Honorio M. Fidel

Posted on March 23, 2010

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The following pictures were sent to me by Chris Fidel, Honorio’s son. He did this with the approval of his mother. Chris was just an infant when Honorio was Killed in Action.hfidel7 1843X1193hfidel6 1144X1269hfidel4 868X523hfidel3 1092X1269hfidel2 1080X975Fidel WFidel T 1259X1269

      1Lt. Honorio M. Fidel

The following wedding picture, Telegrams and newspaper articles were sent to me by Honorio’s niece Roseanne:

 

Paul Davis was a friend and Comrade of Honorio Fidel. This is how he remembers him:

I served/flew with Honorio for several months up until his death on Aug. 9th, 1967. I was a Gunship pilot with C-1/9 from Jan 67-Dec.67. We were there ( Song Re Valley ) that day when Capt. Thompson’s aircraft was shot down. Honorio was on board as the artillery forward controller & aircraft door gunner. My aircraft was shot down in the same area ( about 500 meters from and less than an hour after Thompsons aircraft went down. I remember Honorio well ( really nice guy ) always willing to lend a hand and never backed away from adversity. He helped us “pilot types” understand how to direct artillery and was a good friend to all. Charles Derick ( another C-1/9 Gunship pilot ) and I had the unpleasant duty of confirming the identity of the four men (Thompson’s crew ) three days after the crash. There were 3 C-1/9 Gunships shot down that day.

Honorio was assigned to Charlie Troop on October 8, 1966 and was Killed in Action on August 9, 1967.

Honorio was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, Air Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and a set of Army Aviator Wings.

If any family or friend reads this blog, please contact me as I am looking for pictures and personal stories about this brave man.

I remember Lt Fidel (Foremost 34) well  as the nicest officer in 7/13th Artillery. I once went on a patrol with him after one of our trucks was ambushed outside Bong Son in Feb. In July of that year he visited our #5 gun position at LZ Two Bits before we went to the Crow’s Foot area to the south of Bong Son. He was killed 6 weeks later. We all took his death very hard when notified that he was KIA. Each firing battery had a memorial service following his death. He was a good man!. One of the battalion’s  positions, north off Phu Cat, was named in his honor. Please feel free to attend one of our reunions where veterans who knew him better than me attend each year. I’m sure you’d hear some great stories about his relationships with his Redlegs. God Bless you, Respectfully, Robert Adams Commander 7/13th Artillery Vietnam

Pat,

Your mention of Honario “Dave” Fidel brought back a bitter memory for me regarding his death.  I had been Charlie Troop’s Blue Platoon Leader during some of the time that Dave was attached to Charlie Troop.  I don’t recall him going out on any missions with us, but our paths often crossed in the mess tent.

What made his death so tragic was that just several days before, he became a father, and I remember him passing out cigars to the guys in the mess tent one morning at Two Bits.  (But, since it’s been more than 50 years, and my memory’s not so great any more, it might have been in the 1/9th’s area at An Khe.)

Ed Schultz

Phantom Raider Blue

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Posted in: D-f, Our Fallen Comrades