A Hill to Die On

Near the border between Laos and Vietnam, covered by dense jungle vegetation sat Hill 937. It was known by the people who lived there as Dong Ap Bia, which roughly translates as "the mountain of the crouching beast."

In 1969, it seemed like a very important strategic target to the US Army. Operation Apache Snow would clear the Northern Vietnamese forces from the A Shau Valley, an important supply line to the NVA (Northern Vietnamese Army).

Taking this steep hill seemed like a sure way to disrupt the NVA, and the risk/reward ratio seemed right: few soldiers would need to die with the right logistical support… or so the thinking went.

Instead of a smoothly executed mission with minimal casualties, the US soldiers were immediately faced with a formidable defense of Dong Ap Bia, with NVA soldiers already well entrenched in fortified positions. The hill was steep, and the tropical climate meant it rained a lot.

The 101st Airborne was tasked with the attack. Several times over the ten day ba…