Vietnam War Timeline

72
9 January 1969
1/35th
Submitted by: Dave Fogg

3rd Bde 4th Inf Div
Bn (1/35) Forward Fire Base
LZ Lanetta YA857457

Unit Locations:
A 1/35 (-) LZ Lanetta YA857457
B 1/35 (-) LZ MaryEtta YA766492
C 1/35 (-) LZ Betty YA905505
D 1/35 OPCON to 2/1 Cav
Recon Plt (-) LZ Lanetta
4.2" Mortar Plt, LZ Lanetta

Summary: Log opened at 0001 hours 9 January 1969. Unit locations: At LZ Lanetta YA857457, Battalion Headquarters (Forward), A Company 1/35, E Company, C Battery 2/9 artillery, 3rd platoon D Company 4th Engineers Battalion, counter mortar section from the 52 group; At LZ MaryEtta YA766492; B Company, 1 CSF platoon from the new Special Forces Camp at Plei Djerang; At LZ Betty YA905505; C Company, At grid YA729501; OPCON Units: D Company OPCON 2/1 Cav; At LZ Oasis; Headquarters and Headquarters Company Support (S-4 Forward); At Base Camp (Camp Enari); Battalion Headquarters (Rear).

At 0905 hours 2nd platoon B Company reported that they were being fired upon 200-250 meters from their night location grid YA855651, unknown size force resulting in one friendly WHA, one platoon from A Company was inserted to assist in the operation. The Battalion Commander conducted artillery, gunships and tactical air strikes on suspected enemy locations. Contact was made again at 1330 after the platoon from A Company was inserted. Readout on all casualties: 2 KHA one from B Company and one from the LRRP team; total 2 KHA and 8 WIA, one from B Company and 7 from A Company; 1 WIA from the LRRP team (note, LRRP later DOW's), total 2 KHA and 8 WIA's, 3 WIA's was Dusted-Off other WIA's were treated at the Battalion Aid Station. No enemy assessment was made. At 1400 hours 45Y relay station reported that A Company 2nd platoon had made contact with 4 NVA at ZA085405, platoon threw hand grenades, 2 friendly WIA were sustained. Contact was broken. Artillery was employed and on target. No enemy assessment was made.

0830 hours (C) From Bde S-3 to the Bn S-3: Reference the 9292 element B Co with the LRRP's, search the area and call Bde when you are ready for extraction, sent to the 2nd platoon of B Co via Snoopy Baron.

0905 hours (C) 2nd platoon of B Co reports through Snoopy Baron that they are being fired upon 250-300 meters from their night location.

0915 (C) 2nd platoon of B Co requests a Dust-Off for one EM which is WIA, also requested gunships and artillery is being employed at this time.

0920 (C) Bde informs us to have one platoon on immediate standby, have them on the pad ready to be lifted our because the birds are enroute to pick them up, S-3 informs A Co to saddle up and standby on the strip.

1001 hours (C) The first lift of A Co 3rd platoon is airborne at this time.

1007 hours (C) LRRPs report that they have 2 WIA's and 1 KIA.

1100 hours (C) In reference to item 35 the Bn CO requests to have the 2 additional gunships come to the area of contact.

1150 hours (C) Gunships have expended in the area of contact and they are enroute to Plei Djerang at this time to reload.

1330 hours (C) From the Bn CO to TOC: 8292 reports heavy contact, we requested gunships from Bde.

1337 hours (C) Bde informs us that they have a set of gunships enroute to the area of contact at this time, also a set of guns at Plei Djerang.

1350 hours (C) Bde CO informs the Bn CO to have all elements move back to the LZ for extraction ASAP.

1400 hours (C) Bde informs us that A Co 2nd platoon is in contact at grid 092408, we informed the Bn CO.

1400 hours (C) 45-Y informs us that the 8192 element had contact at grid 085405, spotted 2 NVA/VC in the water and they threw grenades at them, 8192 has 2 WIA at this time, we request a Dust-Off.

1445 (C) Curlie 51 is on station at this time, he has birds for the two platoons that were in contact this morning, 2nd platoon of B Co and the 3rd platoon of A Co. The birds are on the pad at Plei Djerang; Curly 51 was briefed by the S-3 on the insertion and the extraction procedures for today.

1505 hours (C) Bde S-3 informs us to use the ships and extract the 8193 and 8292, the saturate the area with artillery and gunships.

2000 hours (C) Readout on the casualties of today: A Co; Following WHA were Dust-Off: Zimmerman, David D, line no. 71 frag wound in the right leg- Bucher, Harry, line no. 18 frag in the right leg- Radgen, Evich Nicolas line no. 127 finger shot off, Torres, Juan line no. 162 frag in the chest- the following are at the Aid Station at LZ Lanetta, Jefferson, Harry, line no. 1 frag in the chest, McWilliams, Donald line no. 10 neck wound- Brown, Reginald line no. 16 left hand and chest; B Co WHA, Duke, Cecil line no. 95 frag in the arm now at LZ Lanetta Aid Station: KHA Hayes, Jesse B. Line no. 107: equipment captured; 1 SKS SN 23488 (found by A Co 2nd platoon), 1 large metal powder container found by A Co 3rd platoon.

2005 (C) LRRP casualties: 1 WHA Todd Wood (note, later died of wounds), 1 KHA Craig Loftus