Daily Staff Journal  3-Aug-69

ITEM

TIME

INCIDENTS, MESSAGES, ORDERS, ETC.

01

0001

LOG OPENED by SP/4 Thomas J. Wilhite, Duty RTO

02

0002

Supporting information for todays events.  Bn. CO (LTC Constantine Blastos), Bn. XO (MAJ Robert Chadrue), Bn. S-3 (Maj Dexter Branscomb), Bn S-3 Air (Capt Yamada), Bn. S-1 (Cpt. Anthony Baron), Bn. S-2 (Capt Francis Abreu), Bn. S-4 (Cpt. Robert Shiefele).  Location of FSB Emory XT 702145:   
Ballgames for today: A Co opcon 1/5:  B Co conduct AMD - 1 Co(-) 9 chalks - PZ Emory and C/A into LZ Bob 641215 and RIF to 643216-641221-641224-639227-636217-636214  PZ and C/A into LZ-3 7601?? and RIF to 760173-758174-738170 and PZ back to Emory.  B Co 3 chalks conduct Eagle Eye operations in AO RED.  C Co conduct night operations in AO GINA.  D Co opcon to 1/5th (Mech).  A Co 1/5(M) conduct operation departing Emory 0400 hours and move east on Hwy 8A, then north on TL15 to 712184, then west to 643178 and RIF to 630180-624105-625205 -635215-635193-664182 and return to Emory.  3/7 ARVN conduct ballgame w/B Co PZ Co at 704195 and C/A into LZ-4 at 744168 and RIF (Reconnaissance in Force) to 757173-757174-757171 and PZ back to LZ 709195

03

0100

S/R (Situation Report) N/C (No Contact or No Change) all units

04

0109

3/7 ARVN AP at 704176 sprung AP on estimated 8 VC, have 2 body count, 2 AK-47s, no casualties, return fire from VC

05

0120

ARVN's have one more body count, neg firing at this time

06

0130

VC were moving SW and retreated in the same direction

07

0140

Received changes in AMC times, 0900-1500 hours from Bde

08

0200

Little Bear 831 (Night Hawk) on station

09

0230

Little Bear 831 depart station for 2/12

10

0231

A/S for grid 757174 has been scheduled for 0900 hours

11

0232

Informed District 3/7 ARVN's Bde, B Co of change in ballgame due to AMC time change

12

0300

13

0314

Change of time for Daisy Cutter to 0800  grid 757174

14

0400

S/R to Bde N/C all units

15

0403

Radar pick up at grid 704140 unknown size force moving north.  Notified A Co 1/5(M) to alert their AP - A Co 1/5(M), will fire 81mm.

16

0435

A Co 1/5 fired 8 rounds AG 81mm

17

0500

A Co 1/5 LP closed

18

0555

Sweep of 8A started at this time

19

0600

S/R to Bde N/C all units

20

0615

A Co 1/5 closed AP

21

0625

Sweep of 8 at Hwy 1 complete

22

0628

B Co AP checked out site of radar pickup - neg findings

23

0640

C Co AP's closed and B Co AP and LP closed

24

0655

From Lt. Wood:  3/7 ARVN S-2 trying to find bodies to get some documents.  Tentatively identified the squad as the An Nhon Tay, squad commander Nguyen Van Lam

25

0756

Menehune 5 on station for VR

26

0810

From Bde:  Release Menehune 5 to the 2/12 ASAP

27

0825

From Lt. Phenix:  Two National Police will be ready for pickup at 0930 at Phu Hoa Ha

28

0835

A Co 1/5 departing for recon mission

29

0850

Hornet 5 C&C on station

30

0852

From Bde S-3 Air:  A/S for today's prep have been canceled

31

0916

A Co 1/5 located at 700182

32

0917

Passed normal nightly RF request for AP's

33

0926

B Co 9 ships airborne PZ Emory

34

0930

From S-3 Air:  AMC request for 5,6,7 Aug 69 for any time we can get (exact times to be passed later)

35

0940

B Co 9 ships down green at LZ-3 760168

36

0947

10 Co 3/7 ARVN's 9 ships airborne form PZ 709195

37

0952

10 Co 3/7 ARVN's 9 ships down green at LZ-4 (754168)

38

0956

A Co 1/5 at location 695181, destroyed 3 old fighting positions and holes.  At location 685180 have found 2 more fighting positions, very old, neg recent use on all

39

1000

9th Co 3/7 ARVNs 9 ships airborne from PZ 709195

40

1005

9th Co 3/7 ARVN's 9 ships down green at LZ-5 (751170)

41

1006

A Co 1/5 at location 680180 has a broken down track.  Will have another track tow it to the ARVN compound

42

1009

11th Co 3/7 ARVN 9 ships airborne from PZ 709195

43

1015

11th Co 3/7 ARVN 9 ships down green at LZ-6 (748172)

44

1020

HHC 3/7 ARVN 6 ships airborne from 709195

45

1026

HHC 3/7 ARVN's 6 ships down green at LZ-5 (751170)

46

1039

A Co 1/5 located at 665180

47

1043

B Co located at 759173

48

1054

10th Co 3/7 ARVN located at 756169 proceeding north along stream on west side.  9th Co 3/7 ARVN located at 753172, 11th Co 3/7 ARVN's located at 748175.  HHC 3/7 ARVN CP located at LZ-5 (751170)

49

1109

Night firing report sent to Bde

50

1123

B Co at location 759175 has tripped a H/F w/trip wire booby trap resulting in 3 US casualties, 1 ambulatory and 2 litter, urgent

51

1131

Will have dustoff 150 ETA 15

52

1134

B Co reports that they had another element trip another same type boobytrap trying to reach first bunch of wounded, resulting in 4 US ambulatory (add to original ROR total of 5 ambulatory and 2 urgent litter)

53

1136

Dustoff 150 on station

54

1145

Dustoff complete w/all casualties

55

1150

B Co 1st platoon departing for PZ for Eagle Eye operations

56

1155

Informed B Co 1st platoon to move back inside the wire; due to weather will not go on Eagle Eye at this time

57

1200

A Co 1/5 located 627185.  B co located vic of dustoff (758175).  10th Co 3/7 ARVN's located at 756175.  9th Co 3/7 ARVN's located at 755176.  11th Co 3/7 ARVN's located at 750176.  HHC 3/7 ARVN's located at 750175.

58

1208

B Co at location 759175 found a bunker 5x3x3 with 1 1/2' overhead cover.  Inside the bunker found 1 RPG with 7 rounds, 1-60mm mortar round, 8 cans of salmon, 4 canteens, 2 1/2 gals of fuel, assorted web gear, a poncho, 25 lbs of polished rice.  Had signs of recent use as late as early this morning

59

1226

A Co 1/5 located at 627200

60

1230

B Co 1st platoon departing wire to set up PZ for Eagle Eye

61

1243

Bn S-3 informs 40 blade hours left on AMC

62

1244

B Co 1st platoon 3 ships airborne

63

1250

B Co 1st platoon 1 ship down green, will check out ox cart at 709143

64

1252

Ballgame for tomorrow passed to Bde

65

1253

C Co ballgame for tonight 3 Aug 69, C Co departs Emory at 1600 hours by APC's and proceeds east on 8A then north on TL15 to bridge at coord 712176.  Dismount and link up with guide provided by 3/7 ARVN.  Conduct recon mission direction of 706185-705190-709195.  Link up with 168th RF Company, depart coord 760185 at 1800 hours and proceed into AO GINA to conduct night operations with 6 patrols composed of 15 US and 10 RF's each.  Exact locations to be submitted later

66

1258

B Co 1st platoon 1 ship airborne, joining other two enroute to new objective area.  Ox cart was clean

67

1300

A Co 1/5 located at 632204 checking out some old, destroyed tunnels in the area

68

1305

B Co 1st platoon 3 ships down green, rounding up some suspicious individuals in area where there is a shirt laying next to a hole.  715152

69

1320

B Co 1st platoon has checked out the Vietnamese civilians.  All innocent, will recon back to Emory

70

1335

A Co 1/5 located at 636214

71

1338

AO's KAREN and GINA approved

72

1339

HHC 3/7 ARVN 6 ships airborne from PZ 751173

73

1343

HHC 3/7 ARVN 6 ships down green at LZ 709195 (Home Base)

74

1350

11th Co 3/7 ARVN's 9 ships airborne from PZ 751173

75

1355

11th Co 3/7 ARVN's down green at 709195

76

1400

9th Co 3/7 ARVN's 9 ships airborne form PZ 751173

77

1405

9th Co 3/7 ARVN's 9 ships down green at 709195

78

1410

10th Co 3/7 ARVN's 9 ships airborne from PZ 752174

79

1415

10th Co 3/7 ARVN's 9 ships down green at 709195

80

1422

B Co 8 ships airborne from PZ 759175

81

1425

B Co 8 ships down green at Emory

82

1429

B Co 1st platoon 3 ships airborne from PZ 715152

83

1431

B Co 1st platoon 3 ships down green Emory

84

1435

AMC released at this time

85

1445

A Co 1/5 located at 660205

86

1500

Following AO' has been passed to Bde this morning:  AO KAREN DTG 041100 to 041800 coord 6820-6920-6915-6815

87

1545

A Co 1/5 at intersection of TL15 and 8A (726144)

88

1600

A Co 1/5 closed Emory

89

1601

A Co 1/5 AP 697138, LP 250 50-100m.  B Co AP 715149, LP 40 50-100m.  C Co AP-B1 717182, AP-B2 713179, AP-T 706181 w/CP, AP-T2 701177, AP-M 696176, AP-M2 690176

90

1640

Received following AP's from 1/505:  CP group 677111, AP 663120, AP2 670120, AP3 675115

91

1650

C Co conducted 4 one-hour block of instruction on fire and maneuver from 1400-1500 hours

92

1710

C Co departing Emory for Phu Hoa Duong

93

1738

C Co searched Phu Hoa Duong tracks on way back to Emory

94

1740

Menehune 1 on station for VR

95

1800

Following AO has been submitted to Bde:  AO MAY DTG 050515 to 051600 coord 633234-655255-656255-673253 follow the river south to 669238-654226-641220

96

1828

C Co AP 696174, 699175, 707178, 704178, 708179, 722182, 719183

97

1845

Menehune 1 released

98

1846

ARVN AP's:  312-791139, 804139, 802132, 794136, 774-737122, 741118, 750119, 734125, 296-722134, 288-767138, 777138, 769138, 54 PF 740144, 83 PF 727142, 67 PF 722143, 759107, 763105

99

1850

C Co and 3/76 ARVN departing

100

1903

ARVN AP's 700187, 705184, 715196, 713203

101

1945

C Co Loc 708178, request urgent litter dustoff, 1 US from 3rd platoon, platoon was ambushed, standing by for further information

102

1948

Dustoff call signs 150 - ETA 05 minutes, C Co push

103

1950

Dustoff 150 on station

104

1952

A Co 1/5 AP depart

105

2002

Little Bear 757 (Night Hawk) on station

106

2010

C Co reports unknown size force (at this time) engaged 3rd platoon AP from a SW direction, enemy fled in SW direction

107

2012

B Co AP departed

108

2013

Dustoff 150 complete

109

2015

C Co reports now that enemy fled to the Southeast, approx. 4 individuals, C Co AP4 received only small arms fire from southwest

110

2018

C Co reports fire came from 220 az and 125 meters

111

2020

A Co AP departed, A Co 1/5 AP in position

112

2037

A Co 1/5 LP in position

113

2055

C Co AP 1-2 in position

114

2110

C Co AP-4 in position, AP-5 new position 702176, AP-3 new position 705174

115

2112

B Co LP departed

116

2115

C Co AP-6 in new position 699175

117

2134

Notified by Lt Phenix and Lt. Woods, neg RF Co for tomorrow's operation

118

2137

Requested Co from 3/7 ARVN for tomorrow's operation w/A Co 1/5 to take place of RF's

119

2138

B Co CP in position

120

2147

B Co AP in position

121

2200

S/R to Bde N/C all units

122

2255

S/R to Bde N/C all units

123

2400

S/R to Bde N/C all units

124

Summary of today's events:  A Co opcon to 1/5th Mech, B Co joint AMD with 3/7 ARVN.  Had 3 US casualties - 2 litter and 1 ambulatory.  Hit hand fragmentation grenade booby trap with trip wire, loc 759175.  Had 4 more hit same type booby trap in same area, ambulatory - all injured were dusted off.  At 759175 destroyed 1 bunker 5x3x3 with 1 1/2 overhead cover.  Recent use, found 1 RPG with 7 rounds, 1 60mm round, 8 cans of fish, 4 canteens, 2 1/2 gals of fuel, assorted web gear, 1 poncho, 25 lbs polished rice.  C Co night operation, had 3rd platoon receive fire from approximately 4 individuals (VC) 220 az, 125 meters.  VC fled to southwest.  C Co had 1 US casualty from small arms fire, dusted off.  Neg knowledge of body count.  D Co opcon to 1/5th Mech.  A Co 1/5(Mech) opcon to 2/14th Inf, ground operation destroyed 3 old fighting positions at 645181 and 2 at 685180.  CRIP opcon to 1/5th Mech.  CRIP 2/34 opcon to 2/14th Inf.