Daily Staff Journal  22-Sep-69

ITEM

TIME

INCIDENTS, MESSAGES, ORDERS, ETC.

01

0001

LOG OPENED:
Supporting information for todays events:  Bn. Cmdr LTC Donald O. Crutchley, XO Maj Robert Chadrue, S3 Maj. Dexter Branscome, S1 Cpt Anthony Barone, S2 Cpt Joseph Murphy, S3 Air Cpt Earl Yamada, S4 Cpt Robert Scheifele, S5 Cpt Gary Roth (hospital)
Location:  FSB Patton XT583194, PB Hunsley XT596270, Venice East XT577183, Bau Dieu Tower XT569171, Night Defensive Position (NDP) XT615225, Trung Lap XT593214.

Ballgame:
   A Co (-) 2 platoon depart NDP 1300 recon to 603243, search area bounded by 603243-613245-616239, 604234.  1600 1 platoon return to NDP.  1 platoon remain in area as Ambush Patrol for night.
   B Co (-) depart Patrol Base 0900 recon to obj-A (588274), obj-B (579276), obj-C (576271), obj-D (575265), obj-E (581261), obj-F (593265), return to patrol base.  Conduct 360-degree Recon in Force 1500.
   C Co (-) 1 platoon depart FSB 0900, recon to obj-L (583189), obj-M (587182), obj-N (600181), obj-O (587188), obj-P (591198), obj-Q (587199), return to FSB.  1 platoon depart FSB 1300, recon to obj-6 (589195), obj-7 (594200), obj-8 (600200), obj-9 (607193), obj-10 (604190), return to FSB.  1 platoon occupy Venice East, towers at Bau Dieu & FSB.  Conduct road sweep from FSB to Hwy 1 & FSB to Trung Lap on 7A at 0645.
   D Co stand down
   CRIP Double Eagle Eye operation 1200-1500.
   4.2 Mortars - Platoon () FSB, 1 tube at patrol base, 1 tube at Trung Lap
   2 Company 2/49 ARVN (-) 0800 depart NDP, recon to obj-G (613217), obj-H (617212), obj-I (625209), obj-J (626222), obj-K (624227), return to NDP, conduct Ambush Patrol.
   Radar PPS-5 at Patrol Base, PPS-4 at Venice East
   Training:
      Co A 0800-1000 Combat Formation
      4.2  1500-1600 Crew Drill
      Radar 1400-1600 Monitor and Search
   D Co (-) provide one platoon to recon with 1 Co 2/49 ARVN.  Continue improvement of Night Defensive Position.  Conduct joint AP's with ARVN.
   C Co (-) 0800 one platoon recon from PB to obj-1 592260, obj-2 600257, obj-3 608264, obj-4 609272, obj-5 605278, obj-6 600280, return to PB.  1400 hours conduct 360 degree RIF at 400 to 1000 meters.  Continue PB improvement.
   1st Company 2/49 ARVN one platoon Co D and Co (-) depart at 0800 from NDP (LD) to obj-12 605234, obj-14 599239, obj-15 598226, obj-16 606224, obj-17 606215, obj-18 612220, obj-19 623224, obj-20 618236, return to NDP.  Continue improvement of NDP.  Conduct joint APs.
   2nd Company 2/49 ARVN.  Depart Trung Lap 0700 LD 594194, obj-1 597194, obj-2 602194, obj-3 606192, obj-4 614185, obj-5 615193, obj-6 613197, obj-8 603200, return to Trung Lap.  495th RF Co conduct recon with 2nd Co to obj's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and split, recon to obj-7 610206, obj-8, return to Trung Lap.
   3rd Company 2/49 ARVN depart Trung Lap 0800 LD 589213 to obj-A 583216, obj-B 575220, obj-C 575230, obj-D 586234, obj-E 583224, return to Trung Lap.
   CRIP - Improvement of positions
   4.2 platoon (-) FSB Patton, 1 tube PB Hunsley, 1 tube Trung Lap
   Radar - PPS-5 PB Hunsley, PPS-4 Venice East
Training:
Co A
  0800-0900 Mine & BBT (Booby-Trap)
  0900-1000 Night Combat Operations
Co B
  1400-1500 Mine & BBT
  1500-1600 Night Combat Operations
Co C & D
  1600-1700 Mine & BBT
4.2 Platoon
  1500-1600 Crew Drill
Radar
  1400-1600 Plotting

02

0015

Shadow 76 depart station.  Expended approx 35,000 round from miniguns

03

0045

Sitrep - negative

04

0145

Sitrep - negative

05

0150

Radar Hunsley 598259, 4-5 individuals moving north, fired 30-105 High Explosive

06

0201

Radar Hunsley 60602645 4-6 individuals moving NE, 18 105 HE fired

07

0213

Radar Hunsley 612269, 3-4 individuals moving NE, 6 81mm mortars fired

08

0245

Sitrep - negative

09

0345

Sitrep - negative

10

0445

Sitrep - negative

11

0448

Little Bear 275 Nighthawk on station

12

0500

13

0512

Nighthawk expended.  Off station

14

0545

Sitrep - negative

15

0545

Radar, Patrol Base Hunsley 586237, moved to 587246, 3-4 individuals, fired 30 rounds, 585236 moved to 586240, 3-4 individuals, fired 30 rounds.

16

0645

Menehune 3 on station, reported neg findings on 7A

17

0726

Road sweep team departed

18

0742

Request clearance for AS 620286, approved

19

0743

From Bde, AO Toto given to 25th Aviation as free fire zone 0700-1800.

20

0743

From LNO (Lt. Wood) ARVN report:  A. ARVN  B. 5 Co,  C (1) 3 day, (3) 2 night, D Neg, E Neg, F Neg, A.RF, B.10, C.Neg, D.Neg, E.Neg, F.Neg

21

0755

Co C 2 platoon kicked off ballgame

22

0801

Co A(-) depart to sweep contact area

23

0828

Co C(-) road sweep, clear to Trung Lap

24

0827

3 Co depart 0710, at obj-1 567193

25

0835

From S4, for tomorrow changeover of A & C, base laid on 1 Chinooks and 3 slick sorties.  Report to Patton at 1000 hours, go to 6122, return to Patton

26

0826

[Late Entry] 7A cleared from Trung Lap to Highway 1

27

0857

Co B(-) depart Patrol Base on ballgame

28

0900

Location: 3rd to 567183, Co C(-) 595183

29

0912

Co A vic 620215 found 18 (75-100 lbs) bags of rice, will coordinate w/ARVN

30

0943

B Co 579276, C Co 599190, 3rd Co 559200, 2nd Co 613217

31

1007

Co D departed for Cu Chi for 48-hour stand down

32

1014

Co B, dud round 105mm, neg lot nbr, old, rusty, will blow (581279)

33

1019

Co B at 576271

34

1020

Bde:  Will have AMC at 1230 hours until 1500 hours

35

1042

Bde:  Unit locations Co B (576271), 2nd Co 2/49 ARVN (675209), 3rd Co 2/49 ARVN (560210) and (552212), Co C closing Patton

36

1043

1/5th  (Mech):  AO request East of 59, South of 19, West of 61 from now until 1700 hours - decided didn't need.

37

1046

CP/C Co closed FSB

38

1100

Menehune 3 on station for VR (visual recon)

39

1101

2/49 ARVN 2nd Co location 625209, 3rd Co 560210

40

1105

B Co 1105 location 575265

41

1135

Bde:  Unit Location Co B (571261), 2nd Co (625209), 3rd Co (560219), 1st Co (576220)

42

1145

FAC:  Issue took fire last night 2000 hours, this AM ordnance was put in same grid (620295), 1 VC body count

43

1200

2/12:  Request AO extension from 560290 to 595290 to 595287

44

1215

B Co closed

45

1300

C Co 1st platoon departing on ballgame

46

1301

A Co departing on ballgame

47

1321

C Co obj-7 (594200)

48

1342

Menehune 6 on station to pick up man from Hunsley with dislocated shoulder

49

1350

C Co (601199), A Co (615241)(607238), 2nd Co (626222), 3rd Co (567216), 1st Co (590219)

50

1421

Crusader diverted to 2/12th

51

1445

C Co (591193), A Co (610240), 1st, 2nd & 3rd Co (same)

52

1454

1st Co (Closed) 2nd Co (obj-5 626222), 3rd Co (Closed)

53

1440

Annex A overlay on map order No 10-69, AO bounded by 564319, 582303, 577286, 568282, 540365 is to be deleted

54

1509

B Co 3rd platoon departing

55

1513

Bde request clearance on 1st Inf. Div. troop support box form 6131 to 4251, 1000 meters west side of Saigon River, approved by US and ARVN

56

1525

Bde request People Sniffer clearance for TDT 230700 to 230730; coord 6722-6720-6320-6327-6527.  Free fire and artillery cutoff; fire for fire received if free fire not possible.  If mission cannot be run before 0800, it will be cancelled.  LNO approved.

57

1530

Locations:  A Co same, C Co 1st platoon 588195, B Co 593273, 2nd Co 2/49 ARVN obj-K (624227)

58

1600

A Co 2nd platoon closed Night Laager

59

1610

CRIP airborne from Trung Lap at 1610 hours

60

1615

CRIP down green at 586239

60

1629

[Duplicate line number appears on original page] CRIP spotted 2 VC at 586234, 1 with K54 pistol

61

1641

A Co AP Blood (609240) 2545 US control 1st platoon at area securing, 2nd platoon will meet at 1730 hours.  2nd Co 2/49 AP Guts (613219) platoon now at 623213 and will shift to site after dark

62

1640

B Co 360-degree RIF now closed

63

1635

Centaur 46, Centaur 19 tunnel and trail activity 588259, tunnel entrance 2 foot square under a tree with recent trail activity running NW to SE along road that runs by the entrance.  Centaur 19 - trail activity at 607245, 12-24 hours running N to S along a hedgerow.  Inside hedgerow are 2x4x4 with medium overhead cover bunkers

64

1640

2nd Co 2/49 ARVN now closed

65

1640

Centaur 19:  Fish traps 613254 activity within last 12 to 24 hours, neg personnel destroyed

66

1647

C Co closed 1620

67

1645

Centaur 45, Centaur 16;  Incomplete bunker 620250, recent signs of work on bunker this morning or last night.  Trail activity

68

1655

Centaur 19: Individual inside APC hiding 614275, took individual under fire, unknown results.  Think he had a hole under APC, Centaur could not spot.  APC in hedgerow

69

1703

Menehune 1 on station for VR

70

1708

Centaur 19:  Well camouflaged bunker, lots of trail activity in area, 4 to 5

71

1717

AMC released at this time

72

1712

CRIP airborne from 588239 at 1712 hours, down green Trung Lap at 1715 hours

73

1715

Request AO 560280-560290-580290-580280 from 230800-231800 hours

74

1736

A Co AP Blood location for tonight 612240, AP Blood now in hold position 300 meters east of AP site

75

1737

A Co 3rd platoon enroute to Night Laager

76

1729

AO request approved by 3/4 Cav.

77

1814

A Co 3rd platoon closed Night Laager

78

1840

AO request approved by 2/2 (RMH)

79

1848

A Co AP Blood spotted 25-30 VC armed with/heavy machine gun and rifles about 200 meters to the NW of their holding position.  Request LFT (light fire team) & C&C, engaging with Artillery.  Issue 27 FAC on station

80

1415

Diamond Head 26 (LFT) on station

81

1926

Menehune 3 on station as C&C (Command and Control)

82

1940

Shadow 76 on station

83

1940

Radar at NDP picked up movement from south to north azimuth 300 degrees from Night Defensive Position 350-400 meters

84

1950

Little Bear 757 on station

85

2020

LFT expended NG depart station

86

2010

AP Blood moved to 613243

87

2016

A Co AP Guts in position 625218

88

2130

From CRIP:  Will be standing by for morning Eagle Eye, no EE will conduct VCI from 0930-1200 at 586227, standing by for EE from 1530-1630

89

2150

Radar Hunsley: 58756737 3-4 individuals moving NE to West and East, 578253 4-5 individuals moving NE to SW

90

2155

Bau Dieu tower spotted one individual crossing 7A E to W on NW end of village.  Unable to fire because of ARVN patrol in area

91

2215

A Co will sweep the contact area at 0630 with 3 platoons and return to Night Defensive Position

92

2245

Foliage penetrating radar: 310 degree azimuth, 250 meters, movement, engaged with 3 81mm High Explosive, negative movement

93

2250

Received following unclassified messages:  #09-030 Subject: Crash site air traffic congestion; #09-032 Subject: Tactical and emergency identification, #09-031 Subject: Mortar refresher training

94

2345

Sitrep - negative

Summary:  Hunsley radar had 4 radar sightings which they engaged with artillery during the early morning hours.  A Co conducted RIF out of Night Defensive Position, found 18 75-100 lb. bags of rice.  B Co conducted RIF out of Patrol Base Hunsley, found and destroyed 1 105mm dud.  C Co conducted 2 platoon-size RIFs out of Fire Support Base Patton.  D Co went into Cu Chi on stand down.  2/49 ARVNs conducted RIFs out of Night Defensive Position and Trung Lap.  CRIP conducted Eagle Eye operation - spotted 2 VC.  AP Blood from Co A spotted a force of 25-30 armed VC north of Night Defensive Position - called in mortars, artillery, gunships, shadow aircraft.  Foliage penetrating radar at Night Defensive Position had 2 pickups in their vicinity.  Hunsley radar had 1 pickup and engaged with artillery.