"Escape and Evade" and "The Sergeant and the Ghost"

The battle at Albany is an excellent example of the need for strong leadership in a battlefield situation. Hal Moore drilled his men relentlessly, but nothing did could fully prepare them for the horrors that faced them at the battle at Albany. The line that read: "There had been 108 men on the fit-for-duty report the morning we left for Albany, and only eight on the duty report the day after." This line essentially sums up what happened at Albany. There are examples of having to carry pieces of men in their ponchos and American troops listening to the Vietnamese executing American wounded. It is amazing that the officers and NCOs were able to maintain command and control throughout the battle.

The actions of Lt. Rescorla were vital to the survival of his men. He had an almost impossibly positive attitude. He went from foxhole to foxhole and individually congratulated his men. He sang dirty songs and was constantly smiling to keep his men's spirits high. His air of confidence was contagious and those around him adopted his attitude. This, along with the decisive actions of the other officers and NCOs such as LT Alley and SGT Kluge kept the men motivated and, above all, alive.