Vietnam War Timeline

217
13 November 1968
1/35th
Submitted by: Dave Fogg

3rd Bde 4th Inf Div
Bn (1/35) Forward Fire Base
LZ Joan, Duc Co, YA 844252

Unit Locations:
A 1/35 LZ Vera, YA 838178
B 1/35 (-) LZ Joan, YA 844252
C 1/35 (-) LZ Jean, YA 809234
D 1/35 (-) LZ Jean, YA 809234
Recon Plt LZ Joan YA844252
4.2" Mortar Plt, LZ Joan
CP and 1 Co from 3/8 at LZ Joan

Summary: Log opened at 0001 hours 13 November 1968. Unit locations: At LZ Joan YA842252, Battalion Headquarters (Forward), B Company 1/35, C Battery 2/9 Artillery, E Company, 4.2" Mortar platoon 1/35 Infantry, Counter Mortar Section 2/9 artillery; 1st Platoon D Co 4th Engineers Battalion, Mobile Dental Clinic from the 4th Medical Battalion; At LZ Jean YA809234; C Company 1/35, D Company 1/35, 1 CSF platoon from the Special Forces Camp at Duc Co, 1 AN/TPS-25 section from Division artillery; At LZ Vera YA807232, A Company 1/35 (returned to the control of 1/35); At LZ Oasis; Headquarters and Headquarters Company Support (S-4 Forward); At Base Camp (Camp Enari); Battalion Headquarters (Rear). A Company returned to the control of the 1/35 Inf on the afternoon of 12 November 1968. 3/8 Inf received instructions from Bde to move to the Oasis in response to enemy intelligence reports, the battalion arrived at LZ Joan after receiving word that their mission had been cancelled or changed and they would return to LZ Vera ASAP 13 November 1968. They arrived at LZ Joan 12 November 1968 at 1900 hours. During the reporting period 0001 hours to 2400 hours 13 November 1968 all units of the 1/35 came under mortar and rocket attack with A Company receiving the first round at LZ Vera at approximately 0035 hours and continuing throughout the day, LZ Joan, CSF Camp and Duc Co began receiving incoming rounds at approximately 0220 hours and LZ Jean approximately 0728 hours, the attack on LZ Joan ended at about 0645 hours. No casualties were received by units of the 1/35 at LZ Joan. Read-out on LZ Vera: A Company was hardest hit by mortars, B-40 rockets and 122mm rockets and a ground attack. Gunships, artillery and tactical air strikes were employed throughout the day to suppress the enemy fire, which A Company was taking heavy casualties from. After the ground attack the Company had an enemy body count of 6 KIA's and 1 WIA (Captured). Friendly casualties were 15 WIA and 4 KIA. Enemy equipment and documents captured are as follows: 1 B-40 rocket launcher, 1 US M-79 grenade launcher, 1 pair of large cutters, numerous grenades, B-40 rockets and fused explosives, small and medium grenades, 1 document. Read-out on LZ Jean; C Company was hit the hardest of the two companies, LZ Jean came under mortar attack at approximately 0728 hours and continued to receive rounds throughout the day, locations of the suspected mortar position is hill 391 grid coordinate 783206, artillery, gunships and tactical air strikes were employed, no enemy assessment could be made. Friendly casualties from C Company were 4 WIA's and 1 KIA. No casualties were received by D Company.

0305 hours From A Co to TOC: A wrap-up on the contact; Negative incoming at this time, 3 KIA VC, 1 KIA American from A Company, 17 WIA's American, Captain Wandke is directing Spooky, arty received 40 rounds of 60mm, lost 2 vehicles, 1 moderate, 1 totally destroyed, battery commander seriously wounded, received small arms fire from the northwest.

0330 hours To Bn and Bde from A Co; time action ceased 0235 hours, time Spooky on station 0107 hours, weapons were employed by friendlies on the enemy, 155mm arty, 82mm mortar, M-16, frags, 60mm mortar, vehicles destroyed of artillery 1/2 ton totaled, 1/2 ton moderated to total.

0336 hours To Bde from Major Royal: Reference the incoming rounds at LZ Joan, received 60mm incoming at 0220 hours radar indicated the location to be grid 841246, 841238, and 847236. 105 arty, 4.2""and 81mm employed on these locations. Recon platoon leader observed the tube flashes and adjusted the arty, no CAC's reported, Diget 0 1/69 dispatched one tank with Zeon to the 1/35 will light up the area of the mortar tubes, SRP 3 is approximately 900 meters from the tube location, observed and adjusted fire at grid 841246, 2 secondary explosions were reported, arty was on target. We received 15-20 incoming rounds, incoming rounds ceased at 0317 hours.

0750 A Co has 22 WIA's and 3 KIA's as a result of yesterday's and today's action.

0759 3/8 ordered to move to LZ Vera.

1021 hours DELAYED ENTRY-Message from Bde CO Colonel McClellan to Bde XO: Message at 1005 hours; Bde CO is presently at A Co location, 4 KIA's and 15 WIA's, all evacuated, there are 8 WIA's from the artillery element all of this personnel were also evacuated. Still on the position are 6 slightly wounded with Boxer element. Bde CO Medical Doctor is presently caring for 6 wounded personnel; no Dust-Off is presently needed. There are 6 enemy KIA and 1 WIA who have been evacuated. Captured equipment: 1 B-40 Rocket launcher; 4 AKM sub-machineguns; 1 US M-79 grenade launcher, 1 pair large wire cutters; 1 document in the possession of the Bde CO; numerous grenades, B-40 Rockets, fused explosives, small and medium grenades. All CIA equipment and documents in the possession of the Bde CO. During the past 15 minutes there have been 2 82mm Mortar barrages on LZ Vera, there is negative action at this time. Gunships are searching the area to the west in an attempt to locate the enemy Mortar positions. The 81 element (A Co) is up tight and they have no problems. The remainder of the tanker element (3/8) is presently closing LZ Vera. Bde CO is waiting until the 3/8 and the 3/8 CO arrives.