[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 35 (Monday, February 23, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E153-E154]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE HEROIC MILITARY SERVICE OF SPECIALIST-5 MANUEL LEE 
                                CAMPBELL

                                  _____
                                 

                         HON. DIANA HARSHBARGER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 23, 2026

  Mrs. HARSHBARGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the valiant 
military service of Manuel Lee Campbell of Johnson City in Washington 
County, Tennessee, or simply ``Lee'' for those who know him best. As a 
partner of the 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemoration, I had the 
honor of recognizing Lee in-person at one of our local ceremonies last 
year.
  SP-5 Campbell was drafted by the U.S. Army in September 1966, where 
he completed Basic Training and Advanced Infantry Training at Fort 
Jackson, South Carolina, and soon received orders to report to Oakland 
Army Base,

[[Page E154]]

California for deployment to Vietnam. He arrived at Bien Hoa Airbase, 
Vietnam and was transported to the 90th Replacement Battalion and then 
to the 199th Light Infantry Brigade Main Base in March 1967. He served 
as a Combat Infantry Radio Telephone Operator in Charlie Company, 4th 
Battalion, 12th Infantry. The company would deploy from base camp to 
``the field'' on Eagle Flights by ``Huey'' helicopters and would then 
set up a Command Post, with most combat missions conducted at the 
platoon level. SP-5 Campbell has described his duties as endless Search 
& Destroy patrols through jungles and rice paddies during the day and 
setting up ambush defensive perimeters with 3-man positions at night. 
Despite the daunting challenges of the mission, which required 
contacting the elusive enemy, the Viet Cong (VC) Guerrilla forces, and 
surviving the ensuing firefights, SP-5 Campbell and the Charlie Company 
succeeded in gathering vital operations intelligence for the U.S. Army. 
On July 2, 1967, PFC Campbell was Wounded in Action in a firefight with 
the VC on a Search & Destroy patrol. For his bravery and sacrifice to 
our country, PFC Campbell received the Purple Heart. Despite his 
injury, PFC Campbell remained in Vietnam in service to our great 
Nation. While assigned to Headquarters Company at the 199th Infantry 
Brigade Main Base, shortly after midnight on January 30, 1968, SP-4 
Campbell witnessed the infamous Tet Offensive begin, where the North 
Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong launched a series of well-coordinated 
attacks on cities, towns, and large military bases all over South 
Vietnam. SP-4 Campbell courageously served as part of the last line of 
defense for Brigade Headquarters, and we thank him and his comrades for 
ensuring our enemy never broke through the Brigade's perimeter 
defenses. Finally in March 1968, SP-5 Campbell returned to the 90th 
Replacement Battalion and back to the Bien Hoa Airbase for the flight 
home.
  Please stand with me to honor SP-5 Campbell for his bravery and 
dedication, which will always be treasured by our Nation, our community 
in East Tennessee, and everyone who knows him.

                          ____________________