Vietnam War Timeline

291
24 February 1969
1/35th
Submitted by: Dave Fogg

3rd Bde 4th Inf Div Bn
(1/35) Forward Fire Base
LZ Lillie ZA119561

Unit Locations:
A 1/35 LZ Lillie ZA119561
B 1/35 085541
C 1/35 108492
C Co 2nd platoon Rock Quarry
D 1/35 106520
Recon 136565
4.2" LZ Lillie ZA119561
11th Ranger Battalion CP and 2 Companies 150504, 2 Companies 136506

Summary: Log opened at 0001 hours 24 February 1969. Unit locations: At LZ Lillie ZA119561, Battalion Headquarters (Forward); A Company, 4.2" mortar platoon, C Battery 2/9 Artillery, counter mortar section from the 2/9 artillery; B Company 085541; C Company 108492; D Company 109517, D Company 106520; 2nd platoon C Company Rock Quarry; Recon platoon 136565; 11th ARVN Rangers CP and 2 companies 150504.

At 1610 hours Lt. Kerr reports that the ARVN's made contact with an unknown size enemy force this at grid 134507, the enemy fled to the East. At 1942 hours Lt. Kerr reports contact at 1625 hours, 5 VC were engaged with small arms fire and they fled to the Northeast, CIA one Russian carbine and the contact was broken at 1645 hours, negative casualties were reported and the enemy was believed to be 5 Montagnard VC. At 2311 hours TOC was informed that Pleiku was being hit with 122mm rockets, artillery was fired and a secondary explosion was confirmed at grid 175555.

0002 hours (C) Message from the Bde S-3 to the Bn S-3: Latest intelligence reports this evening indicates that there will be a substantial increase in enemy action the night of 23 Feb 69 and on the morning of 24 Feb 69.

0003 hours (C) Message from the Bde S-3 to the Bn S-3: What is the status on the historical team that came to our location to interview Lt. Kelly and his ambush.

0005 hours (C) Bn S-3 QSL the message in reference to entry 2, and also informed Bde that in reference to entry 3 that the Bde CO told the historical team officer to return to the Oasis and that was all of the information that we have at this time.

0850 hours (C) To the 1/35 from Bde: LZ at grid YA964497 will be LZ Hilga, LZ at ZA062375 will be LZ Kay.

0916 hours (C) From Recon to the S-3: Current location 148563 along the stream at this location found a cave, very old and it had woven rice baskets in it, inside also very old, Recon destroyed the rice baskets.

1308 hours (C) From Lt. Kerr to the S-3: Bushmaster was in contact for about 3-4 minutes at grid ZA136510 we have 2 platoons moving after the enemy at this time, spotted 2 individuals moving West to East, fled West and we could not tell whether they were VC or NVA, and they do not know whether they had weapons or not.

1400 hours (C) To Bde from MSG Chronister: I acknowledge Frago 1 to OPLAN 6-69 (Green Tornado).

1345 hours (C) From Rustler 24 to the S-3: Enroute to LZ Lillie to coordinate the CA of B Co, he will be the flight leader and the S-3 is airborne at 1350 hours to check out the LZ and the PZ.

1437 hours (C) First LZ of B Co complete LZ cold at grid, complete at 1751 hours.

1524 hours (C) D Co 711 element had departed their location and they are enroute to their night location they received 2 bursts of small arms fire from the Southwest at grid 113523. 1 friendly WIA line no. 28 at this time, the remainder of the element is sweeping the area.

1546 hours (C) From D Co to TOC: WIA is now KIA, need a bird to pick up the KIA and we also need a set of gunships at this time.

1548 hours (U) DELAYED ENTRY-1520 hours 24 Feb 69- From C Co to the S-3: Spotted 3 men in green uniforms across the Blue Line at grid 114495, negative information yet, they will keep us informed.

1610 hours (C) From Lt. Kerr to the S-3: At grid 134507 ARVN's made contact with an unknown size enemy force, the enemy fled to the East, ARVN's closed to the previously mentioned grid coordinate.

1620 hours (C) In reference tot he above message Lt. Kerr reports that the ARVN's are still in contact, they are pursuing to the East, they have captured 5 of the enemy and one weapon.

1630 hours (C) B Co is being CA'd to grid 143575.

1631 hours (C) From Lt. Kerr to the S-3: The weapon that was captured was an AK-47 and they are continuing to pursue the enemy to the Northeast.

1653 hours (C) In reference to the five prisoners that the ARVN's captured they were Montagnards and they re suspected VC.

1657 hours (C) From B Co to TOC: Blackjack 588 took two rounds of AK-47 fire from approximately grid 078537 bunker complex.

1752 hours (C) DELAYED ENTRY-1430 hours 24 Feb 69- The man from D Co who was an FUO was extracted at 1430 hours and the KIA was extracted at 1645 hours.

1941 hours (C) To the S-3 from C Co: Spotted a UFO directly overhead and it was on e big bright light, moving from the Northwest to the southwest traveling at a very high altitude and going at a very high speed.

1942 hours (U) DELAYED ENTRY-1931 hours 24 Feb 69- From Lt. Kerr to the S-3: 1st contact at 1315 hours with 2 VC employed small arms, VC fled to the West, search of the area was made with negative findings, detained one Montagnard suspect with negative casualties, 2nd contact at 1625 hours with 5 VC engaged with small arms fire and the VC fled to the Northeast, CIA 1 Russian carbine contact was broken at 1645 hours, negative casualties and 5 are believed to be Montagnard VC.

1944 hours (C) From A Co to TOC: Reports that one of their OP's observed an individual at grid 115560 moving from tree to tree and he was believed to be Reconning the perimeter, the action taken was a 50% alert, OP's were reinforced and they prepared to fire ILL and H.E.

2300 hours (U) DELAYED ENTRY-1820 hours 24 Feb 69- Bde CO passed the following message to the Bn CO: All units will remain in a high state of alert tonight and tomorrow, be prepared for an attack by fire and a ground attack, Commanders are directed to insure maximum protective measures are enforced to include the wearing of flack jackets and steel pots.

2310 hours (C) Radar picked up four Rockets that were being fired from grid 175555.

2311 hours (C) Bde informed us that Pleiku is being hit with 122mm Rockets at this time.