Headquarters and Headquarter Company
July 24, 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 0205hrs Blue Ghost is on station in box 63 with the Rules of Engagement applying. We have friendly 2000 meters to the west and 1 ambush 800 meters west of their Night Defense Position he broke station at 0220hrs with negative findings. At 0440hrs Radar sighted 7 to 15 stationary personnel at BS746532 with Delta Company informed of these, there was negative clearance from MACV. At 0730hrs TMF String 72, was activated by 5 personnel moving east to west at 2 miles per hour with no metal detected. Artillery had negative clearance at grid BS730467. At 0917hrs TMF String 66 was activated by 4 personnel, that where moving from southeast to northwest at 3 miles per hours and confirmed by metal at BS747368. A total of 6 HE rounds were fired of 155mm Artillery and Visual Recon Team were requested and not available. At 0957hrs TMF String 66 was activated by an undetermined number of stationary personnel with metal detected, engaged with 8 VT of 155mm Artillery were fired at 0944hrs. At 1135hrs MACV Mo Duc Vietnamese children told MACV that at BS718603 there are 6 VC hiding from a US element working in the area Alpha Company. Their information came about 35 minutes ago and Alpha Company was informed. At 1600hrs 81 count, Alpha Company has 8 HE and 8 Illumination on hand, Bravo Company has 112 HE and 35 WP and 315 Illumination on hand, Charlie Company has 248 HE, 133 WP and 269 Illumination on hand and Delta Company has 6 HE and 8 Illumination on hand. At 1715hrs the 26 Engineer reports a total of 35 hours were worked clearing 65 acres in the area BS733688, BS735693, BS737692 and BS735686 with 1 booby trap destroyed. We have 8 D7 operational with 3 deadlines (2 for tracks and 1 for a bent fan blade), also 1 CEV is operational, 1 AC is operational and 1 M548 is operational. At 1916hrs TMF String 66 was activated by 5 packs moving southeast to northwest with metal detected and engaged with 6 HE VT of 155mm Artillery. A Visual Recon Team was requested for 1st light but was no available. At 2114hrs TMF String 71 (relocated) TC-12 BS73634738, confirmation 41 TC 13 at BS73704739 confirmation. LEGEND: 1st Platoon 24-29, 2nd Platoon 34-39, 3rd Platoon 54-59, 4th Platoon 14-19, CO 20.
Rear Area: Battalion Rear continued their Mission of general support for the battalion and continued their Security Mission for LZ Bronco. SFC Calvin Bent was attached to 91st Evac Hospital.
Alpha Company
July 24, 1970
At 0630hrs Alpha Company the 36 and 36 elements have closed on BS719618, the 56 element is moving to BS719618 along with the 57 element. At 0835 Alpha Company 34 element received approximately 6 rounds of sniper fire from BS727620. The 34 element is about 300 meters from their location the 57 element is moving in on BS727620 and swept the area with negative findings. At 1045hrs Alpha Company the 57, 26, and 27 element are closing, the 34 element is at BS728621 where they found a booby trap M-26 grenade with a booby trap M-26 grenade with a trip wire device, also a can of Petna with blasting cap inserted was found. And it appears that they had been in place about a month before we destroyed them in place. At 1125hrs Alpha Company 34 element at BS718621 found a tunnel at BS718621 4 ˝ ‘X 3’ which was destroyed. At 1350hrs Alpha Company received intelligence by 3 ARVN told the 24 element that they saw 6 enemies with 3 AK 47, 2 M-16, and one M-79 in the vicinity BS727609. The 24 element is now sweeping the area we are also observing the area from the south. At BS729609 they found 155mm Artillery round with trip wire device which was blown in place. At 1520hrs Alpha Company we request priority Dust Off for one US hit by sniper in the head (flesh wound) Line # G1775 Eugene Gainey, gun ships are requested. We received 40 to 50 rounds at 400 meters complete at 1540hrs from BS730611. Also one other US stepped on a hand frag, booby trap and received multiple frag wounds to his foot injured line # 5791 PFC Reese. At 1610hrs Alpha Company is requesting gun ships to destroy bunker at BS729614, the 25 element is still receiving sniper fire. Dolphin also received sniper fire Artillery was no effective and gun ships were not available. At 1813hrs Alpha Company spot report: the enemies are placing booby traps in mounds or dikes in the middle of rice paddies. These mounds look like graves. The VC will open up with sniper fire driving the troops to the mounds for cover, thus to encountering the booby trap. We advise possible for the unit to drop in place and execute this procedure in the future. At 1800hrs Alpha Company 14, 54, 20 are now in their Night Defense Position at BS725618. PFC Charles R. Reese with multiple frag wounds to abdomen was evac to the 91st Evac Hospital and PFC Eugene Gainey treated and released from 23 Medical with gunshot wound to the head a flesh wound).
Bravo Company
July 24, 1970
Bravo Company continued their joint Operations with PF and RF units on their Hamlet Pacification and security of Highway 1. At 1620hrs Bravo Company the 24 element has 1 VC male detainee age 17, with white top and blank pants, 5’ 11" claims to be a student, we will extract him on back haul on 25 July 1970. His name is Tran Van Hanh and the Vietnamese with the Bravo Company 24 element said they didn’t recognize him at grid BS707622. At 1750hrs Bravo Company the 26 element is at checkpoint 2 at BS747554.
Charlie Company
July 24, 1970
Charlie Company continued their Security Mission for LZ Liz along with Access Road Security for LZ Liz.
Delta Company
July 24, 1970
At 0610hrs Delta Company the 54 element is blocking at BS747557, the 55 element is blocking at BS749553 with the 34 element moving toward BS765555. At 0630hrs Delta Company the 34 element sweep is at LZ Dragon from BS759560 to BS766550 and the 26 element is moving out. At 0700hrs Delta Company the 34 element is at phase line killer from BS755560 to BS758550. And at 0705hrs Delta Company the 34 element sweeping force is at J-Bird at BS751560 to BS756550. Delta Company conducts sweep of the area of contact with negative finding. At 0702hrs Delta Company 34 element is in the Ville moving civilians out which will take approximately 30-45 minutes. At 1800hrs Reference the 200 persons moving a Ville last night about 1800hrs Delta Company said that they returned to the area 60 minutes after the contact. At 1930hrs Delta Company the 34 element is at BS759561, the 54 is at BS743560 and the 14, 24 and 20 elements are at BS753570. At 2030hrs Delta Company the 20, 14, and 24 elements are at BS748582, the 54 element is at BS742555 and the 26 element’s ambush is at BS743572.
Echo Company
July 24, 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 4.2 Platoon reports Fire Mission 1 for a total expended of 28 HE rounds. Echo Company Headquarters has the coordination responsibility for Base Defense. At 0655hrs Recon Platoon we are leaving LZ Liz toward BS726472 and BS730467. At 0717hrs Recon Platoon we spotted and engaged 2 VC at BS739435 resulting in 1 VC KIA who was engaged at 40 meters. We are sweeping a Ville when he was spotted evading to the east. He is approximately 30 years of age and dressed in black pants and white top. He had 1 Chi Com Grenade and paperwork on him. The other VC successfully evaded with a weapon and packs and dressed in all black. At 0745hrs Recon Platoon we are location to accept the TMF mission at BS730447. At 0836hrs Recon Platoon reports TMF has joined up with Recon Platoon and are moving to employee the devices at BS730467. At 1525hrs Recon Platoon we requests an urgent Dust Off for 1 PF with an M-16 gunshot wound for an undetermined reason, completed from BS778444 at 1530hrs.