Daily Staff Journal 25-Sep-66

Daily Staff Journals maintained by 1st Brigade
Thanks to Matt Vuolo for obtaining and sharing this report.

ITEM`	TIME	INCIDENTS, MESSAGES, ORDERS, ETC.
1	0020	Received clearance from 1st Inf Div to fire into area right of Saigon River. Prior coordination must be made and is authorized with 5th ARVN Div Subsector Trai Tam.
3	0148	From 5th ARVN at 2315 hrs - Civilian agent from Bien Duong Province reported 500 VC known as C307 Bn (Code for 7th Bn 165th A Regt). Well armed appeared at town of Duong Minh Chan moved from there to XT 500540. Have intentions of attacking US forces in area. VC Bn told people at village of Ben Cui to move out of the area.
4	0200	From Capt Peterson to S3: Clearance for firing at coord XT 535378 was not given unless fired on by VC from village.
7	0455	Dragon 3 heard an explosion in area and is checking with all elements to find out what it was.
11	0615	Explosion in A Co area, no casualties, hand grenade from 36 element. There was movement in bushes and they threw hand grenade.
15	0725	S3 to 33: The KIA (from night before) will be coming in on extraction helicopter from field this morning. Want officer to meet this helicopter and insure that details are forwarded correctly.
17	0755	S3 to 33: Send following listed supplies out to field this morning on resupply helicopters: For Co B: 1 case yellow smoke, 60 rds 81mm Mortar, 1 case M-79, 1000 rds M-60, 60 lbs C-4 with 30 blasting caps. For HHC: 400 red 5.62 tracers, 1 case violet smoke. Also be sure that RTO from Co B is on first resupply ship.
19	0826	Extraction helicopters from field location arrived Dau Tieng airstrip.
20	0830	From Viking 14 to S3 Air: Air support tomorrow 26 Sep will be 4 slicks, one Lt Fire Team, C&C ship at 0730 hrs.
21	0835	From 3X to Co A,B,C: (Monitored) Have your troops down in their holes at 0900 hrs.
23	0850	3 to 33: Extraction helicopter received 3 rds SA fire from vic coord XT 495427
25	0857	From 1st Bde S3 to 33: 1st Bde CO will visit 2/14 this morning and would like to talk to CO 2/14 Inf at Fwd CP location in the field.
27	0908	From Hv Mort Plat to 33: Have EM at my location who is sick & should be enroute by medical vehicle as soon as possible this morning.
29	0920	32 to 33: The KIA has left for Cu Chi aboard helicopter.
30	0925	From 33 to Hv Mort Plat Ldr: Helicopter is enroute your location to pick up sick man.
31	0926	From M6 to S3: Mortars want to put a FO on C&C ship for cover on today's operation. Bn CO confirmed this was OK.
32	0935	Send C&C ship to this location. Notified S4 & Lt Rapauno to dispatch C&C ship to field location and also to send 4.2 FO out on C&C ship.
33	0939	From Co B to 33: Request resupply this evening of Malaria pills
34	0939	From 3 to 33: 1st Bde has reported that all enemy contact made by 2/14 last night was not reported to them. Want you to insure that all info on today's operation is forwarded to 1st Bde S3 as it occurs. Acknowledged.
35	1005	Arty preparation completed as of 1005 hours.
39	1036	From C&C ship to 33: C&C ship will set down in approx 05 min at Dau Tieng for refueling. Request alternate C&C ship be ready to take CO 2.14 back up to area of operation.
41	1130	Lead elements Co C located PO 13 rt 500 and down 500. Found bunkers that were recently occupied (i.e.) cocoanuts freshly cut.
48	1215	S3 to 33: Located 4 houses with bunkers vic Obj JOHN XT 485436. The bunkers were destroyed. Also located three bicycles, they were destroyed. At same time and place 1 VC with weapons at sling arms was engaged by small arms fire, the VC escaped into jungle. Size of bunkers were 8ft long 6ft deep, constructed with mud and logs.
49	1230	S3 to 33: Inform the Bn XO that S3 wants small boots and small fatigues for six National Policemen.
51	1430	(Monitored) Co C has located a cache consisting of 30 ea 100 lb bags of milled rice. Also found a stack of tent roofing, was destroyed and permission was requested from 1st Bde to destroy rice due to its location it would be too hard to extract. Permission granted, rice destroyed.
52	1435	Bn CO to S3: Bn CO coming n to exchange C&C shops at 1435 hrs. He wants another C&C shop ready to go.
56	1500	B Co to S3: At vic XT 481427 5 VC KIA (Poss) by blood count. Killed by artillery, the blood and paths where they dragged the bodies found by C Co.
57	1510	Bn CO to S3: The VC appeared to be building a supply complex at vic XT 484427. Place found by C Co.
59	1550	Bn CO on C&C ship had to come down due to bad weather. He landed in the forward base camp.
61	1615	A Co located 2 rice caches each 800-900 lbs in 100 lb bags vix XT 484425
63	1812	B Co to S3: Send out one radio operator with a radio tomorrow morning.
64	1815	A Co to S3: Send out one tomorrows resupply 15 lbs C-4, 100 heat detonating cords, 4 PRC-25 batteries.
65	1607	Delayed Entry: (Monitored) C Co linked up with A Co elements on the second road junction
66	1700	Delayed Entry: From Maj Kubas to S3 Air: Tomorrow 26 Sep will have 4 slicks at 0800 and 1 Lt Fire Team, 0830 1 slick will arrive with supplies from rear.
67	1700	2/14 closed base camp fwd for the night.
68	1710	B Co: Request that you check your location for one bag of US mail. Let us know if you find it.
69	1800	From S3 to S3 Air: Details on intelligence already submitted. From 487424 up to 485427 there are 5 well-constructed houses with tin roofs, they have been used for some time and very clean with bunkers in each. They were discovered on movement to base and there was not enough time to destroy them. In a house at 487424 within the bunker documents were discovered which are now being translated. The bunker was destroyed. The road at XT 485426 has a new extension which leads straight to the river. At XT 480427 along the road are rolls of corrugated tin and a supply of tar. At the first rice cache were 3500 lbs of rice in 100 lb bags (white polished rice). 34 bags were from the United States. Found 3 brand new bush knives at XT 483426. The entire area appeared to be a supply complex under construction, the extent of which has yet to be determined.
70	1800	C Co requests for morning supply 80 lb C-4, 30 electric blasting caps, 30non-electric blasting caps, 300 feet detonator cord, 150 feet time fuse, 4 yellow smoke and 4 purple smoke.
71	1805	B Co requests 1 RTO and one radio for tomorrow morning's resupply
72	1825	S3 to S33: Requests 2 PRC-25 batteries in the morning resupply. In the afternoon resupply 2 ponchos, 2 PRC-25 batteries and string or rope 25 feet long.
73	1900	A Co requests 140 malaria tablets and 1 bottle of Brown's mixture on tomorrow's resupply.
75	1920	1st Bde S3: 2/14 is getting 5 slicks at 260815 Sep 66 and one Lt Fire Team.
76	1945	For resupply tomorrow to Recon Platoon: 4 PRC-25 batteries, 30 lb C-4, 24 non-electric blasting caps, 200 ft detonation cords, 100 feet time fuse, 4 claymores, 2 LAWs, 2 PRC-25 hand sets, 4 oil cans, 2 pants and jackets, one small, one medium
79	1950	S2 to 33: Following items were evacuated with Capt Williams, Bde S2 today: 1 red stock carbine SN 630385, 1 ammo belt with 197 rounds of ammo, 1 grenade, 2 blasting caps, 1 canteen, 1 handwritten diary, with dates and locations named, 1 black uniform, 2 green uniforms, 2 VC manuals, 1 bottle medicine tablets (aspirin), 1 dong coin.
80	1955	From S2 to 33: Today Co B destroyed 36 houses, 3 bunkers, 15 tunnels, 1 ton of loose rice, 2 of the bunkers were at XT 496418 and 1 was at XT 501417. The bunkers were "B" shaped 10 feet by 12 feet and 5 feet deep. The bunkers were connected by a 500 meter connection running east to west.
81	1955	S2 to 33: Co B captured today 5 bicycles, 1 wrist watch, and 1 bag with assorted documents, photos and French money. Also found 1 bag with 15 lbs of school documents, 150 VC field manuals, 150 lesson plans, 3 uniforms, 1 bag 200 rounds of 7.62mm ammo, and 5 bush knives. Letters were found from CO of C 212 Company to B3 and indicate that the village was the home of B3 Unit.
83	2030	2/14 Inf will receive 400 rounds of 105mm ammo from Long Binh by CH-47 helkcopter. SP4 Floyd, Arty, was notified and instructed to pass the info to B Btry 7/11 Arty
86	2200	All patrols in position as of 2152 hrs. Negative contact.
87	2050	Delayed Entry: From Mortar Plat to 33: SFC Yabes called Capt Murphy and stated that they had a man with severe stomach pains on his left side. Capt Murphy called Dr Brown who said he had seen the man this morning and had sent him back to his unit. The man was Diovenetti from Entac Plat and he did not appear to be very sick. The doctor called Mortar Plat and talked to the man and decided to have the man stay at that location unless he got much worse. Capt Murphy called Capt Peterson to coordinate the possible road movement. Capt Peterson stated that they would not call subsector at night but he would send some ARVN troops to clear the road if necessary.

ITEM`	TIME	INCIDENTS, MESSAGES, ORDERS, ETC.
3	0145	Received report from G2 5th ARVN reported that a civilian agent from Bien Duong Prov reported 500 VC from Bn known as the C307 Bn well armed appeared at town of Duong Minh Chan and moved to 500540-520516 with intention of attacking US forces. The VC also told the people of the village of Ben Cui to move out of the area. ARVN Eval C/3
5	0205	Ref Item 3: C307 is code name for 7th Bn 165A Regt. (G2 eval F/6)
9	0305	At about 0115 hrs recd call from G3 Div in regards to free fire zone for arty W of road coord XT494457 to XT534378 to the river was approved by US 1st Div and TOC 5th ARVN Div, but need final approval from Tri Tung subsector.
		Initial log entries contain hourly sit/rep, no change.
34	0855	2/14 resupply a/c rec (3) rds SA fire from vic XT495427. No hits.
38	0835	B/4/9 found in house XS673703, (1) belt w/ (2) grenades, pkg of documents, (1) Russian 7.62 carbine, (1) notebook containing all names of VC in local area, According to National Police.
39	0915	B/4/9 detained (1) individual at XS673698. Being questioned by National Police, individual's name was listed in notebook found previously.
41	1000	C/4/9 rec SA sniper fire from (1) sniper vic XS670700. Returned fire with M-79.
42	1005	Arty prep complete for 2/14. Bn started to move.
44	1030	B/4/9 loc (1) basket w/ (10) hand grenades, booby-trapped. 1 VCC captured, also military shirt w/VC flag in pocket. XT 673698.
45	1045	B/4/9 rec sniper fire SA from vic 666694. (1) sniper, neg cas. ARVN 3/50 658690 (3) VCC on run.
52	1150	C/2/14 during sweep loc unknown nbr of bunkers.
53	1155	C/4/9 loc house XS667702 w/rice. Bin booby-trapped w/hand grenade, destroyed in place. B/4/9 recd sniper fire 668695, no casualties. S/A detainee being sent to CP for questioning. B/4/9 has man w/appendicitis, being sent to CP for medical attention.
57	1310	C/2/14 destroyed (1) bunker XT485425.
58	1315	B/4/9 loc (2) M-26 grenades, VC Fatigues & medicine XS655701. Medicine being evac.
59	1316	B/2/14 destroyed (3) bicycles, (4) houses & (4) bunkers vic 485426. (1) VC engaged, took under fire, fled into jungle.
61	1325	C/4/9 destroyed (2) booby-trapped hand grenades XS662668.
62	1326	B/2/9 received ineffective sniper fire frm 673692. Engaged w/SA, AW & Arty fire. Results unk
64	1410	C/4/9 rec ineffective sniper fire XS662690, returned fire.
66	1455	C/2/14 loc 3,000 lbs Rice, (30) 100 lb bags, destroyed in place.
77	1650	A/2/14 loc 2 rice caches 800-900 lbs each at XT484425. Will destroy tomorrow.
78	1655	B/4/9 receiving light sniper fire XS660687
84	1905	At 1806 B/4/9 sustained 5 WIA from booby-traps, called dustoff. Aircraft was hit by ground fire and went down at XS655690. Crew is in aircraft, security force is enroute to downed aircraft and will secure for night. CH-47 recovery aircraft will pick up dustoff ship at light tomorrow.
87	1931	Ref item 84 Crew from downed dustoff is extracted as well as 5 WIA, downed aircraft is not secured by elem of B/4/9 Inf.
100	2131	Lightning struck tower in 4/9 area, knocked 2 men down, appear to be OK. Tower still operational. Lightning struck bunker 10 in 4/9 area and one man was injured, extent unknown at this time. (A/4/9)
104	2205	Tower in 4/9 area has been hit by lightning 4 times, it is not being manned at this time, and is not going to be manned.
107	2300	4/23 security element at laterite pit rptd fire coming from village. Fire was not directed at 4/23, position of source is unknown.
113	2400	SUMMARY: 1st Bde continues three separate Bn opns LANIKAI (4/9 Inf), KALIHI (4/23) and KAMUELA (2/14). 4/9 will continue joint ARVN S&D operation in vic XS6555690 with Co B & C and be extracted in afternoon. Co A remains Bn reaction force. 4/23 Inf will conduct airmobile assault with one company LZ, time 260715 vic 648208. 2/14 Inf continues opn KAMUELA with S&D Opns toward obj vic XT510382.

1st Brigade S-1	Casualty Reports, Officer Transfers
1st Brigade S2-S3	Daily Action reported to Brigade HQ
2/14 Bn S-3	Unit Action reported to 2/14 Battalion HQ

ITEM`	TIME	INCIDENTS, MESSAGES, ORDERS, ETC.
2	1100	Rec Cas Rept Battle KIA. Co C 2/14 Lynch, John C. CPL E4 242100 Sep 66. XT449423. Multiple GSW Chest and abdomen. EM returning to friendly bunker line was shot by friendly small arms fire.
3	1400	Rec Cas Rept Battle WIA. Co B 2/14 Galavan, Juan SSG E6 241305 Sep 66. XT483428. Hit by frag from enemy rifle grenades and small arms fire on S&D. Encountered VC outpost.
4	1400	Rec Cas Rept Battle WIA. Co B 2/14 Patton, Gary Capt 241305 Sep 66. XT483428. Hit by frag from enemy rifle grenades and small arms fire on S&D. Encountered VC outpost.
5	1400	Rec Cas Rept Battle WIA. Co B 2/14 McGrath, James SP4 E4 241305 Sep 66. XT483428. Hit by frag from enemy rifle grenades and small arms fire on S&D. Encountered VC outpost.