After Action Report – 14 September 1965

From:        Commanding Officer

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

Subj:   After Action Report #21; Battalion (-)(rein) combat patrol toward blocking positions 12 September 1965.

Ref:     (a)            Map: Viet Nam 1:50,ooo Sheets 6757 III, 6757 IV

Encl:    (1)            Operation Overlay

1.                  Units Involved and Strengths

A.    Company B (-)(rein), 1^st Bn 4^th Marines (-)(rein), (Off/Enl) (8-164)

1.                  1^st platoon (rein) (1-42)

2.                  2^nd platoon (rein) (1-40)

3.                  3^rd platoon (rein) (1-43)

4.                  Company Headquarters (1-6)

5.                  Arty FO team (1-1)

6.                  Weapons platoon (0-10)

7.                  Interpreter (0-1)

8.                  Engineers (1-9)

9.                  Naval Gunfire (0-7)

10.             Scouts (1-2)

11.             FAC (1-3)

B.    Company C (-)(rein), 1^st Bn 4^th Marines (-)(rein) (3-64)

1.                  1^st platoon (rein) (1-48)

2.                  Company Headquarters (1-12)

3.                  Arty FO Team (1-4)

C.    Company D (-)(rein), 1^st Bn 4^th Marines (-)(rein) (6-173)

1.                  1^st platoon (rein) (1-42)

2.                  2^nd platoon (rein) (1-43)

3.                  3^rd platoon (rein) (1-46)

4.                  Company Headquarters (1-12)

5.                  Scouts (0-3)

6.                  Interpreter (0-2)

7.                  FAC (1-3)

8.                  Engineers (0-10)

9.                  Arty FO Team (1-5)

10.             60mm Team            (0-9)

D.    Battalion Command Group (3-13)

E.    Company B, 3^rd Recon Battalion (5-75)

1.                  1^st platoon (1-21)

2.                  2^nd platoon (1-23)

3.                  3^rd platoon (1-17)

4.                  Company Headquarters (2-14)

F.     1^st Platoon, 107mm Howtar Battery, 3^rd Bn, 12 Marines (3-31)

G.    106mm Recoilless Rifle Platoon (1-36)

H.    1^st Platoon (rein), Co. A, 1^st

I.        FMAW

2.                  Time.  Company D (rein) landed by helicopter 120700H.  Company B (rein) landed 120730H.  Company B (Recon) landed by LCM 120350H.  107mm Howtar Platoon and 106mm platoon landed by LVT at 120700H.  Company C platoon (rein) moved into blocking position at 120700H.  Company D and Company B completed heli-lift to LMR at 121000H.  Company C platoon (rein), 107mm Howtar platoon, Company B (recon), and 106mm platoon completed move by LVT to locations within TAOR at 121600H.

3.                  Place.  Northern portion of island vicinity (BT 4215).  See Operation Overlay.

4.                  Casualties

A.    Friendly – 0

B.    Enemy – 0

5.                  Nature of Action.  Battalion (-)(rein) combat patrol toward blocking positions.

6.                  Narrative.  Company B (Recon) landed at 120350H by LCM at (BT 436180) and moved to blocking positions at (BT 430173), (BT 440168), and (BT 445159) by 120700H.  At 120615H, Company B (Recon) sighted two (2) junks at (BT 433168) moving northwest and five (5) junks at (BT 430172) moving west.  Were not allowed to apprehend.  Junks would not stop when shots were fired across bow.  Each junk contained approximately three (3) males.  At 120630H, Company B (Recon) received two sniper rounds fired from (BT 435166) toward (BT 439169).  Fire returned with negative results.  First platoon (rein) Company C moved into blocking position (BT 461145) at 120700H.  107mm Howtar platoon with 106 platoon as security landed by LVT at (BT 474145) at 120700H to provide direct support and set a blocking position.  Area vicinity (BT 473146) cleared by LVT-E1 of supposed mines at 120700H with negative results.

Company D (rein) heli-lifted into LZ (BT 417156) at 120700H.  Company B (rein) heli-lifted into LZ (BT 417156) at 120730H.  Engineers in support of Company D made five opening by bangalore torpedo, in a punji fence in the LZ (BT 417156).

Company D and Company B commenced combat patrols along assigned route about 120745H.  At 120945H Company D destroyed approximately 350 six to eight foot anti-helicopter punji stakes at (BT 426157).

At 121230H, 25 male VCS wee heli-lifted to regimental collection point.  VCS were apprehended along patrol route of Company D.  Company B (Recon) moved to 107mm Hawtar position when Company D passed their positions about 121250H(?).  Company B (Recon) was then transported by LVT to splash point where they detached upon arrival splash point (BT 521119).  At (BT 448153) engineers in support of Company B destroyed a spider trap with bangalore torpedo.  At 121530H, 7 VCS were heli-lifted to regimental collection point.  VCS apprehended along Company B patrol route.  Company B found a pair of combat boots and a Buddhist flag at (BT 419159).

Return to MLR positions by Company And Company B was effected by heli-lift commencing 121430H and ending 121600H.  Company C platoon, 107mm Howtar platoon and 106 platoon returned to company positions within TAOR by LVT commencing 121500H and arriving MLR positions at 121600H.

Tire tracks reported by B-Recon Company vicinity (BT 438158) at 062300H were checked thoroughly and were determined to be ARVN APC tracks from previous combined ARVN/1^st Bn 4^th Marines operation on 25 July.