Lieut. Colonel
US Army
In the fall of 1970, LTC Albert F. Coast was commander of 4th Battalion, 3rd Infantry, 11th Infantry Brigade, 23rd Infantry Division (Americal), assuming leadership responsibilities October 5, 1970. During the following year, the 23rd Infantry Division (Americal) initiated standdown activities as its forces prepared to redeploy to the United States in the fall of 1970. Nevertheless, the Division continued combat operations throughout its tactical area of responsibility. Coast employed squad-sized saturation patrolling techniques in his prescribed area, a tactic that proved particularly successful during Operation Iron Mountain. During Lam Son 719, troops under Coast's command were credited with killing 122 soldiers of the North Vietnamese Army. On April 20, 1971, Coast was injured twenty-three kilometers (13.8 miles) south of Ha Thanh Airfield in Quang Ngai Province, RVN, after he exited a U.S. Army Hughes OH-6A light observation helicopter and was struck in the head by the main rotor blade. He was medivacked in critical condition to LZ Bronco, then transferred to the 91st Evacuation Hospital at Chu Lai where he expired two hours after being hurt. Reportedly, Coast was not wearing his M1 "steel pot" combat helmet when injured. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and vvmf.org]
Lieut. Colonel
US Army
In the fall of 1970, LTC Albert F. Coast was commander of 4th Battalion, 3rd Infantry, 11th Infantry Brigade, 23rd Infantry Division (Americal), assuming leadership responsibilities October 5, 1970. During the following year, the 23rd Infantry Division (Americal) initiated standdown activities as its forces prepared to redeploy to the United States in the fall of 1970. Nevertheless, the Division continued combat operations throughout its tactical area of responsibility. Coast employed squad-sized saturation patrolling techniques in his prescribed area, a tactic that proved particularly successful during Operation Iron Mountain. During Lam Son 719, troops under Coast's command were credited with killing 122 soldiers of the North Vietnamese Army. On April 20, 1971, Coast was injured twenty-three kilometers (13.8 miles) south of Ha Thanh Airfield in Quang Ngai Province, RVN, after he exited a U.S. Army Hughes OH-6A light observation helicopter and was struck in the head by the main rotor blade. He was medivacked in critical condition to LZ Bronco, then transferred to the 91st Evacuation Hospital at Chu Lai where he expired two hours after being hurt. Reportedly, Coast was not wearing his M1 "steel pot" combat helmet when injured. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and vvmf.org]
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