Headquarters and Headquarter Company
January 20, 1970
Forward Area: 1-20 Infantry Headquarters is located at LZ Liz and will continued to work with ARVN units in their Area of Operations. At 0120hrs Radar sighted 3 to 5 personnel at grid BS785492, we engaged with Artillery 105mm. At 0325hrs Radar sighted 4 to 5 stationary personnel at grid BS766423 and we engaged with 4.2 Mortar and expended 6 HE. At 0555hrs Radar sighted 7 to 8 stationary personnel at grid BS76624226 we engaged with 4.2 mortar rounds and expended 25 HE. At 0900hrs Helix (FAC) 37 at grid BS735473 we spotted what looks like an entrance to a tunnel. At 1126hrs 1-20 Infantry the Brigade Commander arrived at LZ Liz and was briefed and left at 1140hrs. At 1430hrs 1-20 the Assistant Division Commander arrived at LZ Liz was briefed by the Battalion Commander, left at 1445hrs. At 1438hrs Brigade LT General Nickerson will be arriving in the Mo Duc area on 23 January 1970, he is the Commanding General of the 3rd Marine Amphibious. His schedule of appearances will be 1010hrs-1030hrs en route to Mo Duc, 1050hrs to 1055hrs en route to Bravo Company 1-20, 1055hrs-1110hrs inspect the pacification program at Bravo Company sight and at 1110hrs depart. Message received at 201438hrs January 1970 from CPT Saffold. At 1535hrs Warlord Lead is on station. At 1607hrs Radar sighted 8 to 10 personnel but negative clearance was given at grid BS72524778. At 1707hrs IOS spotted 10 to 15 personnel moving with weapons and packs at grid BS738403, we fired artillery from LZ Liz and LZ Bronco. At 1925hrs Radar sighted 10 to 15 personnel in the open we fired 8" on the target at BS739375. At 2020hrs Radar sighted 8 to 10 people (2 groups) at grid BS745443, we engaged with 4.2 mortar rounds with 9 HE were expended. At 2115hrs Radar sighted 4 to 5 personnel moving west at grid BS738458, we engaged with 9 HE rounds of 4.2 mortar. At 2225hrs Radar sighted 6 to 8 personnel at grid BS748446 we expended 10 HE rounds and 2 fire-cracker rounds of Artillery 155mm. At 2230hrs IOS sighted 5 lights to the northwest at BS740414, negative clearance given and Radar sighted 6 to 8 personnel at grid BS748446, we engaged with 9 HE rounds of 4.2 Mortar.
Rear Area: Battalion Rear continued their Mission of general support for the battalion and continued their Security Mission for LZ Bronco.
Alpha Company
January 20, 1970
Alpha Company continued their Security Mission for LZ Liz. At 0629hrs Alpha Company reports the 86 snake has closed on LZ Liz. At 0806hrs Alpha Company 96 Recon in force is moving to BS766423. At 1952 Alpha Company the 93 element has closed on LZ Liz. At 1900hrs Alpha Company the 93 snake is at BS742431, the 53 snake is moving to BS763435, the 94 snake is moving to BS770439 and the 84 snake is moving to BS773443 and all closed by 1931hrs.
Bravo Company
January 20, 1970
At 0707hrs Bravo Company snakes closed, 55 on BS787424, the 56 snake on the South Bridge and the 85 element on the North Bridge. At 0723hrs Bravo Company reports the 94 is moving to BS799425 and the 83 element is moving to BS774443. At 1835hrs Bravo Company the 83 with the PF picked up 4 female detainees, 1 35 years of age, the others range in age from 17 to 20 years. 1 of the detainees has a gun shot wound of the leg, which was the result of trying to evade. The wounded detainee had an ID card but the other 3 did not, the WIA was dusted off and the other 3 will be taken back to Bravo Company. At 1103hrs Bravo Company the 51 and 91 elements have closed. The 83 element has closed on checkpoint 3 at BS751448. At 1725hrs Bravo Company at grid BS756447 we spotted 2 VC and each had a AK-47. The 82 element will sweep BS756448, and we will be moving out at 1700hrs. At 1950hrs Bravo Company 84 element picked up 1 Vietnamese female detainee, about 20 years old. The PF say her father is VC. She will be turned over to MACV.
Charlie Company
January 20, 1970
At 0708hrs Charlie Company the 81, 55 and 83 snakes have closed on BS717466. At 0850hrs Charlie Company we need a Routine Dust Off for one US with an infected toe (I believe SP4 Thomas J. Munley). He is unable to keep up with the element, Name Munley, Line # 058 grid BS717466, complete at 0940hrs. At 1107 Charlie Company is at BS712468 at 1215hrs we request a priority Dust Off for one US who cut his wrist with a machete. Name Dunn Line #045 (I believe it was PFC James L Dunn) Dust Off completed at 1246hrs. At 1225hrs Charlie Company we will accept re supply at grid BS697458. At 1300hrs Charlie Company our Night Defense Position is at BS694464, the 84 snake is at BS694466 and the 53 snake will be at BS695462. Tomorrow the 51 element will conduct a Recon in Force to the northern part of the objective area and the 81 element will Recon in Force to the southern part of the objective area. At 1650hrs Charlie Company we are in our Night Defense Position at BS701453. At 1935hrs Charlie Company the 84 snake is at BS697454 and the 53 snake is at BS704450.
Delta Company
January 20, 1970
At 0720hrs Delta Company the 53 snake has closed on BS756374. At 0750hrs Delta Company reports the 51, 01 and 79 elements are moving to BS762372. At 0819hrs Delta Company reports we are in our preplanned Day Logger at grid BS732372. At 0933hrs the 93 element has closed on BS759393. At 0938hrs Delta Company at grid BS761371 we found an old mortar position and 2 old bunkers, approximately 2 to 3 man size bunkers. We request 2 15 pounds shaped charges to blow the bunkers. At 1010hrs the 91 element Day Logger is at BS763393. At 1050hrs Delta Company the 82 and 83 elements have closed on the 81 element at grid BS748458. At 1140hrs Delta Company conduct a Combat Assault of Delta 81 element PZ BS748458 at 1145hrs and LZ at BS762372 at 1151hrs. At 1305hrs Delta Company are at Company (-) at BS762372, the 81 element at BS769365 and the 91 element at BS759393. At 1926hrs the Command Post Night Defense Position is at BS762371, the 81 Night Defense Position is at BS774375 and the 91 Night Defense Position is at BS763383 with the 93 snake at BS762392. At 1940hrs Delta Company the 83 element is at BS770359.
Echo Company
January 20, 1970
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 0655hrs 4.2 Platoon reports Observed Mission 2 for a total of 31 HE were expended. Echo Company Headquarters has the coordination responsibility for Base Defense. At 1157hrs Recon Platoon we destroyed 8 more bunkers at grid BS793478, and our present location is at BS794473. We will accept re supply at this location. This afternoon we will be working in the area of BS798463 with our Night Defense Position is at BS780450. At 1730hrs tonight Recon Platoon reports changed their Night Defense Position is at BS795474 and closed at 1906hrs.