2 August 1965

 

From:       Commanding Officer

To:            Commanding Officer, 4th Marines (-)(rein)

Subj:         After Action Report #16; Company (-) Combat Patrol 31 July – 2 August

Ref:     (a)          Map:  Viet Nam 1:50,000 Sheet 6757 III

(b)                     3rd MarDiv OpO 321-65

Encl:    (1)          Operation Overlay

1.         Units Involved and Strengths.

A.                Company B (-)(rein), 1st Battalion, 4th Marines (-)(rein).  (Off/Enl)(5-97)

(1)               2nd and 3rd Platoons. (2-86)

(2)               Company Headquarters.  (2-7)

(3)               Arty FO Team.  (1-3)

(4)               Interpreter.  (0-1)

B.                Detachment, 1st Plat, Co B, 3rd AT Bn.  (1-9)

C.                Detachment, Co C, 3rd MT Bn.  (0-10)

D.                Detachment, 1st Plat, Co A, 1st AmTrac Bn.  (0-21)

2.         Time.  Company B (-)(rein) landed by LVTs 311530H July.  Pickup by truck-Ontos convoy was effected 020835H.  All units returned to defensive positions by 021045H.

3.         Place.  Western portion of TAOR.  See Operation Overlay.

4.         Casualties.

A.                Friendly.  None.

B.                Enemy.  Two VC wounded confirmed.

5.         Nature of Action.  Company (-) combat patrol.

6.         Narrative.  Company B (-)(rein) landed by LVTs vicinity (BT 455102) at 311450H and moved by two parallel routes in a southwesterly direction.  At (BT 427086) two 60mm mortar booby traps were discovered and disarmed with no injuries.  At 311730H two VC were spotted in brush vicinity (BT 424078) and were taken under fire.  One was seen holding his leg and limping; however, both escape over hill at that location.  Company (-) continued to southwest and established patrol base at (BT 419079).

Squads sent out from patrol base after dark and established ambushes at 312100H vicinity (BT 426082), (BT 413082), and (BT 412072).  Ambushes had no enemy contact, secured at 010730H, and returned to patrol base.

During early morning of 1 August three squad patrols were conducted.  Patrol to hill complex vicinity (BT 425079) and patrol to ambush position at (BT 412082) returned to patrol base without incident at 011230H.

Third patrol had several enemy contacts.  Squad moved southwest from patrol base to rail junction at (BT 412072) and west along trail to (BT 400080), where they observed four men working in rice paddies.  Men were not armed but did not have proper identification.  Patrol did not apprehend them and continued west along trail to (BT 398072) and north to (BT 399089), where they sighted one unarmed male of military age, who immediately fled to the north.  Man was ordered to halt, continued to flee, and was shot.  As patrol pursued, man crawled to vicinity (BT 396091) and disappeared in the heavy undergrowth.  Subsequent search of small hut at (BT 396089) disclosed an M-1 carbine, knife, and pack with clothes.  Hut appeared to be used by 1-2 VC for living quarters.  Surrounding terrain offered suitable location for observation post.

Squad patrol continued north to (BT 395095), where they sighted two more unarmed individuals heading north.  At this point patrol leader turned patrol around and headed south along trail to (BT 393089), where fire was received from four VC wearing helmets vicinity (BT 393087).  Patrol heard sound of more men moving south along trail towards them.  Fire was returned on four VC, and patrol moved out south and east along trail, returning to patrol base at 011430H.

Commencing 012100H ambushes were established at (BT 413083), (BT 412072), and (BT 426083).  No enemy was contacted during the night.  Ambushes secured at 020430H and returned to patrol base.  Company (-) moved out from patrol base following two separate axis.  At 020700H platoon (rein) at (BT 425085) detonated an explosive charge.  Neither shell fragments nor any type of trip device could be found.  No one was injured.  Platoons continued without further incident to pickup point (BT 467081) at 020835H for return by truck-Ontos convoy to defensive positions.

7.         Lessons Learned.

A.                Squad patrol strayed outside of 1/4 TAOR by taking the wrong trail and sighted several small groups of VC vicinity (BT 3909).  This is first significant contact with VC in this sector in several days despite high-density operations there within TAOR.  This indicates the VC are re-routing traffic to trails located outside TAOR.

B.                Traps and trip-wire devices are employed in northwest sector of TAOR.  This is second encounter with these devices in this sector.  Warning signs of same to populace were placed on trail west of deuce but not to east, indicating VC expect our operations will come from the east.  Next operation in the area is planned to approach from the west to foil VC expectations.

 

This page last corrected 16 September 2011