentless pace through the jungle to reach the engagement site. Alfred Rascon, who served in the Reconnaissance Platoon alongside Jerry, described the pace as running—a high-tempo advance driven by the knowledge that their sister battalion was at risk of being overrun. As they neared the contact area, the Reconnaissance Platoon took the point, selected specifically for their superior reconnaissance and combat skills. Point squad leader Sergeant Ray Compton brought the unit to a halt approximately 300 meters from the besieged battalion after identifying that North Vietnamese forces were setting up a lethal “L-shaped” ambush. Despite the danger, the decision was made to engage, triggering an intense, close-quarters battle.

Eyewitness Testimony: The Loss of Jerry Lewis

Specialist Four Jerry “Red” Lewis served as an HHC radio operator, providing the vital communication link necessary to coordinate the battalion’s response. During the ambush, a hand grenade was thrown toward the platoon. In his official testimony for the Library of Congress, Alfred Rascon, the Medal of Honor recipient who was present during the engagement, recounted:

“Then immediately there’s another hand grenade that goes off and [goes] over my head… I had no idea at the time that the hand grenade had gone over my head and had hit another individual behind me. His name was Jerry Lewis, carrot top…”

The Rascon Connection

The inclusion of Jerry Lewis in Alfred Rascon’s firsthand account is significant. While Neil Haffey was Jerry’s true best friend, the testimony provided by Rascon serves as a vital historical bridge. Because Rascon was physically positioned with Jerry during this chaotic, close-quarters combat, his narrative provides us with a clear, firsthand record of exactly where Jerry was, what the conditions were, and the circumstances surrounding his death.

Alfred Rascon: A Medic’s Valor

Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, in 1945, Alfred V. Rascon moved to the United States as a child and grew up in Oxnard, California. An “American by choice,” he enlisted in the Army at seventeen, becoming a medic in the 173rd Airborne Brigade. On March 16, 1966, he performed a series of heroic acts during what he called “ten minutes of hell.” Despite being severely wounded by shrapnel and gunfire, he repeatedly risked his life to shield and aid his comrades.

Although initially recommended for the Medal of Honor, the paperwork was lost in bureaucratic red tape, and he was awarded a Silver Star instead. It was not until 1993, when his former platoon mates discovered the oversight, that they began a campaign to reopen his case. President Bill Clinton finally presented Rascon with the Medal of Honor on February 8, 2000, 34 years after his courageous actions. Rascon later continued his service, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.

Honoring the Fallen

Jerry Donald Lewis is honored for his service to the 173rd Airborne Brigade. His sacrifice is memorialized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., at Panel 06E, Line 15.

Jerry Lewis’s name as recorded on the 173rd Airborne Memorial Stone: