Headquarters and Headquarter Company
December 7, 1970
Forward Area: (1-20 Infantry Headquarters) is located at LZ Liz and will continue to work with ARVN units in their Area of Operations. At 0030hrs Blue Ghost Black is on station, requests clearance for Box 69 cleared by LT Lewis, 0052hrs Blue Ghost leaving Box 69 with negative findings, 0105hrs requests clearance for Box 67 cleared LT Lewis, Blue Ghost breaking station at 0136hrs with negative findings in Box 37. At 0200hrs Radar Sighting, Company sized element grids BS725463, BS725479 and BS730477 movement to the east. Requesting clearance for fire mission, engaged at 0205hrs Road Runner BS725463 to BS725479 and a 3 X3 on BS728478. During the Artillery Fire Mission radar picked up a scattering of movement. At BS730460 1-3 personnel, at BS730459 4 to 7 personnel, at BS730479 5 to 7 personnel, at BS725462 8 to 10 personnel, at BS726464 8 to 10 personnel and at BS726466 there are 5 to 7 personnel. Radar picked up secondary explosions around vicinity BS732461. Blue Ghost back on station at 0323hrs fired up the area in possible hiding places, Blue Ghost saw evidence that there, were a large number of personnel in the area. Saw no bodies, had negative findings in the area and broke station at 0430hrs. At 0800hrs Primo 5 is on station for Commanding Officer and S-3 to Visual Recon BS7246 area. At 0850hrs PF 189 will be working the following grids from 0830hrs to 1800hrs today, BS759454 to BS757458 to BS764459. At 1020hrs Warlord 23 vicinity BS730388 spotted 2 tunnels on which he expended several rockets. Warlord was planning to insert his only slick load. Warlord was diverted to assist Recon with his Dust Off (See Echo Company). At 1945hrs MACV Mo Duc in the vicinity BS732618, Mat Team # 26 and RF 103, while en route to highway 11, received sniper-fire from an estimated squad of VC. Fire came from the northwest, northeast and east and southeast. Estimate the enemy was at grid BS733620 and BS735615. 1 RF WIA and evac at 1630hrs, and Artillery fired and gun ships requested but later cancelled with unknown number of enemy casualties. Legend: 1st Platoon 83-88, 2nd Platoon 33-38, 3rd Platoon 03-08, 4th Platoon 63-68 and CO 09.
Rear Area: Battalion Rear continued their Mission of general support for the battalion and continued their Security Mission for LZ Bronco.
Alpha Company
December 7, 1970
At 0635hrs Alpha Company 3rd Platoon vicinity BS75570 moving in from an ambush location found 2 family type bunkers, each had an air hole and a strong smell of incense and Marijuana in the bunkers. They then found 7 more family type bunkers in the area, all were approximately 8 X 10 X 15 and they will be destroyed as soon as they received the demo to do it. Alpha Company set up Patrol Bases and Saturation Patrolling of their Area of Operation. At 1939hrs Alpha Company 3rd Platoon in location BS774546, ambush BS773548, 2nd Platoon BS758590 ambushes BS757593 and BS757588. At 2020hrs Command Post, 1st and 4th Platoon change Night Defense Position to BS754575, 1st Platoon ambush BS757578.
Bravo Company
December 7, 1970
At 1643hrs Bravo Company 2nd Platoon vicinity BS668574 requests 1 routine Dust Off for 1 US temp 103 and very weak #Rydberg new medic (I believe it was PFC Tryove Rydberg), Dust Off is completed 1710hrs. 1st Platoon vicinity BS668564 Request Urgent Dust Off for 1 US who hit a booby trap and has multiple frag wounds to his legs and arms. Booby Trap was a can of Petna with trip wire device located in a hedgerow, PVT William H. Voelker sent to 27 Surgical with Multiple Frag Wounds, Dust Off completed at 1700hrs. At 1700hrs Bravo Company 1st Platoon vicinity BS0699563 has Urgent Dust Off for 3 US who hit a booby trap (1 KHA Richard Reed COD GRP with Trauma Amputation of both legs booby trap and 2 WHA Gibbs and Albert). Booby trap was a artillery round with trip wire device located in a hedgerow and the Dust Off was completed at 1702hrs. SGT RICHARD LEON REED LISTED AS KHA. Bravo Company reports that PFC Terry B. Gibbs with frag wounds left flank and left thigh, PFC David A. Albert with Multiple Frag Wounds to both legs and PVT William R. Voelker with Multiple Frag Wounds to both legs with left arm were evac to the 27th Evac Surgical Hospital.
Charlie Company
December 7, 1970
At 0735hrs Charles Company 3rd Platoon moving to BS738618 and a 0930hrs Charlie Company closed on Highway 1, vicinity BS712610. At 1115hrs Charlie Company was picked up by trucks, they are in bound to LZ Liz. At 1140hrs Charlie Company has closed on LZ Liz and Charlie Company takes over the Security Mission for LZ Liz.
Delta Company
December 7, 1970
Delta Company working ambushes and patrols in their Area Operation. At 1356hrs 3rd Platoon ambush BS749547, 2nd Platoon patrol BS751554 to BS752549, 1st Platoon BS743579 to BS754576. At 1942hrs Delta Company Command Post 1st 4th platoon Night Defense Position at BS754575, 3rd Platoon ambush vicinity BS748556 and BS756558 with 1st Platoon ambush BS746576 and BS738577.
Echo Company
December 7, 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. Echo Company Headquarters has the coordination responsibility for Base Defense. At 0650hrs Recon Platoon is moving out for BS735443. At 0710hrs Recon Platoon vicinity BS748437 reacting to last nights radar sightings, the Recon Platoon while moving into a hamlet spotted 2 VC, 1 with weapon evading to the west, they engaged the two and continued their movement to the west. Recon then lost sight of the 2 VC. At 0900hrs Recon Platoon vicinity BS723465 was moving into the area of last nights radar sighting and Recon found 6 tunnels, 5 with a 20-30 man capacity. 1 of the caves had a fresh water spring. The caves offer an excellent view of the Valley floor. They are of such a strong construction that it will be practically impossible to destroy. Recon Platoon is continuing to search the area at this time. At 0940hrs Recon Platoon vicinity BS715463 is continuing their search of the area found a deep ravine approximately 10 feet deep, running northeast to southwest. It had approximately 30 sets of footprints 5 to 6 hours old. Direction of movement West to east and they continued their search at this time. At 1015hrs Recon Platoon 1st squad found 15 sets of tracks along the stream bed moving up the ravine. Tracks were 2-3 hours old. Moving farther up the ravine they found 3 more set of boot tracks, vicinity BS714454. At BS719453, they found a 55-gallon drum of persistent CS, CS was in sacks inside the drum. The drum was not investigated further, due to the possibility that it might be booby trap. At 1100hrs Recon 1st Squad is moving to base of hill BS725453. At 1030hrs Recon Platoon vicinity BS716453 requesting Urgent Dust Off for 4 US with multiple frag wounds, booby trap or mine with pressure release type device, probably hand frag. Warlord extracted all personnel at 1037hrs and extracted them to 23 Med. At 1237hrs Recon Platoon has closed on LZ Liz. At 1245hrs Recon Platoon is requesting Priority Dust Off for 1 US with sever back pains, he is unable to walk. SP4Alfred Thomas was completed at 1252hrs to 23 Medical with Non Battle Wound treated and released with sprained back fell off Paddy Dike. 1LT James F. Ellis frag wounds back and right thigh booby trap, SP4 Craig M.Goin (11C20) frag wounds to both legs booby trap and SP4 Richard E. Roberts (11B20) frag wounds both legs booby trap was attached to the 91st Evac Hospital. Also PFC Edward J. Kapusta was treated and released at 23 Medical with minor frag wound to left eye brow booby trap.