1/14th Archives - Division Operations Quarterly Reports

1966

Aug - Oct 1966	3rd Bde, 25th Div Report / Lessons Learned. During the reporting period 1 August through 31 October, 1966, the 3rd Brigade Task Force participated in Operations PAUL REVERE II, III, and IV for a total of 92 days of consecutive combat duty. Paul Revere II ended 25 August, Paul Revere III went from 26 August through 18 October, and Paul Revere IV began 18 October and is continuing at the end of this reporting period. Mission goals included surveillance of the Cambodian border and areas east, conduct ambushes and block penetrations into the area of operation. The operation used the technique of "checkerboarding", moving from one numbered 10,000 meter grid square to another. Operations were under control of the 1st Air Cavalry Division starting August 2 and ending 25 August, when control reverted to I Field Force Vietnam. Operational control changed to the 4th Infantry Division on 18 October. Lt. Col. Gilbert Proctor was in command of 1/14th Inf. The 14th Inf performed search and destroy operations in the area south and east of Duc Co and north of Highway 19 between Duc Co and OASIS. No significant contact was developed during the period. C Co. was OpCon to 1/69th Armor starting 12 September, and assisted in securing the CATECKA complex area. The battalion participated in "round-up" operations, occasionally worked OpCon to the armor battalion, and conducted air lifts into other areas. On 9 October the battalion was lifted north and operated there until the end of the reporting period. In the period 18-31 October the 1/14th had light contact with small groups of NVA forces. On 23 October the battalion made contact resulting in 16 NVA KIA.
Nov 1966 - Jan 1967	1st Special Forces Operations Report / Lessons Learned. During the reporting period CIDG forces have pursued VC and thwarted attempts to mass forces for large scale attacks on CIDG camps. CIDG forces were credited with killing 1,302 VC. 10 Nov 66 C Co, 1/14th landed at LZ LANE to participate in 1st Spec. Forces Task Force Prong, to assault enemy positions near Plei Djereng. The Task Force engaged a major NVA force in an all-day battle, with many casualties. On 11 November Co A and C, 1/14th linked up as reinforcements to TF Prong, as the Mike Force element of that Task Force encountered heavy fire from an NVA battalion. At 2200 hours a security element from Co A, 1/14th ambushed an NVA squad. 16-20 November B and C Companies, and Recon platoon with Plei Me company, conducted search and destroy operations south of LZ LANE. Recon and Plei Me made contact at 1200 hours and were pinned down for two hours by two NVA battalions until B Co came to their rescue. Enemy losses from bombing and artillery were 189 NVA KIA.
Nov 1966 - Jan 1967 1st Cav	1st Cav Div (Airmobile) Operations Report / Lessons Learned. The division operated in the central highlands, maneuvering throughout the Binh Dinh, Pleiku, Lontum, Darlac, and Phu Yen Provinces, from the South China Sea to the Cambodian border. Brigade missions were mostly search and destroy, with the emphasis on searching for and finding the enemy. The division concluded Operation PAUL REVERE IV along the Cambodian border and continued to concentrate in Operation THAYER II along the coast in Binh Dinh Province. On 19 January elements of 1/14th discovered a huge tunnel and cavern complex in the mountains between the SOUI CA and VINH THANH Valleys, believed to have been used as the VC Province Headquarters.

1967

Feb - Apr 1967	1st Cav Div Operations Report / Lessons Learned for Operation Pershing: 1/14 is under Operational Control of 1st Cav (no mention of battalion activities in this report). Operations took place in Binh Dinh Province, on the Bong Son Plain and in the An Lao Valley, mostly search and destroy missions.
Feb - Apr 1967	3rd Bde, 25th Div Operations Report / Lessons Learned. During the reporting period, 1 Feb to 30 Apr, the 3rd Brigade Task Force terminated Operation THAYER II (3 Jan to Feb 12), participated in Operation PERSHING (Feb 12 to Apr 19) and Operation LE JEUNE (Apr 19 to Apr 22), and commenced Operation BAKER (22 Apr - continuing). The 1/14th was OpCon of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade during this time, and was supported by Battery B, 2/9th Artillery.
May - July 1967	3rd Bde, 25th Div Operations Report / Lessons Learned. During the reporting period, 1 May to 31 July, the 3rd Brigade participated in Operation Baker to locate and destroy NVA, Main Force, Local Force, and Guerrilla units and VC Infrastructure within the Area of Operations. 1/14th was under the Operational Control of the 196th Light Inf Bde during this period.
Aug - Oct 1967	3rd Bde, 4th Inf Div Operations Report / Lessons Learned. During the reporting period, 1 Aug to 31 Oct, the 3rd Brigade participated in Operation Baker in the DUC PHO Area of Operations. 1/14th commanding officer was LTC Peter P. Petro. The 1/14th was OpCon to 196th Light Inf Bde until 24 September, at which time it arrived in the DUC PHO AO and established a fire support base at LZ THUNDER, and began search and destroy operations. The battalion also assumed responsibility for security of the logistical installations in the vicinity of SA HUYNH.
Aug - Oct 1967	196th Light Inf Bde Operations Report / Lessons Learned - 1/14th was under the Operational Control of the 196th Light Inf Bde during most of this period. On 8 August, C Co 1st Platoon Leader left perimeter to relieve himself and was approached by 2 VC, one armed with a sub-machinegun and the other a knife, who attempted to take his map and weapon. During the ensuing fight the officer was stabbed in the arm and leg. The VC fled south as the platoon leader fired at them. His platoon pursued the VC and found the blood-stained knife. On 20 August, C Co, 1/14th found a H-23 helicopter in the river, downed two days before. The company received small arms and automatic weapons fire as they attempted to approach the chopper. Air strikes and gunships were employed to drive off the enemy. On 21 August B Co 1/14th received heavy automatic weapons fire, gunships and TAC air support was employed. A follow-up sweep found 2 shotguns, 1 US carbine, 2 SKS rifles, 3 Soviet carbines, 400 rounds of 7.62 ammo, 50 anti-personnel mines, and 2 VC KIA. On 25 August C 1/14th located 3 huts and a cave and engaged 11 armed VC, resulting in 7 VC KIA and 4 captured weapons. Entering the cave C Co got 4 VC KIA and captured and M1 rifle, a sniper rifle with scope and other equipment. On 4 September the 1/14th CP received 30-35 rounds of 60mm mortar fire, no casualties. D Co. swept outside the perimeter and found 19 craters.
Nov 1967 - Jan 1968	3rd Brigade, 4th Inf Div Operations Report for Quarterly period ending 31 January 1968: On 4 Nov 67 1/14th launched a 30-day operation in heavily forested mountain region in Southwest portion of AO, ending with 109 enemy KIA, 57 weapons captured. Bravo Co and Recon engaged local VC companies resulting in 80 enemy KIA and 36 weapons captured. Other units participated in Operation Baker near Duc Pho with the Bn CP at LZ Thunder (BS874323) and later in the Cat Mit Valley, then to the Batagan Peninsula, the battalion CP located at LZ Up Tight (BS731840). The battalion participated in Operation Wheeler/Wallowa establishing battalion CP at LZ Colt (BS113327). A major contact occurred on 17 January.

1968

Feb - Apr 1968	3rd Brigade, 4th Inf Div Operations Report for Quarterly period ending 30 April 1968. During 1 Feb to 30 April the Brigade participated in Operation Wheeler/Wallowa for 28 days and Operation Patrick for 31 days. On March 30th the Brigade returned to control of the 4th Inf Div and participated in Operation MacArthur for the remainder of the period. The 1/14th participated in these operations with the Battalion CP at LZ Hardcore west of Hoi An, then deployed to LZ English and conducted operations from LZ Geronimo (BS880174). On Feb 9 units made contact with elements and participated in 236 NVA KIA, capturing or destroying 100 weapons. In April the battalion conducted assaults to LZ No Slack (ZB997067) from Polei Klang airstrip. On April 17 the battalion created a new fire base. On April 29 Bravo Co received a ground attack resulting in 46 NVA KIA and 9 weapons captured
Feb - Apr 1968 Modified	4th Inf Div Operations Report / Lessons Learned for Quarterly period ending 31 July 1968, MODIFIED: During the reporting period the 4th Division continued participation in Operation MAC ARTHUR. The beginning of the period saw the division engaged in a successful counteroffensive to the VC/NVA TET Truce Offensive. 1/14th returned to 3rd Bde, 4th Inf Div control on April 8, 1968, LTC George L. Ball commanding. On 28 April C Co engaged 5 NVA, killing 4 and capturing one AK-47. A mortar attack followed causing 4 US KIA and 19 US WIA. D Co attempted to reinforce C Co, but was not able to insert due to heavy mortar fire on the LZ, resulting in 3 more US WIA. Subsequent actions resulted in 1 US KIA and 9 US WIA. On 29 April Co B night position was attacked by an estimated NVA battalion using small arms, automatic weapons, B-40 rockets, mortars and flame throwers. The enemy began digging in 10-15 meters from the perimeter and heavy contact continued until dawn, when the enemy withdrew. 2 US KIA, 20 US WIA, 46 NVA KIA, captured 2 light machine guns, 4 AK-47, 2 SKS, 1 B-40 launcher.
May - Jul 1968	4th Inf Div Operations Report / Lessons Learned for Quarterly period ending 31 July 1968. Division continued it's participation of Operation MacArthur, renamed Binh Tay - MacArthur on July 15, whose general mission was to conduct surveillance and offensive operations and provide maximum support to the Government of Vietnam's Refugee Resettlement Program, and blunt the enemy drive toward Kontum and Polei Kleng. On May 1 Charlie Co engaged 2-3 NVA, killing one. On May 7 C Co. received 3 US WIA from a B-40 rocket. On May 8 C Co. made contact with 15 NVA, killing all 15. On May 22 a Recon platoon patrol killed 1 NVA. On 24 May D Co found 5 NVA bodies. On May 25 A Co engaged 14-15 NVA in prepared positions - air strikes and artillery resulted in 1 US KIA, 9 US WIA, and 9 NVA KIA. A Co received mortar rounds with 2 US KIA and 1 US WIA. The Recon platoon found 2 NVA bodies. On May 27 A Co found 1 NVA KIA in a booby-trapped spider hole. LZ Brillo Pad received 96 rounds on incoming 120mm, 82mm, 60mm mortar and 75mm recoilless rifle rounds, killing 4 US, wounding 15 US. On June 2 Bravo Co found 3 NVA KIA from artillery. On June 3 Bravo Co got 1 NVA KIA, and the next day Alpha Co found 2 NVA KIA in graves. On June 7 Alpha Co reported they were surrounded, and six 7/17th Air Cav gunships supported their rescue, with 13 US WIA, 2 US KIA and 5 NVA KIA. On June 9 Delta Co made contact, killing 5 NVA. Bravo Co found 1 NVA KIA. The next day Delta Co received 75-100 rounds of 60mm and 82mm fire with 2 US KIA and 2 US WIA. June 13 saw Bravo Co locate 1 NVA KIA.
Aug - Oct 1968	4th Inf Div Operations Report / Lessons Learned for Quarterly period ending 31 October 1968. During the reporting period the 4th Division continued its participation in Operation MAC ARTHUR, to conduct reconnaissance and surveillance of the Cambodian border and destroy enemy units within the assigned area of operations, to block infiltration routes, destroy enemy base areas and supplies, and eliminate Viet Cong infrastructure. For much of September and half of October, the 1/14th was OpCon to 1st Brigade, 4th Inf Div.

1969

Feb - Apr 1969	4th Inf Div Operational Report for Quarterly period ending 30 Apr 1969: On 1 Feb 69 the Division initiated Operation Dan Quyen - Hines, to conduct sustained, coordinated and combined offensive operations to destroy enemy main and local force units, and support the Pacification and Development Plan of 1969. During operations in the Chu Pa area companies of the 1/35th encountered heavy resistance, and they moved to link up with 1/14th, which then relieved them and continued offensive operations on Chu Pa. On January 20 an enemy Regiment moved into the area of Chu Pa. 1/14th and other units continued offensive operations through 7 February, blocking the enemy offensive. On 16-17 Feb the 1/14th moved to the 2nd Brigade area of operation. In April they moved again to southern Pleiku Province.
Aug - Oct 1969	3rd Bde, 4th Inf Div Operational Report / Lessons Learned for the Quarterly period ending 31 October 1969. During this period the division participated in Operation DAN QUYEN-HINES, conducting government of Vietnam pacification programs, provide reaction forces to counter enemy attacks against key installations and population centers, screen the Cambodian border, interdict enemy infiltration, and destroy NVA and Main Force units.

1970

Feb - Apr 1970	4th Inf Div Operational Report / Lessons Learned for the Quarterly period ending 30 April 1970: The Division continued its participation in Operation DAN QUYEN-HINES. At the beginning of February the 1/14th operated from Fire Support Base ABBY. On 3 February the 1/14th LNO reported 30 VC/NVA, but the enemy fled when other units were inserted. In mid-March the battalion CP was at LZ Prophet. On 16 April A Co 1/14th sighted 10-15 enemy, called in artillery resulting in 8 enemy KIA. On 22 April the 1/14th conducted operations in Base Area 226, and on 24 April transferred control to the 2nd Brigade, and the battalion moved to LZ HARD TIMES, and returned to 1st Brigade control.
May - Jul 1970	4th Inf Div Operational Report / Lessons Learned for the Quarterly period ending 31 July 1970. The Division continued its participation in Operation DAN QUYEN-HINES, and the Division conducted offensive operations inside Cambodia until May 16. 1/14th moved to LZ Hard Times at the start of the period, and then to Camp Radcliff for stand down. On May 3 they began operations against GIA LAI provincial units. In July the Battalion transferred to the 2nd Brigade in the area of Camp Radcliff. In June D Co observed 70 enemy crossing an open field and alerted artillery, gunships and tactical air, resulting in 28 enemy KIA. On June 30 the 1/14th discovered a large NVA base camp used by 300-400 people. On May 6 elements of the 1/14th were airlifted into Cambodia.
Aug - Oct 1970	4th Inf Div Operational Report / Lessons Learned for the Quarterly period ending 31 October 1970. The Division continued its participation in Operation DAN QUYEN-HINES. On 6 August 1/14th went OpCon to 1st Brigade (because the Bn was located close to their operation) to participate in Operation WAYNE PIERCE in the Fishhook area of the An Lao Valley to locate and destroy enemy forces. On 14 August the battalion was airlifted into Camp Radcliff to conduct a training standdown. The battalion closed out FSB John Henry on 6 September and combat assaulted into FSB Digger. On October 4 the 1/14th began operations northwest of Base Area 226 along the Song Con River. The battalion returned to Camp Radcliff for a 3-day standdown before moving to LZ HARD TIMES to begin combined operations with local RF/PF forces, until the end of the reporting period.