Daily Staff Journal 31-Mar-70

ITEM	TIME	INCIDENTS, MESSAGES, ORDERS, ETC.
1	0001	LOG OPENED by Sgt. Kenneth R. Parsons, Duty NCO Supporting info. for todays events Bn CO LTC Charles Norton, XO Maj. Lawrence Richards, S-3 Maj. Courtney Rittgers, S-3 Air Cpt. Jeffrey Fuller, S-1 Cpt. John Isenhour, S-2 Cpt. William Branch, S-4 Cpt. Robert Sheifele, S-5 Cpt. Clifford Straughter Ballgame: A Co prep for Bushmaster Opn depart at 1400 hrs by truck to Binh Thanh, conduct section size AP (AP = ambush patrol) in area 341136 on an imaginary line 2000 meters from border to 328160, 3716, 370146 along stream 341136. B Co Bushmaster in AO Logan III (AO = area of operations) 3 platoons. Received (?) care/core (?) maintenance of equipment and resupply by air. Conduct section size AP in area XT3809 XT380140-XT370107-XT3712-XT4112 along river XT425090. Weapons platoon provide security and general support of FSB Jackson. C Co Bushmaster over to road 070146 along stream 341136 on an imaginary line 2000 meters from border 340114-370107. D Co Bushmaster in area 3719-328160-324190. Recon Platoon E Co conduct Eagle Eye operations 0800-1200 hrs and react to Intel targets radar PPS4 at Cu Chi. PPS4 to be used on AP location to be announced. PPS-5 at Phuoc Luu, 4.1 platoon minus at FSB Jackson, 1 tube at Phuoc Luu
2	0058	D Co AP A grid 355161
3	0100	All elements neg sit rep (negative situation report)
4	0200	All elements neg sit rep
5	0300	All elements neg sit rep
6	0400	All elements neg sit rep
7	0458	All elements neg sit rep
8	0535	Do not let any aircraft sit on the ground for any extended period of time where they are susceptible to enemy fire. Have the aircraft orbit until needed.
9	0600	S/R Negative (negative situation report)
10	0620	AO Thornton disapproved
11	0632	Little Bear 36 Resupply on station
12	0640	Little Bear 36 Resupply complete
13	0645	C Co batteries received on resupply are bad.
14	0650	D Co D element 334169 has Chieu Hoi, will take to Phouc Luu (enemy soldier surrendered)
15	0655	A Co AP moving back to Fire Base Jackson
16	0730	A Co APs closed FSB Jackson
17	0735	Hornet 9 C&C on station (Hornet 9 helicopter providing command and control has arrived)
18	0750	D Co found 2 blood trails, one heading west, one heading south, 3 AK magazines fully loaded, 1 bush hat at 345154. The Chieu Hoi was reportedly at battalion XO. His wife and mother came in also. Company CO believed him to be local type 334169.
19	0818	Recon 1st lift airborne, Jackson 0810, down green 345133 at 0818 hrs. Short (?)
20	0825	Brigade - Adams (?) requests clearance for 270090 from 31100 hrs to 311200 hrs to register artillery. Approved.
21	0835	Battalion CO - Enroute to C Co
22	0837	Snoopy 69 on station
23	0840	Recon - 344136 - 1 bunker, 2ft. OHC (overhead cover). Will destroy
24	0845	B Co HA 384093
25	0900	Recon 1st lift airborne 344136 at 0905, down 408103 0910 hrs.
26	0910	C Co HA 357132
27	0920	C&C consumed 9 blade (hues?)
28	0925	Brigade - Picked up Chieu Hoi at Phouc Luu
29	0930	Sniff Box DTG - will be working
30	0935	C&C - Recon airborne 408103 at 0950, down 413174 0955 hrs
31	0940	D Co OP's (outposts) departed RZ-328177 DZ-328170
32	0940	Centaur 46 - Alpha reading 325635. Spot report bunker at 354037 - 7 eligible males at 373031
33	1010	Snoopy 20 on station with distribution
34	1020	Recon airborne 413174 1014 hrs, down 385101 at 1017 hrs
35	1020	D Co 331177 found dud 8-inch, will blow
36	1030	Centaur 46 - approved clearance on 354031 - bunker
37	1038	Recon - airborne from 388099 at 1034, down at 408095 at 1058 hrs.
38	1040	Recon - BBT (booby trap) - blew off foot of Kit Carson (ex-Viet Cong, now a scout for us), 2 U.S. ambulatory. 12th Evac Hospital
39	1105	Recon - BBT (booby trap) was larger than hand grenade. Trip wire. Area is heavily booby-trapped. Trip wires and sticks.
40	1120	Snoopy on station
41	1130	18 hours (?) consumed
42	1117	(Late entry) D Co APs AZ-343163 RZ-360164 DZ-349192
43	1120	Diamondhead 44 picked up Donut Dollies (Red Cross girls)
44	1120	Request clearance from Weeder & Sprayer to engage XT 408095 with minigun
45	1130	Recon airborne from 408095 at 1125 hrs, down green Jackson 1130.
46	1130	AMC released
47	1240	Little Bear 29 pickup Radar at D Co
48	1250	A Co APs (ambush patrols) A-361153 D-362145 DZ361148 R-361159 RZ-361156
49	1345	B Co AP's: R-373116 RZ-373110 D-374106 DZ-379105 A-382090 AZ-382098
50	1400	Sugar Mill - Information only - AO Mary 490190 515170-515190-490170 DTG 311900 to 010700
52	1402	[Line 51 was skipped in original Journal] Snoopy 20 on S/A V/T
53	1435	D Co - man dropped block of ice on foot. Will be dusted off by resupply ship
54	1440	Bde - Request AO Alpha 010800 to 041200 for 3/46 3810-3804-463040 along river to 418100
55	1500	C Co AP's A-351116 D-350127 R-350135
56	1500	Bde - clearance for Sea Wolf strike at 414022 between 311800 to 132000. Approved Capt Fuller (Bn S-3 Air)
57	1520	2/22 APs - 53-512156 - 518142 C Co NL 418136 APs 413148-409141 405134-410133
58	1620	A Co Reached Phouc Luu
59	1736	ARVN APs - roving - 450170 to 447161 to 430156 to 467177 and 1 stationary at 444178
60	1718	(Late Entry) At 347165 found 1 dud 105mm, negative Eot/lot (?) negative booby trap, 1 chicom hand frag, negative Eot/lot (?) negative booby trap, will blow
61	1820	C Co departed holding area heading for AP site
62	1830	Requesting clearance on 405108 to blow bunker away. Approved NEW
63	1855	D Co DZ element heading for holding area
64	1855	All elements departing holding area - B Co
65	1906	Navy APs 504165, 397170, 392175, 396140, 405142, 410148, 410155
66	1911	Go Dau Ha, SOI change 2400 hrs Milton Oven 91 (?) Primary 35.25 Alternate/Secure 39.85
67	1927	A Co at 361153 requests 2 urgent litter, 1 ambulatory dustoff 361153 [1Lt. Craig Pyper Fielding, who was among the wounded, died the following day.]
68	1928	2/27 AP's 381142, 381136, 381130, 381125, 381120, 392191, 388187, 371179, 371173, 371166, 377160, 276291
69	1939	Dustoff 157 ETA 05-10 min
70	1945	Dustoff 151 on station
71	1953	Little Bear 79 on station with PPS-5s
72	1953	Radar pickup PPS-25 Phuoc Luu in Grid 359165
73	1956	B Co AP's in pre-planned except AZ384101
74	1958	Dustoff complete 12th Evac
75	2006	D Co received 2 PPS-5 radar sets
76	2006	C Co - all AP's in pre-planned
77	2010	Sniff Box DTG 010800-01800 3001, 3006, 3107, 3407, 3410, 3810, 3801
78	2030	Report of 65 individuals in grid 359165 is a negative report, information came down through ARVN channels
79	2045	A Co R element in 361159 spotted 4 individuals 100 meters away running west, engaged, negative results, will stay in position and wait further action.
80	2050	B Co RZ 373110 popped ambush on 10-15 individuals moving west to east. R & RZ elements combined and are sweeping area of contact.
81	2035	Arty picked up 5-10 individuals at 352154 moving west
82	2129	B Co requested 2 urgent litter dustoff and a light fire team, are receiving fire 150 meters west. [Sgt. Robert Emery Wills died of wounds received in the firefight.]
83	2130	D Co popped its ambush on 6 VC at 343163
84	2138	Little Bear 4 Night Hawk on station
85	2140	Dustoff 151 ETA 10-15 mins
86	2145	Diamond Head 33 on station
87	2149	C Co AP (ambush patrol) R 350135 popped ambush
88	2152	C Co R 350135 engaged 11 VC 25 meters north, receiving some small arms fire at this time.
89	2153	A Co AP R swept contact area, negative findings
90	2154	Dustoff 151 on station
91	2156	Sleep Time 05 (?) off station
92	2203	C Co 3-4 individuals were engaged, not 11, 25 meters apart, from NE. Engaged lead element, results 1 BC (Body Count, found 1 enemy body), 1 AK-47, 1 K-54 pistol.
93	2206	D Co AP A has 2 VC body count, 1 AK-47, 3 bags containing flashlights and other misc. items, will sweep again in the morning.
94	2208	B Co dustoff complete to 12th Evac
95	2218	Request resupply ship for B Co. Resupply will be at NW resupply pad in 30 minutes.
96	2220	D Co AP A 342163 at new site
97	2222	C Co Little Bear 21 flare ship expended and released
98	2230	Request tracker dog team at first light, have team come up big push
99	2235	Diamond Head 33 light fire team expended and released
100	2300	Little Bear 19 resupply on station
101	2300	Radar at Phuoc Luu down due to bad batteries
102	2316	Tracker dog team ETA 01/0615 hrs.
103	2316	C Co wrap-up of contact - 1 BC (body count), 1 K-54 pistol, negative documents, body dressed in black shorts and shirt. 200 meters NE found AK-47 rifle and vest with 2 magazines. New location 352137
105	2330	[Someone forgot to make a line 104 entry] Radar batteries for Phouc Luu are ready, what pad do we take them to?
106	2345	B Co AP R engaged 10 VC moving west to east at 40 meters, have 6 BC, 3 AK-47, 3 or 4 RPG-2 rounds, 2 metal pipes. VC wearing long pants, negative documents.
107	2347	AO Alpha approved, CMR.
		Summary: At 0620 AO Thornton was disapproved. 0650 D Co picked up one Chieu Hoi and will take him to Phouc Luu. At 0750, D Co found two blood trails, one heading west and one heading south. They also found three AK magazines fully loaded and one bush hat at grid 345154. At 0925 Brigade picked up the Chieu Hoi at Phouc Luu. Recon platoon hit a booby trap at 1040 hrs which blew foot off Kit Carson scout and two US ambulatory wounded brought to 12th Evac. Brigade was cleared for Sea Wolf strike at 414022 by Capt. Fuller at 1500 hrs. At 1927 hrs A Co requested dustoff for three persons hit by hand frag booby trap at grid 361153. Two urgent and one priority. Dustoff complete at 12th Evac at 1958 hrs. At 2045 hrs A Co R element at grid 361159 engaged 4 personnel 100 meters away but got negative results. At 2050 hrs B Co RZ element popped a bush on 10 personnel at grid 373110. They have 6 BC, 3 AK-47, 3 RPG rounds and 2 metal pipes. At 2129 hrs B Co requested 2 urgent dustoffs. At 2130 D Co popped their bush on 6 individuals at grid 343163. They got a 2 BC, 1 AK-47, and a vest with 2 magazines at grid 350135. AO Alpha was approved at 2347 hrs.