Headquarters and Headquarter Company
August 23, 1968
Forward Area: 1-20 Infantry Headquarters is located at LZ Thunder and will continued to work with ARVN units in their Area of Operations. At 0245hrs 3-1 Infantry Bridge north of Dragon is under attack at BS729555, possible mortars fire. At 0255hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC MACV is under attack with frag grenade and mortar requested illumination, received illumination from flare ship.
At 0300hrs Charlie Company at BS815360, E Troop on Bridge 111 can see several fires, about 3-400 meters north of their position cause unknown. At 0340hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC received 2 incoming rounds which exploded in front of bunker #9 west side of Thunder. At 0345hrs MACV Duc Pho 2 PF WHA and 3 Civilians WHA, VC burned many houses in Duc Pho. At 0350hrs E Troop on Bridge 111 received small arms fire direction of Duc Pho with negative casualties. At 0400hrs MACV reports southwest portion of city under attack. At 0410hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC reports C-32 observed 2 incoming mortar rounds landed 400 meters north of their location on red ball. At 0340hrs 1-20 Infantry reports 2 rounds fell on red ball at BS844327 with negative damage. At 0625hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC Troop E reports bridges 108-107 were blown during the night attack, bridge 108 impassable, extensive Work is need to repair bypass. At 0630hrs 3-1 Infantry reports that LZ Buff had 3 US KIA and 7 WHA evac results of last night attacks. At 0635hrs LZ Buff is under attack with 60mm mortar, counter mortar is being fired and 3 additional US WHA. At 0637hrs E Troop found frag grenade with pin pulled outside main gate, dispatched EOC team. At 0720hrs 1-20 Infantry reports Bridges 107 and 108 will be opened at approximately 0815hrs. At 0750hrs 1-20 Infantry reports barriers in road at BS822203, BS917173, BS921102 and BS909150. At 0810hrs 1-20 Infantry there is a sign on road, all along road people are using by pass rather the bridges. At 0820hrs 173rd Airborne reports roadblocks at BS910162, BS919177, BS921193 and BS921203. At 0850hrs Quang Ngai: results of action from August 22 up to 2000hrs, 68 enemy KIA, 14 ARVN KHA, 1 US KHA, 80 ARVN WHA, 5 US WHA, 3 APC destroyed. At 0846hrs Delta Company at BS840330, 1-20 Infantry informed us that both bridges had been blown. The mine sweep team confirmed that the bridge was blown and by pass was started immediately. At 0850hrs Delta Company Engineers found 1 Vietnamese girl was started immediately. At 0920hrs MACV reports roadblock at BS913263. At 0950hrs E Troop at BS810396 found 2 breaks in wire looks like M-79 hit it or looks like someone pulled it down, will fix ASAP. At 1030hrs E Troop request Dust Off for 1 US WHA hit booby trap has frag wounds on both legs, urgent Dust Off. US WHA was from Delta Company 19 Engineer, correct reports, wasn’t a booby trap it was a command detonated mine. 1-20 Infantry reports Command and Control Helicopter in area engaged 3 VC evading, Results, 3 VC KIA, 1 45 Caliber pistol and 2 M-26 hand grenades, with 1 Chi Com grenade. Also reports Documents, 1 pistol belt, 1 first aid pouch and mine firing device was CIA. At 1310hrs Delta Company 19 Engineer Late Entry at 0930hrs found at BS797403, found road block of bar wire that crossed at culvert 114E and was booby trap with grenade it went off when barricade was torn down. 50 meters north found a 105 round and 81mm mortar round both under a pile of rocks, blown in place also 7 piles of rocks were found and blown with secondary explosions. At 1637hrs 1-20 Infantry 76th DT Com Co, at BS912163 vehicle from, 76th DT Com Co was returning from Trim Ram and received 30 rounds from automatic weapons 1 on each side of road, negative casualties. At1950hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC reports Delta Company 19 Engineer at LZ Thunder small arms fire into engineer area. The 1-20 Infantry reports Bravo at LZ Dragon, Alpha Company at LZ Liz, Charlie Company at LZ Thunder and Delta Company is at LZ Charlie Brown. Bravo Company at LZ Dragon reports received 2 B-40 rockets from east engaged with 4.2 with negative casualties. At 2010hrs MACV Duc Pho at BS857319 old bridge 106 has been blown. Suspected VC Company moving southwest at BS856314 and BS855312, 1-20 Infantry engaged with 4.2 and Quad 50 fire. At 2200hrs 19th Engineer at BS868317 received 5 M-79 rounds at the base of LZ Thunder, negative casualties counter mortar has engaged.
Rear Area: Battalion Rear continued their Mission of general support for the battalion and continued their Security Mission for LZ Bronco. At 0215hrs LZ Bronco put on Red Alert unknown explosions in vicinity Duc Pho. At 0235hrs 1 Vietnamese with weapon observed location of fire station was moving toward airfield. At 0251hrs C Sector bunkers 32, 33, and 34 received automatic weapons fire, also explosion outside of perimeter, negative casualties.
Alpha Company
August 23, 1968
At 0930hrs Alpha Company is located at BS764393. At 1250hrs Alpha Company is 500 meters out of LZ Liz at the present time and closed on LZ Liz at 1320 and taken over the Security Mission for LZ Liz. At 1845hrs Alpha Company locations 11 BS759439, BS12 776425, 13 BS762436 and BS778442 all other Alpha Company on LZ Liz.
Bravo Company
August 23, 1968
At 0930hrs Bravo Company is located at BS817388. At 1250hrs Bravo Company last lift completed touching down at LZ Dragon, Alpha Company is 500 meters out of LZ Liz at the present time Alpha Company at LZ Liz 1320hrs and Bravo Company is at LZ Dragon. The 1-20 Infantry assumed the 3-1 Infantry Area of Operation. At 2005hrs Bravo Company at LZ Dragon received 2 B-40 rockets from east, engaged with 4.2, and negative casualties.
Charlie Company
August 23, 1968
Charlie Company continued their Security Mission for LZ Thunder. At 0300hrs Charlie Company at BS815360, E Troop element on Bridge 111 can see several fires, about 3-400 meters north of their position cause unknown. At 0305hrs MACV Duc Pho Bridge 114 believed to have taken satchel charge. At 0340hrs LZ Thunder received 2 incoming round which one exploded in Front of Bunker #9 on the west, side of LZ Thunder. At 0350hrs E Troop Bridge 111 received small arms fire from direction of Duc Pho will negative casualties. At 0340hrs reported 2 rounds fell on Red Ball BS844327 negative damage. At 0930hrs Charlie Company at BS792359, At 0955hrs Charlie Company is at BS877312 found 2 home made hand grenade, 3 M-16 magazine loaded, 1 m-16 bipod, 1 50cal round, 1 30cal round they were hidden in a hedgerow. At 0930hrs Charlie Company reports their location at BS792359. At 1845hrs Charlie Company is at LZ Thunder, with 33 at BS881283, loner at BS792357, silent at BS871283, 31 on bridge 111. At 1940hrs the # 9 bunker received one rounds, small arms fire, a possible ricochet. At 1917hrs Charlie Company at BS897315, spotted a steady light, possibly a signal light, negative action taken. At 1945hrs at BS886264 Charlie Company snake was moving into position engaged 2 VC and believe that one was wounded will check out in morning.
Delta Company
August 23, 1968
Delta Company continued their Security Mission for LZ Charlie Brown. At 1845hrs Delta Company locations Delta Company 30, Command Post at LZ Charlie Brown, 10 at BS89267, 13 at BS886267, 15 at BS885259, 20 Night Defense Position BS873233 with 31 LP at BS931221. At 1945hrs Delta Company is at BS886264, snake moving into position engaged 2 VC and think I of them was wounded will check out in morning. At 2123hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC at BS917255 Radar at Sa Huynh picked up movement and fired 4.2 and movement ceased. At 2145hrs Delta Company 6 at BS886258 300meters northwest, Delta Company 15 ambush observed 6-7 coughing and talking and can smell food cooking, under brush to thick to close on them, will observed till morning and close or call artillery if they should move out.
Echo Company
August 23, 1968
Echo Company is located at LZ Thunder where Battalion Forward is and coordinates with the Battalion Rear Elements and Base Defense elements on LZ Thunder. The 4.2 Platoon is located on LZ Thunder where they continue to provide direct fire support for the (1-20 Infantry Battalion). At 0838hrs Recon 3-1 Infantry and 1-20 Infantry at BS316681 saw 5 people by some hootches, all got away, CIA 1 38 caliber pistol with belt and ammo also 1 9mm pistol with belt and ammo. Have found many documents will take to Ha Thanh Special Forces Camp. The also found 1 Compass, 1 Chi Com grenade, 2 sets NVA uniforms, good condition. 2 sets of uniforms found destroyed and 2 canvas type helmets. At 1419hrs Recon Platoon 1-20 Infantry and 3-1 Infantry reports at BS339688, Dust Off called for heat exhaustion, completed at 1500hrs 2 US evac, salt depletion. At 1930hrs Recon Platoon 1-20 Infantry and 3-1 Infantry and the helping force have linked up and are moving back to Ha Thanh. Have two Warlord gun ships at their location at this time. At 1848hrs Recon Platoon at 3-1 Infantry at BS354683 while checking one of the hills around their position where air strike was held. The 3-1 XO of Recon Platoon and several other men were fired upon by several automatic weapons, Recon XO was hit in the chest and one other US was hit in the neck. At 1945hrs Recon Platoon 1-20 Infantry and 3-1 Infantry reports the Special Forces Camp at Ha Thanh under rocket attack. At 2055hrs Recon Platoon 3-1 and 1-20 Infantry reports their night logger position is at BS375695 and rocket attack on Ha Thanh has ceased.