Vietnam War Timeline

207
3 November 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 807232 (OPCON to 3/8 Inf.)
B 1/35 (-) LZ Joan, YA 844252
C 1/35 (-) LZ Jean, YA 809235
D 1/35 LZ Martha, ZA023102
Recon Plt (-) LZ Joan
4.2 Mortar Plt, LZ Joan
Macky Terms (CSF)- LZ Martha

Summary: Log opened at 0001 hours 3 November 1968. Unit locations: At LZ Joan YA841251, Battalion Headquarters (Forward), B Company 1/35, B Battery 1/92 Artillery, E Company, Recon Platoon 1/35 Infantry, 4.2 Mortar platoon 1/35 Infantry, Counter Mortar Section 2/9 artillery; 1st Platoon D Co 4th Engineers Battalion, At LZ Jean YA809235; C Company 1/35, 1 CSF platoon from the Special Forces Camp at Duc Co, C Battery 2/9 Artillery, 1 AN/TPS-25 section from Division artillery; At LZ Vera YA835178, A Company 1/35 OPCON to 3/8 Infantry, At LZ Martha ZA028088; D Company, 1 CSF Company from Plei Mei CSF Camp; At LZ Oasis; Headquarters and Headquarters Company Support (S-4 Forward); At Base Camp (Camp Enari); Battalion Headquarters (Rear). Several sightings between the hours 0010 and 0607 hours. The reports indicated as did previous reports that the aircraft were setting down and taking off in various locations around LZ Jean and LZ Joan. In most cases the aircraft fly low to the ground which hinders positive identification. Flare ships were called in to illuminate the area; also a jet came on station to take a section of the area, the 155 battery fired direct fire at one location (suspected location). The battery reported a possible hit and a secondary explosion. D Company in the vicinity of LZ Martha sent a platoon (-) out to sweep their perimeter. The unit found 25 packs and 1 AK-47 rifle. D company moved out of their night location to make a sweep to the south and west and ran into a tunnel complex, received AK-47 rounds in resulting in 2 friendly WIAs and 2 KIAs from the Engineer element. 1 NVA was killed. The engineers were clearing a tunnel at the time they were shot. D Company continued to sweep the area with negative results. SRP team 3 from the Recon platoon moved from their night location to grid 810215 while enroute to that location they spotted 3 individuals at grid YA834283. The individuals were wearing green uniforms, there were no weapons reported. At 1550 hours the team reported making contact with an unknown size enemy force at grid YA835235, the team received fire, returned the fire and withdrew so that artillery and light organics could be employed. No friendly casualties resulted from the contact; the artillery and light organics were on target. Ranchett 66 reported that the 81mm Mortar rounds from B Company destroyed 3 out of 6 foxholes and they also spotted NVA "C" rations. D Company was extracted from LZ Martha at 1734 hours and touched down at LZ Jean at 1757 hours. A Company reported that an individual had sustained a shoulder injury from a grenade, a fire was started and the individual's equipment began to catch fire but he ran to move it at which time the grenade had already had gotten hot resulting in one exploding. A Company OPCON to 3/8 an investigation is being conducted.