Remembering an from Big Spring

Big Spring’s Arthur Hernandez, then a corporal in the Army’s 101st Airborne Division, lost his life on April 1, 1971, during Operation Lam Son 719 in Laos during the Vietnam War.

On May 21, members of CPL Hernandez’s unit - Charlie Company, 2/506th 101st Airborne (the unit portrayed in the movie Band of Brothers) will be in Big Spring to conduct a graveside memorial in Hernandez’s honor

“Art wasn’t any soldier, he wanted to be the best,” said Gary Gilliam, who served in Charlie Company with Hernandez. Gilliam is part of the team from Charlie Company who will be visiting our city to honor Hernandez’s memory. “After joining, he volunteered for Airborne training and was very proud that he had received his jump wings. He was excited when assigned to the 2/506th Infantry 101st Airborne Division at Camp Evans in Vietnam. Where he was assigned to the role of rifleman with Charlie Company’s 1st Platoon. Art joined Charlie company in January of 1971 as they operated in the mountainous jungles along the dangerous Ho Chi Minh trail in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam.“

Gilliam said that, in March of 1971, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, also known as South Vietnam - made an assault into Laos called Operation Lam Son 719. The 101st Airborne Division, including Hernandez’s and Gilliam’s unit, acted as a blocking force to protect the ARVN.

During the attack, the ARVN force’s supplies were cut off and the American Airborne troops struggled to keep supply routes open.

“It was in the mountains overlooking these routes that Charlie company became embattled with many of hte NVA - North Vietnamese Army - enemy,” Gilliam said. “The DMZ - or line separating North and South Vietnam - was within eyesight. It was in the early morning hours of April 1 that CPL Arthur Hernandez and three men in his fighting position - SGT Jerry Bobbit, CPL James Davis, and CPL John Anders - were killed trying to keep an enemy force from Charlie Company’s position.”

A team from Charlie Company will be in Big Spring at 10 a.m. May 21 to visit the gravesite of CPL Arthur Hernandez at Mt. Olive Cemetery. Members of the team attending the local memorial hail from California, Washington, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois and Texas.

Members of the public are welcome to join the Charlie Company personnel in paying respects to

CPL Hernandez at that time.

Courtesy photos Top right to bottom left - Big Spring’s Corporal Arthur Hernandez serving in uniform in the Vietnam War. Hernandez was a member of Charlie Company, 2/506th 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army; members of Charlie Company’s 2nd Platoon pause for a rest during the war; members of Charlie Company lay a wreath on the grave of CPL James Dean Davis at a recent memorial service similar to the one that will take place for CPL Hernandez; SGT Gary Gilliam, one of Hernandez’ unit mates who is taking a leadership role in conducting memorial services for members of Charlie Company, during his tour of duty in Vietnam. Gilliam said the unit has so far provided memorial services for 22 of 26 members of the unit since the program started in 2015. Gilliam said the 2/506th is the unit portrayed in the movie Band of Brothers.