Headquarters and Headquarters Company
September 18, 1968
Forward Area: 1-20 Infantry Headquarters is located at LZ Chevy and will continued to work with ARVN units and Special Forces units in their Area of Operations. The 1-20 Infantry begins their part in Operation CHAMPAIGN GROVE and OPCON to Task Force GALLOWAY.
Rear Area: Battalion Rear continued their Mission of general support for the battalion and continued their Security Mission for LZ Bronco. At 2019hrs Delta Company OP west of Night Defense Position heard movement coming from east fired claymore and movement west back west, fired M-79 with negative assessment a grid BS417742 and Medic SP4 GARY LEE BROWNING LISTED AS KIA (See Delta Company).
Alpha Company
September 18, 1968
1-20 Infantry at 0120hrs vicinity BS349709 a Listing Post received 2 burst of automatic weapons fire resulting in 2 WHA. The Listing Post is pulled back into the Delta Company perimeter at first light Alpha, Bravo, and Delta Companies will conducted a Recon in Force, southwest to the built up area in the valley. Charlie Company and Recon Platoon conducted a Combat Assault to BS323702 the swept southeast toward the Valley. At 0730hrs vicinity BS348708 Delta Company engaged two evading NVA at 100 meters resulting 2 NVA KIA and 1 AK-47 CIA. At 1255hrs vicinity BS352691, Alpha Company received automatic weapons fire resulting in 3 WHA. Fire was returned but the enemy broke contact. At 1336hrs vicinity BS335702 the Recon Platoon found a tunnel, heard voices and threw in grenades resulting of 1 NVA KIA. All units continued to coverage and search toward the build up area in the valley. At 1421hrs vicinity BS351701, Delta Company received mortar and automatic weapons fire resulting in 2 US WHA fire was returned but the enemy broke off contact. At 1445hrs vicinity BS358692, The point man of Alpha Company was wounded and contact was made with an unknown size enemy force. Fire was returned and artillery called. The contact continued until dark when the enemy broke contact and withdrew. Darkness prevented assessment of enemy losses and Alpha Company set up their Night Defense Position. Alpha Company results were 3 KHA and 6 WHA. In the meantime, Delta Company continued to sweep toward the valley hoping to get into position to aid Alpha Company. At 1605hrs vicinity BS350695, Delta Company received heavy small arms fire and automatic weapons fire from an unknown size enemy force well dug in along the base of the hills on the eastern side of the valley. Fire was returned and maximum use made of supporting fires. The enemy again broke contact during darkness and Delta Company held in position for further exploitation at daylight. Delta Company losses were US 10 KIA and 19 WHA four of the KHA could not be recovered at this time. Darkness prevented enemy assessment. Alpha Company reports losses for the day 3 KHA, 1LT RAYMOND JAMES ENNERS, SGT GILBERT MERILL MAESTAS, AND SGT KERMIT LOUIS WILLIAMS LISTED AS KHA. SGT Alfred H. Matheson, SGT Frederick Ragland where attached to the 2nd Surgical Hospital. PFC Joseph Scott was evac to 27th Surgical Hospital. Kenneth L. Watson was attached to the 27th Surgical Hospital with gunshot wounds at 1300hrs on September 19, 1968.
Bravo Company
September 18, 1968
At first light Alpha, Bravo, and Delta Companies 1-20 Infantry conducted a recon in force southwest to the build up area in the valley vicinity BS3467. Charlie Company and Recon platoon conducted a Combat Assault to BS323702 then swept to the Southeast toward the valley. Alpha and Delta Companies had heavy contact most of the day.
Charlie Company
September 18, 1968
As Alpha, Bravo, and Delta Company conducted a Recon in force southwest to the build up area in the valley vicinity BS3467. Charlie Company and Recon conducted a Combat Assault to BS323702 and then swept southeast toward the valley. At 1355hrs Charlie Company engaged 1 NVA evading results 1 NVA KIA wearing green uniform with pistol belt and 2 VC ponchos.
Delta Company
September 18, 1968
At 0420hrs Delta Company Listening Post received 2 burst of Automatic weapons fire resulting in 2 WHA (M) and Listen Post pulled back into Delta Company perimeter, at first light Alpha, Bravo, and Delta Companies conducted a Recon in Force Southwest into the built up area in the valley vicinity BS3467. 0730hrs in vicinity BS348708 Delta Company engaged two evading NVA at 100 meters resulting in 2 NVA and 1 AK-47 CIA. At 1421hrs in vicinity BS351701, Delta Company received mortar and Automatic weapons fire resulting in 2 US WHA. Fire was returned, but enemy had broken contact. At 1445hrs vicinity BS350695, the point man of Alpha Company was wounded and contact was made with an unknown size enemy force in the meantime, Delta Company continued to sweep toward the valley to support Alpha Company. At 1605hrs vicinity BS3500695, Delta Company received heavy Small Arms and Automatic weapons from an unknown size enemy force well dug in along the base of the hills on the eastern side of the valley. Fire was returned and maximum use made of supporting fires as heavy contact continued. The enemy had broke contact during darkness and Delta Company held in position for further exploitation at daylight. US losses were 10 KHA and 19 WHA and darkness prevented enemy assessment. KHA SP4 GARY LEE BROWNING (Medic Headquarter Company) - CPL. GILFORD FRANK DASHNER-SSGT JOHN FRANCIS DOWNEY JR. - SSGT CHARLES LLOYD FREEMAN- CPL. JAMES OMER FRYMAN- 1LT. ROBERT LAWRENCE JANOWITZ- 1LT. ALFRED M. SCHROEDER JR.- SGT.JB SPEARMON- and SSGT. DONALD EUGENE TURNER- LISTED AS KHA also PFC. JAMES P. CONCANNON died on 9-21-68 from wounds (Delta Company). The WHA, Purple Hearts issued that day: Cpt. Harold C. Maxson III, SSG Timothy Coleman, SSG Jeffery G. Colvin, Sgt Otto W. Aue, Sgt Elbert E. Dickey, SP4 Johnny R. Arias, Sp4 Norman I Cerulli, Sp4 Gary F. Jackson, Sp4 James Jones, PFC Roy S. Alires, PFC Carl A. Houck, PFC Donald J. Timmermann, PFC Earl H. Waldvogel, PFC Arlow Wilson, PFC Hilton E. Woolsey, PFC Raymond E. Harvey, PFC Ronald C. Bliss. (Delta Company) PFC Conley Hanson along with one more (C Battery 6-11 Artillery). Delta Company reports that day at 2245hrs on September 17. James P. Concannon with Frag wounds to the 27th Surgical Hospital. PFC Ronald Bliss at 0800hrs with gunshot wound to the 27th Surgical Hospital, PFC Raymond E, Harvey at 1421hrs was injured to 27th Surgical Hospital, PFC Rudolph Mack at 1715hrs gunshot wound and PFC Kay L Perry with injured where evac to 2nd Surgical Hospital. At 1821hrs SP4 Terry S. Morse with gunshot wound was evac to the 2nd Surgical Hospital and then at 1930hrs PVT Willie W. Wells and PVT Doyle L. Oliver with gunshot wound where evac to the 2nd Surgical Hospital. At 2245hrs SP4 Dale W. Miller was injured and evac to the 2nd Surgical Hospital and SP4 Sammy Pace Jr. was injured and sent to 27th Surgical Hospital.
Echo Company
September 18, 1968
Echo Company is located at LZ Chevy where Battalion Forward is and coordinates with the Battalion Rear Elements and Base Defense elements on LZ Chevy. The 4.2 Platoon is located on LZ Chevy where they continue to provide direct fire support for the (1-20 Infantry Battalion). Recon Platoon is working with Battalion and Valley Force See Battalion Forward and Charlie Company for more details.