Vietnam War Timeline

363
8 April 1969
1/35th
Submitted by: Dave Fogg

3rd Bde 4th Inf Div Bn
(1/35) Forward Fire Base
LZ English 102694

Unit Locations:
A 1/35 ZA067690
B 1/35 (-) ZA048701
B Co 1st plt Old Plei Djereng
C 1/35 (-) ZA065662
D 1/35 (-) LZ English 102694
D Co 3rd plt Rock Quarry
E Co ZA027673
CSF Co 135704

Summary: Log opened at 0001 hours 8 April 1969. Unit locations: At LZ English 102694; Battalion Headquarters (Forward), D Company; A Company at grid ZA067690; B Company (-) at ZA048701; C Company (-) at ZA065662; E Company at ZA027673; CSF location at Plei Mrong (135662); At LZ Oasis; Headquarters and Headquarters Company Support (S-4 Forward): At Base Camp (Camp Enari); Battalion Headquarters (Rear).

8 April 69 at 0915 hours at 065672 C Company spotted an individual in brown khakis about 50 meters to their east. He fled south and C Company found his web gear, which had: US type canteen, VC/NVA poncho, M-16 bayonet, some personal gear (no papers). Company did not observe a weapon. 8 April at 0908 hours A Company 51 element at 067685 while moving west down a finger spotted 1 individual 25 meters to their front wearing tiger fatigues and GI web gear. They were not sure about a weapon and the individual spotted the element and fled toward the river. 51 element is trying to flush him out at this time. At 1003 hours 8 Apr 69 D Company reports their 52B element heard small arms fire which sounded like carbines on an azimuth of 140 degrees and 300 meters from their location which is in the woodline southeast of LZ English. They checked with Special Forces and they have no people in this area and have not been firing weapons. At 1025 hours on 8 Apr 69 A Company reports line #16 April roster was wounded this morning by frags from an M-79 while reconing by fire. The individual was wounded in his upper left thigh. At 1325 hours 8 Apr 69 Battalion S-3 Air reports to Brigade: We request to have C Company blow the equipment they found rather than get a bird to pick up the items? Ans. Bde says we can blow those items as long as we have an accurate account. At 1335 hours 8 Apr 69 permission was granted to blow the B-40's and Chinese Communist grenades found by C Company as long as the times have been counted and the number turned into Brigade. Captain Smith informed C Company of this fact that they will blow the equipment in place. At 1420 hours on 8 Apr 69 the read out on C Company reported: At 1129 hours C Company at 062672 spotted 1 VC/NVA with NVA fatigues and weapon. They fired the M-79 at him and he fled north. C Company pursued him and also found a bunker complex but had negative findings on the VC/NVA. They found the following items in bunkers (30 bunkers 4 x 3 and 15 bunkers with overhead cover consisting of logs and dirt 1 feet thick with fighting positions and sleeping compartments) (Bunkers were last used 1 to 2 days ago and had an estimated age of 6 months) 5 B-40 Rockets, 8 boosters for B-40, 2 small Chinese Communist grenades, 4 medium and 8 large grenades of the same type, 20 rounds ammunition carbine type, 8 C-4 type demolitions, 1 pair wire cutters, 1 pick head, 5 shovels, 4 NVA helmets, 3 rucksacks, 2 40 round clips of AK type, 6 loose AK rounds, 100 pounds of rice, fatigues, Ho Chi Minh sandals, poncho, pills. At 1425 hours 8 Apr 69 C Company reports they are going to blow up bunkers before we move out and will blow Chinese Communist grenades. Inform all birds before they go to that location. At 1515 hours 8 Apr 69 C company reported to TOC: 51 and 52 elements have found more rucksacks and will give a full report when they close the command post at estimated time of arrival of 20 minutes. At 1550 8 Apr 69 C Company reported to TOC: We have found 5 more packs, additional bunkers, papers with writing on them. We request a bird to get these items out. At 1735 hours 8 Apr 69 the following message was sent to Brigade from 1/35: We are sending rucksacks on the first bird, and have an itemized list, documents. Good conduct certificates identifying C-17, K-37 sapper Battalion. Wounded man had 1 biography and 1 part of letter to home. At 2005 hours 8 Apr 69 1/35 relayed to Brigade: That we had received an intelligence report of enemy movement from villages grid 068710 and the mission of this NVA force will be to attack Plei Te vicinity (2/35 B Co location). At 1500 hours we received a message from the 23rd ARVN Rangers said they had contact with 4 VC at grid 132606 wounded two and captured the following equipment; 20 kilos of rice, 70 pair of pajamas, 20 sticks of TNT 6 Chinese Communist grenades, 2 bandoleers of AK-47 ammunition, 2 bandoleers of machinegun ammunition.

0802 hours (C) Reference to the M-16 A Company lost: Their 4138 is to write a report on this and A Company will check on this too.

1001 hours (U) DELAYED ENTRY - On 8 Apr 69 at 0915 hours a message from C company reported spotted an individual at 065672 wearing brown khakis about 50 meters to there east. Individual fled south and C Company found his web gear - US type canteen, VC/NVA poncho, M-16 bayonet, some personal gear with no papers. No weapon observation.

1002 hours (U) DELAYED ENTRY - From A Company. On 8 Apr 69 at 0908 hours 51 element at 067685 while moving west down finger spotted 1 individual 25 meters to their front wearing tiger fatigues and GI web gear. The company was not sure about weapon. Individual spotted the 51 element and fled toward the river and the element was trying to flush him out at this time.

1025 hours (C) A Company repots line #16 April roster was wounded this morning by frags from M-79 whole reconing by fire and wounded his upper left thigh.

1420 hours (C) Readout on C Company: At 1129 hours C Company at 062672 spotted one VC/NVA with NVA fatigues and weapon and they fired M-79 at him, he fled north and C Company pursued. They found a bunker and had negative findings on the VC/NVA. 30 bunkers (4 x 3) were found and there were 15 with overhead cover consisting of logs and dirt 1 1/2 feet thick with fighting positions and sleeping compartments. The bunkers were last used 1 to 2 days ago and estimated age was 6 months old. The following items were found: 5 B-40 Rockets, 8 boosters for B-40 Rockets, 2 small Chinese Communist grenades, 4 medium Chinese Communist grenades and 8 large Chinese Communist grenades, 20 rounds of ammo - carbine type, 8 large block of C-4 demolition, 1 pair of wire cutters, 1 pick head, 5 shovels, 4 NVA helmets, 3 rucksacks, 2 40 rounds clips of the AK type, 6 loose AK rounds, 100 pounds of rice, fatigues, Ho Chi Minh sandals, poncho, pills.

1515 hours (C) C Company to TOC: 51 and 52 elements found more rucksacks will give full report when they close Command post (estimated time of arrival 20 minutes).

1609 hours (C) B Company to 1/35: Present location 045688. Bamboo hooch at 047686 and we are employing heavy organics.

1735 hours (C) To Brigade from 1/35: Sending rucksacks on first bird, we have itemized list, also documents. Good conduct certificates identifying C-17, K-37 sapper Battalion. Man that was wounded kept a biography and part of a letter home.

2055 hours (C) 1/35 to Brigade: Agent received from Special Forces at Plei Mrong. At 1830 an estimated platoon of VMC composed of guerillas (No Montagnards) from villages in the vicinity of 068710, Plei Bok Blei (080717), Plei Touan (088720) and Plei Boo (105724). The mission of this guerilla element is to guard an M|NVA unit moving west to east. The guerilla element is already in the vicinity of 075758 and will also set up a second guard located in the vicinity of 069781. There are six bamboo boards (bridge) in the vicinity of 065775 (suspected crossing by foot). The NVA element is to cross the Ya Krong Bolah tonight, coming from the west and will locate in the vicinity of ZA1475. Their mission will be to mortar possible attack in the vicinity of Plei Te (B 2/35 - please relay to 2nd Bde and 3rd Bde will give an acknowledgement in return).

081500 (C) Forward observer with 23rd ARVN Rangers said they had contact with 4 VC at grid 132606. They said they wounded 2 and were negative captured in action. They captured: 20 kilos of rice, 70 pair of pajamas, 20 stick of TNT, 6 Chinese Communist grenades, 2 bandoleers of AK-47 ammunition, 2 bandoleers of machine gun ammunition.