Vietnam War Timeline

136
26 October 1968
1/35th
Submitted by: Dave Fogg

3rd Bde 4th Inf Div
Bn (1/35) Forward Fire Base
LZ Joan, Duc Co, YA 841251

Unit Locations:
A 1/35 (-) LZ Vera, YA 836171
B 1/35 (-) LZ Joan, YA 841251
C 1/35 (-) LZ Jean, YA 809232
D 1/35 (-) LZ Jean, YA 809232
Recon Plt, LZ Joan
4.2 Mortar Plt, LZ Joan

Summary: Log opened at 0001 hours 26 October 1968. Unit locations: At LZ Joan YA842251, Battalion Headquarters (Forward), B Company 1/35, B Battery 2/9 Artillery, Recon Platoon 1/35 Infantry, 4.2 Mortar platoon 1/35 Infantry, Counter Mortar Section 2/9 artillery; 1st platoon D Company 4th Engineer Battalion; At LZ Jean YA802231; C Company 1/35, D Company 1/35, C Battery 2/9 Artillery, 1 TPS/25 section from Division artillery; At LZ Vera YA836171, A Company 1/35, A troop 1/10 Cav OPCON to 1/35; At LZ Oasis; Headquarters and Headquarters Company Support (S-4 Forward); At Base Camp (Camp Enari); Battalion Headquarters (Rear), E Company (-). At 0700 hours Headhunter spotted 2 boats at grid YA6625. At 0915 hours OP 93A from D Company reported a trip flare going off at 2050 hours last night saw one (1) man moving south, no hat or gear. OP threw 2 frag grenades, negative results. The OP also found that one (1) Claymore mine had been disconnected, the following morning. At 1125 hours D Company reported that AN/TPS-25 radar section from DIVARTY arrived at their location. AT 1255 hours a message was sent to all units from the Bn S-3 Major Royal: LZ Vera will become a battalion size firebase. 3/8 Headquarters with B and C Companies from 3/8 and A Company 1/35. A Company will go OPCON to 3/8 upon arrival of 3/8 CP. A troop 1/10 Cav will work to the south of LZ Vera and they will be OPCON to the 1/35 until 3/8 moves to LZ Vera at that time OPCON will pass to 3/8 Inf. At 1500 hours A troop 1/10 Cav arrived at LZ Joan made coordination with the Bn S-3 Major Royal and departed for LZ Vera at 1548 hours. At 1829 hours a message from A troop 1/10 Cav a tank hit a mine at grid YA834184. The vehicle was damaged but there were no casualties reported. The vehicle is being towed to LZ Vera. The mine blew a crater 5 feet wide at the top, 3 feet wide at the bottom and 4 feet deep. The troop closed LZ Vera at 1850 hours. At 1945 hours C Company reported movement on the southwest side of the perimeter, 3 rounds of HE light organics were employed. At 2000 hours SRP 7 from C Company reported movement 15 meters from their location at grid YA795235 moving south. Negative action taken. The Cav troops were screened south of grid line 14 and screen grid 7913 to 8313. At 2245 hours OP 93A reported movement approximately 150 meters to his front. 3 rounds of 81mm HE were fired and the movement stopped. At 2208 hours A Company reported an override by what they thought was a Chinese woman. The Battalion S-3 Major Royal called the CSF Camp and had an interpreter monitor A Co frequency at 2210 hours. The CSF (Camp Strike Force) Camp called back and said it was a Chinese woman making anti-Soviet propaganda speech. At 2300 hours the Battalion S-3 Major Royal informed C Company and D Company that the CSF Company that made the sweep west of our A/O will be returning through our line early on the morning of the 27 October 1968. At 2345 hours we received a message from Bde: A Marine General will visit LZ Joan on 2 November 1968. On 5 November 1968 General Abrams will visit LZ Joan. The Bde Commander's letter on safety will be read and explained to all personnel not later than 29 October 1968. A report will be made to the Bde Commander Colonel McClellan when all personnel have been informed of the contents of this safety letter. All Mortar positions must have foxholes for all members of the fire crew, this to include overhead cover. These positions must be as close as possible to the gun positions.