Sources:
Son of William David Gouger and Meryl Jean Ballard Gouger Hubbard.

Thanks to Mark Brockway for photos and information. Thanks to John Craven, A Legacy of Hope Project, for the photo of the headstone as well as other details regarding William David Gouger Jr.

Thanks to stoneseeker23 for the 2nd photo of the headstone.

Served with:
GEN Fred Keith Mahaffey Battalion Commander, Command and Control
Thomas Alston
Jon Jay Coddington
Marvin J Covington
Martin Rudy Duran Jr
Wesley Earl Fowler
Leo Mons
Ronald S. Muhlbaier
David Judson Needhan
Edgar Sanchez
Willie Allen Stallings, CO, Co E, 2nd Bn, 60th Inf

2/60th Website http://recon2-60.4t.com/

William Gouger at one point in his life wrote a blank check to The United States of America for an amount of up to and including his life. That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.

SP4 - E4 - Army - Regular
9th Infantry Division

Length of service 0 years
His tour began on Oct 26, 1968
Casualty was on Feb 11, 1969
In LONG AN, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE

Panel 32W - Line 12 on the Vietnam Memorial

Recon Platoon, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division

Recon Platoon
Members of the 1968-1969 version of this platoon were for the most part handpicked by then Platoon Sergeant SFC Mark Brockway and then Battalion Commander LTC Fred Keith Mahaffey who envisioned this platoon as a "super infantry platoon". The platoon initiated contact with the enemy and when the enemy responded, they then were engaged by this platoon while Command and Control above (Mahaffey) delivered a devastating airmobile insertion of combat troops, artillery fire, air cavalry UH-1 helicopter gunships and AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters. The use of this unit was unique and highly effective and made this a elite and highly decorated platoon. The execution of this order of battle was so precise that the result was over 90 percent of the 2d Battalion 60th Infantry engagements were over within 10 to 30 minutes as a result of the speed of the operation and the aggressive attitude of the troops. The insertion of troops was a tactic called "jitterbugging" and perfected by Mahaffey. When most successful jitterbugging provided an opportunity for airmobile encirclement of a Viet Cong battalion or company. The rapid build-up of combat power to surround and destroy an enemy force was known variously as "piling-on" or establishing a seal. Mahaffey was very skilled in the use of airmobile assets and refined the operations of the battalion until in Long An Province insertions were made no farther from the target than 100 meters and in some instances as close as 15 meters. This was achieved by helicopters screaming into battle flying at speeds approaching 140 mph, hugging the terrain and treetops a few feet below to achieve the delivery of total surprise. The platoon did not wear steel pots or flak jackets, like the rest of the Battalion. They wore soft hats, in most cases camouflage berets, and normally would be carrying 25-30 magazines of 5.56mm ammo per man, frag grenades, smoke grenades, concussion grenades, hand flares, star cluster flares, atleast two 40mm grenade launchers, M60 machine gun, Light Anti-Tank Weapon(LAW), CS gas grenades and at least three radios. For the most part they traveled light, fast and heavily armed. Upon arrival of support troops, the Recon Platoon continued to engage the enemy and applying pressure as the piling on took place, providing precise coordinates for the attack helicopters, helicopter gunships and artillery fire. Doing so, they were able to avoid considerable losses due to "friendly fire".

Awards
Awarded:
Combat Infantry Badge
Silver Star
Bronze Star w/V device
Purple Heart