CHARLES EDWARD HEBRON

SGT - E4 - Air Force - Regular
22 year old Married, Caucasian, Male
Born on Sep 18, 1945
From BRYAN, TEXAS
Length of service 3 years.
His tour of duty began on Mar 21, 1967
Casualty was on Jan 31, 1968
Tan Son Nhut Air Base
377th SPS
in GIA DINH, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
ARTILLERY, ROCKET, or MORTAR
Body was recovered
Religion
ROMAN CATHOLIC
Panel 36E - - Line 13

by David Summerfield (RIP) (SMSgt, Ret), LM 186
© 2006

Tet 1968: Every VSPA member knows of the valor and heroics of the 377th SPS while defending Tan Son Nhut Air Base at the infamous O51 Bunker. David Summerfield (RIP), SMSgt, Ret., VSPA Life Member 186, submitted the following:

I saw somewhere that you were looking for pictures of SPs who lost their life in combat or Line of Duty in RVN. This is a picture of Charles Hebron who was assigned to me when I was NCOIC of the 377th SPS detachment at Vũng Tàu. This is shortly before he went on R&R in Hawaii, to be with his wife. He came back on 31 Jan 1968, and was killed that night in the 051 bunker on the night of 31 Jan 68. I really liked this kid and still think about him often.

Regards,
Dave Summerfield, SMSgt USAF, ret LM # 186

Bình Thủy Air Base. KIA Memorial Dedication, Honor Guard. MSgt Summerfield, 1968: 03

For those who are not familiar with the Tet battle, a few photos are included below. The period of the TET OFFENSIVE is recorded as being from January 31 to March 31, 1968.

Tan Son Nhut Air Base: The NVA/VC attacked with four infantry battalions and a sapper battalion, their losses being 962 killed and 9 prisoners taken. The US losses were 19 US Army killed, 75 wounded, USAF losses 4 killed, 11 wounded, ARVN losses were 32 killed and 79 wounded. damage inflicted was 13 aircraft damaged.

VSPA member Frank Ybarbo returned to Saigon
in December 1998 and photographed O51 Bunker:

• Hotel California, 1968 Tet, Tan Son Nhut, by Denis Cook (RIP: 21 May 2017)
• tsn-cook-photos-1-1968
• Tet 1968, 1968 Tet, Tan Son Nhut , SSgt Bernie Beldin' Bronze Star/V
• No Dead Heros, 1968, by Bob Uchman, VSPA Life member # 67
• O51 Bunker, Tet1968, Tan Son Nhut AB! by Dan McKegney
• To The Last Man, 1968 TET, Tan Son Nhut, 1968, Sgt Coggins' Silver Star
• Sgt Charles Hebron-1968 , by David Summerfield (RIP), SMSgt, Ret.
• Heaven's Door! by Denis Cook (RIP: 21 May 2017), Tet 1968, Tan Son Nhut [From the heart!]
• Tet Offensive, Tan Son Nhut! 1968, by G.M. George
• Propaganda Leaflets, Post 1968, Tan Son Nhut, by Dan McKegney
• Sunday Driver! Tan Son Nhut, Tet1968! by Dan McKegney
• Charlie, Tan Son Nhut, Sitting Duck, Tet1968, by Nik Boldrini
• O51 Bunker, Tan Son Nhut, Revised, Tet1968, 1998, by Frank Ybarbo
• After Action Report, Department of The Air Force
• USAF Medals, SP Purple Heart
• USAF Medals, SP Silver Star
• Memorial