The location cited at the beginning of each paragraph was the location of the 3-12 Infantry battalion firebase/TOC. In most cases, the other elements of the battalion (A,B,C,D,4-Deuce and Recon) were in the field in the vicinity. I have noted general locations for elements in the field when possible. I have included some detail regarding engagements, enemy action etc, but not all. I believe I have included the last name for every fatal casualty suffered by the battalion in 1969, in the paragraph respective to the date of casualty.
December 26th, 1968 to January 3d, 1969 – De Bodral Plantation Firebase, AR 920680 (Plei Neh map sheet). Firebase located just north of QL19A, approximately 25 kilometers northeast of Pleiku. Bravo Company secures FSB with HHC, B/6-29 FA and 4.2” Mortar Platoon. Alpha, Charlie, Delta Companies and Recon Platoon conduct search and destroy operations east of the firebase. C/2-8 Infantry(Mechanized) is OPCON to the battalion on January 1st-3d . No fatalities recorded while at this location. Other casualties noted in the logs are two men from Recon Platoon wounded by explosive booby trap on December 25th.
January 4th, 1969 – Plei Do Lim Airfield, AR 888278 (Pleiku map sheet). Battalion staged overnight at this location after convoying from the previous FSB. Approximately 20 kilometers southeast of Pleiku.
January 5th-9th, 1969 – Hill 465 FSB, BR 033168 (Phu Thien map sheet). Firebase is located on the southwest corner of a large plateau, with a steep gully on the west side. The Dak T’Mol river runs through it, north to south. Approximately 18 kilometers southeast of Plei Do Lim Airfield. Delta Company secures FSB with HHC, B/6-29 FA and 4.2” Mortar Platoon. Alpha, Bravo and Charlie Companies and Recon Platoon heliborne combat assault into positions west and north of the firebase. Bravo & Charlie Companies are engaged soon after landing, and light contact persists for several hours on the 5th.
January 10th-15th – Route 492 FSB, BR 051315 (Chu Rpan map sheet). Firebase located along Route 492, west of VC Valley. Approximately 20 kilometers due south of LZ Blackhawk. Charlie Company secures FSB with HHC, B/6-29 FA and 4.2” Mortar Platoon. Alpha, Bravo and Delta Companies are inserted on to various locations atop the western ridge of VC Valley and establish patrol bases. Recon patrols the area north of FSB at the base of the ridgeline.
January 16th-17th – Hill 1188 FSB, BR 094397 (Chu Rpan map sheet). Firebase located on Hill 1188, which is centrally located on the western ridge of VC Valley. Alpha Company secures FSB with HHC, B/6-29 FA and 4.2” Mortar Platoon. Bravo and Delta Company continue patrolling western ridgeline, Charlie Company conducts company patrol into the hills surrounding the western ridgeline. Recon continues patrolling to the north.
January 18th-23d – LZ Blackhawk, BR022522 (Plei Neh map sheet). Battalion TOC and B/6-29 FA and Charlie Company located on LZ Blackhawk. Approximately 30 kilometers east of Pleiku along QL19. Alpha, Bravo, Delta Companies and Recon Platoon continue patrolling, eventually joining the battalion at Blackhawk on January 22nd.
January 24th-25th – LZ Mary Lou, ZA 228829 (Polei Breng map sheet). Battalion convoys from Blackhawk to Mary Lou and stages for insertion into mountains west of Pleiku.
January 26th-27th – LZ Brillo Pad, YA 963860 (Polei Jar Sieng map sheet) Bravo Company secures FSB Brillo Pad with Battalion TOC, B/6-29 FA and 4.2” Mortar Platoon. Alpha Company establishes patrol base LZ Bunker Hill on Hill 1024 (Chu To Bla). Charlie Company establishes patrol base LZ Gay on Hill 1072 (Chu Granuel). Delta Company establishes patrol base LZ Donna on Hill 1004 (Chu Prong). Recon Platoon is inserted into the mountains to begin reconnaissance operations.
January 28th-February 17th – FSB Roundbottom, AKA FSB Roundtop, YA 937852 (Polei Jar Sieng map sheet). Bravo Company secures the FSB with Battalion TOC, B/6-29 FA. Alpha Company occupies a patrol base at LZ Bunker Hill. Charlie Company occupies a patrol base at LZ Gay. Delta Company and 4.2” Mortar Platoon occupy patrol base at LZ Donna. During this period, the 3-12 Infantry engaged multiple NVA units, including several significant periods of intense fighting. Charlie Company suffered three KIA and one WIA on January 28th (Collins, Klein, Tritsch). Delta Company lost four men in three separate incidents. January 31st (R. Hendrix – FF), February 4th (Rivera) and February 9th (Hawkins, Hettinger).
February 18th – FSB Monica @ Plei Mrong SF Camp, ZA 028675 (Plei Mrong map sheet). Battalion TOC repositioning. All elements moved to Plei Mrong for the night.
February 19th-27th – FSB Tango, ZA 028677 (Plei Mrong map sheet). FSB is located in the Plei Ya Maith area south of the Ya Krong Bolam river. Delta Company secures the FSB with Battalion TOC and B/6-29 FA. Alpha Company occupies LZ Fire to the northwest. Bravo Company occupies a patrol base south of the FSB. Charlie Company and 4.2” Mortar Platoon occupy a mortar base west of the FSB. Alpha Company loses one man (Copeland) on February 26th. Also on February 26th, a CH-47 Chinook from the 179th ASHC crashes at the FSB.Two crewmen (Lewis, Davis) are killed, and two others wounded. Several men from Delta Company, HHC and B/6-29 FA are awarded the Soldier’s Medal for their actions in rescuing the surviving crewmen from the wreckage.
February 28th – FSB Monica @ Plei Mrong SF Camp, ZA 028675 (Plei Mrong map sheet). Battalion TOC repositioning. All elements moved to Plei Mrong for the night.
March 1st – LZ Mary Lou, ZA 228829 (Polei Breng map sheet). All battalion elements except Alpha Company are positioned at LZ Mary Lou in preparation for deployment to the Plei Trap Valley and Operation Wayne Grey. Alpha Company is combat assaulted into a hot landing zone on Hill 729 (LZ Swinger). Despite ferocious resistance, Alpha Company secures the LZ, at a cost of one KIA (Markovich) and a dozen WIA. A Huey crewman is also KIA during the insertion (Schiffhauer – 119th AHC).
March 2nd-6th – LZ Swinger, YA 837965 (Polei Jar Sieng map sheet). Alpha Company secures the FSB with Battalion TOC and C/1-92 FA. Bravo, Charlie and Delta Companies are inserted into positions west of LZ Mary near the Cambodian border. 4.2” Mortar Platoon and Recon Platoon are positioned at LZ Mary, with the Recon Platoon conducting reconnaissance operations in the vicinity. LZ Swinger is subject to numerous NVA rocket, mortar and artillery attacks during this time, resulting in several HHC, Alpha Company and C/1-92 WIA.
March 7th-10th – LZ Swinger, YA 837965 (Polei Jar Sieng map sheet). Alpha Company secures the FSB with Battalion TOC and C/1-92 FA. Bravo, Charlie, Delta Companies and the Recon Platoon move overland from LZ Mary up into the mountains to the east. Formed into Task Force Swift, the 3-12 elements secure Hill 947 and prepare to advance south into a known NVA stronghold. LZ Swinger remains an extremely active battleground. Numerous NVA rocket, mortar and artillery attacks continue to cause casualties. An Alpha Company SRP is engaged on March 9th, causing multiple casualties, including the loss of four men (Bechard, Channon, Gregg, Oberson). On March 10th, the 1-92 FA suffered one KIA due to incoming fire (Cassidy).
March 11-14th – LZ Swinger, YA 837965 (Polei Jar Sieng map sheet). Alpha Company secures the FSB with Battalion TOC and C/1-92 FA until March 13th, when they are moved to LZ Mary and replaced by A/1-35 Infantry. The 3-12 Infantry’s Bravo, Charlie, Delta Companies and Recon Platoon are heavily engaged in ground combat south of Hill 947. On March 11th, four men from Bravo (Barksdale, Lew, Morris, Weir) and nine men from Charlie (Bratz, Cooper, Dingman, Ham, Holder, Lewis, Martin, Tartt, Webster) were killed, while dozens more were wounded. On March 12th, Bravo & Delta secured LZ Swift, losing one man KIA from Bravo Company (Sikorski). On March 13th, Delta Company secured LZ D-Handle. The 4.2” Mortar Platoon was moved from LZ Mary to LZ D-Handle on March 15th. On March 14th, Alpha & Charlie Company and the Recon Platoon established LZ Cider, located south of the Hill 947/Swift/D-Handle area.
March 15-16th – LZ Swinger, YA 837965 (Polei Jar Sieng map sheet). A/1-35 Infantry secures the FSB with Battalion TOC and C/1-92 FA. Heavy fighting persists in all areas. Alpha, Charlie Company and Recon remain at LZ Cider. Bravo occupies LZ Swift, and Delta and the 4.2” Mortar Platoon occupies LZ D-Handle. Preparations are made to assault Hill 800 southwest of Swift/D-Handle.
March 17th-April 1st – LZ Cider, YA 829799 (Polei Jar Sieng map sheet). Charlie Company secures the FSB with the Battalion TOC, B/6-29 FA and Alpha Company. On March 18th, Delta Company assaults Hill 800, meeting heavy resistance. Seven men are KIA (Barrett, Britt, Daniels, Davis, Eastern, Johnson, Larsen). After several days of intense artillery and air strikes, Delta Company secures Hill 800 on March 22d. Intense fighting persists in all areas within the battalion AO. On March 27th, an Alpha Company patrol is ambushed in a draw below LZ Cider. Seven men are lost (Czerwiec, Hardison, Long, Martinez, Urrutia, Vore, Wilson) and an additional man, SSG Gail Kerns, is taken prisoner. He would remain in captivity until 1973. On March 29th, a sapper attack on LZ D-Handle causes multiple casualties, including two KIA (Board, Perkins). An additional attack on a Bravo Company LP causes two severe WIA. On March 30th, Alpha Company attempts to recover their casualties from the 29th, and six additional men are KIA (Bradberry, Fox, Gibson, Lamby, Latimer, Smith). The intensity of fighting during this period cannot be accurately measured. Operation Wayne Gray and the fighting in the Plei Trap Valley stand out as one of the most significant actions in the history of the 3-12 Infantry. This small paragraph does not do it justice.
April 2nd-13th – LZ Cider, YA 829799 (Polei Jar Sieng map sheet). Alpha Company secures the FSB with the Battalion TOC, B/6-29 FA. Bravo Company establishes a patrol base on Hill 800 south of LZ D-Handle. Charlie Company established a patrol base on Hill 900 northeast of LZ Cider, and near the A Co contact area in late March. Delta Company and the 4.2” Mortar Platoon remain at LZ D-Handle.
April 14th-15th – LZ Mary Lou, ZA 228829 (Polei Breng map sheet). The battalion is extracted from the Plei Trap AO. All elements remain at LZ Mary Lou for a couple days
April 16th-23th – Camp Radcliff, BR 470780 (An Tuc map sheet). All elements remain at Camp Radcliff in order to rest, recover and reconsolidate after a month of heavy fighting.
April 24th-May 6th – Vinh Thanh SF Camp FSB, BR 616606 (Tien Thuan map sheet). FSB is located on the west side of the Song Con river. Bravo Company’s 2nd Platoon secures the FSB with Battalion TOC, B/6-29 FA and the Recon Platoon. Recon Platoon runs reconnaissance patrols in the vicinity. Alpha, Bravo (-) (LZ Jocko), Charlie (LZ Goat) and Delta Company occupy patrol bases in the mountains west of the Song Con river valley.
May 7th-10th – Song Ba River FSB, BR 403407 (An Tuc map sheet). Charlie Company secures the FSB with Battalion TOC and B/6-29 FA. Alpha Company occupies a patrol base on Hill 591. Bravo Company & 4.2” Mortar Platoon occupy Hill 482. Delta Company occupies Hill 516. Recon Platoon is positioned at Camp Radcliff for reconnaissance operations in the vicinity.
May 11th-15th – Camp Radcliff, BR 470780 (An Tuc map sheet). The Battalion TOC relocates to Camp Radcliff, but the Battalion Firebase remains at BR 403407 until May 15th, when Charlie Company and B/6-29 FA convoy to Pleiku in preparation for repositioning. Alpha Company remains at Hill 591 until May 14th, when they are moved to LZ Action and OPCON to 1-69 Armor. Bravo & 4.2” Mortar Platoon remain on Hill 482. Delta Company remains on Hill 516. The Recon Platoon remains at Camp Radcliff until they are moved to Camp Enari on May 15th.
May 16th-June 20th – FSB Ruth, ZA 168530 (Plei Mrong map sheet). Bravo Company secures the FSB with Battalion TOC, B/6-29 FA and 4.2” Mortar Platoon. Alpha Company remains OPCON to 1-69 Armor until approximately May 25-26th. Upon returning to Battalion control, A Co occupies LZ Geronimo until June 10th, at which time it becomes OPCON to 2-8 Infantry(M). Charlie Company establishes a patrol base at LZ Cherokee. Delta Company occupies LZ Lilly from May 22 to June 2nd, at which time it becomes OPCON to 1-69 Armor. On May 21st, Charlie Company loses one man KIA (Potthoff), and Alpha loses another on May 31st (Fuller). A significant attack on LZ Cherokee on June 18th causes multiple casualties in Charlie Company, including three KIA (Cowan, Grulke, Willert). Also on June 18th, while OPCON to 1-69 Armor, Delta Company loses one man (Lane).
June 21st-July 15th – LZ Penny, ZA 115727 (Plei Mrong map sheet). Charlie Company secures FSB with Battalion TOC, B/6-29 FA and 4.2” Mortar Platoon. Alpha Company remains OPCON to 2/8 INF(M) until June 25th, when they are OPCON to 2d Brigade HQ and sent to guard the Kontum Bridge. A Co remains there until July 4th, at which time they move back under battalion control and conduct a company patrol, eventually taking Delta Companies position at a long term patrol base near Hill 610 on July 12th. Bravo Company conducts a company patrol in the AO. On July 5th, B Co becomes OPCON to 2d Bde HQ and replaces A Co at the Kontum Bridge. Delta Company returns to battalion control from 1-69 Armor on the 21st of June, and eventually establishes a long term patrol base on Hill 610. On July 12th, they are replaced by A Co, and move to LZ Penny. The Recon Platoon is based out of LZ Penny, but conducts several multi-day patrols in the vicinity. On June 25th, a Bravo Company soldier on a civic action mission out of Camp Enari was KIA in a mine strike (Rosedietcher). Alpha (McLaughlin), Charlie (Vultaggio) and Delta Company (Reaves) all lost one man each during this time period. On July 13th, the lead element of Recon platoon was engaged by a platoon sized NVA force. Three men were KIA (Work, Chalou, Martinez).
July 16th-24th – LZ Penny, ZA 115727 (Plei Mrong map sheet). Delta Company secures FSB with Battalion TOC, B/6-29 FA and 4.2” Mortar Platoon. Alpha Company remains at Hill 610 patrol base until July 23d, when they are moved back to LZ Joyce and eventually LZ Mary Lou. Bravo Company returns to battalion control on July 15th and conducts a company patrol until July 24th, when they are moved to LZ Mary Lou. Charlie Company conducts a company patrol until July 24th, when they are moved to LZ Mary Lou. Reon Platoon continues reconnaissance operations in the vicinity of LZ Penny.
July 25th-August 22d – LZ Action, BR 268469 (Chu Rpan map sheet). From July 27th to August 5th, C/2-8 INF secures the FSB with the 4.2” Mortar Platoon, Battalion TOC and A/2-17 FA. On August 6th, C/2-8 Infantry returns to 2-8 Infantry control. A Co, 3-12 is OPCON to the 2-8 INF(M) and 1-10 CAV from July 25th to August 9th, at which time they report to Camp Radcliff for a three day stand down. Upon completion of the stand down, they begin a company patrol, eventually establishing a patrol base south of QL19 on the south end of the Mang Yang Pass. Bravo Company begins a company patrol, and establishes a patrol base north of QL19 on the south end of the Mang Yang Pass. After a short stand down at Camp Radcliff (August 8-9), they become OPCON to 1-10 CAV until August 14th, and then returned to battalion control. From the 14th to the 22d, they patrol the high peak on the southern side of the Mang Yang Pass. Charlie Company begins patrolling east of the Mang Yang Pass, takes a two day stand down at Camp Radcliff (July 30-31), and then continues a company patrol in the same general area. On August 4th, they become OPCON to 1-10 CAV. After a short stint OPCON to 2d Brigade HQ, Delta Company takes a two day stand down at Camp Radcliff, and then establishes a patrol base on Hill 500 overlooking QL19 south of LZ Action. On the 16th of August, the move out of the patrol base and begin a company patrol into the mountains southwest of LZ Action. On August 20th, two Bravo Company men are killed (Hand, Harris) when a Huey helicopter crashes into a landing zone.
August 23d-September 3d – LZ JoAnn, BR 230399 (Chu Rpan map sheet). Alpha Company secures the FSB with Battalion TOC, B/6-29 FA and the 4.2” Mortar Platoon. Bravo, Charlie, Delta Companies and the Recon Platoon conduct company patrolling southwest of the FSB.
September 4th-6th – LZ Tarzan, BR 200300 (Chu Rpan map sheet). Delta Company secures FSB on Hill 576 with Battalion TOC, B/6-29 FA and 4.2” Mortar Platoon. Alpha Company maintains patrol base on LZ JoAnn. Bravo and Charlie Company continue company patrols in the vicinity.
September 7th-23d – LZ Mattie, BR 225238 (Chu Rpan map sheet). Alpha Company secures FSB with Battalion TOC, B/6-29 FA and 4.2” Mortar Platoon. Bravo Company conducts company patrol until September 20th, at which time it begins a three day stand down at Camp Radcliff. Charlie and Delta Companies conduct company patrols in the vicinity. Delta Company moves to Camp Radcliff on September 22 to begin a three day stand down. The Recon Platoon conducts reconnaissance patrols in the battalion AO.
September 24th-25th – LZ Yna, BR 347306 (An Tuc map sheet). Bravo Company secures FSB with Battalion TOC, B/6-29 FA and 4.2” Mortar Platoon. Alpha Company moves from LZ Mattie to LZ Patricia, and prepares the location for the battalion TOC. Charlie Company establishes LZ Denise northeast of Camp Radcliff. Delta Company becomes OPCON to the 1-10 CAV, with one platoon OPCON to 1-69 Armor.
September 26th-October 15th – LZ Patricia, BR383425 (An Tuc map sheet). Bravo Company takes Alpha Company’s position at the FSB with TOC, B/6-29 FA and 4.2” Mortar Platoon until October 7th, at which time it begins a company patrol southwest of the FSB. Alpha Company leaves LZ Patricia and begins an 18-day company patrol southwest of the FSB. Charlie Company remains in position at LZ Denise, conducting ambush, short range and Bushmaster patrols in the vicinity. Delta Company remains OPCON to the 1-10 CAV. The Recon Platoon, operating out of LZ Patricia, conducts local reconnaissance patrols.
October 16th-19th – Camp Radcliff, BR 470780 (An Tuc map sheet). Battalion stand down at Camp Radcliff, An Khe.
October 20th-21st – New Plei Djereng, YA 855475 (Thanh An map sheet). Battalion is moved to the Cambodian border area. All elements except the TOC, B/6-29 and 4.2” Mortar Platoon are inserted into the Plei Ya Math mountains northeast of NPD. A Huey from the 189th AHC (Ghostriders) crashed in the Delta Company LZ, killing one D Co soldier (Thompson) and the Huey door gunner (Cook).
October 22d-29th – FSB Delta, YA 935585 (Polei Yome map sheet). Alpha Company secures the FSB with TOC, B/6-29 FA and 4.2” Mortar Platoon. Bravo Company establishes a patrol base in the uplands two kilometers northeast of the FSB. Charlie Company establishes a patrol base on Hill 1204, roughly two kilometers northeast of Bravo Company. Delta Company establishes a patrol base on Hill 1082, between the A & C Company positions. The Recon Platoon, operating out of FSB Delta, conducts local reconnaissance patrols. On October 24th, 3rd Platoon, Delta Company is hit by small arms fire and B-40 rockets. One soldier is KIA (Hagy) and one WIA. On October 29th, Bravo Company is heavily engaged by the NVA. Two men are KIA (De Cubellis, Hatter).
October 30th-November 10th – FSB Delta, YA 935585 (Polei Yome map sheet). Bravo Company and Alpha Company swap positions. Bravo becomes FSB security element and Alpha takes over the old B Co patrol base to the northeast. No change for all other elements. On October 31st, Charlie Company becomes heavily engaged with NVA forces near their patrol base. A dozen men are WIA, and two men KIA (Gauthier, Starkey). On November 4th, an A Co soldier (Shields) on LP duty is killed by friendly fire. He is the last fatal casualty for the 3-12 Infantry in 1969.
November 11th-21st – FSB Delta, YA 935585 (Polei Yome map sheet). Charlie Company takes over as FSB security element from Bravo Company. Bravo Company moves out to the northeast and establishes a new patrol base approx six kilometers from the FSB. Alpha Company also pushes east from their old patrol base, establishes a new one several kilometers from the new B Co location. Delta Company begins a company patrol, but is withdrawn from the AO on November 18th and sent to LZ St. George, OPCON to higher headquarters.
November 22d-24th – New Plei Djereng, YA 855475 (Thanh An map sheet). All battalion elements are pulled back to New Plei Djereng for at least one day, and then shifted to a new AO. On the 23d, Alpha Company establishes FSB Gloria Anne, which will become the new Battalion FSB.
November 25th-December 29th – FSB Gloria Anne, ZA 096745 (Plei Mrong map sheet). Alpha Company secures the FSB with Battalion TOC, B/6-29 FA and 4.2” Mortar Platoon. Recon Platoon stages out of FSB Gloria Anne, conducting reconnaissance operations. Bravo & Charlie Companies conduct company patrols in the vicinity. Delta Company remains OPCON at LZ St. George until December 2d, at which time it returns to to battalion control and establishes a patrol base four kilometers west of the FSB. Bravo Company takes over FSB security on December 2d, passing those duties on to Charlie Company on December 11th. On December 19th, Delta Company switches places with Charlie Company.
December 30th-31st – LZ Oasis, ZA 114275 (Bao Duc map sheet). The battalion is moved to LZ Oasis. 1969 ends with Delta Company, the Battalion TOC, B/6-29 FA, 4.2” Mortar and Recon Platoons on LZ Oasis. Alpha, Bravo & Charlie Companies occupy company patrols bases to the east, west and south respectively.