Today we pause to remember SSG Rowland E “Butch” “Hoot” Gibson, KIA, January 22, 1967 while on a mission with Reconnaissance Team Indiana.

Today we pause to remember SSG Rowland E “Butch” “Hoot” Gibson, KIA, January 22, 1967 while on a mission with Reconnaissance Team Indiana. SSG Gibson was 22 years old and joined the Army in June 1962, finished signal school as the top man in the class and attended medic training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He also received weapons training and was Ranger qualified. He arrived in Vietnam in April 1966, two years after joining the Special Forces.
Few specific details other than those in SSG Gibson’s Silver Star citation are known about the mission of RT Indiana. Silver Star Citation: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Sergeant Rowland Edward Gibson (ASN: RA-16736294), United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force while serving with Detachment A-352, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, in the Republic of Vietnam. Sergeant Gibson distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 22 January 1967 while serving as a Special Forces advisor to a Vietnamese unit during a search and destroy mission. At the moment insurgents were sighted to the front of his unit, Sergeant Gibson organized his men to sweep into their positions. As his men approached a tree line, several Viet Cong companies, concealed and well-fortified, opened up with intense fire. While his men were pinned down, Sergeant Gibson maneuvered to the left with the intention of flanking the entrenched enemy. Determined to prevent his men from being surrounded and overrun, he crawled 40 meters toward the bunkers with bullets and shrapnel striking the ground all around him. During this selfless action, he was fatally wounded. Sergeant Gibson's gallantry in action was in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

SSG Gibson was buried Riverview Cemetery, Clarksville, Tennessee. His friend Albert R. Forster shared these comments about SSG Gibson. A wonderful medic and human being who was taken from us much too soon.
Sgt. Gibson was our B team medic and went to Hiep Hoa in April 1966 to reopen the camp. He immediately started doing Medcaps for the local villages, and was highly respected by the local villagers. As the year progressed all of us left Hiep Hoa for other camps. Sgt. Gibson stayed because he had such a fondness for the locals and was having such a major impact on the local area. He was one of the finest men I served with. He respected the Vietnamese and served them and us with distinction. He was the one person I felt whose death could not be rationalized. He was one of the most dedicated, honest, moral, and humane men I ever had the pleasure to serve with.