Vietnam War Timeline

196
8 October 1968
1/35th
Submitted by: Dave Fogg

3rd Bde 4th Inf Div
Bn Forward Fire Base
LZ Joan, Duc Co, ZA 845252

Unit Locations: A 1/35(-) at LZ Joan, Duc Co YA 845252; B 1/35 at LZ Joan, Duc Co YA 845252; C 1/35 at LZ Jean, Duc Co YA 809234; D 1/35 at LZ Jean, Duc Co YA 809234; Recon OPCON 1/14 Inf at Kontum Bridge; 4.2 Mortar Plt OPCON to 1/14 Inf FOB #2

Summary: The log was opened at 0001 hours 8 October 1968. Unit locations: LZ Joan- Battalion Headquarters (Forward), A Company, B Company, B Battery 2/9 Artillery; At LZ Jean- C Company, D Company, A Battery 2/9 Artillery; At LZ Mary Lou- Recon platoon OPCON 1/14 Inf, 4.2 inch Mortar platoon FOB #2 OPCON 1/14 Inf; Base Camp (Camp Enari) Battalion Headquarters (rear), E Company (-). At 0810 hours the Battalion Commander LTC Buckner received Operation Plans 24-68. These to be effective starting 9 October 1968. Task Force Down Craft with 1 US Infantry Company, 1 US Artillery Battery and 2 CSF (Camp Strike Force) platoons would move from LZ Jean and Duc Co Special Forces Camp and occupy LZ Puicous and LZ Virginia Lee. Mission for the units is to support 5 CSF Companies making a sweep of the area south of LZ Virginia Lee. AT 1400 hours the 7/17 Cav informed the Battalion Commander LTC Buckner that they would be working in the A/O (Area of Operation): YA7729, YA7724, YA7129, YA7124. This operation was completed at 1620 hours. AT 1640 hours the re-supply vehicle overturned en route to LZ Jean. Cause of the accident: motor died on a steep grade and started rolling back, at the same time the driver lost control due to brake failure and 1 man suffered a head injury. At 2245 hours SRP team 5 reported movement approximately 300 meters to their front. Artillery was called in, 2 rounds of smoke and 8 rounds of HE at coordinate YA 785253. Team reported that the movement stopped. At 2125 hours received a message from the Bde S3 directed to the Bn S3 Major Royal. This message concerned a change in the mission. Artillery will go to 1 location in the south. Entire A Btry 2/9 Artillery will go to LZ Virginia Lee. 8 inch 175 Btry will come to Duc Co on the east side or negotiating to go west. 1 US and 1 CSF platoon will secure A Btry 2/9 Arty at LZ Virginia Lee. 5 SRP's ringing to the northwest of LZ Virginia Lee will be put out. It will also be necessary to start on the construction of a new Fire Support Base. This construction will have to be started earlier that 25 October 1968 as originally planned. It will be discussed in fuller detail.