March 26th, 1969 Recap
With the exception of the battalion Recon Platoon, all battalion elements remained at their previous locations. Alpha (LZ Cider), Bravo (LZ Swift), Charlie (LZ Cider patrol base), Delta (LZ D-Handle), 4.2″ Mortars (LZ D-Handle mortar base). The Recon Platoon reverted back to Battalion control (previously attached to Charlie Company) and established ambush locations southeast of LZ Cider.
Each element sent out short range and ambush patrols. Alpha & Charlie both experienced fleeting contact with small NVA units with no casualties reported. Bravo & Delta had men injured by falling trees and punji stakes respectively. Recon reported no significant findings or contact.
March 27th, 1969
Bravo Company continued to occupy LZ Swift. Delta Company, including it’s 4th Platoon, consisting of three tubes of 81mm mortars, and the battalion 4.2″ mortar platoon occupied the mortar base on LZ D-Handle. Each company sent out multiple short range and ambush patrols, with negative contact or findings reported.
March 27th, 1969
On March 27th, 1969, Alpha Company’s 3rd Platoon, under the command of 1LT Anthony Urrutia, was ordered to perform a recon patrol of an area to the northwest of LZ Cider. A large bunker complex and NVA training camp had been discovered and the Alpha Company commander, Captain Manuel D. Joglar, wanted his men to recon the area around it.
The platoon, consisting of 29 men, including a 3-man Forward Observer party, departed LZ Cider at 0810 and began moving northwest down a ridgeline and toward a ravine with a small stream running east to west. Moving at a good speed, 3rd Platoon made it to the bottom by 1020 hours, with no signs of NVA. Their plan had been to hook east and climb up another ridgeline before looping back to the south and towards the firebase.
Just a few hundred meters into their climb out of the ravine, the pointman spotted a group of four NVA soldiers moving towards them down the ridgeline that 3rd Platoon intended to climb. The pointman engaged, killing two of them. 1LT Uruttia moved his machine gun team forward to pin down the remaining enemy soldiers, and the forward observer team began calling in supporting fire from the 105mm howitzers of B/6-29 FA located on LZ Cider. Before this support could be brought to bear, the jungle above and to the north of 3rd Platoon erupted. Well concealed bunkers and fighting positions contained dozens of NVA soldiers, who unleashed a deadly barrage of accurate machine gun fire, B-40 rockets and mortars. Several Alpha Company men were killed instantly, and 1LT Uruttia gave the order to fall back. Seconds later, he too was struck and killed by NVA bullets.
The platoon was shattered, and the survivors pulled back, trying to maintain the fighting strength they still had and account for all of their people. Several men, wounded and disarmed, made their way back to the firebase perimeter on their own.
As soon as it was clear that his 3rd Platoon was in real trouble, Captain Joglar gathered up the men of 2nd & 3rd Platoon and scrambled down the hillside to gather up his battered platoon. Wary of another NVA ambush, the main body of Alpha Company didn’t link up with 3rd Platoon until just after 1600 hours. The news was not good. Eight men from Alpha Company were missing in action. The 3rd Platoon survivors reported that at least six of the eight missing men were seen to have been hit badly in the face or chest, and likely all eight were dead.
Captain Joglar, needing to at least attempt to recover his men, ordered Alpha to carefully work their way close to the initial contact area. It didn’t take long, and the Alpha men were once again engaged by heavy automatic weapons fire and forced to break contact and withdraw. LTC Richard X. Larkin, the battalion commander, ordered Captain Joglar to gather his men and return to the firebase at LZ Cider. He then ordered a series of artillery and airstrikes against the NVA positions, and Alpha Company was forced to wait for their recovery mission.
Of the 29 men on the 3rd Platoon patrol, four were wounded and evacuated and eight killed in action. It would be over a week until the bodies of six of those men could be recovered from the field. One man, SSG Raymond Czerwiec, was never found. He was listed as Missing in Action until April 28th, 1976, when a presumptive finding of death was finally issued. He is now listed as Killed in Action, Body Not Recovered.
SGT David Wilson and PFC Robert Hardison had been in Vietnam for less than three weeks. Hardison, the platoon medic, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions that day.
PFC Robert Smith Hardison, Distinguished Service Cross citation
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Private First Class Robert Smith Hardison, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 12th Infantry, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. Private First Class Hardison distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous action on 27 March 1969 as a platoon medic during a reconnaissance-in-force mission near Landing Zone Cider in Kontum Province. The men in the point element engaged several North Vietnamese Army soldiers. As the remainder of the platoon moved forward to assist them, ferocious B-40 rocket, mortar, automatic weapons and small arms fire erupted from three sides. Seeing numerous casualties in the enemy killing zone, Private Hardison repeatedly braved the devastating fire to administer medical treatment and instruct others in caring for the injured. Rescuing the wounded from under the communist fusillade, he brought them to his unit’s hastily formed defensive perimeter. As the platoon was about to withdraw, he made a final check of the area where the point element had first contact and spotted a wounded soldier lying exposed to fierce enemy fire. Racing to the casualty, he shielded the man with his own body and was administering lifesaving first aid when he was mortally wounded by the enemy fire. Private First Class Hardison’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
Gail Kerns – American Prisoner of War
SSG Gail Mason Kerns, another of the men who went down in the initial burst of fire that day, holds the most amazing story of all. Knocked unconscious when an NVA bullet smashed into his skull, he awoke days later as a prisoner of the North Vietnamese Army. For the next four years, he would remain in captivity in Cambodia, Laos and finally, at the Hanoi Hilton in North Vietnam. He was released during Operation Homecoming in 1973, and lived out his life peacefully in his native West Virginia until his passing on May 10th, 2024.
March 27th, 1969 Daily Journal entries
0700 hours
Air Cav Area of Operations (AO) for 27 March is 7584-8078-8084-7578
1020 hours
Alpha Company 3rd Platoon at YA 824809 found an old NVA perimeter consisting of 12 foxholes and one trail running south. Hasn’t been used in about two weeks.
1021 hours
LTC Larkin is airborne enroute to visit companies.
1110 hours
LTC Larkin has returned to this location (LZ Cider).
1111 hours
Alpha Company 3rd Platoon at YA 825809 found 12 fighting holes, small, no overhead cover. At YA 825810 found five small fighting holes. No overhead. Small kitchen with a 4’x6′ hootch on the ground, bamboo type. Two large glass tubes, one small glas tube with Vitamin C written on it, plastic bag with white powder in it.
1120 hours
Alpha Company 3rd Platoon is in contact at 826811. They are in contact with approximately four NVA with machine guns. They have one WIA.
1125 hours
Alpha Company 3rd Platoon reported B-40 rounds being fired at them.
1135 hours
Alpha Company 3rd Platoon received a hit from mortars and two or three machine guns. Estimate a company of NVA
1140 hours
Alpha Company 3rd Platoon reports they have pulled back. They only have 15 individuals left and approximately five of them don’t have weapons.
1150 hours
Air Cav has checked in Command A and will be working pre-planned AO.
1155 hours
Alpha Company 3rd Platoon reports approximately 12 individuals missing.
1156 hours
Alpha Company minus (1st & 2nd Platoons) is departing enroute to Alpha Company 3rd Platoon.
1210 hours
Air Cav has completed Bomb Damage Assessment (BDA) and is returning to refuel.
1220 hours
A few individuals from Alpha Company 3rd Platoon have made it back to the firebase by themselves. Number of casualties and number of missing also unknown.
1305 hours
One individual that made it back to patrol base is wounded. Gun shot in arm. Priority Dustoff was requested. Dustoff will be on our A/L and 31B will be control.
1315 hours
FAC (Cider 13) checked in and reported airstrike going in at YA 828817. It was diverted because of contact.
1320 hours
Organics are being employed from D-Handle to general grid 8381.
1345 hours
Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) took man with arm wound to Mary Lou.
1410 hours
Bravo Company requests Scout Dogs. The ones they had went in yesterday.
1415 hours
Alpha Company(-) is 25 minutes from link up with 3rd Platoon Alpha Company.
1435 hours
Alpha Company(-) reports 600 meters.
1450 hours
Delta Company short range patrol (SRP) 45 at YA 827840.
1451 hours
Alpha Company(-) came across some brand new bunkers and checking them out.
1500 hours
LTC Larkin is airborne.
1509 hours
Alpha Company(-) at YA 827807.
1527 hours
Delta Company SRP45 night location YA 825838.
1600 hours
LTC Larkin returned this location.
1601 hours
Alpha Company(-) reports he has three WIA. They are walking wounded and they will come back to LZ Cider.
1630 hours
Alpha Company still has nine Missing In Action (MIA).
1705 hours
Alpha Company(-) is moving up to the finger where contact was made. Negative findings.
1710 hours
Alpha Company(-) point man received auto weapons fire at YA 825816. Negative casualties. Light organics being employed. Contact was broken.
1715 hours
Alpha Company(-) reports on top the hill at YA 825816 there is an NVA perimeter. Haven’t received any fire for last 10 minutes. Also no one has gone up the hill in the last 10 minutes.
1747 hours
The change in MIAs of Alpha Company is eight MIA and request a dust-off.
1756 hours
Cancel the Dustoff because Hummingbird 5 will take three WIA to Mary Lou.
1815 hours
Alpha Company had a man pass out from heat exhaustion. Does not need a dustoff.
1821 hours
Alpha Company request an urgent dustoff for the man suffering from heat exhaustion. Will need it in 45-60 minutes.
1835 hours
Bravo Company 1st Platoon return to B Co location because of no commo.
1930 hours
Alpha Company reports that they will close about 30-45 minutes. Depending on the man suffering from heat exhaustion.
1939 hours
Plans summary, air strikes and night locations sent to Brigade.
1945 hours
Following messages sent to Bravo Company and Delta Company. Bravo Company move to Delta Company perimeter tomorrow. Delta Company employ ambush on Bravo Company perimeter. Bravo Company employ two platoons and SRPs to east-southeast. Bravo Company destroy perimeter bunkers before departing.
1950 hours
Major Williams informed Brigade to send the dustoff mat this time for the man suffering from heat exhaustion.
1956 hours
Recap of casualties of Alpha Company. Four WIA, eight MIA, one non-combat.
2025 hours
Alpha Company(-) closed LZ Cider.
2045 hours
Arc Lights in our AO have been extended to 1 April 0600 hours. Also Cav AO for tomorrow YA 8584-YA 8884 – YA 8878 – YA 8578.
2057 hours
Alpha Company’s man who had heat exhaustion is resting comfortable and will need a routine dustoff in the morning.
2100 hours
Negative situation all elements.
2121 hours
Report to Brigade that Alpha Company 3rd Platoon killed two NVA. Also six out eight MIA were hit bad either in the face or chest with B-40s, machine guns or 60mm mortars.
2200 hours
Negative situation all elements.
2212 hours
Intelligence information received word for the battalions to be alert for the next 24 hours for a ground attack by fire by the enemy.
2220 hours
Brigade informed us a general trace of SRP screens at YA 8678 to LZ Cider to LZ D-Handle to YA 815866.
2300 hours
Alpha Company reports one PRC-25 radio missing when contact was made.
Author’s note
You can read about my visits to the gravesites of Corporal Willie Martinez and SP4 James Long here.