March 19th, 1969 Operation Wayne Grey Day Nineteen

March 18th, 1969 recap

The most significant action of the day developed to the southwest of LZ D-Handle when a platoon from Delta Company became heavily engaged by a well entrenched NVA unit. A second platoon was dispatched from the Delta Company patrol base and also became bogged down. Only after more than ten hours of heavy fighting, supported by air strikes artillery and mortars, were the Delta Company elements able to disengage and take stock of their casualties. Seven infantrymen from Delta were killed in action, and 19 more wounded.

March 19th, 1969

At LZ Cider, an Alpha Company listening post spots a lone NVA soldier in the darkness and opens fire. At first light, the body of an NVA soldier is discovered. Based on the equipment he is carrying, it is likely that he is a forward observer/spotter for an NVA mortar team nearby. Charlie Company, which had occupied a night defensive perimeter north of the firebase on March 18th, begins moving back along a crescent shaped ridgeline. At key terrain features, the company halts and sends out patrol sweeps. Eventually C Co ties in with an Alpha Company SRP, and the two elements continue moving towards the firebase. After dropping off the A Co SRP at LZ Cider, C Co continues its patrol west and down along a narrow finger towards a river valley below. C Co finishes its patrol at 1600 hours, and returns to LZ Cider for the night with no significant contact or findings.

After a day of vicious fighting on the 18th, Delta Company’s 2nd & 3rd Platoons pull back to LZ D-Handle. 3rd Platoon, reduced from casualties to a squad sized element, is folded into 2nd Platoon, and Bravo Company’s 1st Platoon becomes Operationally Controlled (OPCON) to Delta Company. A series of airstrikes are ordered and delivered on the area around the March 18th engagement. LTC Larkin orders Delta Company to refit and rearm as best they can, and prepare for another assault against the dug in NVA. At some point, the men of Delta Company give the 860 meter hill they have shed their blood on a new moniker, “Million Dollar Hill”. So named for the value of the ordinance delivered during their savage firefight on March 18th as well as what the Air Force drops to soften up the target on the 19th.

0230 hours

A Co reports movement to their south. 2nd Platoon right flank. M-79 was used they said they saw a shadow of a man.

0700 hours

Major Williams informed Delta Company and Bravo Company that B Co 1st Platoon would be OPCONNED to D Co(-) today. B Co will also send a platoon to secure D Co perimeter. Major Williams informed D Co that his 2nd Platoon would hump back to his location and then D Co(-) will depart to check out area of D Co 3rd Platoon contact yesterday 18 March.

0725 hours

Alpha Company Listening Post (LP) on north side of perimeter at approximately 125 meters had movement. They engaged with M-16. At first light they checked out area and found one NVA KIA. He was wearing green fatigues. No headgear. Barefoot. No weapon. He had a pistol belt with GI canteen, Chinese compass, NVA first aid kit and flashlight. Also a GI M-16 cleaning kit which contained AK rounds and a magazine. Believed to be a forward observer.

0730 hours

Delta Company 2nd Platoon has departed night location enroute to D Co location.

0732 hours

Cider 14 checked in and D Co commander informed him of nearest elements and where he wanted stuff put in this morning

0800 hours

Alpha Company old short range patrol (SRP) 12 has departed night location.

0810 hours

Cider 14 reported that he had Spads (A-1 Skyraider) coming in for an airstrike on YA 818838. Ordinance 750 pound bombs with 010 delay. Also a set with High Drag napalm.

Alpha Company SRP 12 has closed A Co location (LZ Cider).

0825 hours

Artillery prep on D Co contact area

37 – 18 High Explosive/5 White Phosphorous

37D – 23 High Explosive/3 White Phosphorous

0830 hours

LTC Larkin has departed this location with Hummingbird 1.

0835 hours

Airstrike on grid 818838. First set complete, second set of Spads will be in approximately five minutes.

0900 hours

Cider 14 reported the second set of Spads was pulled to cut an LZ in vicinity of LZ Swinger.

0910 hours

Charlie Company has departed their night location.

0915 hours

Alpha Company 4th Platoon has departed night location enroute to A Co location.

0930 hours

A Co 4th Platoon has closed A Co location.

0935 hours

LTC Larkin has returned to this location.

0955 hours

Charlie Company is at YA 836810. They will hold there and send out local sweeps.

1010 hours

General Irzyk and Colonel Knight arrived at this location.

1015 hours

Delta Company 2nd Platoon is at YA 825844

1020 hours

A Co ambush patrol (AP) 1 has departed A Co location.

1040 hours

General Irzyk and Colonel Knight have departed LZ Cider.

1045 hours

LTC Larkin is airborne

1050 hours

A Co AP1 has reached day location (DL) at YA 834796

1105 hours

C Co is at YA 835802. They will hold there and send a patrol into LZ Cider to pick up their new commanding officer.

1125 hours

D Co 2nd Platoon has closed D Co location.

1215 hours

Cider 13 will be putting an airstrike at YA 818839. Check fire confirmed and all friendlies have been informed.

1225 hours

Cider 13 reported to Captain Foss that airstrike is complete.

1250 hours

C Co has departed YA 835802 enroute to this location (LZ Cider). They have A Co SRP 11 with them.

1251 hours

LTC Larkin has returned to this location

1300 hours

C Co and A Co SRP 11 have closed A Co location (LZ Cider).

1415 hours

A Co AP2 has departed A Co location (LZ Cider).

1430 hours

C Co location is YA 819802

1435 hours

Airstrike going in at YA 818838

1454 hours

Airstrike complete

1535 hours

Recap of ordinances on target YA 818838 : 20 Mark 82s, 4 napalm

1540 hours

A Co AP2 night location is YA 835802

1603 hours

C Co is at YA 814803 and will send out sweeps of the area also negative situation

1619 hours

Cider 10 just informed that all fighters are committed to the II Corps.

1708 hours

Brigade informed us that they will be no change in the KAC-Codes in reference of D Co losing KAC’s codes.

1725 hours

C Co closed LZ Cider

2106 hours

A Co reports movement on west side is going to employ M-79

2120 hours

On yesterday contact D Co 2nd Platoon & 3rd Platoon had the following was encountered. Enemy weapons countered – two 60mm mortars firing HE, one light machine gun, two B-40 rocket launchers, one RPG-7, two M-16s, two M-79s, grenades and AK-47s.

Significant point : Many NVA were equipped with US steel helmets with camouflage covers. They wore gray/green fatigues and most of them had rucksacks. NVA appeared well equipped and armed. Estimate one company.

List of US equipment lost. One PRC-25 (S/N 3028 Command A), two M-60 machine guns (S/N 94311R and 40215R), one M-79 (S/N 101056, one M-16 (D Co S/N unknown), one M-16 (FO), one SOI KAC (602). Day 11-20.

Enemy losses – 16 KIA confirmed, two WIA, zero POW, zero equipment

2130 hours

A Co said movement has stopped

2155 hours

A Co reports movement on the west side and is going to employ M-79.

2200 hours

A Co said movement has stopped and all other elements negative situation.

2300 hours

C Co reports negative situation. Also C Co reports hearing small arms and grenades at a 190 degree azimuth and approximately three kilometers to the southwest of his location. Believes some element to be in heavy contact. D Co confirms this and hears same small arms at a 180-185 degree azimuth. Approximately 5-6 kilometers south of his location.

2305 hours

Brigade has been informed and since sounds are in 3rd Brigade AO he is checking on any element out there for any reports on making contact.

2330 hours

Small arms and grenades are confirmed to be in 3rd Brigade AO at LZ Sledgehammer.

March 19th, 1969 S-3 Operations Daily Journal – retrieved from the National Archives, College Park, Maryland.