HEADQUARTERS AND HEADQUARTER COMPANY
August 25, 1968
HEADQUARTERS AND HEADQUARTER COMPANY
August 25, 1968
Forward Area: 1-20 Infantry Headquarters is located at LZ Thunder and continued to work with ARVN units in their Area of Operations. At 0035hrs Delta Company 19 Engineers at 803317, bridge 106 is burning. Engineers fired small arms fire in area around bridge with negative assessment. At 0130hrs Sharks spotted 1 boat on (Off Limits) lake grid 8534. Personnel in boats evaded after a low level surveillance pass, by sharks. MACV Duc Pho cleared Target for engagement, sharks engaged boat with results 5 VC KIA, 1 boat destroyed, 1 personnel appear to be wearing white tee shirts and shorts, ground elements will check area in morning. At 0710hrs Bravo Company at 755452, mine sweep team found a road block made of pickets and barbed wire, removed and continued sweep. At 0723hrs 1-20 Infantry reports Charlie Company 19th Engineer at 918180, mine sweep team moving north along highway 1 received sniper fire. 1-20 Infantry Command and Control Helicopter engaged area with negative assessment. At 0740hrs Delta Company 19 Engineer at 858318 mine sweep team found several piles of sand and brush on the road south of bridge 106. Negative mines or booby traps, cleared road and continued mines sweep. At 0929hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC reports E Troop at 844328, request Dust Off for Vietnamese girl who had frag wounds in head, chest and legs. She said she was hit by artillery north of bridge 107 last night. Artillery did not fire H & I in that area last night. At 0730hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC Bravo Company 19 Engineer at 858318 found a pile of sand in the road checked out with negative results, cleared sand from road. At 0825hrs E Troop departing LZ Bronco on Recon Mission. At 0830hrs MACV reports swift boat reports 1 Vietnamese evading and pined down behind a sand dune at 825450. The 1-20 Infantry Command and Control Helicopter was on the way to location to assist at this time. At 0800hrs Bravo Company 19 Engineer at 775451 found roadblock, logs, brush and shrapnel, blew 1 roadblock and cleared roadway. Heard secondary explosion in blowing roadblock. At 0845hrs Bravo Company 19 Engineer at 77444 and 776449 found some more roadblocks were made of picket, barbed wire, rocks and etc, cleared and continued to sweep. At 1000hrs 1-20 Infantry reports their SRRP locations Lunar at 792357 and Silent is moving to Highway 1. At 0938hrs Bravo Company 19 Engineer found propaganda leaflets and shrapnel scattered between 753499 & 744517, at 0830hrs cleared road. At 0955hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC Charlie Company 19 Engineer at 0955hrs at 915245 mine sweep team going north found dug out spots on west hill side. After they completed sweep they went back to that area to Recon it and received 15-20 rounds of automatic weapons fire, negative casualties and negative assessment. At 0930hrs Bravo Company 19 Engineer at 786423 to 783434 found numerous obstacles, big rocks, barbed wire, fences and bushes. Also found a mine with pull release detonator device, was tied with fishing cord to a picket, removed obstacles and blew min in place. At 0930hrs Delta Company 19 Engineers at 822346 found 3 pieces of barbed wire 50 meters apart approximately 75 meters from Bridge 109, 6 homemade grenades were buried under wire with trip wire. Also found "C" ration cans as decoys, blew in place. At 1335hrs MACV, Duc Pho, Vietnamese report that there is a Company of VC located at 784377, 782385 and 776388. At 1359hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC reports E Troop closed on LZ Dragon. At 1545hrs E Troop, the 2 tracks that went out to Recon around LZ bronco are now back to their home station with negative results. At 1720hrs E Troop Recon in vicinity 776388, 782385 and 784376 negative results. At 1750hrs Late Report E Troop at 819408 3 APC from E Troop with Military Intelligence and PF team searched the above gird and found 2 empty tunnels in that area and continued search with negative results. At 1800hrs MACV Duc Pho reports that bridge 104 will be attacked tonight by 3 Companies of VC. The VC are now located at 883256, 898302 and 928273. Requested a flare ship be in that location between 2400-0300hs. The information source is good the last time bridge was hit the information came from the same source. At 1815hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC reports SRRP location Majestic Loner at 725387 and Silent at 829249. At 1900hrs 6th Support all personnel have been evac from Ha Thanh and returned to LZ Bronco and all equipment has been evac and dropped at Minh Long. At 2045hrs Village Chief Reliable, MACV Duc Pho reports, at 795378 and 826360, Reports Duc Pho will be hit tonight. Each VC Platoon will move to 795378 and 1 VC Platoon location at 826360. At 2115hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC at 868314 RF Company Vinh An (1) Military Post received 60mm mortar fire and ground attack. Counter Mortar fired at 855315 and 873302, negative assessment, the results 2 PF KHA, 1 combat youth KHA, with 5 combat youths WHA. Suspect engagement by VC Platoon during ground attack. At 2305hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC LZ Thunder Bunker 17 on LZ Thunder received 5 hand grenades, LZ Thunder on Red Alert negative casualties. At 2305hrs LZ Thunder S-3 request Sharks and Flare ships to engage VC attempting to penetrate perimeter at LZ Thunder and Dust Off was also scrambled. At 2335hrs ARVN Post Delta Company 19 Engineer at 866314 sub mortars, ARVN Compound received 4 to 5 mortars and 4 to 5 grenades, now looking for traitor in compound and open fire with negative results.
Rear Area: Battalion Rear continued their Mission of general support for the battalion and continued their Security Mission for LZ Bronco. At 2134hrs LZ Bronco Defense placed on yellow Alert as results of activity at LZ Thunder and LZ Dragon. At 2300hrs LZ Bronco Defense returned to normal alert status.
ALPHA COMPANY
August 25, 1968
Alpha Company continued their Security Mission for LZ Liz. At 1000hrs Alpha Company locations 10 at 760415, 30 at 753443 and they continue their Search and Clear Operations in their Area of Operation. At 2052hrs Alpha Company at 755437 observed 2 moving lights also at 761431 called in artillery on both locations with negative assessment.
BRAVO COMPANY
August 25, 1968
At 0735hrs Bravo Company is at 753550 Bravo element engaged 1 VC evading results 1 VC KIA. Approximately 19, no ID, wearing white shirt, black bottoms, VC was evading from hut. At 1000hrs Bravo Company at LZ Dragon with 10 at 750553, 30 at 768541. At 1152hrs Bravo Company 10 and 20 at LZ Dragon 30 is at 775545. At 2145hrs 20 Platoon Bravo Company walked into VC ambush upon return from Night Ambush Position received 15 to 20 hand grenades and small arms fire results is 16 US WHA (5 serious, 9 moderate, 2 minor.) Dust Off requested and completed at 2300hrs. 1-20 Infantry TOC requested Dust Off, scrambled Sharks and Flare ship, surveyed area, negative results, Dust Off ships received weapons fire and hits results negative casualties. PFC Virgil C. Studdard JR, PFC Jerry R Johnson, SP4 Darryl T. Smith and SGT Dale R. Truman was awarded Purple Heart. SP4 Billy R. V. VENABLE (see August 26), PFC Jerry R. Johnson, SGT Dale R. Truman, SP4 Darryl T. Smith, SP4 Raymond J. Walker, PFC James Parks where evac to 2nd Surgical Hospital. SP4 Burt P. Aydelotte, SSGT Kent A. Burns, PFC Robert L. Roddy JR and SGT Fred K. Jackson JR evac to 27th Surgical Hospital and PFC Virgil C. Studdard where evac to 23 Medical Hospital.
CHARLIE COMPANY
August 25, 1968
Charlie Company continued their Security Mission for LZ Thunder. At 1025hrs Charlie Company is at 885313 made contact with 3 VC, the Command and Control Helicopter went into area to assist results 1 VC KIA, the platoon is moving in to check the area out. Charlie Company at 1133hrs moving in the vicinity 885324 engaged 1 VC evading result is 1 VC KIA and had 2 Chi Com grenades, pulled pin and 1 exploded when he was killed. Charlie 10 engaged 1 VC in hedgerow resulting 1 VC KIA and 1 M-1 carbine CIA, also detained 1 VC female for questioning who says 12 VC got water at her house this morning and left moving Northeast M-1 # 6114756. At 1815hrs Charlie Company is at LZ Thunder with 21 at 879335, LRRP Majestic Loner at 725387, and Silent at 829249. At 2304hrs Bunker 17 on LZ Thunder received 5 hand grenades and Thunder on Red Alert negative casualties. At 2310hrs LZ Thunder S-3 1-20 Infantry requested Sharks and Flare ships to engage VC attempting to penetrate perimeter at LZ Thunder.
DELTA COMPANY
August 25, 1968
Delta Company continued their Security Mission for LZ Charlie Brown and Delta Company at 0854hrs has an element at 882258. At 0934hrs Delta Company at 884256 found a small base camp will accommodate approximately 8 people, will continue to search area and found tunnel 10’ deep X 3’ high. Also found rice, fish, cooking pot, cans to haul water, wood, shaving gear, and 1 AK 47 round, all destroyed in place. At 1000hrs Delta Company locations at 882258 with 20 at 884257, 11 at 883260. At 1000hrs Delta Company at 916170, reported that the mess truck returning from lowboy received 10 rounds of small arms fire. Results 1 round hit the radiator, negative casualties, returned fire with negative assessment.
ECHO COMPANY
August 25, 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. Recon Platoon’s 1-20 Infantry and 3-1 Infantry report their Location at LZ Dottie as they refit for further operations. Recon Platoon is OPCON to the Brigade.