March 31st, 1969 recap
All battalion elements are subjected to NVA indirect and recoilless rifle attacks during the pre-dawn hour of March 31st. The NVA harassing attacks continue sporadically throughout the day. On LZ D-Handle, three men are wounded by these attacks. Alpha Company and two platoons of Charlie Company are lifted from their night defensive position near Hill 900 and brought back to LZ Cider to consolidate forces with the Charlie Company, HHC and Recon elements already there.
A massive aerial and artillery bombardment is planned and executed against NVA targets in the area between LZ Cider and LZ D-Handle
April 1st, 1969
The 3-12 Infantry remained in mutually supporting blocking positions along the Cu Kotah mountain range and employed ambush and short range patrols to detect and interdict enemy movement through the Area of Operations. Patrols on April 1st resulted in negative enemy contacts or sightings.
The final extraction of the battalion from this AO was postponed by Colonel Knight, 1st Brigade commander. It was obvious that there were NVA units still throughout the area. Also, the Alpha Company contact on March 27th and March 30th had left 14 soldiers MIA. Those men were still out there, and needed to be recovered.
Another round of Arc Light bombardment and airstrikes was ordered, and the men in the battalion spent the day on patrol, or laying low in bunkers and foxholes as American bombs pounded the areas outside their perimeter.
April 1st Daily Journal entries
0045 hours
All elements also came in clear and loud. Brigade will be using their Command B for secure comms, because the new secure 62.00 has transmitting problems.
Alpha Company will be on our Command B and will be using that for their internal until we can get something straightened out. A Co can not use new internal due to a lot of overrides from our Redleg.
0115 hours
1st Combat Sky Spot (CSS) completed 0115 hours.
0140 hours
Time on Target for Arc Lights
KTM 7225-P April 1st 0435 hours
KTM 7226-P April 1st 1425 hours
KTM 7227-P April 1st 1835 hours
KTM 7228-P April 1st 2320 hours
0145 hours
7-17 Cav AO for 01 April
3-12 Alpha Troop 7-17th Cav from YA 7485-7985 and YA 7978-7478
0415 hours
Alpha Company and Charlie Company has listening posts (LP) inside perimeter and everyone safely inside bunkers due to Arc Light 7225 (KTM) Time on Target April 1st 0435 hours.
0435 hours
Phase I of Arc Light 7225-P is complete.
0450 hours
Phase II of Arc Light 7225-P is complete.
0530 hours
Report on Arc Light 7225-P. Continuous small arms and light organic secondary explosions heard in area of Arc Light from 0438-0505 at grid YA 804814. One major secondary explosion at 812822 immediately following second phase. No cloud detectable.
0740 hours
FAC (Cider 10) checked in and reported airstrikes at YA 806825, YA 807826 and YA 804817.
0830 hours
From 1st Brigade S-3: Concept of operation for combat assault of 1-22 Infantry. 3-12 Infantry will occupy four company size blocking position. LZ Cider-LZ D-Handle, 834815, 815835. Primary interest to block draw vicinity grid square 8282.
1-22 Infantry will combat assault into landing zones with two company each and attack east to Objective Red center of mass 831807. Overlay of respective boundaries will be furnished by 1st Brigade.
Afternoon of 1st April. Expected starting time of operation will be after completion of B-52 strikes.
0930 hours
LTC Larkin is airborne on visual reconaissance.
0932 hours
FAC (Cider 10) reports he has napalm coming in at 0945 hours. He will start the napalm at bunker complex at YA 827816. He will then work the napalm over the finger and down the draw.
0950 hours
Air Cav (Dizzy 64) checked in Command A and will be working AO YA 7485-YA 7985-YA 7978-YA 7478. Bravo Company 2nd Platoon will be on 15 minute standby.
1010 hours
General Pepke has arrived at this location (LZ Cider).
1015 hours
General Pepke has departed this location.
1022 hours
Colonel Knight has arrived this location (LZ Cider).
1026 hours
LTC Larkin has returned to this location (LZ Cider).
1030 hours
Brigade requested to know how many 81mm tubes we had and where they were. We reported 12.
Alpha Co – 3
Bravo Co – 3
Charlie Co – 3
Delta Co – 3
1036 hours
FAC (Cider 10) reports airstrike with napalm on grid YA 826816 is starting at this time.
1037 hours
Brigade gave us a new push for Alpha Company 56.45.
1045 hours
Colonel Knight has departed this location.
1046 hours
FAC (Cider 13) reports first airstrike complete at YA 826816.
1057 hours
Guard 97 has completed CS gas drop on YA 826810.
1058 hours
FAC (Cider 13) has another set of fighters on station. They will be working on LZs in our area.
1104 hours
FAC (Cider 13) reports airstrike complete on YA 804817. His fighters will strafe YA 826815.
1125 hours
FAC (Cider 13) reports he has another LZ cut going in at YA 806825 shortly.
1150 hours
FAC (Cider 13) has completed another LZ cut. Again he used his fighters to strafe our target area.
1200 hours
Guard 97 – gas man left our area. He has made two drops and will be back later.
1202 hours
FAC (Cider 13) reports another Daisy Cutter going in at 806825.
1225 hours
FAC (Cider 13) reported Cider 22 would be taking him place. He has another set of fighters enroute for Daisy Cutters and then strafe our target area.
Air Cav reported they killed two NVA and wounded another at YA 782811. They will be putting in their Blues at 1250 hours and want Bravo Company 2nd Platoon to be ready in case they need any help.
1310 hours
FAC (Cider 13) is putting in airstrike, napalm, on target area.
1405 hours
Colonel Knight has arrived this location (LZ Cider).
1415 hours
Arc Light was put in our aea.
1435 hours
Arc Light completed
1445 hours
FAC (Cider 13) has airstrike going in at our target area YA 826817.
1448 hours
Message from Brigade. Division Commander will hold meeting of all major unit and battalion/squadron commanding officers. 15 April 1969.
1510 hours
FAC reports airstrikes complete.
1511 hours
Task Force Swift reports three rounds incoming impacting 600 meters north of perimeter. 82mm. Possible source estimate location is YA 817850. Organics being employed.
1515 hours
We got a secondary from the airstrike general vicinity YA 827816.
1545 hours
We got another secondary. The size of white phosphorous smoke vicinity YA 827816.
1550 hours
Yellow Scarf’s are back in AO.
1551 hours
Division chemical officer will be dropping at YA 829810 to YA 827810.
1555 hours
LTC Larkin is airborne.
1600 hours
LTC Larkin told Captain Lee, Charlie Company Commander to bring back their ambush patrol (AP) 2. But it will have to go back out later.
1614 hours
Delta Company short range patrol (SRP) 41 departed D Co location. (LZ D-Handle)
1615 hours
Task Force Swift received one round incoming.
1617 hours
Division chemical officer will drop CS gas at YA 812798.
1620 hours
Brigade informed us that make a list of CSS for tonight.
1625 hours
Delta Company received ground fire when LTC Larkin try to go in at that location.
Division chemical officer left our AO.
1627 hours
Yellow Scarfs are going back home.
1633 hours
Airstrike going in at YA 812798.
1635 hours
YA 825801 site of anti-aircraft fire at recon-surveillance bird.
1636 hours
The fighters will employ 20mm at YA 827816.
1638 hours
Task Force Swift receive two rounds incoming recoilless rifle. Negative casualties. Grid YA 814852.
1640 hours
Cider 12 (FAC) has another set of fighters on station and will put high drags and the napalm at YA 827816.
1715 hours
Division chemical officer will drop CS gas at YA 779799 and YA 782805.
1800 hours
CSS for tonight sent to Brigade.
1840 hours
Cider 12 (FAC) checked in Command A and will have airstrike going in at YA 834815.
1850 hours
From the Arc Light we observe a secondary vicinity YA 801800. 800 foot high gray and black smoke. 12 seconds after the last bomb had dropped.
1856 hours
Airstrike completed at YA 834815.
1914 hours
Plans summary and night locations sent to Brigade.
1939 hours
Charlie Company AP2 has movement at YA 826975 to the north. Two individuals and west. Cannot identify.
1957 hours
AP2 of Charlie Company report movement has stopped.
2035 hours
Airstrikes for tomorrow.
1 – YA 825808 (2) A-1Es Mark 117, Mark 82 .025 Time on Target 1200 hours
2 – YA 825810 (2) F-100s wall to wall napalm. Time on Target 1200 hours
3 – YA 826811 (2) F-100s Mark 117 high drag and napalm. Time on Target 1230 hours
4 – YA 825817 – Mark 82s and rockets. Time on Target 1600 hours
2100 hours
Arc Light 7229 Time on Target 0920 hours and will start moving 1-22 Infantry after the Arc Light. 1-22 Infantry TOC at 0830 hours.
2105 hours
Status sent to Brigade.
2150 hours
Charlie Company reports that they heard a rooster crow.
2240 hours
Intelligence was informed that an air burst at 327 degree azimuth has probably 37mm or 40mm anti-aircraft weapon. A CSS aircraft was in the air at the time.
2325 hours
Alpha Company reports that Alpha Company 3rd Platoon has movement in front of bunker line. Left of his position about 200 meters. Grenades being employed.