Micheal Eugene Prothero

PFC Michael Eugene Prothero

Private First Class Michael Eugene Prothero started his tour in Vietnam on June 4, 1968. Fifteen days later, he became a casualty of the war when he stepped on a land mine and was mortally wounded. He was 19 years old.

Pfc Prothero was an infantryman with Company B, 1st Battalion, 501 Infantry in the 101st Airborne division of the US Army. The 101 Airborne the “Screaming Eagles”, have a history going back to September 10, 1921 when the division headquarters was organized at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The “Screaming Eagle” nickname became associated with the division as the successor to the traditions of the Wisconsin volunteer regiments of the Civil War.

In almost 7 years of combat in Vietnam, elements of the 101st participated in 15 campaigns. Operation “Nevada Eagle” was the largest single campaign they participated in. This campaign last 288 days, beginning May 17, 1968 and ending February 28, 1969.  This is the campaign Pfc Prothero was involved in when he was killed. The objective was to secure the coastal lowlands in the Thua Thien province. This province is where the capital city of Hue is located and where Marine Private Jerome Schuett, also from Reedsburg, had been killed earlier in the year.



The US Army went out and engaged the enemy on a daily basis in an effort to clear the area of Viet Cong and the Peoples Army of Viet Nam forces. The 101st concentrated on keeping the roads open for the rice harvest. They used combat and ambush patrols and small operations to engage the enemy. However, the enemy avoided open battle and relied on mines and traps to deter American troops. They also used small bands of troops as bait to bring in US helicopters. Once the helicopters engaged with the groups, they would be fired upon by larger groups of concealed enemy troops hiding in the surrounding jungle.

At the end of the operation, the area had been cleared of enemy troops and enough rice was captured to feed 10 enemy battalions (5,000 – 8,000 troops) for a year. For its actions, the 101st was awarded the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm.