14 August 1965

From:        Commanding Officer

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

Subj:          Weekly Operations Summary

Ref:     (a)             4^th Marines (-)(rein) Mag of 221900H July 1965

Encl:    (1)            Significant Events Overlay

1.                  Company D (-)(rein) on combat patrol 071200H.  As Company (-) moved to vicinity of Xuan Ngoc (2) Hamlet (BT 398112), fire was received simultaneously from vicinity (BT 393113), (BT 400108), and (BT 407108).  One WIA was sustained vicinity (BT 402118).  Artillery was called on estimated 10-15 VC, with negative effect on target.  Platoons deployed, forcing VC to withdrew from contact, and subsequently found pools of blood at (BT 393113) and (BT 400109).

2-7.     Company D (-)(rein) on combat patrol 071300H-071700H.

2.  Sniper fire was received from estimated 1-2 VC (BT 393103).  Enemy withdrew from contact.

3.  Sniper fire was received from estimated 2-3 VC (BT 392097).   Enemy withdrew from contact.

4.    Four-armed VC were spotted by point fire team in clearing at (BT 395095) and were taken under fire.  One VC was hit as four fled east.

5.    Sniper fire was received from estimated 1-2 VC (BT 397088).  Enemy withdrew from contact.

6.    Sniper fire was received from estimated 1-2 VC (BT 400084).  Enemy withdrew from contact.

7.    Sniper fire was received from estimated 2-3 VC (BT 415076).  Enemy withdrew from contact.

      8-9.     Company D (-)(rein) on combat patrol 080745H-081120H.

8.      At 080745H helicopter resupplying company at (BT 425081) received enemy ground fire from (BT 420089).  Infantry returned fire.  Enemy withdrew from contact.

9.     At 081120H, helicopter-lifting elements of Company D from Landing Zone at (BT 436089) received enemy ground fire from (BT 442082).  Snipers withdrew from contact.

10.        Incident involving local children 081330H.  Three Vietnamese children were injured when they picked up an explosive device on the beach vicinity (BT 534130).  One of the children threw the device, believed to be an M-79 round, against a rock and detonated it.   Children were taken to B-Med.  Parents and village chief were notified.  Two children were returned to homes, three were sent to hospital at Quang Ngai for further treatment.

11-13.    Company B (-)(rein) on combat patrol 081440H-081600H.

11-12.             Three VC were observed vicinity (BT 423090) at 081440H and three more were observed vicinity (BT 417089) at 081450H.  In each case the enemy was taken under fire at long range and artillery was called, with negative results.

13.                        Eight VC were spotted vicinity (BT 405075) at 081600H.  Artillery fire mission had poor results because of time delay.  No VC casualties were observed.

14-21.    Company B (-)(rein) and Company C (-)(rein) on search and clear 090600H-091605H.

14.       At 090600H eleven WIA’s were sustained when Third Platoon, Company C moved off trail at (BT 452052) to establish LZ perimeter and activated bouncing type fragmentation device.

15.       At 090935H, 1^st Platoon, Company B, sighted eleven VC at (BT 414034) and directed artillery fire mission against same.  Three VCK were observed.

16.             At 091000H, as 1^st Platoon, Company B, moved closer to escape route vicinity (BT 438043), point observed group of VC at (BT 422036) and took them under fire, wounding two.

17.             First Platoon, Company C, was taken under fire by estimated three VC vicinity (BT 434044).  As platoon maneuvered to envelope enemy, a pressure type explosive device was detonated at (BT 437043), resulting in two WIA’s.  Firefight with VC ensued in which two VC were killed.  Two weapons, a Thompson sub-machine gun and a MASS-36 rifle, were captured.

18.             At 091045H, 3^rd Platoon, Company B, observed one armed VC leaving hamlet at (BT 434056) as 3^rd Platoon, Company C, swept through village from the east.  VC were under fire and killed.

19.             At 091100H, seven more VC were seen fleeing across paddies vicinity (BT 433050).  3^rd Platoon, Company B took them under fire at long range, killing one and wounding one.

20.             At 091400H, artillery was called to silence sniper fire received from vicinity (BT 42-046) during return of two companies to Landing Zone (BT 442051). 

21.             At 091605H, 1^st Platoon, Company C spotted two VC at (BT 447062).  VC fled and escaped as they were taken under fire.

22.       Sightings of individuals’ vicinity (BT 4406) at 11500H. 3^rd Platoon, Company C, on OP 1 (BT 468068), reported groups of 4-5 individuals on Hill 51 (BT 445067) and hills at (BT 439072) and (BT 434079), possibly in process of setting booby traps.  Artillery and 81mm mortar fire was directed against Hill 51, and OP 1 was directed to provide platoon (-) for surveillance.  Search of Hill 51 produced negative results.

23.       Drowning of Marine 112130H.  3^rd Platoon, Company D, commenced combat patrol on Ky Xuan Island after landing by LVTs vicinity (BT 513093), and reported that a Marine has drowned in attempting to cross channel in that vicinity.  Additional LVTs were sent to the area to assist in search, which continued all night with negative results.

24.       2^nd Platoon, Company B, on combat patrol 120900-121330H.  Platoon apprehended two VCS hiding in a hole under paddy dike vicinity (BT 446105) at 120900H.  Platoon linked up with PF Platoon, which identified two VCS as VCC.

25.       Same patrol later apprehended five more VCS vicinity (BT 4510) for lack of proper identification.

26.       Body Of Marine found 130745H.  Body of Marine missing since 112130H was found vicinity (BT 515093) by local villagers.  Battalion personnel were sent to claim the body.

27.       Company A (-)(rein) on combat patrol 131020H.  Platoon patrol received sniper fire vicinity (BT 395087).  Enemy withdrew from contact.  Patrol was unable to ascertain direction of origin of fires.

28.       VC roadblock on Highway #1, 131800H.  At 131815H by Ly Tin District Headquarters reported a VC roadblock of platoon size at (BT 451087). VC were reported taking people off buses at that location.  Upon request of Ly Tin, Marine artillery was directed against roadblock.  At 131850H, Ly Tin reported that artillery had dispersed roadblock.  AO dispatched to the area could observe no further targets.

29.       Three-company sweep operation 140715-141100H.  At 140715H, an air strike was directed by Company A, FAC on group of approximately ten VC vicinity (BT 417085).  Two squads were sent to search area upon completion of air strike, with negative results.

30.       Prisoner Handling Team with ITT personnel established Collection Point at (BT 431094).  Team processed total of 163 civilians, twenty-two of which were adult males.  Of these, three were detained as VCS.  Remainders were released.

31.       At 141040H sniper fire was received by Company A from across river vicinity (BT 419093).  Fire was returned.  Enemy fire ceased.

This page last corrected 18 September 2011