Daily Staff Journal  17-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 1Lt Anthony York, 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 conduct maintenance of PB Hunsley to strengthen PB defense.  Conduct 1 NCP vic PB
   B Co (-) continues Bushmaster operations in area (582297-586306-600306-600297)
   C Co (-) 1 7-ship lift PZ Patton 0730 hours C/A LZ-1 (656255), recon to and search area (658256-667256-667245-663245) with specific targets for detailed search (662255 100 meter radius), (665249 200 meter radius), PZ (668251) 1530 hours, return to FSB Patton.  One platoon occupy Venice East and tower at FSB, conduct road sweep on 7A from Trung Lap to Highway 1 0645 hours
   D Co (-) 1 7-ship lift PZ Patton 0800 hours C/A LZ-2 (651277), recon to and search area (652282-660280-658275-652275), with specific target for detailed search (657278 100 meters radius), PZ (663277) 1600 hours, return to Patton.  Conduct 2 NCPs vic FSB
   2 Co 2/49 LD 0730 hours (596204), recon to obj-11 (603200), obj-12 (601194), obj-14 (608190), obj-15 (610191), obj-17 (610206), obj-19 (604211), return to Trung Lap; obj-16 (616199), obj-18 (613206), obj-20 (606214), return to Trung Lap.  Unit splits at obj-15

02

0010

D Co recon closed Patton

03

0010

LFT released

04

0050

Shadow released

05

0100

Sitrep - negative

06

0200

Sitrep - negative

07

0225

Duffle Bag at 0218 CZ 1417 heavy, fired 12 high explosive 105mm rounds

08

0300

Sitrep - negative

09

0300

Brigade:  Curtis Chops 5C (5th ARVN Div) freq 49.65 will be in AO Dragon, Ballgame LZ 0840 hours (645797), a source will lead them to a cache.  Prep 0834 to 0839 hours at (645295 & 645298), PZ at 1600 hours

10

0400

Sitrep - negative

11

0500

Sitrep - negative

12

0505

All units new push

13

0545

Fence off  (JW)

14

0605

D Co NCP-2 breaking position, will recon area where 81mm engaged suspected VC last night

15

0635

CRIP departed on ballgame

16

0638

D Co found negative findings on sweep of area.  Ref I-14

17

0643

CRIP Juliet 13 element in position XT587204

18

0745

A Co NCP-1 closed Hunsley

19

0650

C Co NCP-3 closed Patton

20

0655

C&C ship on station

21

0700

CRIP Juliet 11 element in position XT589210

22

0700

D Co NCP-2 closed Patton

23

0700

LOH taxi (Menehune 2) on station

24

0725

C Co airborne for Patton, down green XT656255 at 0735

25

0730

Hunsley reports Hoi Chanh turned himself in at 0710.  Negative weapon

26

0742

LOH taxi (ref I-23) departed station

27

0748

2 Co 2/49 location (596204) LD

28

0755

D Co airborne from Patton at 0741, down green (651277) at 0751

29

0810

From LNO:  2 Co 2/49 location (603200)

30

0810

Issue 25 FAC aircraft on station

31

0750

[Late Entry] C Co found 2.75 rocket dud at (658256), destroyed it

32

0823

CRIP:  17 Nov NCP 1830-2130 roving patrol (608209), 18 Nov 0600-1100 CP's (588219-595320), conduct NCP 1830-2130 hours (595226) roving patrol

33

0830

A Co NCP-3 (607275) 15 US for tonight

34

0830

S-3:  112th Avn engaging 3 bunkers (1) 4x8x3, (2) 4x8x 1 1/2, (3) sleeping position 2x4x6 (672254)

35

0830

S-3:  At 0830 hours, 9 hours and 30 minutes blade hours consumed at this time

36

0830

C Co at (660255), found 3 tunnels, cooking site, fresh cut bamboo

37

0837

D Co:  Highway 7A open Trung Lap to Highway 1

38

0843

D Co location (652277)

39

0850

D Co found 4x5x8 bunker with 3 1/2 overhead cover, 1 sleeping position, 12x6x4 1/2 with 2 ft overhead cover.  Also a trail going east to west, 3-4 individuals recent use.  Found 155 canister & 6 lb rice (652277)

40

0850

A Co security patrol closed

41

0855

C Co found 2 holes with 1 1/2 ft entrance going 5 ft down, 6 ft back (660255)

42

0858

3/4 Cav 46 LST on station

43

0910

Locations:  2nd Co 2/49 (601194), D Co (655277), C Co same

44

0910

3/4 Cav 46 found 3 tunnel entrances, will engage (657280)

45

0915

Tunnel complex (645277) 2 1/2 diameter opening, down 4 ft, back 20 meters, room 6x7, 5 meters back, trap door to room 6 ft high, 15 ft in diameter, tunnel back 30 meters

46

0928

Brigade requested clearance for air strike at 1000 hours location (612312)

47

0928

LNO:  2nd Co 2/49 (613206)

48

0937

Brigade:  Sniff Box (6128-6526-6223-6025) until 1200 hours

49

0925

[Late Entry] Battalion CO:  From Hoi Chanh at Hunsley (654295), bunker location (640301), sleeping positions, three positions occupied by approximately 30 individuals

50

0931

[Late Entry] Brigade:  5th ARVN Div in AO Dragon will be Curtis Chops "Five Charlie" 4965

51

1000

Commo:  0140Z on CRIP Ballgame 17 Nov, 0145Z on CRIP 18 Nov, 0150Z on ARVN Report

52

1020

D Co found bunker complex 15 x 7 with 3 1/2 overhead cover location (655278), 7 sticks TNT, 1/2 lb rice, 1/2 lb potatoes, cooking utensils

53

1030

C Co found 1 155mm dud emptied, command detonated mine with wire to bushes, 2 bunkers 6x8 3 ft overhead cover, 15 ft long tunnel (663255), will destroy

54

1035

C Co found covered shelter 8x10, found cooking utensils, lots of clothing, tunnel 3x2x10, deep entrance 3x3, 2 bunkers 6x8x4 ft high (661251)

55

1040

D Co destroyed tunnel 4 ft deep, 30 meters in length, bunker 18x9x6 3 ft overhead cover, 12 fish, pair of pants, 5 gal vegetables

56

1044

Brigade:  Brigade Net going to alternate push

57

1045

CRIP:  All CPs closed, at (589210) 45 flags and pamphlets, at (587204) 29 flags and pamphlets

58

1130

3/4 Cav LST released

59

1135

Brigade:  (612252, 628242, 619259, 611269, 618268, 625265, 630260, 625270, 622273, 633271)

60

1144

A Co request routing dustoff for 1 US with possible kidney infection

61

1150

Locations:  C Co (663255), D Co (655277), 2 Co 2/49 (610206 & 613206)

62

1230

LNO:  2nd Co 2/49 (613206, 604211)

63

1235

Medevac 151 on station 1235, complete to 25th Med 1238

64

1245

Locations C Co (663255), D Co same location, 2nd Co 2/49 (604211) & (606214), B Co same location

65

1305

LNO:  2nd Co 2/49 closed

66

1305

C Co found 1 dud butterfly bomb (664253)

67

1315

Commo:  QSL NCP Report 0510Z

68

1320

B Co location (592307) Communists in open 900 meters northeast, 10 individuals

69

1327

B Co (592307) 10 Communists moving southwest from (592307)

70

1338

2nd Brigade Avn 6 on station

71

1349

3/4 Cav 46 on station

72

1426

C Co has recent activity location (663250)

73

1427

C Co reports Communist VC in area of (663250) using command detonated mines

74

1432

25th Avn Bn 1 on station

75

1435

3/4 Cav 46 off station to rearm

76

1435

C Co form (663250) 120 degrees at 300 meters have VC, engaging with gunship rockets

77

1521

112th Avn C&C ship on station

78

1522

25th Avn Bn 1 off station

79

1526

25th Avn Bn 1 on station LFT

80

1553

A Co kicked off on local rift

81

1554

Brigade S-3:  1 hour time extension on AMC approved

82

1600

Battalion CO:  in 5930 grid artillery claims 4 body count, 3/4 Cav and FAC claim 3 body count

83

1606

C Co 1 body count NVA, 3 boxes AK ammo, 2 hand grenades, some other items

84

1608

25th Avn Bn 1 returning to Cu Chi

85

1615

D Co airborne (655277) 1557 hours, down green Patton 1603 hours

86

1615

D Co NCP-1 (588189), 12 men, NCP-2 (576198), 12 men

87

1620

D Co closed Patton

88

1624

S-3:  Blade hours 59.15 at 1600 hours

89

1711

A Co closed Hunsley

90

1711

C Co airborne (665253), down green Patton 1718

91

1711

A Co closed

92

1718

C Co airborne (665253) 1711, down green Patton 1718

93

1735

S-3:  Heavy bunkers and tunnel complex, request air strike on (664248)

94

1737

B Co 3rd platoon (588297) NCP-4, 1st platoon (591299) NCP-5, 2nd platoon (586303) NCP-6

95

1740

S-3:  Blade hours 59.00 when on station, 69.45 at release

96

1740

S-3:  Choppers received small arms fire from (608290), Rat Pack engaging, will engage with artillery

97

1810

A Co NCP kickoff

98

1819

Brigade:  18/1400 there will be a briefing in Division TOC briefing room concerning combat activity reports.  Request the presence of operations sergeant or high-ranking NCO to be present

99

1824

ARVN APs:  595220, 584220, 592206, 596206, 588210, 586206, 590200, 594200, 582200

100

1930

AO in area of Buzzards Beak approved, however 2/14 will have troops south of Rach That That river, will be extracted between 18/0900-18/1000 hours

101

1955

D Co in preplanned NCP position

102

2020

CRIP ballgame cancelled tonight

103

2030

Readout on Chieu Hoi given to S-2

104

2200

Sitrep - negative

105

2240

SLAR 2220 HRSL (585180) 1 individual on road, negative clearance

106

2300

Sitrep - negative

107

2400

Sitrep - negative

Summary:
   C Co airlifted from Patton to 656255 at 0725 hours.  At 0730 hours A Co at Hunsley reported having a Hoi Chanh turn himself in.  D Co heliborned from Patton to 656299 at 0755 hours.  112th Avn engaged bunkers at 672254.  At 660255 C Co found tunnels and personal gear.  D Co found a bunker at 0850 hours with food and personal equipment vic 652277.  At 645277 another tunnel complex was discovered, this one was extensive.  At 655278 D Co found bunkers and foot with demo.
   C Co found a command detonated mine and bunkers vic 663255.  D Co destroyed bunkers vic 661251.  B Co sighted 9 enemy vic 592307 at 1320 hours, artillery as employed and 5 were killed.  At 1427 hours C Co reported being engaged by command detonated mines, vic 663250.  C Co got 1 body count NVA, 3 boxes of AK ammo, 2 hand grenades at 1606 hours.  D Co returned to Patton from 655277 at 1603 hours.  C Co form 625253 returned to Patton at 1718 hours.
   Air strikes were requested for bunkers vic 664248.  Choppers received ground fire from 608290 at 1740 hours.