Headquarters and Headquarter Company
March 20, 1968
Forward Area: 1-20 Infantry Headquarters is located at LZ Thunder as they begin to make their movement north to the 196th Light Infantry Brigade Area of Operation and OPERATION WHEELER-WALLOWA. At 1140hrs Bravo Company at BS810391 a crane ran over a mine near Bunker 17 negative casualties. At 1331hrs 1-20 Infantry 1 Hook loaded and moved out at 1331hrs and 2nd Hook loaded and out at 1332hrs. At 1623hrs 1-20 Infantry observed Vietnamese people stringing Concertina wire at BS856374, 15 Vietnamese wearing black PJ and white hats, laying wire on Beach Road, notified 1-20 Infantry and Primo and 2-35 Infantry from 3rd Brigade 4th Infantry Division will check it out. At 1815hrs 2-35 Infantry reports 1-20 Infantry and the remaining elements of Alpha Company and Recon and the 4th Platoon Delta Company departed LZ Thunder at 1730hrs. At 1900hrs Battalion is closing on LZ Colt where they are preparing to take over the LZ Colt Area of Operation and become OPCON to the 196th Light Infantry Brigade.
Rear Area: Battalion Rear continued their Mission of general support for the battalion and continued their Security Mission for LZ Bronco. At 1225hrs 90th Chemical, between 1400hrs and 1500hrs, 90th Chemical is going to try out a new type chemical explosive in front of bunker 56. The road will be open, taking interpreter to clear the local Vietnamese from the area, may be a several explosives. At 1330hrs Delta Company 19th Engineer at BS819384, bucket loader hit a 20 pound anti vehicular mine, blew left front tire off, was working in sand pit at Duc Pho Bunker loader will be taken to Command Post . At 1630hrs 6 Support vicinity BS841363 men had gone to test fire weapons, area was booby trap with either a 81Mortar round of Artillery 105mm rounds with results 2 US KIA (PFC WILLIE SANFORD TILLMON Bravo Company 3-1 Infantry and SP4 KENNETH DEE MOORE 6 Support Battalion LISTED AS KIA), 1 US WHA SP4 Eddie Sain from Headquarters and Headquarter Company, also wires found to sustain command detonated.
Alpha Company
March 20, 1968
At 1331hrs At LZ Thunder 1 hook loaded and moved out at 1331hrs and 2nd hook loaded and out at 1332hrs. At 1730hrs S-3 2-35 Infantry reports the remaining elements of Alpha Company, Recon Platoon and Delta Company 4th Platoon departed LZ Thunder. 1st Battalion 20th Infantry is OPCON to the 196th Infantry Brigade and OPERATION WHEELER-WALLOWA. Alpha Company is to takes over the Security Mission for LZ Colt and taken over highway security.
Bravo Company
March 20, 1968
Welcome to Operation Wheeler/Wallowa OPCON to the 196th Light Infantry Brigade. Troop C-1-1Calvary secured Hawk Hill and LZ vicinity BT235478 for insertion of Bravo Company 1-20 Infantry. Troop C with 1 Platoon secures Hawk Hill and Night Position Vicinity BT218478. Continues Search & Destroy Operation North. Bravo Company 1-20 Infantry with 1 Platoon C-1-1 Cav secures Night Position Vicinity BT218478 to continue Search & Destroy to the North.
Charlie Company
March 20, 1968
Charlie Company continued their Security Mission for LZ Dottie. At 1500hrs Charlie Company at BS665843 found small Punji pit with trip wire, booby trap of unknown charge destroyed in place. At 1645hrs Charlie Company at BS778442, EM was on APC in pursuit of sniper, fell off and received contusion in right thigh and shoulder, evac to 6th Support LZ Bronco. At 1838hrs Charlie Company at their Night Defense Position at BS681840 with ambushes at BS685843, BS678840 and BS664843.
Delta Company
March 20, 1968
At 1218hrs Delta Company 1st Lift and at 1236hrs 2nd Lift completed at 1253hrs to Alpha Troop 1-1 Calvary insertion at BT233464 for Search and Destroy operation, conducted north along the East Coast of the Island. At 1410hrs Delta Company with 2 platoons Alpha Troop 1-1 Cavalry vicinity BT221490 reports at 1406hrs engaged 3 VC with results 3 VC KIA, 1 KIA for Alpha 1-1 Cavalry 2 KIA form Delta Company 2 weapons CIA 1 Carbine and 1 M-1 rifle. Then at 1416hrs Alpha Troop 1-1 Cavalry vicinity BT220500 with Delta Company engaged 2 VC with hand grenades evading results 2 VC KIA Delta Company reports 3 WIA evac. At 1440hrs Delta Company at BT220504 at 1433hrs engaged 2 VC evading with results 2 VC with 1 SKS CIA. At 1455hrs Alpha Troop with Delta Company at vicinity BT220500 engaged 5 VC evading with results A Troop 4 VC KIA and Delta Company 1 VC KIA. At 1645hrs Alpha Troop and Delta Company reports engaged 2 VC evading results 2 VC KIA. At 1813hrs Alpha Troop and Delta Company vicinity BT213510 at 1812hrs are heavily engaged in enemy attack as we where moving to our Night Defense Position we almost moved into an ambush. As the Task Force was moving, around 1720hrs a small movement was spot and two Delta Company personnel where sent to checked it out and engaged two VC in a spider hole. It was the top of an L shape ambush which Delta Company and 1-1 Calvary was then able to flank and roll up very close fighting from two directions and sometimes three directions. Task Force broke contact at 1905hrs due to poor position to defend and began to move out when One Armor Personnel Carrier was hit and lose it track and the engagement lasted until track was repaired and the unit moved to a better Night Defense Position. Result for 2 Platoons Alpha Troop 1-1 Calvary and Delta Company 1-20 Infantry late action 4-WHA EVAC, 13 WHA (M) with 64 VC KIA. Other Action in vicinity of contact accounted for 25 VC KIA, 4 Individual Weapons Captured. Delta Company SP4 DICK E. CUFF is LISTED AS KHA (died of wounds). SSGT Edward Thrall and SP4 David L Walker attached to NSA Hospital Da Nang. SGT Francis W. Entrap and SP4 Frank Tartarelli attached to 67th Evac Hospital. PFC Benjamin J Banks, PFC Gary Ward with SSGT David Williams attached to 196th Medical Station and CPT Charles S. Seketa was awarded a Purple Heart treated by 1-1 Cav Battalion Aid.
Echo Company
March 20, 1968
At 1730hrs the remaining elements of Alpha Company, Echo Recon Platoon and Delta Company 4th Platoon depart LZ Thunder headed for LZ Colt and the 196th Light Infantry Brigade. Echo Company with 4.2 Mortar Platoon and Recon Platoon joined Alpha Company and Battalion forward at LZ Colt and prepared to take control of the Area of Operations along with Security for LZ Colt.