March 15th, 1969 recap
Alpha & Charlie Companies and the Recon Platoon continued expanding the LZ Cider perimeter. B/6-29 FA was airlifted in, transforming the position from a landing zone to a firebase.
Bravo & Delta Companies continued patrolling around the LZ Swift & LZ D-Handle perimeters. Both companies sent out patrols, and an element from each engaged small elements of the NVA. Two NVA KIA were confirmed, with no American casualties.
March 16th, 1969
Alpha & Bravo Company continue to occupy LZ Cider. Multiple short range patrols are sent out, with no contact reported. Patrols from both companies report discovering signs of recent NVA activity, including cut logs, well used trails and directional markings cut into trees.
Bravo & Delta Company continue to occupy the LZ Swift & LZ D-Handle hilltops. Delta Company has the most significant finding of the day when it discovers the grave of an soldier near YA 818854. The soldier, most likely a Chinese advisor, has been buried in the middle of a large bunker complex. Delta establishes an ambush patrol near the bunker complex, and sends several short range patrols out to the east and south of LZ D-Handle.
March 16th, 1969 Daily Journal entries
0720 hours
Charlie Company ambush patrol (AP) #1 closed C Co location.
0800 hours
Cider 14 checked in and wanted to know if we have anything for him. Negative at this time. Cider 14 will be on our Command A if anything comes up.
0935 hours
Major Williams just reported that the new location for the 3-12 Infantry TOC is ready to accept sorties. At this time we have negative air assets for lift until this afternoon.
0958 hours
Colonel Knight enroute to LZ Swinger to talk with LTC Larkin. Hummingbird 4 enroute to pick-up LTC for a Command & Control.
0959 hours
Cider 14 checked out to assist 1-8 Infantry.
1006 hours
Swamy checked in and will be on station. Swamy will be checking out area to the northeast. Nearest friendlies northeast is redlegs at 9099. Two short range patrols (SRP) to the west and 1-8 Infantry to the north.
1009 hours
TOC command post for 3-12 Infantry at grid 829799.
1011 hours
Charlie Company Patrol #1 closed C Co location (LZ Cider). C C reports the findings of C Co Patrol #1. At grid 826788 two trails breaking from ridge line southwest-east slightly south. Approximately five days old.
Fresh trees were cut. Trees were not visible except for stumps. Trees were either chopped with an axe or a small saw. On the trail, there stood a tree with blazed markings in direction of travel. Another tree had an arrow, also pointing in direction of travel. 21 holes were found with fresh leaves at bottom of holes are 5′ x 5′ x 5′.
1315 hours
From Brigade Division Commander will be at LZ Cider at 1325 hours. Major Williams has been informed.
1316 hours
Bravo Company is sending out a patrol to the east because his OP has movement.
1320 hours
Division Commander is now at LZ Cider. Grid 829799.
Division Commander arrived 1315 hours departed 1320 hours.
1335 hours
Gas Man Killer 25 enroute to talk to Bravo & Delta companies.
1350 hours
Reported to Brigade that LZ Swinger is now receiving incoming. Approximately two rounds from 75mm Recoilless Rifle.
1400 hours
Possible grid on where incoming rounds were from is YA 833976.
1445 hours
Message from Brigade. The lift for the rest of the TOC element has been on stand-down and will move first thing in the morning.
1515 hours
The following reports of findings were given by commanding officer of Delta Company.
At grid YA 818854 a total of 21 bunkers with overhead were found. Four bunkers were freshly dug some time last week. Dimension 4’x3’x3′ with logs as overhead 2″ to 6″ in diameter with 12″ of dirt. 11 bunkers were cut back in the hill. Bunker 4’x3’2′. The hill was used as overhead for these bunkers. Five bunkers had logs with 12″ diameter. 7’x’4’x5′ with 12″ layers of logs. They had camouflage flaps and each five bunkers had a flat entrance like a patio with a bamboo mat to give shade. The bunkers had bamboo roofs inside and on all the corners of bunkers and a bamboo floor 2′ above the dirt. The five bunkers were very well kept.
One bunker 5’x4’x3′ had two layers of logs with 12″ of dirt as overhead. This bunker also has a camouflage flap at entrance. On the far wall were three bamboo shelves. This bunker had the most use and was very well kept. There was blood on the floor. This bunker was in the center of perimeter which is 250′ long, 150′ wide running east and west. Within the perimeter one grave was found. An individual believed to be Chinese type was found three feet deep. About five days old and died of shrapnel. Individual had round face and was heavy set. Individual had a star on his collar. Individual was wearing black or dark blue fatigues. He was wrapped with a hammock. A metal marker with a small black star the size of a dime. A 1.5′ post on marker it had:
1st Line Ngvan – believed to be two initials and a name.
2nd Line – Lap/Duc
3rd Line – Binh/Duc
4th Line – Tho
5th Line – Hatinh
The writings were in pencil then hammered in by a nail or bullet.
Two kitchens at each end of perimeter. One had three burners and the other had two burners.
NVA ruck sack, five Chi-Com grenades, documents with Vietnamese & Chinese writing, some picks & shovels, 50 AK-47 rounds, one bag of 61 12.7mm rounds, 4 pounds of salt, one rice bag, one bamboo basket.
The marker with the writing and documents are at D Co location. The above were found by the 2nd Platoon element.
1925 hours
Alpha Company 3rd Platoon found at YA836797, 30 underground bunkers 5×6 & 36″ overhead. 7-10 days old, four mess kitchens – 7’x20′ all well camouflaged. Two steel helmets of old Russian type, one bottom of some type of injection. Also markings on trails could not tell when last used. Trees had arrows point up the trees and 5-69 was also on it.
Plus at YA 823796 found 20 more bunkers same size but much older.
Order persistent C.S. gas to be put in these bunkers.
2220 hours
Delta Company commander Captain Foss reported seeing flashlights to the south. While redleg, heavy organics & light organics were coming up on the data the flashlights went out and just before the first round impacted lights went on and when the round impacted it went out. Also when the round impacted five of his people heard two to three rounds of small arms go off, then after a few rounds impacted additional flashlights went on. D Co hasn’t seen flashlights for the last five minutes. First seen lights at 2200.
2235 hours
Delta Company has stopped redleg, heavy & light organics at this time.
2236 hours
Delta Company requests airstrike at YA 817839 for 0830 hours tomorrow morning. Type heavy ordinance & napalm.
S-3 Operations Daily Journals for March 16th, 1969
Retrieved from the National Archives, College Park, Maryland
