Daily Staff Journal  12-Oct-69

ITEM

TIME

INCIDENTS, MESSAGES, ORDERS, ETC.

01

0001

LOG OPENED:
Supporting information for today's events:  Bn. Cmdr LTC Donald O. Crutchley, XO Maj Robert Chaudrue, S3 Maj. Dexter Branscome, S3 Air Cpt Thomas Waldera, S1 Cpt Anthony Barone, S2 Cpt Joseph Murphy, S4 Cpt Robert Scheifele, S5 Lt Andrew Moyer
Locations:  FSB Patton XT583194, PB Hunsley XT596270, Venice East XT577183, Bau Dieu Tower XT569171, Trung Lap XT593214, Dong Tien XT615225

Ballgames:
   A Co departs Cu Chi by truck, O/A 1200 hours to Trung Lap.  Recon to obj-A (597220), obj-B (610220), into Dong Tien.  Conduct one joint US/ARVN CP
   B Co (-) depart PB Dong Tien 0730 hours to RP (624243), recon to (627252), search area (625250-624253-627255-628254), PZ (625247) 1430 hours, return to Patton.  Conduct 2 NCPs vicinity FSB
   C Co (-) 9 ship lift PZ FSB Patton 1000 hours.  After artillery prep C/A LZ-1 (645226), search area (640226-640230-644231-644227), PZ vic (645226) 1500 hours, return to FSB.  One platoon occupy Venice East, Towers at Bau Dieu and FSB.  Conduct road sweep on 7A Trung Lap to Highway 1 0645 hours
   D Co (-) 9 ship lift PZ PB Hunsley 1025 hours.  After artillery prep C/A LZ-2 (635235), search area 637237.  PZ vicinity (645226) 1515 hours, return to PB.  Conduct one platoon size AP vicinity PB
   CRIP VCI operations vicinity of Trung Lap
   4.2 platoon (-) at FSB, one tube at PB Hunsley, one tube at Trung Lap
   Radar PPS-5 at PB Hunsley, PPS-4 at Venice East and PB Dong Tien
   1 Co 2/49th ARVN depart PB Dong Tien 0730 hours to RP (624243), recon to 622245, search area 618240-614252-62424 to PZ (625247) 1415 hours, return to PB.  Conduct one joint NCP and one ARVN NCP
   3 Co 2/49th ARVN (-) 9 ship lift PZ Trung Lap 1050 hours.  After artillery prep, C/A LZ-1 (645226), search area.  640226-640230-635228-635225.  PZ (634224) 1445 hours, return to Trung Lap

02

0011

TPS-25 radar XT623203 picked up 4-5 individuals moving southeast, fired 30 105mm high explosive rounds

03

0055

TPS-25 radar XT56942622 picked up 3-4 individuals moving north, fired 30 105mm high explosive rounds

04

0150

Sitrep - negative

05

0238

Nighthawk 03 on station.  Adjust artillery in 654240 grid

06

0310

Nighthawk off station to refuel

07

0345

Sitrep - negative

08

0445

Sitrep - negative

09

0545

From Brigade:  Air assets critical today, air strikes and Flame Baths not confirmed at this time.  If confirmed, air strikes will be 0900, Flame Bath will be 1000

10

0630

D Co AP closed

11

0647

B Co CP 1 & 2 closed

12

0645

C Co road sweep departed for Trung Lap & highway 1

13

0712

Sniff Box 6126-6128-6426-6428 DTG 0900-1100

14

0748

7A clear from Patton to Trung Lap

15

0750

B Co ballgame kicked off, also 1st Co 2/49th

16

0755

7A open from Highway 1 to Trung Lap

17

0808

Sniff mission for 12 Oct cancelled

18

0810

Menehune 5 on station for taxi run

19

0824

Air mobile today total 45 hours

20

0827

Sniff mission from 1100 to 1300

21

0837

Three Flame Bath at 1000 hours

22

0838

495 RF Company ground recon (6120-6118-5818-5822) has lasted 4 hours

23

0845

B Co located at 621225

24

0855

B Co 621245

25

0853

D CP-C 589281

26

0900

Issue 23 putting in air strike at grid 643228 in 30 minutes

27

0902

Menehune 1 on station for Psyops

28

0920

CRIP moving VCI operation joint US and PF, requested by village chief 1600-1800 at grid 593202-580200-586203

29

0930

5th ARVN Div, air strike grid 662286 from now until 1800 hours

30

0942

B Co now in their AO

31

0945

Brigade requested air strike clearance grid 554232

32

0950

1st Co 4/49th at obj-42 (571209)

33

0942

[Late Entry] Little Bear 706 on station with Flame Bath

34

1005

Crusader 3 C&C ship on station

35

1030

C Co airborne from Patton at 1022 hours, down green at 645226 at 1033 hours (9 ships)

36

1031

Brigade requests clearance at 642285 for air strikes, cleared

37

1038

3rd Co 4/49th airborne from Trung Lap at 1038 hours, down green at 645226 at 1045 hours

38

1100

Little Bear completed 3rd Flame Bath and released

39

1053

D Co airborne from Hunsley 1053 hours, down green at 1105 hours (635235)

40

1101

Clearance for air strikes 582293, cleared

41

1102

Brigade:  Air strikes 2-5 kilometers northwest of Hunsley, direction east to west left break

42

1110

B Co (625256), C Co (639227), D Co (635235), 3rd Co 2/49th (640228), 1st Co 4/49th (571209)

43

1110

B Co rear elements airborne from night laager 1110 hours, down at Patton 1113 hours

44

1126

1st Co 4/49th hit 2 booby-traps, US M-26 fragmentation grenades with trip wires at 570210, 4 litter, 1 ambulatory WIA.  Dustoff 150 at 1108

45

1127

D Co found 1 dud 81mm, negative lot number or booby-trap, will blow (637235)

46

1136

1st Co 4/49th located (565215)

47

1145

Blade hour report 30 hours consumed as of 1130 hours

48

1215

C Co (642229), B Co (625256), D Co (637237), 1st Co 2/49th (618245), 1st Co 4/49th (565215), 2nd Co 2/49th (607188), 3rd Co 2/49th (641231)

49

1230

C Co POW informed them of escape plan - move north across stream into thick area

50

1255

2nd Co 2/49th found homemade mine 20 lbs in unoccupied hootch at 612189

51

1315

C Co 642279, D Co 636238, B Co 623253, 1st Co 2/49th 620246, 3rd Co 2/49th 639229, 1st Co 4/49th 565215, 2nd Co 2/49th 612189

52

1320

3rd Co 2/49th found tunnel (or well) 30 feet deep 4 ft diameter, will check it out when they get some rope, at 639229

53

1352

A Co proceeding by truck to our location, are en route at this time

54

1408

A Co departing Trung Lap for Dong Tien

55

1418

C Co 2nd platoon found in 5 tunnels:  1 AK magazine, empty, 8 empty M-16 magazines, a bag of salt, homemade stool, 3 pairs of pants, 1 shirt, 1 hammock, 1 booby-trapped CS grenade.  Will blow

56

Brigade approved AO 4819 to 4812 to 6111 to 6118.  Approved for following units:  207, 636, 493, 162 RF companies, and 20 & 58 PF platoons of the 773 PF, DTG 130800 to 131800

57

1418

1st Co 2/49th airborne at 1418 hours (625247), down green at Trung Lap 1420 hours

58

1427

B Co airborne from 625247 at 1427 hours, down green at Patton 1431 hours

59

1436

D Co airborne from 635236 at 1436 hours, down green at Hunsley 1446

60

1452

3rd Co 2/49th airborne 1452 from 635225, down green at Trung Lap 1454 hours

61

1457

AMC consumed 46 blade hours as of 1500

62

1500

C Co airborne 1500 from 642228, down green at Patton 1505 hours

63

1507

1st Co 4/49th closed Trung Lap

64

1510

AMC released

65

1515

A Co closed night laager

66

1525

Centaur 41 LST on station

67

1613

CRIP departed for VCI

68

1620

Brigade requested clearance for ASG 32260, cleared

69

1610

[Late Entry] AO request 2/49th:  600220, 570220, 550200, 550185, 580166, 600190

70

1620

D Co had 2 Chieu Hoi come into Hunsley, negative weapons, one dressed in green shorts, one in blue shorts

71

1709

A Co spotted 5 individuals 631230, engaging with 81mm mortars.  Request LST

72

1710

Menehune 2 on station for VR

73

1722

Centaur 49 on station

74

1758

Co D Personnel sent to check 3 individuals, returned with negative results.  Platoon left on 360-degree RIF around PB Hunsley

75

1825

D Co AP Charlie-3 kicked off

76

1825

From LNO AO request 2/10 Cav, 2/49 0600-18-- hours 13 Oct (620225-620229-610222-590220-590255).  Approved

77

1833

A Co NCP-1 kicked off

78

1905

D Co requested marking rounds for NCP to determine location.  Will use their organic 81mm

79

1910

2/10 ARVN Cav, 3 Co 2/49th depart Trung Lap 0730 hours on recon mission, obj-21 (600230), obj-22 (600240), obj-23 (602249), obj-24 (614249), obj-25 (618239), obj-26 (611231), return to Trung Lap.  495 RF & 1 Co 4/49th 0730 recon AO (585218-601196-595189-575210)

80

1920

Hunsley radar 587267 picked up 2-3 individuals moving northwest

81

1925

Brigade request clearance for 1st Inf Div defensive targets from now until 13/0600 at 549326, 593301, 566305, approved.  594289 disapproved.

82

1939

A Co NCP-1 in primary position

83

1955

B Co API-1 in position

84

2005

TPS-25 Radar XT61902012 picked up 6-8 individuals moving east, fired 30 105mm high explosive rounds

85

2010

B Co API-2 in position

86

2015

Change to C Co ballgame: obj-2 to be 594188

87

2020

A Co AP-1 new location 610232

88

2043

ARVN NCP-2 in location XT618218.  Spotted movement and flashlights at 623204, ARVNs put in 18 rounds of 81mm high explosive rounds

89

2050

D Co NCP-C new location 599281

90

2055

RRF company to be A Co, not B Co

91

2118

ARVN AO request approved by 2/12th (AS)

92

2145

AMC for 14 Oct cancelled

93

2245

Sitrep - negative

94

2345

Sitrep - negative

95

Summary:  Co A returned from stand down today and replaced B Co which moved to Patton.  B Co and 1 Co 2/49 ARVN reconned area northeast of Dong Tien.  B Co was airlifted to Patton upon completion of ballgame.  C Co returned by helicopter to the area of yesterday's contact, found 5 tunnels with miscellaneous equipment, no bodies.  D Co conducted heliborne, searched area in Goc Chang.  CRIP conducted VCI activities in the vicinity of Trung Lap.  1st Co 4/49 ARVN had 5 men wounded by booby-traps during a sweep in the vicinity of Dan Han.  Co A conducted 1 joint NCP with 1 Co 2/49 ARVN north of Dong Tien.  1st Co 2/49 ARVN conducted 1 NCP south of Dong Tien.  ARVNs conducted 9 NCP's in Trung Lap area.  Co B conducted 2 NCPs southeast of Patton and Co D sent out 1 NCP north of Hunsley.

96

2400