Headquarters and Headquarter Company
December 26, 1969
Battalion Forward: 1-20 Infantry Headquarters is located at LZ Liz and continued their working with the ARVN units in their Area of Operations. At 1723hrs 1-20 Infantry to Brigade all bunkers are in good shape with plum bobs. Charlie Company Bunkers were inspected by CPT Donovan, Artillery Bunkers by 1SGT Dodds, HHC Bunkers by CPT Holmes (#40 is being rebuilt) and the rear inspected by CPT Fitzpatrick (#44 is being repaired).
Battalion Rear: Battalion Rear continued their Mission for providing general support for the Battalion. At 1200hrs Charlie Company 26 Engineer at BS755534 picked up 1 wound Vietnamese female with gunshot wounds in the leg and groin, Dust Off is completed at 1230hrs to LZ Bronco (origin of wounds) is unknown.
Alpha Company
December 26, 1969
At 0545hrs Alpha Company cancelled their Combat Assault and they will walk out of LZ Bronco. At 0700hrs Alpha Company is moving to BS835425 and 82 will take the CO’s place. At 0940hrs Alpha Company we have a secure LZ at BS831408. At 1230hrs Resupply for the 22 element location read to go (Grid BS823425) at 1320hrs. At 1835hrs Alpha Company 72 element moving to BS821424, the 99 element is moving to BS821424. The 12 element is moving to BS818426 and the 13 element is moving to BS817430. At 2000hrs Alpha Company all snakes are in location 82 at BS833440, 83 at BS830415, 85 at BS826420, 12 at BS818426, 13 at BS817430, 23 at BS813440 and 22 is at BS835436.
Bravo Company
December 26, 1969
At 0653hrs Bravo Ranger Team is moving to BS774444 and at 0701hrs the Gorilla Team is moving to BS781441. At 0713hrs Bravo Company requests Urgent Dust Off for two Vietnamese female civilians and one Vietnamese child had frag wounds to the face and body. It is unknown if these wounds were received from friendly or enemy fire completed at 0725hrs Grid BS783433. Bravo Company Urgent Requests Dust Off for 1 Vietnamese civilian female with a gun shot wounds in her chest. She received these wounds from the PF completed at 0835hrs grid BS778445. At 0914hrs The Ranger Team reports they have closed on the Command Post at BS783433. At 0936hrs Bravo the 13 and 14 elements have spotted 20 to 30 VC at grid BS755450. They received sniper fire and now pursuing the enemy force. At 0948hrs Bravo Company Urgent Dust Off request for 1 US with frag wounds in the arm, possible a severed artery. The man (Van Houten, I believe was SP4 Douglas Van Houten) threw a frag grenade into a bunker and some of the back blast hit him completed at 1009hrs grid BS753450. At 0950hrs Bravo Company the VC we spotted fired on us and then they evaded some to the northwest and others to the southwest. They were wearing black shorts and white shirts, 4 to 5 weapons in the group of personnel grid BS755450. At 1130hrs Bravo Company the 13 and 14 elements have closed on the Twin Ville. At 1138hrs Bravo Company reports that the 86 element has closed on the South Bridge from cutting bamboo, they will be going out again at 1300hrs grid BS793414. At 1211hrs Bravo Company Urgent Dust Off is Requested, for three RF who had been vomiting blood and have fevers and one is near death. They are located at the North Bridge at BS771461. Possible food poisoning completed at 1221hrs. At 1320hrs the Bravo Company 17 element grid BS767427 picked up 2 Vietnamese detainees dressed in Khaki shirts and shorts, both of the detainees are between 40-65 years old. The RF working with the 17 element said ID no good and will bring them to Command Post for questioning. They were turned into Duc Pho. At 1404hrs Bravo Company the 86 element is going back out to cut bamboo at grid BS479414. At 2017hrs Bravo Company all snakes are in location. The 86 snake is at BS821411, the 14 snake is at BS785461, the 15 snake is at BS786449, the 13 element is at BS791448, the snake is at BS799441, the 25 element is at BS810431 with the 85 snake is at BS812421. At 2150hrs Bravo company the 15 element spotted movement to their south at grid BS786447, we shot illumination and saw one VC, we took incoming from him and returned fire resulting in one VC KIA. He was wearing Black shorts, a white shirt, and white plastic helmet (NVA Type) and poncho jacket, no weapons was found. At 2205hrs Bravo Company the 14 element spotted 15 to 20 VC moving north toward their location at BS785461, we blew four claymore and small arms fire on them; we have 2 KIA VC wearing black shorts and shirts. Both the VC was carrying one sandbag of chow and tea, no weapons found. At 2246hrs Bravo Company the 14 element will be moving back to the North Bridge along with Vietnamese grid BS771461 We are going to move back to BS785464 in the morning, we have the 1 VC KIA. At 2305hrs Bravo Company the 25 element sprung their ambush with one VC KIA who was wearing black pajamas he was a member of a rice carrying party. He had 1 US canteen, civilian shoes, and was moving north, he had no weapon. Late report Bravo Company the 99 element is checking out the area for the MHA (Manchester) from the 24 element found pieces of M16, pieces of a rucksack, his basic load of ammo, and unrecognizable pieces of his Body grid BS791447. At 1530hrs in regard to Bravo Company MHA we found the remaining parts of the body, M-16, PRC 25 radio, parts of the body as yet are not identifiable as the remains of Manchester. The M-16 and PRC 25 are both combat losses. We sound several bunkers, a tunnel leading to the river, detonate cord, and blasting caps. PFC GARY ORAL C. MANCHESTER LISTED AS KHA AND MHA (For additional information see February 15, 1970). Bravo Company reports that SP4 Douglas Van Houten and SP4 William Mathieson where evac to the 91st Evac Hospital on December 27, 1969.
Charlie Company
December 26, 1969
Charlie Company will continue their Security Mission for LZ Liz.
Delta Company
December 26, 1969
At 1025hrs Delta Company main element is at BS750446, the 82 element is 150 to 200 meters to the east and will closing on the main body location. From here we will move to the 22 element location which is 200-300 meters to the west of the CP location. At 1125hrs we are sending three Vietnamese detainees in for questioning. We picked them up near BS750446 where the VC evaded from B13 and B14 element earlier. The interpreter thinks they need further questioning. One VN male detainee had VC propaganda. One VN female detainee 13 years old is supposed to be going to marry a VC. The other detainee is a VN male 14 years old. At 1138hrs all element is now at BS750449. Delta Company will have three patrols from our Defense Line. The will patrol the area 500 meters around the perimeter. Their signs are 24, 14, and 84. At 1301hrs Delta Company found a newly build hooch at grid BS846406. At 1425hrs Delta Company on the western side on a hill at grid BS747444 we found a tunnel which goes back 35 to 40 feel. We didn’t find anything inside but the entrance was freshly camouflaged. The religious cult at the Pagoda at the top of the hill claims ignorance of the tunnel. We requested 3 or 4 crating charges to blow the tunnel. We would like any additional information you can find on the religious cult and it legitimacy. At 2012hrs Delta Company moved into their Night Defense Position at BS742440. The 14 snake is BS743443 and the 24 snake is at BS740437.
Echo Company
December 26, 1969
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 0553hrs 4.2 Platoon reports Supporting Missions 1, Observed Missions 0 with total expend 20 HE rounds. Echo Company Headquarters has the responsibility for Base Defense. Recon Platoon 1st PZ at 0910hrs and 1s t LZ was at 0919hrs into grid BS780520 for the Little John element. At 1933hrs Recon Platoon the ARVN with the Little John element spotted a platoon of VC at grid BS793505, we request gun ships to work the area. At 0944hrs Recon Platoon the VC has evaded to the south of BS793505, they are no longer visible and the ARVN are calling in Artillery. At 1012hrs Recon Platoon we are moving to BS788517 on the operation for today. At 1050hrs Recon Platoon reports we are now at BS789525 and still moving. At 1056hrs Recon was insertion of troops 1st PZ LZ Liz at 1950hrs and 4th LZ is at 1055hrs LZ is at BS783503 At 1100hrs Recon we are now set up in our Day Logger at grid BS783503. At 1120hrs Recon Platoon the ARVN that are with us at grid BS783503 have found the following: one pistol belt, two Chi Com grenades, one Carbine rifle, 25 rounds of ammo for the Carbine, two empty carbine clips, and one poncho with cover. (items were laying in a ditch) At 1220hrs Recon Platoon we are now at BS818432, we will eat lunch and move on. At 1230hrs Recon Platoon request Urgent Dust Off have one ARVN stepped on a M14 type of grenade. He has one large wound in the right let, grid BS783503 completed at 1240hrs. Recon Platoon the ARVN while checking out the area to our east, vicinity of BS789503 (just after the man stepped on the booby trap) engaged and KIA 2 VC who had 6 Chi Com grenades in their possession and also had an AK47 magazine full of Ammo. At 1300hrs Recon Platoon Little John is moving to the south. At 1340hrs we have 1 Vietnamese male detainee, 35-40 years old, who has a couple of ID cards. The Nation Police say he is either a VC or a VC sympathizer. We are now at grid BS817436. At 1435hrs Recon Platoon the Night Defense Position for tonight will be at grid BS816438. At 1522hrs Recon Little john is at grid BS798477 and at 1720hs Recon we found one 55 gal barrel of rice and several empty barrels, we have 2 female detainees, one was carrying a sack with one M60 round of ammo. Earlier we found one sack with 40 to 50 rounds of M16 ammo in it in the same general area later the 2 female detainees we set free. At 1740hrs Recon Little John element is moving to BS792471.