Headquarters and Headquarter Company
August 1, 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 1055hrs Helix 34 is putting in Air Strike at grid BS702435. At 1706hrs AJAXS: Alpha Company 88, Bravo Company 71, Charlie Company 79, Delta Stand Down, Recon 17, and 4.2 19.
Battalion Rear: Battalion Rear continued their Mission for providing general support for the Battalion.
Alpha Company
August 1, 1969
Alpha Company will continue their Security Mission for LZ Liz.
Bravo Company
August 1, 1969
At 0050hrs Bravo Company moving out at this time and at 0136hrs closed on their Night Defense Position at BS817458. At 0707hrs Bravo Company locations 21 is at BS811451 and 91 at BS822461 and Night Defense Position will be at BS805440 and at 0940hrs Bravo Company on the move to their Night Defense Position. At 1140hrs Bravo Company at BS797449 Urgent Dust Off, Request 1 US heat casualty cramps, vomiting, etc. name Tyler completed at 1151hrs and closed on Day Logger at BS799462 at 1225hrs. At 1525hrs Bravo Company plans Night Defense Position at BS800465, snake 95 at BS803465 and 96 at BS7914677. Tomorrow we will be moving to grid BS810460, sending our cloverleaf patrols from this location. At 1930hrs Bravo Company is moving out at this time, and at 2030hrs all snakes are in position.
INCIDENT -
This is an account of the actions in Bravo Company during the period 31 July 1969 to 2 August 1969:
1830hrs (Approximately) CPT Harris called and asked permission to remain on the beach to rest. He reported 16 men sick of stomach ache, cramps etc. He requested to remain in his day logger for the night and the next day. CPT Harris received an order from Major Boozer (S-3) to continue the mission assigned to him and to request medical evacuation for those personnel who required it.
2020hrs CPT Harris : Put out the order to my leaders to move and no unit will move talked with each man and only one or two said they would move with me. They are afraid of booby traps and the dark. LTC Wilson: Put out the word that you will rest tomorrow and the doctor will be there to check your people. It is now 2025hrs. Start your movement to your Night Defense Position by 2045hrs Take care of the sick in the Night Defense Position and evacuate any emergency cases. Report the condition of your unit after reaching logger site.
2032hrs: Message from Bravo Company we have one man passed out, stomach cramps and fever of 102.5. The medic says that if he is kept warm he will not require a medieval, but if we move he much be evacuated. LTC Wilson ordered tactical Urgent medieval.
2055hrs: Dust Off Ship picked medical supplies for Bravo Company. The Battalion Surgeon (CPT Calidieno) talked to head medic in Bravo Company and give him instruction on how to care for the patients.
2105hrs: Dust Off Dropped Off medical supplies for Bravo Company and picked up two people from Bravo Company.
2126hrs: LT Harris: LT Sabo and SGT Cady are only leaders who will go with me. SGT Linker and SGT McKissic will not go. None of the EM will go, in any platoon.
What is the problem SGT McKissic? Response they refused to move. They are afraid of snipers and booby traps. If they don’t move, I won’t go either. Why won’t your platoon move, SGT Linker? Response SGT Linker: The men will not go across the berm. I will not leave the platoon and the platoon will not go with me. LTC Colonel Wilson: What is the physical condition of your Company? CPT Harris Response: They are tired, but not too tired to move. Every man can move some aren’t feeling well mental and psychological sickness. They just have not been forced to move previously, they are capable of moving.
2145hrs: LTC Wilson: Move off the beach through the pines into any Night Defense Position west of the pines. At 2200hrs report proposed Night Defense site and that you are ready to move. Move those personnel who will move with you at 2200hrs.CPT Harris: Roger.
2158hrs: CPT Harris: Still only two element leaders will move. LTC Wilson: Start your movement and report who moves with you.
2207hrs: CPT Harris: LT Sabo, SSGT Linker, SSGT Cady and SGT Sauter are the only ones that will move. SGT Bone is the senior man, who wills no move. LTC Wilson: SGT Bone are you in charge of the men who stayed behind. SGT Bone: The people just don’t want to move.
2226hrs: LTC Wilson: briefed Colonel Treadwell on situation and requested Brigade Command and Control Helicopter to go to the area.
2340hrs: LTC Wilson landed in the Bravo Company area with SGM Manfredi, 1LT Kurtzman, and SP4 Thompson RTO. He took over the company and gave the order to move. After personal persuasion by LTC Wilson and direction of movement by SGM Manfredi the unit did move off the beach to a Night Defense Position site, remainder of night without incident.
011630hrs: LTC Wilson, CPT Harris, SGM Manfredi, SP4 Thompson picked up from field and returned to LZ Liz. LT Kurtzman remained in charge of the company.
010630hrs: The NCO’s from Bravo Company were picked up from the field and will be reassigned and inserted at this time. Additionally LT Jones was assigned to Bravo Company from Charlie Company. The following is a list of personnel changes: Transfer of NCO’s Bravo 1-20 Infantry
PSGT Leonard Sartor B 1-20 Infantry TO A 3-1
Infantry
SSGT Bruce Cady B 1-20 Infantry TO D 3-1 Infantry
SSGT Melvin Bone B 1-20 Infantry TO D 1-20 Infantry
SGT John Norht B 1-20 Infantry TO B 3-1 Infantry
SGT Robert McKissic B 1-20 Infantry TO A 1-20 Infantry
SGT Wilfred Primean B 1-20 Infantry TO C 1-20 Infantry
SSGT John Krasnitski B 1-20 Infantry TO C 4-21 Infantry
SGT William Sylvester B 1-20 Infantry TO C 4-3 Infantry
SGT Larry S. Supezinski B 1-20 Infantry TO A 4-21 Infantry
SSGT Alvin G. Linker B 1-20 Infantry TO D 4-3 Infantry
1LT (PSGT) Abe Lochart 3-1 Infantry TO B 1-20 Infantry
SGT Steven J. Armstrong C 4-3 Infantry TO B 1-20 Infantry
SGT Thomas E. Dodds B 3-1 Infantry TO B 1-20 Infantry
SGT David T. Jones 3-1 Infantry TO B 1-20 Infantry
SGT John B Thompson 4-3 Infantry TO B 1-20 Infantry
SSGT Daniel E. Wills 4-21 Infantry TO B 1-20 Infantry
Charlie Company
August 1, 1969
At 0955hrs Charlie Company location BS861371 all elements. Then the 91 element is moving to grid BS850370, and the 51 element moving to grid BS862360. At 1900hrs Charlie Company leaving Day Logger our 22 snake will remain as their snake location. At 1921hrs Charlie Company moved into their Night Defense Position site at BS859378 with the 21 snake at BS857371 and the snake 22 at BS860379.
Delta Company
August 1, 1969
Delta Company is on their Stand Down.
Echo Company
August 1, 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 0700hrs 4.2 Platoon report DT 1, Schedule Missions 4 total expend: 25 HE 2 WP rounds. Echo Company Headquarters has the responsibility for Base Defense coordination. At 0957hrs Recon Platoon Combat Assault 1st PZ 0957hrs and LZ 1005hrs including PRU’s at BS812428. At 1500hrs Recon vicinity BS811428 detained 1 male 28 years old member of Farmers Association, no ID. 1 female 35 years old member of Woman Association no ID, 1 male 67 years old, 1 female 25 years old, no ID card and one 1 female 46 years old.