29 July 1965
From: Commanding Officer
To: Commanding Officer, 4th Marines (-)(rein)
Subj: After Action Report #15; Company (-) Combat Patrol 27-28 July
Ref: (a) Map: Viet Nam 1:500,000 Sheet 6757 III
(b) 3rd MarDiv OpO 321065
Encl: (1) Operation Overlay
1. Units Involved and Strengths.
A. Company A (-)(rein), 1st Battalion, 4th Marines (-)(rein). (Off/Enl) (6-97).
(1) 1st and 3rd Platoons. (1-78)
(2) Company Headquarters. (2-11)
(3) Arty FO Team. (1-2)
(4) 81 FO Team (0-2)
(5) FAC Team. (1-3)
(6) Interpreter. (0-1)
B. Detachment, 1st Plat, Co B, 3rd Engr Bn. (0-8)
C. Detachment, 1st Plat, Co A, 1st AmTrac Bn. (1-10)
D. FMAW.
2. Time. First wave of helicopters landed in LZ 270740H. Company A (-)(rein) departed target area by LVTs 281210H, arrived MLR positions 280300H.
3. Place. Western portion of TAOR. See Operation Overlay.
4. Casualties.
A. Friendly. Five (5) USMC WIA.
B. Enemy. None confirmed.
5. Nature of Action. Company (-) combat patrol.
6. Narrative. At 270740H, Company A (-)(rein) heli-lifted into LZ at (BT 452049). As first helicopters landed, approximately fifty civilians, all women and children, were seen fleeing north from village at (BT 433045). Shortly after, at 270812H, approximately thirty women and children were seen fleeing south and east from village at (BT 445053).
Company (-) moved out from LZ at 270820H, 3rd Platoon moving north towards village at (BT 435053) and 1st Platoon moving southwest towards high ground at (BT 441041). 3rd Platoon continued toward village at (BT 457056) when reports were received from District Headquarters that a VC platoon was situated at that location. Platoon Commander, making a recon on hill at (BT 450053), tripped a booby trap, resulting in serious injury to himself and Platoon Guide. Booby trap appeared to have been bouncing type mine or grenade activated by trip wire at chest height.
At 271050H, 1st Platoon, moving southwest along trail and high ground at (BT 438041), received sniper fire from village at (BT 431041). As platoon rushed the village, one man tripped a trip wire in hedgerow at (BT 435045) and was seriously wounded by booby trap. Snipers immediately withdrew from contact. Helicopter evacuation was requested for three WIA’s. As platoon commenced to establish Landing Zone perimeter, another booby trap was detonated at (BT 433045), resulting in two more WIA’s. Both devices appear to have been grenades of foreign manufacture, activated by trip wires or vines one to two feet off the ground.
Engineer support was requested at this time. Detachment arrived by helicopter with mine detection equipment at 271130H. Engineers commenced detailed search of all the hedgerows in the village at (BT 435045). Search lasted two hours but failed to uncover any more explosive devices.
At 271115H, 3rd Platoon was taken under fire from snipers on hill at (BT 445045). Platoon rushed the hill but enemy withdrew from contact. Two platoons joined at 271153H at (BT 435045).
Platoons proceeded north from village at 271400H along separate, parallel routes. Harbor site at (BT 437068) and continued east along parallel patrol routes to pick up point (BT 461090). Several villagers were questioned enroute to pick up point to ascertain location and movement of VC. One VCS was caught fleeing from village at (BT 462079). Company (-) departed target area by LVTs 281210H, arriving at MLR positions by 281300H.
7. Lessons Learned
A. VC appears to be using tactic of sniper as bait to draw Marines into booby traps. Marines must combine caution with aggressiveness in pursuing enemy, particularly in areas where patrols have been previously conducted.
This page last corrected 19 September 2011