Supporting Arms

A.        Air Support.    During the month of September, Tactical Air Support for the Battalion was divided among TPQ-10 bombing, Beacon Bombing, Night Owls and Gun Ships.  Eleven TPQ's were hit expending 170 MK82, 250 pound bombs.  Eight Beacons were hit expending 87 MK82 and 12 MK85, 1000 pound bombs.  One A-6 Beacon hop was aborted due to a faulty system in the aircraft.  This strike was run as a visual dive bomber, delivering 22 MK82 bombs.  Five sections of Night Owl Dive Bombers were run, expending Napalm and MK117, 750 pound bombs.

            Bomb Damage Assessment (BDA) for most of these missions were unavailable due to the terrain.  One Beacon Hop received a BDA of five secondary explosions.

            One section of HU1E helicopters expended ordnance in the Battalion AO on a training mission for the Air crewmen.

            In support of the Battalion Operations, 54 OV10-A's were employed.  Two visual recon's were conducted for the Officers of the Battalion.

            Five helicopter lifts transported 1281 passengers and 600 pounds of cargo.

            Medevacs were flown with the following totals: 33 routine, 17 priority, eight emergency, and two tactical priority.

B.        Artillery Support.    The majority of the artillery support was provided by G Battery, 3/12 located at FSB Cates, and I Battery 3/12 after relieving G Battery at FSB Cates, and 155mm Guns and 8" Guns located at VCB.  A total of 133 missions were fired by our Forward Observers.  Night defensive fires represented 100 of the total targets fired.  The following is a comprehensive list of targets, rounds fired and weapons used for artillery support for the month of September.

                                        Harassing and Interdiction                    105mm                    216                    1008

                                                                                                         155mm                      82                       644

                                        Reinforcing Fires                                   175mm                      10                         55                                               

                                        Prep Fires                                              105mm                        5                          30                                              

This page last corrected 8 September 2011