Daily Staff Journal  14-Nov-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 Courtney Rittgers, S3 Maj. Dexter Branscome, S3 Air Cpt Thomas Waldera, S1 Cpt Anthony Barone, S2 Cpt William Branch, S4 Cpt Robert Scheifele, S5 Michael Collier

Locations:  FSB Patton XT583194, PB Hunsley XT596270, Venice East XT577183, Trung Lap XT593214.

Ballgame:
   A Co (-) 2 4-ship lifts PZ Hunsley 1st lift 0730 hours, 2nd lift 0745 hours, C/A (572274), search area (574270-574277-577277-580271).  On order, recon to (582267), (592269), return to PB.  Conduct one NCP (Note:  RRF 140600 to 150600)
   B Co off stand down, depart Cu Chi 1200 hours to FSB Patton, 1400 hours one platoon recon to obj-1 (591203) to search area (599194-602194-602193-605192-605190-599192), return to FSB.  Conduct 2 NCPs vicinity FSB Patton.
   C Co (-) depart Patton 0730 hours by truck to Trung Lap, LD 0830 hours (595219), recon to obj-1 (612217), move to search area (620214-620220-627223-630217), return to Trung Lap, truck to Patton.  One platoon occupy Venice East and tower at Patton, conduct road sweep on Highway 7A from Trung Lap to Highway 1 0645 hours.
   D Co OpCon to 3/4 Cav.
   3 Co 2/49 (-) depart Trung Lap 0830 hours LD (595219) recon to obj-1 (612267), obj-2 (619227), obj-3 (616236), obj-4 (606240), obj-5 (605233), obj-6 (600226), 9bj-7 (601222), return to Trung Lap.
   1 Co 2/49 LD 0700 hours (599205), recon to obj-11 (604200), obj-12 (602194), obj-13 (609189), obj-14 (613196), obj-15 (613205), return to Trung Lap

02

0030

Brigade:  Agent report from 1st Div.  8-12 Nov.  Unit Organization Section of the Information Center of the South Vietnamese Temporary Government.  SR-1.  Location: XT615291.  Strength: 20 cadre, 35 recently.  Weapons:  small arms, automatic weapons and RPGs.  Mission:  To report activity on US troop withdrawal.  How the unit acts prior to withdrawal, and to spread propaganda.

03

0100

Sitrep - negative

04

0200

Sitrep - negative

05

0300

Sitrep - negative

06

0400

Sitrep - negative

07

0500

Sitrep - negative

08

0515

Fence turned off (WHI)

09

0625

CRIP kicked off for CP's

10

0630

A Co NCP breakdown

11

0636

A Co NCP closed

12

0645

C Co NCP breakdown

13

0655

116th Avn Bn 3 on station for C&C ship

14

0655

CRIP:  Both CP's in position at scheduled CP sites.  (588220, 586226)

15

0702

A Co NCP-1 location (590274) 15 individuals

16

0706

C Co NCP closed

17

0707

C Co road sweeps kicked off

18

0740

Brigade:  AO Lobo given to 25th Avn Bn for free fire zone until 1800 hours

19

0748

A Co 1st lift airborne Hunsley 0734 hours, down green 572274 0736 hours.  2nd lift airborne Hunsley 0740 hours, down green (572274) 0748 hours

20

0754

116th Avn Bn has a 3 body count at 604289

21

0754

C Co kicked off on ballgame

22

0802

S-3:  At 0800 hours 5 blade hours consumed, AMC released

23

0802

S-3:  Further information on 3 body count (Ref item 20), wearing black shorts, green shirts, cooking breakfast, destroyed a bunker and uncovered several packs

24

0810

C Co highway 7A open Trung Lap to highway

25

0825

1st Co 2/49 location (599205)

26

0830

C Co & 3rd Co 2/49 kicked off from LD

27

0842

A Co location (574274)

28

0845

A Co request 6 cratering charges

29

0900

Brigade:  Requested clearance for air strikes at (630300, 645290, 648280) 141000 hours, Cleared

30

0911

1st Co 2/49 location (602194)

31

0925

S-3:  Col. Whitehead arrived at Patton

32

0929

Unit Locations:  A Co (574274), C Co (610217), 3rd Co 2/49 (612217)

33

0930

2nd Brigade Avn 6 03 minutes out for VR

34

0948

3rd Co 2/49 location (619227)

35

0955

1st Co 2/49 location (609189)

36

0955

Brigade:  Sniff mission until 1200 hours (6128-6128-6425-6428)

37

0955

3rd Co 2/49 location (619227) found spilled rice and tracks showing 1 squad VC moving northwest in last few hours

38

1009

3rd Co 2/49 spotted 1 VC moving north from (616236)

39

1026

Locations:  A Co (574274), C Co (622218), 1st Co 2/49 (609189), 3rd Co 2/49 (616236)

40

1102

CRIP:  13 Nov conducted 3 CP's, negative results, also conducted 1 NCP, negative results

41

1115

CRIP:  13 Nov passed out 4 flags & pamphlets (601214), 2 flags (595222)

42

1115

CRIP:  Passed out 48 flags and destroyed 5 lb salt and 5 lb rice at (587227), passed out 62 flags at XT588221

43

1119

C Co found 82mm booby-trap, very old, trip wire with smoke fuze parallel to trail (625220)

44

1140

Unit Locations:  A Co closed, C Co (628221), CRIP closed, others same as last

45

1152

C Co found 1 bunker complex (624217), 1 M-16 with wooden stock

46

1211

3rd Co 2/49 location (606240)

47

1222

1st Co 2/49 location (613196)

48

1230

C Co location (621219)

49

1231

Received 3 confidential messages:  1) Subject: Reduction in 105mm howitzer ASR, cite X-110065C, 2) Subject: Rules of Engagement cite X-11-066C, 3) Subject:  Agent Report (u) cite X-11-067C

50

1335

Locations:  C Co (598218), 1st Co 2/49 (613205), 3rd Co 2/49 (605233)

51

1340

Brigade:  Requested clearance for air strike at location (583292) between 1300 & 1600 hours.  Cleared

52

1342

2nd Brigade Avn 1 on station for taxi

53

1343

B Co kicked off ballgame

54

1343

Locations:  1st Co 2/49 (613205), 3rd Co 2/49 (601225)

55

1401

3rd Co 2/49 (600226)

56

1416

C Co closing Patton

57

1440

B Co closed Patton 1245 hours, NCP sites APJ-1 (592191) 12 men, APB-1 (585189) 12 men

58

1505

3rd Co 2/49 location (601222)

59

1544

LNO:  All ARVNs closed

60

1610

2nd Brigade Avn 1 off station

61

1625

Brigade:  Requested clearance for air strike (615208) VC in open.  Cleared.  Also 116th Avn have 2 body count

62

1635

Brigade:  Requested clearance for air strike (615300) ASAP, approved

63

1643

B Co location (594196)

64

1710

LNO:  2/49 APs 595220, 587215, 598201, 590210, 594210. 585207, 588207, 590202, 594207, 594200

65

1720

2nd Brigade Avn 1 departed station

66

1728

Brigade:  Weather report of severe thunderstorms

67

1730

B Co cleared wire

68

1810

Issue 25 departing station, confirmed 5 body count with 2 or 3 possible body count in grid (615308)

69

1820

AO 5th ARVN Div - AO Drag DTG 170700 to 171800 (633310-623390-668296 north bounding Saigon River) approved by LTC Crutchley

70

1840

Little Bear 28 on station to deliver radar to Hunsley

71

1850

Patton receiving incoming at this time.  3 rounds 75mm outside the wire, negative casualties.  Came from 74 degrees

72

1910

Hunsley at 1909 received 4 rounds of 82mm, 1 inside the wire, 3 outside, request dustoff for 2 litters, one ambulatory.  Dustoff 153 complete at 1935 to 12th Evac.  Counter-mortar was employed

73

1940

Radar Trung Lap 1935 hours (611230) picked up 2-3 individuals moving south, fired 26 high explosive 105mm rounds

74

1950

S-1 notified of WIA

75

2000

1/5 Radar (563197) picked up 10 individuals fired 26 rounds 105mm high explosive

76

2010

CRIP NCP cancelled

77

2015

A Co NCP in position

78

2015

Radar Trung Lap 1947 hours (557260) picked up 4-5 individuals moving south, fired 36 rounds high explosive 105mm.  2000 hours (557269) picked up 4-5 individuals moving south, fired 6 rounds high explosive 105mm.  2013 hours (565195) picked up 6-8 stationary individuals fired 14 rounds high explosive 105mm

79

2045

Shadow to work (565197)

80

2105

Readout from S-1 on WIA:  Martin, released; Haraguchi, leg wound in 12th Evac.  Both in good condition

81

2200

Sitrep - negative

82

2145

[Late Entry]  New Brigade AO will go into effect 150600

83

2201

AO request for 2/49 150600 to 151800 (577185-550200-550222-570222-585199)  3rd 2/49 0700 LD (579195), recon obj-A (568203), obj-B (561208), obj-C (555212), obj-D (560219), split one element move to obj-E (567217), obj-H (575210), RD (583197), one element to obj-F (565212), obj-G (570208), RP (583197), return to Trung Lap.  AO 1/5 disapproved.  AO 2/12 Approved

84

2225

Radar Hunsley (586277) picked up 1-2 individuals moving northwest, fired 5 rounds high explosive 81mm

85

2300

Sitrep - negative

86

2310

Radar Trung Lap (559138) picked up 3-4 individuals moving southeast, fired 6 rounds high explosive 105mm

87

2400

Sitrep - negative

88

2400

Summary:
   A Co heliborned from Hunsley at 0734 hours to grid (572274).  116th Avn killed 3 VC at 0754 hours location (604289), a bunker was destroyed and several packs were uncovered.  At 0925 hours Col. Whitehead arrived at Patton.  At 0935 hours 3 Co 2/49 found rice and tracks at (619227).  One VC was spotted at (616236).
   C Co found an 82mm booby-trap at 625220 at 1152 hours C Co found a bunker complex at (624217) and an M-16 with a wooden stock.
   At 1625 hours 116th Avn killed 2 VC at (615308).  An air strike was directed into the area.  A FAC aircraft confirmed 5 body count with a possible 2 or 3 more kills.
   At 1850 Patton received 3 75mm recoilless rifle rounds fired from 74-degree azimuth that impacted outside the wire.  There were no casualties.  At 1909 hours Hunsley received 4 82mm rounds, one impacted in the patrol base.  They were fired from a 145-degree azimuth from 800 meters out.  Three WIA required dustoff.  Two were litter with leg wounds, now reported in good condition at the 12th Evac.  The other WIA was treated and released.

89

2400

Log closed