Vietnam War Timeline

121
11 October 1968
1/35th
Submitted by: Dave Fogg

3rd Bde 4th Inf Div
Bn (1/35) Forward Fire Base
LZ Joan, Duc Co, YA 845252

Unit Locations:
A 1/35 (-) LZ Joan, YA 845252
B 1/35 LZ (-) Joan, YA 845252
C 1/35 LZ Virginia Lee, YA 842091
D 1/35 LZ Jean, YA 809234
Recon OPCON 1/14 Inf
4.2 Mortar Plt OPCON to 1/14 Inf

Summary: Log opened at 0001 hours 11 October 1968. Unit locations: At LZ Joan YA842250; Battalion Headquarters (Forward), A Company 1/35, B Company 1/35, B Battery 1/92 Artillery, C Battery 7/15 Artillery; At LZ Jean YA809231; D Company 1/35, 1 CSF platoon from the Special Forces Camp at Duc Co; At LZ Virginia Lee, YA 842091; C Company 1/35, A Battery 2/9 Artillery, 2 platoons CSF from the Special Forces Camp at Duc Co; At Base Camp (Camp Enari); Battalion Headquarters (rear), E Company; At LZ Mary Lou; Grid for LZ Mary Lou ZA227840; Recon Plt OPCON 1/14 Inf, 4.2 Mortars Plt OPCON 1/14 Inf. At 0800 hours the Battalion Commander was airborne for a visual reconnaissance of LZ Charlotte. This preparation for securing and building a one (1) company, one (1) Artillery Battery size LZ (Reference FRAGO 3-68 to opord 23-68). At 0835 hours first lift in the air for B Company 1/35 enroute to secure LZ Charlotte. First lift touchdown at 0845 hours LZ cold. C/A complete at 0945 hours. At 1110 hours C Company 1/35 reported that the Armored Personnel Commander reportedly found six (6) mines and proceeded to destroy them at LZ Virginia Lee. At 1111 hours C Company reported that one (1) of their individuals had stepped on a mine at LZ Virginia Lee. The EM was not injured as a result of this. In exploding the mine made a popping noise and put out some smoke. As was previously mentioned the mine did not injure the individual. At 1135 hours SRP team five (5) from C Company 1/35 reported finding a bunker complex at grid YA827084. The number of bunkers found were 3 feet by 5 feet in size. The bunkers had good overhead cover. The bunkers were approximately 3 weeks old. They found tracks around the area approximately 1 day old. AT 1145 hours there was a message received by the Battalion Commander LTC Buckner from Bde S-3: Stop work on LZ Charlotte, have the unit move to Hill 705 grid coordinate YA765327 (LZ Mary S). At 1350 hours the S-3 Major Royal notified the Bde S-3 the EOD team will not be needed at LZ Virginia Lee. Engineers at that location destroyed the bomb dispenser. At 1340 hours C Company reported finding another bomb dispenser at grid coordinate YA834098. The weight of the bomb was 839 pounds. The color was white with a yellow streak. FSN #1325-051-2880. Serial Number B019394. The bomb was 8 feet in length. It was 2 1/2 feet in diameter. Engineers destroyed it in place, it contained no explosives. To explain the last item the dispenser contained no explosives. At 1410 hours Cider 03 (FAC) is on station with an air strike for Hill 705 grid YA765326. The air strike was complete at 1420 hours. At 1435 hours Cider 03 (FAC) reported receiving ground fire from the South, last slope of Hill 705. The approximate grids are YA760320 and YA770332. A second air strike was called in and it was completed at 1440 hours. At 1515 hours the first lift of B Company 1/35 got off the ground. They made a C/A to Hill 705 LZ Mary S. The first lift landed on the ground at 1520 hours. LZ cold at that time. The C/A was complete at 1629 hours. At 1530 hours Pathfinder 18 spotted a bunker complex on the East Side of Hill 705. At 2045 hours C Company reported that one (1) of their LP's spotted 2 individuals on the North side of the river. This was about 100 meters outside of the perimeter. The individual was taken under fire with small arms and light organics. 2 rounds of 175 were fired from LZ Joan; these rounds were fired on the route that the individuals were thought to be traveling on. The LP's are sure that they hit one of the individuals. The area will be checked at first light. At 2235 hours C Company requested a Med-Evac for an EM who broke his finger while coming inside of the perimeter from his LP position. The doctor at LZ Joan informed C Company that a broken finger does not warrant a Med-Evac. He would take care of it. At 2236 hours we received an A/O change from Bde: From YA7630 go West to YA7230, North to YA7237, East to YA8137, South to YA8129. At 2355 hours we received a message from Bde 41 to our Bn 41 element: In reference for each member of a SRP team requiring a compass. The Bde Commander Colonel McClellan desires that the paperwork be submitted for the loan of the needed compasses for a period of 180 days. In event that the compasses can not be obtained in this manner, we will advise the Division Commanding General of the short fall.