Headquarters and Headquarter Company
September 16, 1969
Battalion Forward: 1-20 Infantry Headquarters is located at LZ Liz and continued their working with the ARVN units in their Area of Operations. At 0625hrs 1-20 Infantry Command Message given to all units (Rear would not answer Land line or radio.) to all Companies and Rear Area. At 0725hrs Warlord at BS768426 the little bird spotted fresh digging, just north of highway and east of railroad possible mine and at BS789421 they have one military age male snatch, taken to Duc Pho. At 1030hrs 1-20 Infantry LZ Liz Urgent Dust Off requested 1 female Vietnamese leg blown off from friendly fire, complete at 1042hrs. At 1227hrs Warlord at grid BS681435 through BS681438 there is a base camp on that line. There are 12 hootches and several bunkers able to destroyed 2 hootches and two bunkers and at grid BS687434 received AK fire. At grid BS685435 another small base camp, it contains 1 concrete bunker and four other bunkers. At 1350hrs 1-20 Infantry conducts Combat Assault with Alpha Company 1st PZ 1248hrs and Last LZ 1345hrs and Sharks received fire on the 1st PZ putting Alpha Company in to support Charlie Company. At 1700hrs Helix 33 Air Strike into BS816439, Helix 33 Bomb Damage Assessment 25 to 30 hootches destroyed, tree lines destroyed.
Battalion Rear: Battalion Rear continued their Mission for providing general support for the (1-20 Infantry) Battalion. At 2040hrs LZ Bronco Target detection at 2035hrs picked up at BS80053338 and unknown amount of personnel (just body heat) engaged with 14 rounds of Artillery 105mm HE.
Alpha Company
September 16, 1969
At 1125hrs Alpha Company reports all elements closed, back haul completed and troops are broken down waiting for ships for Combat Assault into Charlie Company area. Alpha Company conducts Combat Assault 1st PZ at 1245hrs and last LZ at 1345hrs, sharks received fire on first PZ. At 1345hrs Alpha Company reports on 1st LZ gun ships took fire from south of LZ also gun ships received fire over the LZ. Combat Assault of Alpha Company to grid BS692423 1st LZ at 1248hrs cold, 1st LZ 1306hrs hot, 2nd PZ 1312hrs hot and 2nd LZ cold, 3rd PZ 1335hrs cold, 3rd LZ 1345hrs cold. At 1400hrs Alpha Company located at BS693423 and at 1655hrs Alpha Company at BS692427 requested Urgent Dust Off 1 US pack possible broken back, climbing up the mountain fell and landed on his back, pick up site at BS689429 Dust Off completed at 1720hrs Ruffin (possible PFC Harold A. Ruffin). At 1730hrs Alpha Company our present location is BS689429 and we are starting to move again. At 1823hrs Alpha Company just received 6 incoming mortar rounds 82mm mortar. At 1920hrs Alpha Company at BS691435 and Charlie Company received 8 rounds of 82mm mortar with negative casualties or damage with Alpha Company received 5 rounds of 82mm with negative casualty or damage enemy grids BS685436 and BS687438 Warlords on station.
Bravo Company
September 16, 1969
At 0615hrs Bravo Company reports the 24 snake is closing at this time. Bravo Company continued their Security Mission for LZ Liz. At 1945hrs Bravo Company 44 element snake is now leaving perimeter.
Charlie Company
September 16, 1969
At 0615hrs Charlie Company 43 is moving back at this time and at 0700hrs the 43 and 26 element has closed on our location. At 0810hrs Charlie Company is located at BS691438 and at 0910hrs Initial Contact Report: As Charlie Company moved out to secure LZ 73 element which was point element received sniper fire from west about 50 meters away. At this time know of one sniper dress in blue uniform with an AK 47 resulting in one US WHA head wound by small arms fire. At 0930hrs at 69, 14, 38 Charlie Company is in a horseshoe ambush results 1 US KHA and 5 US WHA, Dust Off completed at 1015hrs. At 1015hrs Charlie Company Urgent Dust Off for 3 US wounded, unknown extent of injuries at this time, will require a sling for extraction also have 3 US KIA Dust Off, will not be able to take them out, completed at 1100hrs. At 1155hrs Charlie Company found Base Camp at BS691439, small arms fire from Bunkers in this Base Camp. At 1200hrs Charlie Company reports KIA and wounded from morning contact Willis Line # 522 KIA Pease, # 543 KIA Wilson #632 KIA, Van Huss #534 can’t hear too near explosion, Griesman #431 severe head wound, Fox 73 element medic sever head wound, Hanson # 570 light head wound, O’Doud # 555 arm wound. At 1235hrs Charlie Company broken contact at 1230hrs at BS681439 Warlords received AK fire from BS687434, and BS685435. Spotted another small base camp one appears to be a cement bunker and 4 other Bunkers. At 1450hrs in reference spot Report on 15 Sept they reported that the NVA POW died on the 16 September. Alpha and Charlie Company at 1830hrs at BS691435 and BS689429 Warlords on station Charlie Company received 6 rounds of 82mm mortar with negative casualties or damage. Enemy grid at BS685436 and BS687438 is reported to Warlords. At 1805hrs Charlie Company SN # on AK47 captured by Charlie Company is 11069503. At 1930hrs Charlie Company Night Defense Location Position is located at BS687433 and Alpha Night Defense Position is at BS693436. CPL KENNETH WAYNE PEASE, 1LT ROBSON WARD WILLS, SGT WILLARD EUGENE WILSON, IS LISTED AS KHA. Charlie Company reports that SGT Kenneth Griesman, PFC William D. Dugan , PFC Fredic D, Hanson, and PFC George Suhanovsky where evac to the 91st Evac Hospital. (I believe SP4 Patrick T. O’Dowd and medic James E. Fox from Headquarters Company where evac).
Delta Company
September 16, 1969
Delta Company continued their Security Mission for LZ Snoopy. SP4 Clinton D. Hall was evac to 91st Evac Hospital. At 0550hrs Delta Company 43 back to the Night Defense Position and at 0600hrs Delta 24 is back at Southern Bridge site. For Delta Company elements 43 and 24 Operations See Echo Company September 1969.
Echo Company
September 16, 1969
Echo Company headquarters and 4.2 Mortar Platoon is location on LZ Liz, where the 4.2 Platoon providing direct fire support for the Battalion. At 0600hrs 4.2 Platoon Schedule Mission 10, Observer Missions 5 and Unobserved Mission 1 with total expended at 77 HE, 1 WP and 1 Illumination rounds. Echo Company Headquarters has the responsibility for Base Defense. At 0800hrs Recon Platoon reports their Day Logger at BS789416. At 0932hrs Alpha Company 73 and 43 elements is now moving out on today’s patrol. At 1300hrs Recon Platoon Delta Company 43 element has snake at grid BS778448 with 6 little people. Also 5 packs and Delta 24 element will stay at Southern Bridge at BS789416 for September 17, 1969. Recon will conduct Recon in Force operation to day logger at grid BS777444. Delta 43 will remain at BS772462 and Delta 24 with Day Logger at BS789416. At 1925hrs Recon the Bravo Company 47 and Delta 43 and my element are moving out for our snake locations. At 2100hrs Recon Platoon reports their night locations Recon BS798402, 43 at BS778448, 47 at BS778407 and 24, Command Post at BS789416.