NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Fort Campbell soldiers marked 50 years since one of the most historic battles of the Vietnam War.
Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) climbed the stairs at Nissan Stadium Tuesday morning to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Hamburger Hill.
The battle lasted from May 10-20, 1969 and resulted in more than 400 U.S. casualties. U.S. forces were ordered to take the hill by a frontal assault – only to abandon it soon after.
The ascend to 3,000 feet (3,187 steps) was intended to replicate the same height that veterans climbed over the course of the battle.
“Having Nissan Stadium host this important event shows how much they value Fort Campbell Soldiers and their heritage,” said Dave Reiley, a 101st Airborne Division veteran. “As a veteran in the middle Tennessee community, it is events like this that make me feel connected to the young soldiers who are serving our country today.”
After the climb, participants had breakfast with veterans and their families in the parking lot.
