Headquarters and Headquarter Company
August 26, 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 2134hrs LZ Dragon reports elements near their location is receiving incoming, putting LZ Dragon on Yellow alert. At 0004hrs RDC Group MACV Duc Pho at BS862313, RDC element spotted approximately 300 personnel milling around at BS862313. At 0100hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC Late Entry LZ Thunder summary Bunker #17 received 5 grenades northeast and east section of hill. At 2318hrs gun ships and flare ships arrived. At 2330hrs engaged northeast and eastside of hill, with rockets and machine gun fire and at 2344hrs returned to LZ Bronco and negative results, negative contact and movement at this time and back to yellow alert. Charlie Company 1-20 Infantry reports 2 men slightly wounded and are back working now at grid BS872324. At 0130hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC late E Troop at 2159hrs on Bridge 104 received 10 to 15 sniper rounds from 300 to 400 meters northwest of their location and fired illumination with negative results. At 0130hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC E Troop at 0028hrs Bridge 104 received sniper rounds, requested illumination advised 300 meters east of location going in village also received approximately 30 round small arms fire, negative casualties. At 0645hrs 1-20 Infantry E Troop at BS843327 report Vietnamese people brought 2 Vietnamese female to their location with gunshot wounds, 1 with wound of breast and 1 with wound of stomach. Wounds are believed to have be from a fire fight last night from this location Dust Off completed at 0718hrs. At 0748hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC Bravo Company 19 Engineer at BS917254 found a marker in middle of road, made of rocks. It said all civilians will not proceed beyond this point, will send element to Recon by fire. At 0730hrs Bravo Company 19 Engineer at BS745510 found a crater in the road, 6’ diameter and 4’ deep, filling at this time, road is passable. At 0715hrs Bravo Company 19th Engineer at BS771459 found a blown culvert on western side of road. Crater was 7’ in diameter and 4’ deep, with 1 155 round was found on the east side of the road, half blown, left crater 1’ X 1’ road is usable. At 0845hrs Bravo Company 19 Engineer at BS7834334 found 2 mines directly over culvert 1 on each side of road. Mines were removed and blown in a rice paddy. At 0858hrs Charlie Company 19th Engineer at BS917167 received 20-30 rounds of automatic weapons and small arms fire, negative casualties. At 0915hrs MACV at BS864332 between 1000hrs and 1600hrs PF will be burying 2 of their dead. They will leave from the base of LZ Thunder. At 0920hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC have information that at BS913251, BS911263, BS918254, BS916281 and BS916251 there will be ambushes for the mine sweep team, are sending APC down to these location. At 0945hrs E Troop at BS798399 has been blown, road will be closed until the rubbish can be cleared. At 0910hrs Bravo Company 19 Engineer at BS783434 and BS784427 found propaganda material along with nails and spikes driven into the road. Collected material and will bring to their location. At 0925hrs Bravo Company 19 Engineer at BS784427 found a blown culvert, charge estimated 105 rounds. Crater 5’ diameter and won as far as the bottom of tube and are repairing road is passable. At 1130hrs Brigade informed 1-20 TOC Recon Platoon was being returned to Battalion Control. At 1226hrs Delta Company 19 Engineers at BS797403 their mine sweep found culvert blown, buy pass constructed. At 1238hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC Delta Company 19 Engineers at BS915245 to BS916255 found 10 M-79 rounds warheads buried with head up under surface of road. Also found 3 completed M-79 rounds, blew all in place. At Bridge 97 found 2 strands of concertina wire stretched across road. At 1423hrs Charlie Company 26 Engineer at BS811382, received 10-15 rounds of automatic weapons fire on 2 ½ Dump truck. Military Police checked out the area. PF said that they were firing at that time in the same area but did not fire at the truck. At 1440hrs Delta Company 19 engineer at BS912263 found debris in roadway, debris construction of rocks lumber and RR tires, negative booby trap. At 1650hrs MACV at BS787438 have a unit on operation at Bridge 115 and they say that there is a lot of VC in the area. 1-20 Infantry is moving back to their Area of Operations and 3-1 Infantry is moving back to LZ Liz and LZ Dragon.
Rear Area: Battalion Rear continued their Mission of general support for the battalion and continued their Security Mission for LZ Bronco. PFC Jimmy Harvey was evac to 27th Surgical Hospital with gunshot wounds.
Alpha Company
August 26, 1968
At 2255hrs Alpha Company at BS754437 observed lights moving toward LZ Liz fired illumination and saw man running, fired 81mm 2 with negative assessment. At 2052hrs Alpha Company at BS755439 and BS761431 2 moving lights called in artillery negative assessment. Alpha Company (-) is located at LZ Liz at 0800hrs. At 1000hrs Alpha Company reports their locations 10 is at BS735425, and 20 is at BS7354350. At 1005hrs Alpha Company at BS777442, heard an explosion believed that someone was setting a mine on the road. Check out the area and found a hole 3’ deep and 3’ in diameter appeared to be a 105round, negative bodies found. At 1613hrs Alpha Company is moving off of LZ Liz and at 1715hrs Alpha Company at BS772410 engaged 2 VC evading, ran west checked area found one hut with blood, both men were dressed in black. At 1735hrs Alpha Company reports their locations 10 BS772410, 20 BS782405 and 20 BS780402. At 1818hrs Alpha Company at BS780401 called Dust Off for a Vietnamese civilian who had been shot in the knee, Dust Off completed at 1820hrs.
Bravo Company
August 26, 1968
Bravo Company continued their Security Mission for LZ Dragon. At 0810hrs Bravo Company at BS738530, one more man wounded in last night action total WHA is now 17. Bravo Company conducts a air move from LZ Dragon 1st PZ at 1830hrs to LZ Thunder last LZ at 1827hrs. SGT BILLY RAY VENABLE LISTED AS KHA DIED OF WOUNDS (see August 25, 1968).
Charlie Company
August 26, 1968
At 2315hrs LZ Thunder Bunker #17 received 5 grenade Northeast and east section of hill. At 2318hrs Gun ships and flare ships arrived. At 2330hrs engaged Northeast and eastside of hill, with rockets and machine gunfire. At 2344hrs the gun ships and flare ship returned to LZ Bronco and at 2400hrs LZ Thunder is back to yellow alert, Charlie Company had 2 men slightly wounded, are back working now at grid BS872324. Charlie Company continued their Security Mission for LZ Thunder and at 1000hrs Charlie Company LRRP Loner and Silent no Change. Charlie Company (-) reports their locations at BS878314, and 21 at BS877321. At 2225hrs Charlie Company at LZ Thunder observed movement outside of perimeter, illumination area and engaged with automatic weapons with negative assessment.
Delta Company
August 26, 1968
Delta Company continued their Security Mission for LZ Charlie Brown with Delta Company at BS875265 and the 30 element is at LZ Charlie Brown. At 0920hrs 1-20 Infantry TOC Have information that at BS913251, BS911263, BS918254, BS916281, and BS916251 there will be ambushes for the mine sweep team and are Sending E Troop APC down to the locations. At 1000hrs 1st Platoon Delta is at BS876264, 2 platoons at BS878265. At 1613hrs Delta Company (-) is located at BS885283 and 30 at Charlie Brown. At 2230hrs Delta Company at BS916244, Delta 13 engaged 1 VC who walked into their ambush position results negative.
Echo Company
August 26, 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 reports their location at LZ Thunder.