1st Cavalry Division patch
D Co. 2/8 CAV
Angry Skipper Archive
Archive › Roster › 1LT Franklin Trapnell
FT
Franklin
Trapnell
1LT  ·  HQ  · 
Known as "Buck"
In-Country Service
1965 – 1966
Home of Record
Baltimore County, MD
Character of Service
Archive Status
Active
Share a Memory
Timeline (3)
Photos (0)
Served alongside (7)
Verbal accounts (1)
Documents (1)
Letters (0)
Service record (1)
External resources (1)

Sourced from the 2/8 Cav after-action report for 4 November 1965 (KIA/AA Rpt 4Nov65.pdf; OCR at sources/aar-2-8cav-4nov65-OCR.md), in which "Lt Trapnell" leads the "Flanker Right" element, and from Trapnell's own narrative in the Angry Skipper Association newsletter (Vol. 1, Issue 8, June 2008) — his eulogy for MSG Clint R. Marshall, the Recon Platoon sergeant ("Buckeye" leader in the AAR). Biographical dates from his Find A Grave memorial (ID 131916630).

Early 1965
Assignment
Recon Platoon Leader, D Company — Fort Benning
Trapnell met Platoon Sergeant Clint Marshall at Fort Benning in early 1965, where they were Platoon Leader and Platoon Sergeant of the Reconnaissance Platoon, Company D, 1st Battalion–511th Infantry, 1st Brigade, 11th Air Assault Division — soon redesignated Company D, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry as the unit became the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).
⚠ Source Notice — Multiple Accounts Exist
From Trapnell's ASA newsletter article (June 2008).
Jun 1965
Assignment
Company Executive Officer, D Company, 2/8 Cavalry
Trapnell left the Recon Platoon in June 1965 and remained in D Company as its Executive Officer for about eight months, deploying with the company to Vietnam.
⚠ Source Notice — Multiple Accounts Exist
From Trapnell's ASA newsletter article (June 2008).
4 Nov 1965
Combat Action
Led "Flanker Right" — 4 Nov 1965 action near Position Cavalair
As D Company XO, Trapnell was alerted by the company commander, Capt. Samuel Linton, to take the "Flanker Right" element — 2nd Platoon of A Company, a medic, an interpreter, and others — forward to the camp and LZ to organize the elements already engaged, sweep and secure the area, and evacuate casualties. The element came under heavy sniper and B-40 fire on the hill. Trapnell directed the evacuation of the wounded and dead and the destruction of the enemy camp before the action closed that evening. He later recalled the fight in his 2008 eulogy for Recon Platoon Sergeant Clint Marshall.
⚠ Source Notice — Multiple Accounts Exist
From the 2/8 Cav after-action report for 4 Nov 1965 and Trapnell's ASA newsletter article.

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