Headquarters and Headquarter Company
February 5, 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 0116hrs 1-20 Infantry reports Security Element at LZ Charlie Brown received 20 to 25 rounds of small arms fire from an azimuth of 1200mils. At 0650hrs 1-20 Infantry Security Platoon hit a mine 3 US WIA none serious, Dust Off called for at 0650hrs and completed at 0703hrs grid BS835227. At 0935hrs Bravo Company 19 Engineers, vehicles are still leaving Duc Pho before the road is open. Vehicle HQ 79 found on the road, says the Military Police made no attempt to stop him. Also this is the 3rd day we have found barricades at BS774455, it takes more than 4 or 5 people to make these barricades. At 0950hrs Delta Company reports the road is clear from LZ Bronco to Bong Song. At 1259hrs (late entry) Security Platoon at BS936234 found some empty misc. cartridges, 1 M-26 grenade, a book with an ID card in it, looks like a 201 file a portable radio that can tune into our frequency and pick up our transmissions. Also found 2 ammo boxes of documents, 2 rolls film unused, VC flags, material to make them with, a bottle of pills, a sand bag full of rations. Along with sack of batteries, 1000, 000 to 200,000 dong, blankets, a sweater, 1 box of rations and medicine. The LZ will be at BS934233, tunnel was found by hooch, an old man went down into tunnel and brought out a sack full of stuff we went down in and found the portable radio. We went down in and found the portable radio and found a secret passageway. In this passage way under the floor we found the money and documents found most of the stuff down there, along with a old World War II entrenching tool. At 2152hrs 1-20 Infantry E Troop 1st Calvary has tracks on bridges 106, 106A & 108. The Track for Bridge 107 has commo trouble and will post as soon as repairs are made.
Rear Area: Battalion Rear continued their Mission of general support for the battalion and continued their Security Mission for LZ Bronco. SP5 Jay B Wright was attached to 67th Medical Evac (See Alpha Company February 5, 1968). At 1840hrs Gun ships from 174th Aviation made Visual Recon of perimeter with negative results. Flare ship on top of Montezuma and all bunkers manned. At 1910hrs E Troop 1st Calvary was given permission to test fire 50 caliber Machinegun. At 2127hrs 6th support received 4 rounds of sniper fire from vicinity BS806393, Bunker 17 returned fire. At 2340hrs Bunker 17 observed 4 personnel moving at BS870395, MACV gave permission to fire illumination in R&D area. MACV requested we fire close to the personnel and observe what happens. Fired small arms and personnel jumped into a ditch and fled with negative results. Notified MACV and they gave permission to return fire.
Alpha Company
February 5, 1968
At 0450hrs Alpha Company had an ambush at grid BS877346 hit with 1 hand grenade with results 6 men WHA with fragments in legs, none serious will evac in the morning. Evac Sadlo light frag, Uhlehatt light frag, Wright E-5 light frag, Wiedel light frag, Steward light frag, Anderson returned to Duty (Anderson, SP4 James R. Sadlo, Steward, SP4 Timothy Uhlenott, Wiedel, and SP5 Jay B.Wright Medic Headquarters and Headquarter Company). At 1030hrs Alpha Company is located at BS871355 and at 1336hrs Alpha Company at BS871355 on their Search and Destroy mission found 8 transistor radio set on 6.3 frequency. At 1400hrs Alpha Company at BS867356, found a 8 transistor radio, 3 short wave bands. I broadcast band was set on 6.5 megacycles.
Bravo Company
February 5, 1968
At 1030hrs Bravo Company is located at BS777387. At 1130hrs Bravo Company 3rd Platoon has been lifted into vicinity BS865355 OPCON to Alpha Company which now has 4 platoons in their (Area of Operation). Bravo Company will continued their security missions for the bridges.
Charlie Company
February 5, 1968
Charlie Company (-) has the Security Mission for LZ Uptight at 0348hrs Task Force Barker element on C Bridge in southwest has been receiving sniper fire from villages, artillery will be firing on that area. At 0945hrs Charlie Company at BS709820 to BS714823, found several tunnels, will destroy as many as they can. At 1130hrs Charlie Company Platoon is location at BS708820 and found 1 VC flag, 1000 P’s, 1000 pounds of rice and 1 VCS also some tunnels. At 1030hrs Charlie Company at BS720828, request permission to burn a Village. District Chief reports this is a R&R site for the 48th VC Battalion, the village has been evacuated of civilians a at 1020hrs along with some 1000 pounds rice and 1 VCS also some tunnels which will be destroyed. At 1810hrs Charlie Company returned to LZ Uptight.
Delta Company
February 5, 1968
At 1030hrs Delta Company continued their Security Mission for LZ Thunder, At 1527hrs the sweep has flushed 2 VC fired warning shots- KIA 2 VC and at 1525hrs 1st Platoon at BS845317. At 1635hrs Delta Company at BS845316 conducting a Cordon and Search operation requested Dust Off for Captain Barry Jones hit by sniper fire while on a Cordon and Search Operation with 1st Platoon. The 1-20 Infantry Battalion Command and Control Helicopter was able to respond to and made the Dust Off. At 1640hrs Delta Company at BS845317 spotted one VC evading results, 1 VC KIA. "Delta Company had a small breakdown in Command and control when CPT JOSEPH BARRY JONES was KIA, first mistake took place in burning a couple of hutches where the fire came from and also in response to the Lost of their Commanding Officer, that end with most of the village burning down. Results of poor Command decisions or miss communication and there a period of lost of Command and Control and a lesson learned by the Company and the 1-20 Infantry would work hard to try and keep under control or regain control after a combat action research comments". Delta Company 1st Platoon on LZ Thunder for Security Mission for LZ Thunder and 2nd Platoon Bridge Duty 106-108, 3rd Platoon Bridge Duty 99-100. CAPTAIN JOSEPH BARRY JONES is listed as KIA.
Echo Company
February 5, 1968
Echo Company and 4.2 platoon and radar platoon where located on LZ Thunder to provide direct support to the Battalion. At 1130hrs Recon Platoon is located at BS886301 as they continued to use Day and Night ambushes and OP in their Area of Operations.