Daily Staff Journal  10-Aug-69

ITEM

TIME

INCIDENTS, MESSAGES, ORDERS, ETC.

01

0001

LOG OPENED by SP/4 Raymond A Davis, 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-1 (Cpt. Anthony Baron), Bn. S-2 (Capt Francis Abreu), Bn S-3 Air (Capt. Earl Yamada), Bn. S-4 (Capt Robert Schiefele).  Location of FSB Patton XT 583194, location of PB Hunsley XT 597270.  Points of origin 50-6020 45-7020 51-6030:  Ballgames for today: A Co, Co (-) departs FSB Patton at 0930, recon west to 568194 to 555190 to 565180 to 572177, follow 7A to FSB.  One platoon occupy Venice East and Bau Dieu tower.  Sweep 7A from Patton to Hwy 1 and from Patton to Trung Lap.  B Co secure Hunsley during daylight hours.  Establish 3 platoon night positions vic PB Hunsley.  C Co Co (-) departs Patton at 0900.  Moves southeast to 589184, to 601180 to 603187, follow stream to 595190 to 586199 to Patton.  Establish 2 night operations (reinforced squad) vic Patton.  D Co, Co (-) departs 1000 hours from PB Hunsley, move northeast to 611285 to 615287, follow stream south to 612276 to 612267, return to Hunsley.  2/49 ARVN 1 company depart Trung Lap at 0800.  Move to 592230, follow stream south to 599239 to 549228 to Trung Lap.  4.2 platoon (-), Patton 1 tube PB Hunsley.  Radar, PPS-5 at Hunsley, PPS-4 at Trung Lap.  CRIP  VCI at Trung Lap.

03

0025

Little Bear off station

04

0100

S/R neg all stations

05

0120

PB Hunsley reports traces of CS gas blowing through their location

06

0200

S/R neg all stations

07

0201

Little Bear 153 on station

08

0300

S/R Neg all stations

09

0315

Little Bear 153 off station

10

0400

S/R neg all stations

11

0500

S/R neg all stations

12

0530

13

0545

C Co AP 1+2 left position

14

0600

S/R neg all stations

15

0615

D Co LP closed PB Hunsley

16

0620

B Co APs left position

17

0625

C Co APs closed FSB Patton

18

0635

A Co 3rd platoon departed for sweep of 7A

19

0637

LOH requests for 1500 to 1600 and 1800 to 1900 approved

20

0639

B Co APs K, N, I have closed PB

21

0640

A Co 3rd platoon departing for 7A sweep

22

0710

A Co 3rd platoon has 7A opened from FSB Patton to Trung Lap

23

0750

From Bde:  AO BRANCH will be a free-fire zone today form 0800 to 1800 for 25th Aviation

24

0802

AMC request for 11 Aug from 0800 to 1400

25

0837

A Co 3rd platoon has 7A secured from FSB Patton to Hwy 1

26

0840

CRIP will have Glow Worm check point at coord 594205 from 1000 to 1300 and from 1500 to 1800

27

0855

C Co departing Patton for ballgame

28

0930

A Co departing Patton for ballgame

29

0956

D Co departing PB Hunsley for ballgame

30

1010

A Co location 568193, C Co location 600179

31

1030

A Co reports finding large amounts of rice in hootches vic 569193.  Checking with village chief to see what the normal quantity for the people in the area is.  S-3 instructs A Co to hold in place until we receive further word

32

1032

D Co at location 603275 found an old bunker 4x4x3 with 2' overhead cover; neg findings, neg recent use

33

1037

Lt Wood reports that the hootches should contain one bag of rice per person living in the hootch for one month.  A Co says hootches do not have any personnel in them at this time so they cannot determine number of occupants.  Hootches don't have the family records posted inside on the wall.

34

1045

Ballgame for 11 Aug passed to Bde

35

1055

A Co location 568193, C Co 600188, D Co 603277

36

1056

Menehune 2 on station for S-2

37

1100

D Co at 603277 found 3 bunkers 2x4x3 with 2' overhead cover.  Neg recent use, destroyed

38

1124

2/49 ARVN company on recon mission located at 599239

39

1130

D Co at location 604278 has hit a booby-trapped hand grenade with trip wire, resulting in one Kit Carson urgent litter case with fragmentation wounds in legs, and 2 U.S. ambulatory, one urgent and one priority with fragmentation wounds in arms and elbows.  Dustoff requested

40

1136

Will have Dustoff 153 ETA 05-08

41

1138

Dustoff 153 on station

42

1145

Dustoff 153 complete.  Litter case (Kit Carson) to 12th Evac, 2 ambulatory (US) to 25th Med

43

1148

D Co at 604278 has found a fresh bunker 3x4x10 with 2' overhead cover recently used within 24 hours.  Checking out further.  Will destroy when finished

44

1155

A Co location 566194; C Co 581191; D Co 604278

45

1215

D Co location 606280, A Co location 566194 breaking for chow.  C Co 588194

46

1240

C Co closed FSB Patton

47

1325

A Co location 564184.  D Co found a booby-trapped 105mm round with trip wire in heavy brush at 606282

48

1415

A Co location 566179; D Co 611285

49

1424

Menehune 2 on station for PsyOps

50

1438

2/49th company on ballgame closed Trung Lap

51

1450

A Co at location 573177 has found same old woman selling 3000 lbs of rice.  Will send down village chief to talk to them

52

1458

D Co location 613288

53

1506

Menehune 3 on station for Bn CO

54

1520

D Co at 613288 found two tunnel entrances 2x2.  One entrance branches into three tunnels 12 ft long.  Other entrance branches into two tunnels 12 ft long.  Used within last week.  Still checking area

55

1524

D Co at same location.  Received one sniper round from east at between 500 to 600 meters.  Cranking 81mm mortars out of PB Hunsley

56

1540

Ref item #51:  Village chief does not want to go down there today.  Says will go down there later to talk to the people.  In the meantime to let the people down there keep what they have

57

1555

D Co is at coord 2 (615287)

58

1607

A Co closed FSB Patton

59

1635

CRIP at Glow Worm 594205 checkpoint picked up one female whose husband is on black list.  Will take her to Trung Lap for questioning

60

1642

Centaur 53 on station to VR D Co's area

61

1645

B Co AP-K 605268, AP-N 606267 with CP, AP-Z 605266; C Co AP 576198 AP 586188

62

1648

D Co location 611279

63

1705

Centaur 53 spot report:  Command bunker 10x15 with 2 ft overhead cover well camouflaged.  Also one punji pit 2x2x2, old, both at loc 605275

64

1711

D Co at loc 611276 found a 105mm round booby-trapped with trip wire in brush

65

1712

Centaur 53 spot report:  Approximately 20 bunkers and numerous tunnel entrances, several bunkers showing recent use within 12 hours, coord 602267.  Also a camouflaged trench line

66

1723

Centaur 53 departing station

67

1725

From Bde:  Night Hawk tonight missing times 2100 to 2300, 2400 to 0200, 0400 to 0600.  Require 2 officers and 2 men.  Pickup 1800 hours required.  Coordination meeting at 1930 at 2nd Bde TOC

68

1730

From Bde:  Must have 7A open as soon as possible as arty is pulling two tubes tomorrow

69

1800

Requested urgent litter dustoff for one RF soldier with fragmentation wounds in legs from M-79 by VC while setting up trip flares around the outpost vic 587199

70

1810

D Co location 602267 checking area of sightings by Centaur

71

1815

D Co closed Hunsley

72

1818

Received from 1/5th Mech following night operations:  A Co laager 536149 with AP 532143 and 547144, 1/5th AP at 560197.  2/12th APs at 545232, 548217, Laager D Co at 517217 with AP at 524210

73

1823

Dustoff 153 on station

74

1825

Dustoff complete to 12th Evac

75

1835

Menehune 3 on station (VR)

76

1840

Received from Lt. Wood:  ARVN APs at 587217, 592223, 588208, 595207, 603213, 596218, 583203, 590200, 598200, also passed him our APs

77

1850

Ballgame for tomorrow passed to LNO and PB Hunsley

78

1858

TEST FIRE STARTED TWO MINUTES EARLY - WAS SUPPOSED TO START AT 1900 HOURS.  Work out final coordinates with TOC

79

1901

Instruction given to cease fire until they get control

80

1902

Call from A Co requesting urgent dustoff.  2 US litter, shot during test fire (Bunker #8)

81

1915

Dustoff 153 on station

82

1917

Dustoff complete

83

2003

C Co NOP2 departing

84

2015

C Co NOP1 departing

85

2035

(Late) LOH request for 11 Aug:  1400 to 1500 and 1700 to 1800 submitted to Bde at 1830 hours

86

2045

B Co APs KO form Hunsley, D Co LPs at 10 degrees and 180 degrees, 50 to 100 meters at Hunsley

87

2100

C Co NOP2 in position

88

2110

C Co NOP1 in position 150 meters NE of original position 588189

89

2115

Centaur 24 on station (Night Hawk)

90

2121

D Co LPs TD

91

2145

B Co AP's TD

92

2200

Radar sighting at 609187, 4 to 5 men moving north, will engage with arty

93

2205

Centaur 24 down for fuel

94

2300

S/R neg all stations

95

2315

C Co bunker #1 at Patton received 3 sniper rounds form the north, 300 meters out.  Observing now, neg

96

2350

AO SYBIL approved by Bde

97

2400

S/R neg all stations

98

Summary of today's events:  A Co found vic 569193 large amounts of rice in hootches, at loc 578177 found females selling rice (3000 lbs).  Village chief says it's OK.  B Co neg.  C Co neg.  D Co at 603275 found old bunker 4x4x3 with 2 ft overhead cover at 604278, hit booby-trap HF (grenade) with trip wire.  1 Kit Carson litter and 2 US ambulatory.  At 613288 while checking tunnels, took one sniper round from east and engaged with 81mm, neg results.  At 611276 found booby-trap 105mm round with trip wire - blown.  At 1800 request for Patton dustoff for ARVN shot by M-79 at compound on 7A while setting trip flares.  At 1902 during test fire at Patton, 2 US from A Co were injured by stray rounds (dustoff).  At 2315 Bunker #1 at Patton received 3 sniper rounds from the north.  Observation showed neg results