II

DECLA, Si ED

COMMANDER U.SI NAVNAL FORCES Vi 27hNAM

El-ECTERl

L~in

(DECLASSIFIFD MONTHLY HISTORICAL SUM'MARY

i

NOVEMBER 1969

025(Z"

FApprvovd for pu'~

Distribution Unlimited

to4 o

01

54

.A.

STTE
V DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
U. S. NAVAL FORCES7. VIETNAM
COtS VVHOSAN8F.ACGSO

75-16/023:as

5750

From: To:

Commander U. S. Naval Forces, Vietnam Distribution List Xontb Forces, Vietnam a7 H Iga1c
u

Sb:CommanderU.S. Naval

is 2.

wade

for intormation and retention*

data which spPlie$ to

2.The Civic Action Statistical sumaary include the period 26 Soptember throughk 25 October 1969.

FChief
-~COKLSMACV

ENKM H. TII)D

of Stf

Accession For

14TIS GRA&I

Distribution: CI1NCPACFLT (4) (Hist. Branch, SJS) C(~x4USACV (Doctrine Branch, J-3053)

TC A Unannirounced Jus' if icat i-on--

CGT~UsmACV 'COG, JOD)

'~~(
____________

L~
LA

I.CNO
4

"COMUISIACV

(oP-.09B9)Dit

0J3-12)

bu

on

cNO (OP-09B919) CNO (O'-.03 04, 05, 06) (1 ea) HNO(C-92) 2is
-~.Ds

-N

t(~y

J
C
-

~~~Clio (bps Eval. Group)

CIN1CLANTFLT CcU4FIRSTFLT cczWCONUFLT COMUMFILAT pREs NAvI'JARCOL
. -l

oe Aalblt 'Avail and/or Speia pca

~CcWH4P1I3AC ~CCKCBLPJ4T
COHIENPAC
Co~xainant, A~rmed Porces Staff C.ollateS

CCr1CBPAC

OZ565JL

--

~ ~~~~~~~

..

..

.-

.__.__._.__.__._.__. .________

-i.

..-... -:.-1* "/

..

..

._,

,,*

-.

- .

*.,

>.---

C'O

UNCLASSIFIIM F?5-16/A)23:ao 5750

* I
'4

SUPT USNA

~CHINFO

CO NAVPHIBSCOL LCRM~ CO NAVPHIBSCOL CORONADO PHIBTRADET MARIS NSRDC PANFLA NIOTC MARIS Project Manager, Naval Inshore Warfare Project, Washington, D. C. 20360 "CHNAVSEC C&GS Col., Ft. leavenworth, Kansas 66027 CHNAVSEC Air University (Attn: AUL (SE)-69-10), Maxwell APB, A1a. 3612. USA Special Warfare School (Attn: USNAiC Liaison Officer) Ft. Bragg,

N.
-j

C.

2830?

USHC Rep., U.S. Armq Infantr-; School, Vt. Benning Ga. 31905 DIA (DIAAP-1 1A2/Pentagon) Office of the Senior Marine Advisor, Naval Advisory Group, Box 9, "FPO San Francisco 96626 Comunder Naval Ship BrD Center, Washington, D. C. 20007 Co=ander Mine Squadron ELEVEN NAVFORV/NAVADVGR.P HACV NOTE 05216 of 1 Jan 1970

0P,-4 C/ (4A e, C3i='i

LIST II (A&B)j III (loss Es)

LIST IV (Less D & E) LIST V (A) LIST VI (A 2&2, DI, E & H14)

I
S2.2

.-'-.5

7 "1

.-.

UNCLASSWIFIE ..

'

--.

-o-

-"

U.~~~~ NAALFOCE

S.

GROUP 4year interval Downgraded at 3-

UN|

M
I

iI

Vi~ri

"-

I.-I

$i

tt
--

"~C

"I

-I
1
I

I
U-NCLASSItFIE_
":"]Downgr'aded at 3 year ~~~~Declassified after
Intervals 12 years " " :|::.
"
-:-

:
".
-.

-. I

|''::

,-------

TABLS OF COMMS

Uist or.Charts, Gaph* and Photo-;.p* ...

. .

SGiant SSearch -Riverine

Slingshot . . .. . . . .. . . .. Border Interdtction Caupsism .... ... Turn .. .. .. .. .. .. Strike Group ..........

....... . 16 22

Vke Tim Rade Cmpi"

Ot peration Readyr Dock ..

.
.. ....
. . .

. ... ... . 2 .

Son Ong Do . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .
Unlit Tot-rsCanRanh Baydo. . . .h..
.

..

..

..

..
. . . . . . .

3
(A..

COASTAL SURVEELLAANM3 1M First Coastal Zone .. ....... Second Coastal Zone ... ,Operation ,
Boerds:erlOterdition

SMOIW

......

. .

39 /0

SOperation

Third Coastl Zone,..SU . . . o pig.................... ... ... . . . . flIVv%:r PoLTRikFMErop . . Market. Tim .. .. .. Clarwae r Opnerations Cpag .. .. Dso 31 .. .. 0 . Sea Float/Ia Ru T ...
Operation Stable Door .....

.. .. ...... . . .. . . . .* * * ... ... .. .. .... . . .. ..... . :Unit One- Yung Tau .. .. ...... . . .. . . .. . . . .. . *.. Uit Shen-shot .

. .. .

............ . . . . . . . o . .

98
22 5 2 58
7

67 6,

FierstCoastablZoe .r. ... .. 0 a 0 * .0 Ga=e Warden PER, trd-IB . . . . . SP erationea oo . And OV-IOA . Operations........so. . . . .oon . . . . . . . ..
Third Zone. USNa StatisticalCoastal o Suor s oa . . ..*

a.

.
0

86
9 903

. . . ..
o . .

. .
. ...o....

...

. 00000 . .. ....

NAVAL ADVISO
Fleet Thr nd

MOUP sUMU
..... Areas . o.o00
. . . o o . eo

92
...
. . . .

ord o.... FourethrivrneK River Patrol Group.oo

CatlJn Fr es . .

7
9
95

00 . .
a * .

...
.

Second Coastal Zone

....

a . a.

..

Zone SCoastal
Amphibiou Vietnamese
!

US.,.icla.a

Task Force 211 . . . . . o . . .. Mar-t Corps. ... . .. . . ..

.. .a. .a.-'

. ..

. ..

..

..

. . . .
.a*

. ..

.
.*

710 8

9
9
.'

-- '- "" - -'-

.. First.Coasta-.o-..-....-. * *.. . -.. . ... --- '-,'Second.'2 "o"s.s-. "." " ou " e- '"a-.-' " .-.. C

.-.... *

....

.--.

'''

*..' .'.': *......''.

.'..'-'.

96%::...._'-. -.- ,-

"

=/1

s-. sttsialsiay. .-

--

;.4

..

....

.. .,

..

"*

x1

--

. P$

" Operational Control. S

" November

1969 ...
118 ..

IOLOGICAL, GEATIOS AND CIVIC ACTION SUMMA.I ........ Action Statisticl

Itica

...
SACCEUMTEID

"'-SHl Civic

Smmr . ..

..

..
.

..
. ..

-.

..... ..
* a a

1,23

..

''-""

VNA/VALI SUPOT ATI

SUMMY . . . . . . . . TUR.NOVER PROGRAM AND TRAINING SUMK

. . . . . .

..

...

132' 126-

r
,

IJNC.i.cto

Saitia

...
..

123"
..

NAVAL SUPPCOTUACTIVITy DANAG ...... T "M DNAVAL CON4STRIIONS B.IG.................

.......

138... 18.

GLOSSARY C. ABMEIA

S.

. .

S?
;.. :

.*-

S.

.. -.,

<

.-

"i

'

-"'

S~~LIST OF CmATS,. (;RAPIHq9A]N PIOTOGRA . --

2.

(P)

Troop Carrers eA~ve USS

M& ..

..

..

. . . . . . 15 27

i!3. __ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ __Aphibious Operation_Ugbwn . .. .. (P) .. .. ..... _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ __' 4. (C) SEA hCW - Market Time Raiders O*e..at.ons in the Ti Coastal Zone .. .. .. .. . . .0*0. .........

"

'

-(P) ARV S6. Soldier~s Gon Ashore .. .. .. .0. ..

.. .. .. . ...

, .....
. .. . ..

74'(P) Marke Time Pa, .

9. j 10. U ,.

.... .. ... . . ... .

38:
45 4,7 52 57 66 7 .*. ,

""Si(C) Operations in the First. Coastal Zone. .. .

LiS L CARS,.,..>.1 POTGRH (C) Operatons in the Second Coastal Zone .. ..

(C) COwations in the Third Coastal Zone. .

(G) Detections, Inspections, Boarding3 by Market Tim Units (c) sea Fnoat Operations in the Fa-th Coastal Zone . . .. S12.

-.

3.]3. )l/. .'-.. .-.....

(G) Detections, L39secticm, Boarig by Stable Door Units

*..

, 14 ..1' (P) )....-..-...Programp.. (.. SCATT( e. v.. . ..

..

....

..

..

..

..

......
.

a*

.2.

.o 5...._(- -.-..... .

.ncideat.. ap

..... . .

-.-.

.'.... . ..-..a

a . ....*

30"

i.::-:

V.,W-

-44.444.

.4--sq.,

*4 -

j-**~'

4.~

~ dI~fr
lb-

t----.6~

'-'-

-'I".~

4-

*um

... '-Z.V,

',

.W

SweThn AItroscj.mda"jtCr
sode
an an-hbos

-,

--

iipi

ti

nepo-

14ukrdrn

o-ertloj

e-

".e

*-."'

',

.~ *-.-%-"," "

1.-

-.

-,

m2*

r,ONHF ENITI A1I"""

"--.......................................................................
OPMATIM SEA LORDS SUMHAM

At a time when the NVA is trying to force N&TY units off the inter-

.- "-.

diction density on the barriers along the Cambodian border.

In response

to intelligence reports placing the forward element of the NVA First Di-

In Northwester S~~~vision Province and additional- reports IndiKien Tuong e ating the transit of sizeable VC/NVA units ino the "Crow's Nest" arlm
Cambodia situated just to the north of Moe Hoik and the Vain Co Tay Sof Z
r.'

'---

" . "
'!

River (area bounded by WT 96o o00, xs 010 985, xr 010 00, and wT 96o

~050),

reinforcement of the barriers-was carried out In order to disrupt: infiltratin south across the Plain of Reads Into Dinh Tucng Proor should be choose to move vast inside Camoia, to oppose his

]vince, 1

"

~eventual

attemupts to Infiltr'ate into the "Seven Mountains" area or the SU-YM Forest.,

The'.riendly build up of forces vas augmented by sailing the USS

t i j

~~~BRIEWA (APB-35) on 12 Noveyber to a new station In the vicinity of An:'-"SLong (debarking CTG 194.7 at Done Tam enrouto to provide support for

relocatieg RAD 152 RAC that vere previously assigned to the Vao Co Rivetn area to An brig for operations in Barrier Reef West, and by having Giant '-":
1....

the already greatly expanded T-ran Hung Dao/Barrier Rnee operations, by

!:

22

~ ~~Slingshot

units located at Moc Hoa conduct operaticne (%!aGpis) along the

fA tto Knot, e the Rach Caintevcnt .... Rang, and the Raespo;s

AB3)o BEA upper Vadi Tay, the2Nv~rt Lre Co Rach

```J;'thea`re-y

Bcotng t trithe soveeeat prsence and Log(eakngCG1h7atDu a,-oue areas while reinforcing thebarPr esw with grealy e`pnded
'

th eneni of Ches upr o atea opoid forcit ef operations, by. . .. . . .

-""-"-.

ts based at iTVen Nhon asd-srupt ..

.-"igne to" the Van Co Rive''....""''".'..., r

"- ,

"-"

'

'-""

SHnrequFred.. reoctngR ""."

r`n Hug D`a`arrie .

prevousl "er - . a

. ' 152"RC"tha - -.. .D ' -.- ;.

e id

p or f

w a...,

K
.

....... : -. -. . ":

J:NF1UENTIh[
During the month of November, combined SEA LORDS forces operating Ini
the Border Interdictin, Giant Slingshot, Search Turn, Ready Dock, and

Breezy Cove campaigns accoimted for a total of 254k eneir killed (by body
coont) an! 22 captured. to 16 killed and Friendly casualties for these campaigns amounted

1041 vonded. A breakdown of USK and VNN SEA LOFMS sta.

-

tistics for November and statistical totals computed since the start of
S-.

operations are located at the end of this section.

:.

1 I%

~*...-.

.-.-..

. 'I

+ 2
o--*,. . o

.I+

.:.+

00-11.:-B--i

.0 , -. . . . .. . . .. . ' -' . - -:

+0
. . .-

i"
.................-.....
~..

effF.lJIlI.... .. .-.'.7'
. -""."-.".'

..............--...

-177

.-

;-

'-

-T

..-

r,..

.7

.Y5

S;1
9'%

eOnlFIDENTIAL
Giant Slinashot
o11 and four"Seavolves assigned. The river -craft smites 68 M'sJ, 28 RJCj, 33 Wm

crafts two M'Ms, and four Boston Valera.

Besides performing escort duty,

S-

blckig " trop lfts

support 35.asi(Zle, Giant Slingshot uisentupa

WDP's dal during the month

f2 oeadtoboat avrg

"

In1,, afternoon o 2 Novebe, the

Patrol Ofe

RM Gape was conducting

Sroutine

va~roes traffic checks In the vicinity of Hiep Roa with 2 PBRI* theWz veapaw es voluGteered to take ths MR's to an local Viet han a
428 09). location (zr effort.~4. upon arrival toere, two we Clasoret, valuable Informti9 ito passing river crafLt. This incident in c

,aimed

at the river and positione to Inlicti dm dicati" of the

foud C (ag and persoone3 caualt~es of the local ptyaps

'I

wuictsh passed directhy to P)Rs 8

few nA daf roBOPt.tint vas In night o lal Span with

telae a traf

6 N2ove

a -er, ATC-35 Cfdcr Patrol oGaicer c

eetiua
i..'-

eposition tlacp ssinstriketr and

ed

nofhnesi

aw2g n perasbne casuaie s and tnflic when a san (XT 250 350) of 0 Dau

vos spatted persoanelcrf. hs niai cro tank hc Van co aDn iver. The sam-p n the vlabeifomtinw

s inicaiveof he passd drec3~ t PB'sscces o thelocl py-3 -. - .. a ,. wat thken udr

f with the help of a a
..-..

K-

V .

DENT.A

Thirty-six~

bow

laer

loa VC rs.

civlias Tebd

dret@&twoU. a he lp

avy=it fA-7&

a_____________________ bod flaigI-h

nitin undefir earier

blieed atadw

andist

hav

co

fro

thesaman

A--35t

.o

To~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ta on South Ciy(T254o,5oaesd-mrvrfo

nte

ath

ot4fGo4uH oD

Rvrdrcl

~ ~

of

Ta

Ninh

.TB3

precauionar
mishev

mesue CT
~
asset

194.94 ba al unit
a chi .4.i44; rgmsp

cla often
ohsdso h

codce

adThirysi were

latener, lof

iiin ire.ctedu.s

twoop.

S.r extacyited to0 cipes aoar the4~ boa-s

thydsoeeaw VC bodyiain ntebrsh sigticiated fu oeV and isoelike toe

The boa h40 rokthre

haver fire frobal tielingpanl fTook.

Thdere ffre eoarlier.ycsulis

-

Fv mieT the o

GoDuH soorths of

tha

poeiout

iteVncoideng, trier

T'

&diety

sorkth on 14j Novebe Cit

(i thy 2

sigh thure

00mted rsndon river fromsThe AtrBo-p wersen rounnen. go ratOne that w ah drgtwehebt n of eodd T-9 sides

I
.~~

wa/

1ter TWor

Insweretiled, and

romi bhl hay a

ne the o top

ssCetonca duted agcains

thnaed

soerhinousg An~ Provnea Solier.codAne

WP putinas estabikhed

--

~
;

9.

__

__

__

__

_-__

_ ,___

-_

-,

..

"

..

- ..

.. ,
*T-7

..

,.

+-+.

.,+ ,.

+.
77.

- "A' ,,

r_,

--.- ,

+ .,.+.Ft

, -

..-

,...

"- + "--

/
.. .

*.;
*

*.,....

-- A.

" """

+ _++_:: + -+,+

.....

....

-+

'-

-4

!.":+ ? -.

*~.

.
-4

+ .. .. .+,

~followad byr ar

tillery and

+IR. rh the a -tlanp thr" VC you CAP

ad.1
*

,::::....

L'+ ,+' + 3i

""

11so In the same vicuinit, "kta,,inedl a 17 year old mal

an 19 Ntovember, the national police do-.

vho zreveacd knowledge of the whereabouts of i+"'/60th

~~three

caches. The detainee was winin to lead troops to the area s0 a recmnaseance platoon f.rom the U. S: Infantry Battalin W on oarked aboard two ASPs of RAID 71 .ch intertedthem at a point onle the Vas Co D tg River 7 iciln, southeast of Ban Luc (xs i662 p3)i Dr-ing the d eep that folloded, four caches were foud containing: 150

;bzob traps, 130 Chicom grenades, 25 pounds of Chicon plastique, ton

pounds of docunace 3, three boxes of tol-poppera (booby trapped wath . 122mm rocket),and one starlight scope. / s ty t u0

'+.
.

2Spingfth

next day, 4o CI dtroops cachies wereo) wt f woun stniper el riethtfoloe U.., fo6 and two u. S. Arm cadvisors wrile inserted

AThe

S}
F

~by ,Navy units

scpe

(Sovietrap C 00 miotogreas, elcr pons 13 , of

four miles east af Tten fmho (XS 348 805) c't a position given There a cach was found vhich contaied the following item:

icor hl

pate,

0genads tiemns

byr a id Chaoh.

"pu2,000

ron ds of du

3, -4'7

ntre on,nes ofeto-popp

boy t

f fuzes, and

two scopes for a Soviet rifle.

*'

p-

.~

The 21st of ,ovember made the third dat In a row tha ad cache was u-ebyacovered. i Douche milat, operating In comp with a WIN) ATC of RAOI 70, I-e

by a C (XT o

Swashed

."

F
-.
,S

up a cache on the eaut bank of the Vam Co Dong five miles northwest---..

Th2 ere).

Bacae waser f

lare moun It

ed l conthe ns,,'ll-.ng.te

2,000 rcacmd consistof

2,-1 Ai 0

[foitc ts, 1,8 roun, 0

roueof fes, ndex 1

and
]

--p
:...-

j
~
, ' A. A " A +." A .-

the ach casee

,84 A oud,

,90-.7mr"

8m mra

,f

,,1

-- . ,

A .... .. .

.
.

..

.. A
. m

-...

. ....

A -.

+-

.......-

. -

T.

'flNTIAt
fuzes, 720 7.62nm rounds (lcrg).
6

All munitions were in excellent condition

with the exception of the 7. 2m rounds. It the same time that the cache diseoveries were being m=de along the
Van Co Doug, Van Co Tay forces were also busy. Four PBR's in WBP on the night of 20 November sighted eight swimmers with packs crossing the river

from south to north six miles northwest of MocHoa (ws 9:6 974) ad conmenced fire vhen -*4mers were in midstream. A platoon of CIDG were in-

serted on the north bank and swept the area with negative results. bodies which had sik ere found when the river was searched.

Four

Their packs

contained 27 AK-h7 magazines, 8 carbine in"aZines, a swmal amount of doc-

uments, and

piasters.
la,.i, VNN PBR's of RIV-5'3 were on routine patrol on the

.47

"Three days

night of 23 Noverata when they observed 8-10 persons using a starlight

scope on the beach seven miles northwest of Tan An (XS 437 763). The area was taken under fire and direct hits were observed.

The VNN PBR's mde"

numerous firing runs and received lght sal

called and put in a strike.

arms fire.

Seawolves ware

Results of the action were five VC killed and

3-5 probably killed.

There were no friendly casualties.

SOn the last daT of the month, LT Jolmson, Flight Cocunder, and LTDG

.4

Hall, wing Pot,

vw-

scrambled in support of Long An RF/P7 troops in

contact seven miles southeast of Tan An (XS 621 571). The Seawolves placed mltiple roket and machine gun strikes into the area and were

credited with kiling five VC.

z-.---

7
.

....

--

i " J

-..

--

%% . %

-"-

C . .

::.-. *..,

'-1-..

F:
C

El

4-

C 4-

.4-4r. -

(
+

S-

.4,

S.

I
r

C
.4

-1 A

-1
-4

k\4
..

I
I

c1;
.1.

1'

:1
I

.4
-n

-y
C '4

I
II
I
4

-. 4-

4-..-1 ...A
*8

.d,

I
1

.4 _______ -

.........

-.

--

--

7777

TI,

---

Border Interdiction Campaign Border Interdiction forces were increased again in November and at the ebnd of the month consisted of 61 PER's (10 VNN), 22 junks, 8PCF's (14 VNX), 54, RAC, 50 KSB's, 6 MER's, 6 MSD's, 2 refuielers, 5 whalers, and 6 Seavolves. This continued buildup of friendly forces has enabled the operations In the Border Interdiction Campaign to be greatly expanded. Tran Hung Dao units

averaged a total of 68 1QBGP' s nightly during November with Barrier Reef forces

averaging 19.
This expansion of operations. along with new tactics such as single boat WBGMP's, US and VN manned NOD sites, TPS-.25, SLAR, OV-10/UH-1B eoordin.te4 air coverage, and Kenner Ski. Barge operations (which c' menced on 8 November), has significantly effected enea7 operationis. Faced with heavy losses suffered In

I
I
I

I
*

border crossing attempts and a backlog of su~pplies in Cambodia at a tims when ~they are needed In the south for the Winter-Spring Campaign, the eneiV- bas Increased his agressivaness against the interdicting units along the Vinh Te Canal. During November, the heaviest enei:' initiated fire fights -5ver recorded

in that area took place lending credence to the statemsent muade in last month's summary that the eneiV prefers attempting to breach the Tran THung Dao barrier 1-required rather than effect the extensive commo-lialson reorganization that would be71 if he were forced tomk n ustruhthe coastal waters of north-

-1
4

In the first significant incident of the month which occurred ai 2 November,

a RAD 132 ATC (T-10) wasin ftheeVinCnl 17idles Te northeast of Ha Tien (VS 724& 616) when two sampana were sighted about 200 yards P on the north bank c

7.4

4t .4

'

~
&

4..4.....2.4.*4,

up

th

cana

on

the.

sot

ban

(V

72

61)

On

of

the-

saq-

ns

hd

ive -

44.

A~r

'4

7~"'

en taenude

embrke fr -. sevral hits

and'4 wt ' -

wa s..-.,4. Frindl

proeein arms * 4di--.and fire

acros 0

the grnae

caa by

as T-1-.

bohsapnswr V rop scre . n ur -'4ugete.y. -

PC~p

post.
wer trnpre

poiin stil
across.

fute
the4..

up
rive

the5
to~

caa
the

(VS
cotc

73
sit

1)-aerteD
for a we oh

ara

n"lsi

apastw-,50s

K-4-psofv

et

withan wereille

grndsad"?t
a dcmnscohngadprsnlgerwr an w444I4h

aains

5rud
cpue.

fA

miin
orV

cto

hl

teewenoYin

crtewmn(cae setrioushbarnkl and doin

ser)Cieousthullampagehto the saboan-wr possiblh scre guaf &4

persa Inestigkeatind waf phrocteedngacrosse the canabliasyboth tage$ andr

findceinwith

thatl anid ugentfadles aome

chyg

tiegeralhdrect

*Ihits frindlynI flr as. Augimentede iynspectroopn

CarehuDeCtlvsabihda.d podatpomiticu
.a

reeie

pistoL l, five

rm

stilln firtefro bpothe cankl

(vs 200 9613). LA

reter LLby thet

wrecotransportfed arosn ws tuetriner torwthe b~

ontc sthe port, swde ep tofth & wotvudn ieb bel ofonte asire narb mtiou
CONFIENTIA

all, s~~i - sarinshratnelthroushout the1 en B-4 ains rounds or

Five geWitl and armifils

,:

l[ll[

'-"

. ,-

" .--

CONFIDENTIAL
being returned by the MSR which by now had' lost steering port engine in the kill zone. and the Five additiomal B-!O's struck the boat on y. the lifeline stanchions aft, and automatic weapons fire put apprOximt h0 holes in the craft. 3, Seavolves from MAL Dot 9 and Dot 5,

ere cal3l,.

in to provide illumination, cover, and medevac.

They conducted a visual

reconnaissance and made no sightings and were unable to medevac the wounded because the MSR was drifting. PBR's on Mekong patrol which had been

diverted to assist conducted the medevac while a PCF toned the MSR to YR11-

20 at Chou Doe seven miles away. unknown.

Enhe

casualties in the engageoent are

accomplished another sueNovember the enea The following day on cessful ambush, this time against a RAD 132 ATC (T-16) as it was enroate

"toIGP

i the Vinh To Canal :6 miles northeast of Ha Tin (VS 630

635).

Coming under heavy rocket and automatic veans fire, the ATC.received three rocket hits on the starboard side causing minor hull damage but

"I

killing one MJN bos'nmate. Seawolves and Black Panies on patrol were di-' verted along with other boats in the area; received heavy return fire. all made firing rums and " sa=ans 200 me-

I:-"

"

The Black Pony sighted tw

tors north of the canal (vic VS 637 637) and destroyed them.
casualties are umknomz.

other eno]

In response to a request by Commander RPD 132, troops from the VN '4 .LIDBCamp, Vinh Gia, conducted an intensive weep of a section of the nortbbrkn of the Vinh To Canal cm 8 November. During the seep, the

""* .itroops
-I,

located 3',40 kilo mineadbethe

OAL VS 645 and VS 765.

These and

"

nine other contact mines were found and-destroyed;

forty eee in car-

tons, and fowa were ready to fire and implanted at VS 642 634~. Three

"1-1

-. . .
.-. ,.A" -:

.: ...' . .-.- .' .'.'. '-.' : .` .-........-.....-.......:

... ...

......

.....

:....

-'- :* .'.,:

"."-.-.

.".-.-".".--.--:.

...-.

.. -. ", -

--

4,

lode

B-4

lanhr

roce

eeas.atrdI -o~n~eca

loaded B-AIO con2nd, detrated rcket int

ansche

wre also capturan in theapa-

bsInthe

evening ofooreNoveRber, four BD 132 units 9

proceeding vest v

1dton

wer scabe anlcdsrkeadaBak"oypto"asal edtopa

cesrke nte area.
tikh es plae

hteewasonofheAC
oneotace e 12

(-3

iet

iana area.t DIn the2menie the

C's noth-23)

were

cat irsedbedlplaed

stobe U

,rsia

BlakobPbly k

atlled lalso dretbuta

aport by No Ha Tien attributed 8 vC killed and 17 tC

**1

wounded to the Roo

craft.

I
I-

i
I.

~~The following night, seven miles east of the preceding incident (VS
615), a RD IV 535 ER with n L3D B troops assigned for boat Ld defense PER personnel sighted one sampan on a VC element of unknown size.

SP715

Sfengaged

the north bank and initiated fire. later a Black Pony placed a strike in
*,**." -

* .

4.he.-

the contact area.

bu..*

,*. -

Two ener' vere killed and three B-So rocke+ts .e.t. * -. captured wers
to.th

.I.

fire.....C.. --

4-.s*opened

4-s..--

* .

-*.

.".*

~during the action in which there vere no friendly casualties.

Oa 12 November, three RTC's ani a mnaitor in acolums busped with heavy rocket and autsatic I eapons forsftton Were an-

fire fromaUs north bank of the

~1

12

-. -

..

.-

7.

o.

.-

.. .

..

......

..

. .

..

......--

--

I%'

GO FIDEN T1.60
Vinh Te Canal 17 miles northeast of Ha Tien (VS 660 633). The initial
volleys of 34O fire were directed at the last unit In the colum with

subsequent RPG's hitting all the units.

T-23 took two rocket hits with

shrapnel penetrating into the engine room causing a port engine casualty. T-24 received ane rocket hit which damaged the armor but did not penetrate the hull; M-6 bad one rocket penetrate the starboard side approximately three and one half feet above the waterline causing minor damage to electrical cables and two rockets penetrate the starboard auxillary fuel tank. And, T-15 was hit by three rockets, two of which detonated in the well deck and the other of which penetrated the starboard styrofoam. Water.

borne units returned fire, and Black Ponies and Seawolves placed strikes in the area 'with unknown results. Friendly casualties were one CIDO killed,

one VNN killed, five USN wounded, and one VNN wounded.

This wa~s the heav-

iest enemy initiated firefight ever reported on the Vinb Te Canal, and it

followed by less than an hour H and I fire along the banks by Seawolves and waterborne units.

I.
"

Four units of RAD 132 were hit hard again on the night of 18 November. This time, while enroute to M3GP, they met with a heavy rocket attack and automatic weapons fire from both banks of the Vinh Te Canal (VS 631 635), two miles west of where they were ambushed on 12 November. The Monitor and

Sthree

Tango boats irnediately returned fire, and a Zippo boat (Z-h) proceeded
to the area and placed four minutes of flame on both banks. Seavolves, 1hich

were overhead almost U.-aediately placed strikes on the north bank and comenced"

medevac of the seriously wounded.

-

In the battle, T-24 was hit by a rocket

T-21 was hit by rockets mn both the

in

the lower secticn of the flight deck;

port and starboard sies at the waterline and in the vea

deck; X-6 took a

* 11;
.........-...
* * * .. -. .. * -. . . . - .o . o. . .o .oo. ..

CONFIDENTIAlL
,-.

--

. ...-. .

..

*-7- r

7
'~~;2~*-

CONFIDENTIAL
rocket bit on the 105ms munot, part side waterline, and ccotwain flat; and T-16 took a rocket In the boat captain' a sest. resulted wera: Friendly casualties 1Uh.c

V~
eight USN wounded, three 1ViI wounded, and cue USXIdkIled, Asweepofthe contact arasthenextmsorfling showed The area bad been coolit

LTJG JajtaeF. Host Jr.

evidence of being thoroughly policed by the enemy.

pletely covered by Zippo, flsand~rx numerous blood trails were observed.

is estimated that approximately 140 VC participated in the ambush and that eight VC were probably kIlled. Onie VC body was found.

I
I -I
'Ivember.

Sevan loaded sampans wer sighted mioving southwest off the Maekng RiLve

eight miles southeast of An Long (WS 1490 710) at 0145 on 20 Noverber by Seawolv'es 309 and 332. The helos, with district clearshee and conermvee of

CT 194~.4, illuixinted the area and placed strikes on the evading sa~es
Vhich were showing neither lights nor flags. were:

~Inaz casualties

hidch resulted

four VC killed, two VC probably killed, and four saxpens destroyed.

There was negative return fire,and there ware no friendly casualties.

~A VC swi~mmer was sighted 50 meters frins a MA152 Zippo in lIBp 17

miles northeast ofHa Tien (VS 6 65
6

33) at C255 othe morning Of21 NO-

After two concussion grenades were thrown by beat persornelr the swimmer surfaced near the croft and was shot and killed with an X1-16.

--

A 005FIDERT.A

--

-.

_ -, -

***

-,

-. ? C..l

-,,

---.

*.. -t. .$.--

---

-V.'*-'"-----

---.---.

:'

*-.

*Q-'

A2$

j
V

**.*j

,r. '. .$;

L
..-.--A '

V
*-.

wti.

'-*. '

..

'1
jA

9
P

Ii*

V.

*.

1 F
Ut

____

*..ij

I I

'.:
4,

*
-

-I

,.

r
V
C-,,

is-I.'.,

F-.
C.

rv-'

- --

'

'+. -

CONFIDENTIAI%
Search Turn

"SearchTurn

uits, Task Group 194.3, with an ed of noth strength Of

33 water craft, which included 27 pBR's, three Boston W~halers, 2 Y3)'s, and ciae CCB, and two Seavolves assigned, contlinued interdictiam operations In Kien Giang Province and the Gulf of Thailand during Noveu*etr. They also

4 3

~supported Sector and 21st ARMN Division operations. on the 7th of month,
SEAL Platoon Kilo, Dot G was chopped to CTO 194.3 and assmse task desig-

~nator 194~.3.6, A 6quad being designated TE 19lt.3. 6 .1 arid B squad 194.3.6.2.

During the amoth, the number of hostile fire incidents roem slightly from 26 recorded In October to 31 in Novenber. Themnmber of amV kills,

*however,
-'

,,

'?+: increased considerably from 22 kills and 15 probable I3

In Octo-*

..

..

ber to hO k~l'

. vAd 57 probable kldls this mcuithC.-... a resul-t of an*. increasedl as

"C

-.

level of enexq incidents in the Search Turn AO and an upsaing In logistics activity on the already established coreuo-lisiaon routes. Search Turn miwtse

II

also accotmteii for 2T enerV craft destroyed, four damaeds,

and eight cap-

~tured as well as for 34~ structures destroyed and two damwged %&J1e their
losses were kept down to 2 USH killed snd six wounded andl ive ftriendlies wounded. They did, however, lose one craft and have anotber damaged. The

following incident narrative is typical of activity in the Search Turn A. 0.

~Uaits of RIMIV 513 Operating In Kien Giang Province ca the night of 31

October
-1

November under Patrol Officer ABHC Hicks In reaction to intel-

ligence reports broke a 1WBGP located 22 miles southeast of Rach Gia (WR 393
1

~916) and had proceeded about one mile (MR 384a 915) vimn they foand and sank
ono samxpfan~d .coatinaing on to their destination three miles further dom-

stream (I

34sY 923)p the cover b-3at was hilt by B-ho fire NMa 373 923).
1,

IDEN"14'

There

.'

'.

% .

".

___

.__ __ -.

_-

.___-

.'

'U..

160 tiF 1iEfiT IAL

was one direct hit on the forward gun tube, and fire was received from approximately 12 automatic weapons positions.

The lead boat was hit by a

water mine during the attack, but no hull damage was done although two M-60 machine guns were rendered inoperable. The boats returned the fire

"*

and then cleared the kill zone. and oni VNN wounded.
VNN for medevac.

Seawolves medevaced three U. S. wounded

The patrol returned to Kien Binh and delivered six

four USN wound-

Friendly casualtie:" included 11 wounded,

* .-.

ed, six VNRF wounded, and one RF killed.

Enemy casualties are unknown.

While in single boat guardpost on the morning of 16-17 November, as

"partof

a 12 boat Interdiction line, PBR 8131 of RIVDIV 553 observed sam-

*-

pans carrying at least 9 VC crossing the Be The Canal 75 meters south of

.-- "its

position at WS 089 263,13 miles north of Rach Gia. The sampans-were

taken under fire, and almost inmmdiately, the PBR received one B-4so hit on the M-60 machine gun although other units observed two more B-4O's
fired from the east side of the canal. The PER broke guardpost and proBoth -

ceeded 750 meters north to another PBR also in guardpost position.

I4

units then received heavy automatic weapons fire from both banks, and Seawolves were scrarbled. put in a strike. They were on station 14 minutes later and

A Black Pony also put in a strike with a Spooky airSporadic movement firing continued throughFriendly

craft providing illuninaticn. out the night.

An early morning sweep produced negative results.

casualties were two USN killed, two USN wounded (slight), one VNN wounded

(serious).

Eniemy casualties are unknown.

early morning of 18 November, two PBR's of RIVDIV 553 were in

SIn-the
.WBoP

in the same area as the previous incident (WS 090 268) as part of the 17

AL

:',........................

P.A-

. ,-

""OlFIOEIITIAL
Ba The Interdiction Line when movemeut was detected" u the east bank Of the

canal.
mbuffalo

Onie VC was observed hearding water buffalo with five VC using the
as blockers. The units placed hmnm fire behind the buffalo and ohThere was no return fire, and deep water in the field There were no friendly casualties. "
-

]
:1

served one VC fall. prevented a sweep.

From their position 20 miles northwest of Rach Gia on the Tri Ton Canal

(VS 965 318), PEBR's of RMVDIV 553, during the evening of 17 November,
served a crossing party traversing the canal from west to east. under fire, and A/W fire was returned.

ob-

It was taken in-

Seawolves were called in five

.71

utes later, but poor visibility prevented a strike. revealed the following cache in three sampas:

A sweep at first light

28,000 7. 6 2= rounds, 11

"120mu rockets, three AK-I?'s, one carbine, two Chicom grenades, miscellaneous
clothing, web gear, and letters. The documnts and letters were turned cas-

.4

over to NILO Rach Gia. There were no friendly casualties, and sene ualties were seven VC killed (BC).

At 0130 an the morning of 20 November, units of RIVDIV 553 positioned

"13 miles north of Rach 01* observed two or three sampans and eight VC going
north to south parallel to the Ba The Canal. A PBR opened fire and received
A/W fire in return. At 0155, Seawolves made three firing runs in the cwxtaetarea. A sweep made with troops at 0300 revealed another damaged sampan. There

o
were no riendly casualties. &weq casualties included four VC killed (BC), three nles and one fer-ale, two VC were probably killed and two VC probably wounded. Captured were two AK-I4?'s, six aauamiticti baues containing doe(One doeThe doe-

uments and medical supplies, a 100 kilo mine, and two gas masks.

ument appeared to be a mp of Infiltration routes of this A. 0.

*I 1over

u~ntsa vre sent to NI1,0 Each Gia.

The remainder of the material was turned

to llauthorities.

-.., ....-. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~4. ...... ... ...... . .... ....... .... \...j.......--...........-.....-.....-..-... S~~~. . ... .
. . . . ... . . . . . ... .-..... ";"--""

.,........
," "4 "-" ""

,.
-4*

..... :.
-. ." -. "-..

."_,,',"

K..7, -.

-'

L~ts on th aSUfv B' fRMV53Isre ~

. of~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ r h th 6t hnBa ecaaac opn lto

O ro
I de --

ThaterOS on

itheY acontaycfied PE

frcs of Rundeterm3insred

100 troop

was believed to be part of the U-Minh Battalion.

1Wi3e proiding fire

*

support, the five PBR's came under fire frois several B-40O end ANI positions In trealine concealed bunkers. Nine Mo'0s were fired. Twob

rockets struck the lead PER in the radio compartment and set the fooel tanks on fire. PER 694 was abandoned in flame, and secondary explosAbout one mile, up

ions occarred caused by mortar awmition on board.

the canal (WS 399 018), the third P2M in formation was struck on the forecastle by a B-40 rocket. The PBR's mae firing risto clear the

~area and requiested Seawolves. They arrived on the scene but could not
make a strike due to the artilery in the are. GMe TACAIR strike and a Viii? strike vwer Ctie Black Pony strike,

placed in the contact area.

the troops fromn the contact area. Friendly casualties Included ais YX * wounded, one IUM slightly wounded, and one PBR totally destroyed. Anl

*I

of its Installed weapons and cie~nwications were recovered or destroyed.

iehW~ casualties were eight kil~led (Bc), one sampan, six structures, and four bunkers destroyed, and 20 grenades captured. On 21 November, units of RumDI

f.

59!s, whil9e nroute to a 'WEG? sighted

a sampan which appeared to have a rifle and woodeni bcoc aboard passing in the opposite direction ata&point 13 adles northwet of Ea~ch Ole(S
8 222)LL~.

The sampan was hailed but evaded to the beach Wihere the occupants left the sMPan and ran Inland on the northern side of the canal.

The PER's beacbed.

---

-U..

CONFIDENTIAL

U.

- -

-'..

%--.;,.

CONFIDENTIAL
and fined warning shots at an evading =mn who refused to atop. Hie UM
* '-

then 'taken unider fire with an M-16 wouniding hims In the log.

Before per.-

aounel cau3.d disembark to recover the wounded amn, two people from a
-

~~nearby houise, a womaun =4 an elderly man, ran Into the field uav began to ~drag the man away. The PMR's first verbally warned the people away =nd
fired warning abotes but tbe two continued to drag the mnthe men

*
-then

-'

~toward the. houe.. The PER then fired warning shots In front of themi
both people droppedwjounded by stray rounds or rounds deflected by the ground. * At no time didtheP1BR fire directl3yat the people. All throe

were placed aboard the PEE end returned to Kien, Son for tr~tatt by

Ar:7 personnel.

A search of the saiqxn sho'ded no weapans aboard, but

any cargo could have been thrown overboard before the sampan beached. The elderly man %txo attempted to remove the evade, did on arrival at In Kien Son. The evade. and the woman were no ade the leg and thig are; a mede'-c was requested by the Mim Son District Advisor. These three persons bW no ID cards In their poesesion. At the tie., however,

4
41

theyun man and wosan claimed tob

arid

During ths afternoon of 27 Novenber, LCDR Gobble of CTG 191j.3,tak..

~~ing a target of Opportunity under fire, placed a Thanksgiving Day alne

assault an a bnwn7 ouitpost '16 miles noarthwest of Rach 01., (VS 922 261) which barbaa3 a friendly PEE unit. Rpendit-nrse included 7.62 turkeys,

-i j

~ ~2.7S 150 rond of cranberris, 40M candied yams, and me 2arg hamn, ~ ~pxqpkin pie'with marshmallow topping. All, ordnace was digete imauil.
ately. frisendly caaulties included many upset stonchea nd sevn cases of acute indigastion.

GOU2FIDEIRIJA
20. . .

CON~FIDENTIIAL.
jUdle in NMP o28 November* e Wst.of its locatium. 16 ve approaching~ from th 1~PlR of iIIVDIV 553 observed
-The

-fire

]
4

weapon FBR waited until the crossing Point Vas est-ogMid The boat received heavy tuaiCepol opened fire wit all weapons5. hich PAssei over PDR B130 bank -including B-la0 fire from the vest poito The PBM remaine In guardpoSt aidm~ipacted in 1he east bank. orid an ArM'~guniship and firo. Seavolves, Black ponies, ~~~ani upesd was Util. Shortly after nidnig)2to artillery flare ship put In strikeswounded VC an smal3l amount Of fire from a zi ed, arid the PBR receiled a a fie %xMe A sweep at first lighxt yjilderi the beach which was suppressed. seve fuzeso aieA-47?, me i10 carbine, pacldirg can.. numerous 82M mortar Of and RWA gas masks, 200 kilos containiniK green anid greyr uniforms packs ngdtousxV and documents. rice, and msiscellanleous medicine body parts within 75 Mters of the ~bodies were, found as well as numerous while thie documents The cache was deli.vered to VN authorities slightl~y wounded IMwas th ci1 were held for HILO Bah Gia one sicVCkle (B) fri~endly casuntY while ene~r casualties incld kIlea by air strikes.VC probably killed, and six VC probably

*PBR's.

'ISiX

21

CONFIDENTIAL

- - --

. . . . . - . . .. -

. .~T . . -

CONFIDEHTIA[n

Strike GrouP

--

IDuring

thelast half of November, out of an119 RAC craft, only sixI

I
4
*1

remainad under the operational control of CTG 194.7 (all1 In overhaul). This about with the build up of border interdiction forces asL arrangement camen

described In the introduction to the SX& LORDS section of this suiary,

~ard as a remilt of chopping RAD 131 and RhD 152 units o"rating In the
"Breezy Covell AO from CTG 194&.7 to CTG 194..2 on 17 Novemb~er. During the first halft of the month, the "Riverins Strike Group* kiled nine VC, capturod eight, and wounded 16, iabile having ten MH wounded, one VNN wotimled, and mne VNN killed. The "ESO," webile it was atilM oper-

ating in Novembier, lifted a total of 2j28O troops in support of U. S. Arsq 9th infantry, and 25th ARVH Division troops. 1h addition, the uniits conj~ducted frequent intirdictionz patrols on the Van Co River.

220

V.--.
. -

-7f

!I-.r

,..-.%

CONFIDENTIAL. Kake Tize Rade Ca .-

The ~

~ ~ R are 'limt Tim iderscnutd6 missaion

ui nNoebri

support of Operations Sea Lords and Sea Float, along the rivers and canals

of the

~lI and 17 Coastal Zones. These missions employed from two to six

PC?'. and were supported by U.S. Coast Guard WEB's and one WHSC, River Assault Craft, helicopters, OV-lO's and 05-6*gs and Vietwimese Navy7 assets. The "Swift* boats inserted, extracted and supported ground forces consisting of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Teams, SEAL',, Underwater Demolition Teoms, MIS, MERangers and VEX Reaction Force. There were

PRU~s, EFfF troops,

only .10 incidents of enemy initiated fire fights reported during November. A There were no U.S. casualties or craft damgod; however., there were two
fidypersonnel killedan 10wune

En.er personnel losses decreased from October with 1? Tiot Cong killed, 13 wounded and two captured. km material loesse

la. decreased with 29

cisft and 123 structures destroyed &Ad 51 structures damaged.

* IA 4
*.

22 miles northeast of Soc Trang (ZR 228 755).

Sea Lords mission was conducted on the morning of 4 Nev~emr about M60'64, 24, 28,53 and 54

':1 1

embarked 150 RIP and W~ troops and inserted then at various locations on a

small island in the Bassae River. The *Swift" boatst then steodby as a
blocking force while the troops made a sweep of the area &anU.S. and

4
4

Australian EMD teams destroye" bunkers.

The troops sighted several VC and The troops were extracted at

~PC? 64 fired alm mortmr into the sass. ~

~1330ff incide:t. There were no friendl~y casualtiese and eneinr casualties without
are uiwdaw. There were six structuree and five hoakers deetroyed. In F

~~

~~23

QFelrA

C-2-~~~~~~~.7YM
.

-.

CONFIENTIA

addition the

*Sit

boat

boade

and serhd8

apnswt

ea

PCFIB 17

1 -~

7ad5,PTWIE(SGWB

nd10Rgoa

oc

aditor sep.The "Swift" boats botddandset

parblch

d spswthe ilnegativd e o5

oearberabou samiles torahwestcmPh ion Of

t26 (oS

11e). the troops.er

I
I

There were no friendly casualties and six VC were killed, one wounded and three captured. In addition 14 VC suspect*
were detained. There were two bunkers destroyed and four grenades and

extracted without incident.

several documents captured. PC?'s 17, 37 and 59 entered the Bach No Ion about 15 miles east of
AI

Tra Yinh (XER760 932) taking targets of opportunity under fire on the morning of U1 November. Kll units beached and destroyed various bunkers

and structures near the river bank and fired 8J1= fire into the surrounding * area. As the units proceeded out of the canal, PC? 17 was hit by a B-I,0 or B-41l rocket above the water line. The rocket penetrated through One VNN crewWhile PC? 17

the port engine and slightly damaged the starboard engine. ma was thrown into the water and was picked up by PC? 37.

exited the canal the other "Swift* boats saturated the ambush site with heavy suppressive fire. There were five 3tructures,siz bunkers and two

sampaes destroyed in the operation. and

enemy

Ohs VAN cremsan was slightly wounded

*

casualties are unknown.

21,

.'-.:'.i., _ ,-,......

.. i'-

..

-.

T *......* V-;

I- -

M.

CONFIDENTIAL
On 21 November, PCF's 24, 25, 53 and 63 and Coastal Group 36 JunU on Cu Ia" inserted 100 troops from Long Phu District in four positions Dung Island about 10 miles east of Soc Trang (IR 247 681). insertion the "Swift" boats acted as & blocking force. Following the

Two O-1O'e provided

overhead cover and took designated targets under fire resulting in five large and the secondary explosions. The PCF's destroyed five motorised sampans, troops destroyed one large weapons cache. wounded and enemy casualties are unknown. Disposal On 26 November, PCFe 259 102, 54 and 32, Explosive Ordnance from Phong Dinh conducted Team 35, RAC unit, three OV-lO's and BF troops Sea Lords mission in a canal about 10 miles southeast of Can Tho (XIR 01k 903). The troops were inserted for a sweep of the area while the wSwift" , There was one U.S. sailor slghtly

"1

-a

"

ii boats took targets of opportunity under fire. The SOD team set charges large multi-reinforced offensive bunkers and destroyed one large log
barricade extending across the canal. The PCF'e proceeded up the canal till While turning around, three The O-10'" The troops were There

I:
' small, -

shallow water forced them to turn around.

mines in trees exploded without causing any damage. providing cover placed strikes in the area of the mining.

I I

extracted and aU units exited the canal without further incident. were three VC killed and no friendly casualties.

Destroyed in the operation

were 20 structures, 21 sampans, 8 large aulti-reinforced bunkers and one large log underwater barricade.
daaged.

In addition, 25 structures were heavil

1

"'

A Sea Iords mission was conducted on 26 November about 10 miles east

of Bao Li

(W 953 34J)o).

PC?' 63 and 24 inserted 50 Regional Force

25

~CON1FIDENTIAL

*.-""-

-.

",

-:',"

,.

"

- ,

,.,

. .* .

..

.S,;

"-

"'

-.

SIOEIITAL
and during the insertion contact was made with the enes . PCP 24 extracted

~~

five RP troops that had been wounded by exploding uines.

The PT MARONE

(USCG M'B) picked up additional RP troops and inserted thea along the canal and then fired intense Su mortar fire on suspicted VC supply and staging M areas Idhle the "dTh O boats set up a blocking force. At noon both PCFpicked up an additional 130 RF troops and inserted then at various locations along the canal. incident.
21

At 15001O all the troops were extracted without further

There was one VC kilted and one VUl female, courier captured with

-j.o ~two kilos of documents.

! ]*

1
pUnA

There were 10 structures and five sapana destroyed

The troops reported the destruction of aerous
-

and two large structures damaged.

ny VC tunnels and bunker caplaxes and disantled or destroyed stakes and booby traps. There were no U.S. casualties.S

..

.2).

J26

_ *...-.'.

.. . . - - - '

--.. ..f

T*

'

CONFIDEI TIAL
. . i.

,. - ._.. .
__

"

:j

L, --"'- .'".. ,' -..- ....-. .. .. .. " '-. ;.". -'

" --'.TI..A"

S~

.:6 .:.- ..

: .:N:*.-

:._..--,.-....,...,,...-..
-.

... :...,.

7.;

M71

-M"M=

31-

1.2r

- 0-

-00

00

zz

00

A I-l@G2
-~2

'

o.

-- ,

"

- -,,

-.

--

.r

-. -.--

-,
.

Vt

.,-v7

Operation Ready Deck Operation Ready Deck, which was designated a SEA LORDS Operation on October, completed its first full month of interdicting enem lines of cook-

mnicatian on the Saigon River from Phu Cucng rcrthwest And upstream to Tri Tam (XT 803 1ho to XT B80

lao)

and also an the Thi Tinb River that ioins the

Saigon River five miles upstream from Phu Cucong (XT 755 205). At the beginning of the month, River Division

593 was rotated to.

-t-

"Citang in

order to relieve River Division 571 and to assume the task crganRiver Division 571 which had operated on

f
.

izaticr designator TU 194.6.2.

the upper Saigon since 11 August returned to Nha Be and assuwed TU 116.9.1. ,..ith RIVDIV 571 and RIVDIV 531, TU 19ls.6.2, as the units of TG 194.6, there

were 20 PBR's directly =nder the commiand of the Upper Saigon Interdiction
Groap CoMMander CTG 194. 6 . Other forces operating in the tactical area in-

cluded VIN RAG 24, elements of the 1st Infantry Division, USA, ski boat units

J..

of the 2nd Infantry Division, USA, 5th ARMN Division forces, and RF/PP =aits. The continued success of the Ready Deck operation, as reflected in the
statistics for Noveirher, was indicative of the constant presse that bsa

been maintained on the enerq forces in the area.

The night

.aterbo-ne guard-

post tactic that is frequently ezployed by the UMi

MB's and the Ar:7 ski

..

barges was again the most fruitful in Novevber.

From 1-10 Noveaber, PBR's

"successfullyinterdicted

large nubers of VC atteMpting to swim across the

~...N

I
k

rivee unler the cover of darkness. The five significant incidents that were recorded during this period all took place between NS grid lines IT 600 to 690. In all five cases, rdscellaneous weapons, sumlIes, and documents were

CONlFIDENTIALI
. _.. . . .__..--___-._.;_.___ " ....-..-... .-. .:........*

-. .-.. --...

....

... . ..

-:

... . .

. _ _.., .,- ..- ,,-...........

...... ............... :.:..:...

.....-.-.--....-.

?.,....,

* -r

-.

Q-.- rr

.--.. _-

["I

'-

Ut"

-.-

-.

! :

0-33

recovered frcr the hapless eneW swinter.

IT

68*-

222

-o
o

--

Since an/ the incidents were sin-'.

+ +.+
6,84,721462 -H

Silarly carried out, a statistical summary of then is g~wein followed by a nar"

~rative
020235

of one that occurred on the morning of 2 Noredw~.1

DATE/TDM
0W1955

-+-.,

IT

LOCATION

31

PATROL OFFICER
,T Mcinley
LT.TG

PBR'S INVOLVE
105, 117 101, 103

T U
194.6.1 194.6.1

KIJA

:--

-+,

ITr

611 .323

Host,

,":

081935

IT 60

335

RDC Chester

754, 843 754, 845

194.6.2 194.6.2

."
"'On

lb0235;

IT 60X0 320
the evening o

1R)C Chester

November, LT Mcinley, the patrol officer, positimed .- : ;.

o.1

his tw

units, IER's 105 and 117, In a night vaterborne guardpost thirteen miles

northwest of Phuarea. 1 315hthe Sai~gon Fdver' (IT a4 315). The two PBRl~s had Cumng mn ilT Mtinle proid 020235int Ith , 117 1th.e. 10Tarilry

breo s1verte y atchfn ted appr 0Z 3 M's 8

l

the river and rwiver bans i

hen me of the scilors spot-i x1

iedately 13 to1tiiC preparing to enter the river for a 194. to abl 68o 222rc th ra n in aC doeas a6n, 7eigh, south ack2

~~north

crossing.

Poised for actim, the two FBR's held their fire until te t.-

--

rsaimersoere inthe octer rer

--

h nearly e

srdn of

the river to the other.

under fire. No _ .

'The PERts broke the k-:P and took both banks and the swmmr

Sr~~tur!
.lnted

fire vas received. apoxnat dettle 1

Artillery from the 1st Infrantry Divisim, USA, wOas fora"soth t

o 1 V preparloing to ente the riv

-of

0b3ch they search, the e

-% .. -nearly -e-. '-''.;water

T able to recover.

After the
-

7514,had completed their

-7-

."
." _"..' .'.-.'...''...:'. "-The"

eared o the north and spotted additiost

from ...

artillery fire. stcen. rP their

o"..r.

swjcrsfirin tal. o .

te had ceased, the F11's reset the s . . and .

: P,- R'-.-.. s broke". .. '. '

s-fie.of the- river.to...

andsrthrt

milsl.""'
-.-+-..

.- , -.;o

-t -e.E..P -tookthe bot.. ban.ks"a".-

"..-r "n.efire- . .-

- ul

Is

/~

f.-

.40,

(V

0'

cmo~ff

u~It~OU30

nr h.Is of ph C-

st l n s of th eal

ii

finrte. ater

month n p

18s spottederth bans

firedt to ander

Pas he vae-

VC were ~~~~Two killed and possiblY a third one. TWO VC werecpue"nldn Of Which were retrieved, Inclued Perpound sonal items, clothing, one U. S. grenades and apprczinatelY one half acn female. Thier possessiouns* sOr

* I

~of Jocumwnts. The POW's were Interrogated by MWl.Lim Son and turned over
to the 5th ARVN Division for further questioning.
-~~

I7

221
-e

Seven miles northwest of pbu CUong on the Saigon River. (IT 695 215) on 19 Novembier, LTMGSullivan, the patrol officer, and two PER' a, 755 and 841l, observed two people approaching the boats from the vest bank.

The MER's

L
I

tookhe C Uderfire, and almost siMtaneously, eMar~d enezM hanld grenade

laddI tese

of ne boat. Onie of the sailors courageously picked up

Che VC was killed and another one was0

the grenade and threw It out of the boat. probably killed in the action.

31

COFDETA

-.

-.--*

4...

. '--.-

. ;*-

..

.-2

-I,

* *.- ,-

*-:--*

..

c--. ".*.-----

-'

'1

,--

..

tfrv

-.

*q.

..

1
.", -

U.
I.

a
/
-

L.a
-

1--'
1 )

-...

yz-

-- 4
*4**** .4-

a... U.
*.

-1..

I
*

7X7II7
.' * -* __

I
a

-Ii 4...
-

-.- 'S.-

,.

-*****'**.**-*

Li

ilk-:

F-

K
-,

-.

"-. -

.'--..

Song Ongf Doe

As November ended there were

31

river craft, one 1ST, and two

Seawolves assigned to the Song Ong Doc "Breezy Cove" operation:

USS GARRETT

COUNTY (LST-786)

10 PBt's and 2 EWts -BRIDIV 572

8ATC's, 2 ASPB's, and 1 MON.- PAD 2 ATCts,

131L

3 ASPB's, and I Mon.

RAD 152

"2 UHlBts- HAL 3, Dot 6

1 ISSC, I HSSC -SEAL PLT

3, DST

.'

During the month these TG 194.2 units conducted combined operatimos

iwith subsector PF troops, the 11th RF Boat Cooparv, the VN 5th Marine 4

Battalion (now departed) and the 32nd ARVN.

In addition they set null-

erous WW'Pse and frequently inserted SEAL/IDNN troops based on available intelligence. The present area of operations for Breezy Cove units

extends from the mouth of the Sorg Ong Doe (VQ 790 982) eastward along

that river for a distance of 171 miles (WR 050 075 ).

the AO are the Kinh Ba Kheo (VR 888 002 to VQ 890 Gung from vnere it

Also included in
Don

950) and the Song

meets the Xinh Ba Kheo (VQ 890 950) westurd to the One KM inland from both banks of water-

Gulf of Thailand (VQ 790 920). ways i

considered part of the AO.

An indication of the success of Breezy Cove forces presented iteelf

S~~~during

the month when a junk Waster on the Song Ong Doe volunteered the-" follwng information: he had not travelled from Ca Mau to Sqong Ong Doc He has now begun the -'-

"

(city) for eleven years due to VC tax extortion.

trips again because extortion has ceased and the VC have left the river area.

.4

33

COEIFIflEf

I.

'%''

il'.

I I A 'DEN

. .. .. . .. .. .. . .

. . . .

. . . . .

. . . .

. . . .

x
5." '-'.:.'

~~One of ~of

the most significant incidents occurred at the beginning""' i:' S..

.. .

the month when two PE's and an ASPB were enroute to act a WBOP in the evenin on 3 %ovember. At 1942 near a .osition I? miles southof Ca Mau (VR 8W9 003) PBR I 19 received an- estimated four recoilless the crew having been rouns, imediatel lost powr, and sank PBn-35 fared a littlebettern t thew ot snithe R/ hitsn thrown in oute t setarboardP anoc out e ft explosions close atoard nockd Se her

P~west

-,rifle

-~

srife forcing i osuiati onst poeinnn the At 1955 hvngt south beew engine rou nds, her on to the beach at 1944 creatwrbt ieatolvesplAced

at

wt return fire.

5th Marines wore l

by RAD fared

littl at 2037

after & prep fire of. the area.

The 'VNC cam into light contact with Fortunately, in the action no

the VC which was broken by the enesT.

* -.-

-;friendly

forces were killed. (2 serious) and one "N vouxr

Casualties amounted to 6 USK woundedlight). The sunken PER was later

""1
A-S

}raised

and towed to the GARRET CUINTY where the extensive damage is

24

considered repairable.

This action marked the first time the VNK(C

.

agreed to operate in support of USN units in contact. X On the 14th ul the month, six SEALS, tvo IDNN's, an'agent and an IDNN advisor traveling bank of Dong Cung lake. lights went out. in a sampan saw flashing lights on the north

The unit blinked a pen light in return, and the 963) and the agent,

An insertion was made (VQ 910

dressed as a VC, hailed a man moving east along a trail and when he attempted to flee shot him. Then two armed VC approached the guard After

post that had been set up ard were taken under fire and killed.

the unit extracted, a Seawolf put Ji a strike killing three Vc and probably killing six others,,while taking fire from several positions.

..

-*

-,

-.--..

,:

..

-.-

..

_.

T~

-oz

CONFIOENTIAL
The SEALS captured 2 Hauser 98's, some ammunition, and a kilo of doecments during the mission. An unfortunate incident occurred at 0530 in the morning on 22 November when two ASPB1s in WBGB observed an apparently camouflaged

SI]
-

sampan entering the Song Ong Doec from the Rach Cui (WE 048 075)o

small light on the sampan appeared to be extinguished as the craft

turned onto the river. The sampan was taken under fire and illumiOne occupant scrambled onto Thea

ji

nated as it beached on the north bank.

the beach and flanking fire was placed to prevent his escapi..

sampan and all occupnts were recovored and found to be two children, a L eenage girl, and a 50 year old woman. They were immediately taken

to Old Song Ong Doc where they were treated by USN and VN corpsmen

"and dusted

off to Can Tho.

The woman sufferred a traumatic amputation

of the left hand, and the 11 year old girl had a compound fracture of the left leg from shrapnel. The other two, a 19 year old girl and

a 3 year old boy, had minor shrapnel wounds of the head.

L i.,...
S"4:

Ir
* *

'

.........................................................................
-- - -

~*

.:

~*

*- . -.

~*

. * * .

'

CON FIDENTIA[, .,T

C -~

.:,

I35

a2

CONFIDENTIAL

%0

'*

00

0
%0 a-

C.

a-

-ci

00

0
Of*

~
In

ko

'0

00

a0

Ow-

'A 1-l
t

0
-4-

I'0
5-

S00000$
'
'-*

00
0S

Vi

a,-

IAC~

00

CV El (V(V~i

V 0

d 00El
.

~ ~-.
(12

500

GO

en

A-

s'

I
S

oto
a

(Vs

U-mc
-

Eli

(V

1
.

PE 0
*~~i

E8.Ela ss

.8

a-

EAO~

36

.-.

CONIFIDEUTIAL

Cd

00

_-j

cu

~0 0

000

-y

00M

00

-yCic

0C! CA0

-00i'

00

('Ow0

%0 C-%-

cv

00

tu-j000
0

000~

000

000

ell

C'-S

a.

0%0.00

000C

0001

Wk00-

02

c~Cv0 0VCO0EIDEc'T'O'

. ,

*.

o , %-*o

.*

.* %.

%-

S..

..

-...-

*-*

..

I' - -.
N
.

-V
*

.'*-.

. -

4,1.

"

" J "

5..
I

.-

.-.--.

".-..

a recent, patrol of'f the coast, of' V.et~ni-r, 11. S. ~~~~~(, ccS_t. :rd.--L..rL"

.-.--

. .-.. :

..- , ..

'

-1

-.-..-. part of "Operation 11.Irket Tine.,"

_ _ _ _ >__

,.:,.,,0 ..---.
-

.'

' "''.'*

'' , . :',z :'_ T .-... " ,,

"

-,

,' .

,' ,,-% .' ,t

-.

.'

.'

,' ,

.' ,o

.o

..

"

,.S

r-r

'C.

S...

% -.

S.ONFIDFO

TIAL
CO"Ta SURVLA1(z FLIW SWO-R"

Routine operations continued for Market Timn during November.

and Stable Door forces

Task Force 115 surveillance units detected a total of

53,327 craft in their patrol areas along the coast and in the harbor* SI of the Republic of Vietunm. Bad weather and choppy seas in the First mumber of detections. A As
I

and Second Coastal Zones accounted for this Iv

total of 9,304 craft were inspected and another S00D were boarded. a result of those cheeks, 92 craft and 291 persons were detained for

lack of or faulty identification, violation of restricted areas, posesoe-

["

sion, of contraband, and other suspicious activity. Con& suspects detained.

'There were 58 Viet

In the Game Warden area of operations in the lever

BDaaec and! Co Qijen Rivers, the "swift" boats detected 7j,666 vateroraft, inspecti: 3,015 amid boarding 2,991. There vere six craft and It person.

"detainedand tvo craft attempted to evade.

f
Sattnpted

There vare no kwno

large scale infiltration of men or supplies

during November. Enemy initiated activity continued at the rlatii. low level of the previous four months. Naval gunfire and blockig

patrols were provided in support of friendly ground operations along the

coast and in the rivers and canals. Fourteen U.S. Navy men

ere wounded

vhile enia

losses to the naval gunfire of Market Time came to 6? confirmed

killed plu 28 Probably killod and 14 wounded.

39 _ I.

CONFIBEUrIR I

o--.

-.

L o.

*CI1tIFIBEKTIRI
First Coastal Zone First Coastal Zone patrols carried out approximately 75 naval 9%nftrsupport and Sea Tiger missions during Noveour with only 14 reporting no gun damage assessment due to darkness, heavy foliagep or no troops available to sweep the area. The mission of TG 115.1 incloded the interdiction

of EVA/VC and their supplies on the inland vaterways. of the First Corps

Tactical zone (ICTZ).

Se

Operations include patrolling, intrusions, raids,

ad participation In Joint/combined operations with Free World Military Assistance* U.S. and RVN forces. On 9 Novemberp eight PBR's from CTF

4
A
'I

Clearwater were added to the southern ICZ surveillance group.which has extended the navigable rivers and waterways in which the group can operate. The PBR's, due to their shallow draft, operated routinely from Danang,

"south on

the Vien Dien River.

west from Hoi An and the Cau !au/Dien

fBinh/

K Fy an/Thu Bon Rivers to liberty brdge, and south on the Truong Diang to approximately BT 220 450. Operations were also conducted on the

Ba ,on River and tributaries surrounding Go Not. Island.

Surveillance operations in the First Coastal Zone were severely hampered during November due to adverse weather, forcing the "3wiftu

boats to take refuge during most of the month.

There vere onl

2,863

detections of uatercraft during the month as compared to 7,224 for

j1October
_.

and 13,475 in September.

Surveillance results remained high

Thore

as over 70% of those detected were either inspected or boarded.

were 1,042 inspections and 1,153 boardings resulting in the detention

of

36 personnel for lack of or faulty identification papers, draft dodgers"

rr

CO911FIDE TIAI
.-"
--. , .. .. ... ....... _ ............. **-. ... * . *J* 9........-" .~.... .-.---.... '

-1-

--

-Sn.

~ -_

and restricted sone violators. during the mouth.

There was only one VC. suspect detained

On the afternoon of 1 Novemer, the ISCGC SEB&GO (MWH 12) conducted a gunfire support mission on a suspected Viet Cong storage area aboat nine miles soutf ;"st of tan Iga (BS 750 632). The mission was requested by the The fve inch guns destroyed

cutter and cleared by the 2nd ARVZ Division.

15 structures, three aespans and two bunkers and damaged nine structures and three bunkers. There was one Vtit Cong killed and no friendly casualties.

SThe SGBO fired on another VC storage area on the morning of 2 November about two miles north of the above mission (BS 750 640). I The cutter

again scored heavily against the enemy, destroying 10 structures and five bunkers and damagingf12tstructures and three bunkers. There were also three

A itneess Nav
aby

sweep/secrity tema and Duffel Bag tw~a were inerted

units of Coastal Group 14 (CG 1h) and River Assault Group 32 (RAG-32) on

4 November in a Sea Tiger mission about 16 miles south of Danarg (ES 11.5
528). Falls 15 and 1C1 and halo gunships stoodby for support while the V.N The Duffel Bag team troops swept the area and provided ground security.

.4
e

~successfully implanted one sensor string. Additionsal sensors were not implanted
due to inability to obtain a successful readout at the Hol An tactical operations center. During the operation, three uniforned VC were si&ted by the The ground forces were

PCFts and taken under fire by the helo @inships. then extracted without further incident.

After al units had cleared

the area, the helo Ctnships returned and uniformed VC were again si""ted and taken under fire. A bunker complex spotted during the ground sweep

"I:

"'tl

GCOIFIOENTIAL

. .

if. .-- ."

"

-.

,- .

- . ...---...

-:;,,-'-

, ...

"

.'....

*-t*

.o

"

was also taken under fire.

R6e3Ult3 of the Sea Tie

mission were 12

" -. ..

bunkers and fiVe structures destroyed and one larre secondary explosion. There were eight VC killed (3 body count, 5 probab~le) and no friendly

S~fire

by the On5 U.S. Amrwrcal DiviIsion, destroyed 17 structures and t-wo bumn11Novtaenmber, fe igre eulits ofnesiastinga mfiPsio9 nd t8es1 kers and heavl~y damaged 21 structures.
of rice i in baskets ws destroyed.

P . i I

In addition, a large quantity

The action took place an the

"".

~moring

of 8 November about 2D miles south~east of Ch bPuRns 7, 59, 67f, 91, and 131, Coastal aroup 14r he]

lai (BS 699 954,).:":.::: gunships, and four

Thoepaniers efh troops participated In a joint Free Worad

iitary Asr-i
-":'.'

cas)aCtast.al (MAP) units. the P]'s and PCF's inserted the (BT 175 siattance Force Group 14operation about. six miles south of Hoi AnRF troops at vahous locations along the Son ronding and Sont a

a Rne for swtcps.

~The w-terborne

units remained in the -wterways throughout the day support-""'"[ Nuerous uniformed Viet Cong vere sighted during."." The heloe gunships s ere ccttrnuea t Tlh operation

t~~ng the ground forces.

L
. Ij

frthe operation and taken under fireo

ktrliaed for direct fire support and air coordination. ofresulted

44

in bunkers destroyed. 12

There were 17 Viet Cong killed, seven .

-

.by

the 11 gunohepb, 48..CatlGru

an nt, Viet nit wonsistngofere 6re thDe r9endly 1 one h E'On PFsisre no top C TIP

at:.osloain
" ""etitrbre
th

logteSn Tun:_

Sn

aN

o wes
."%"I

ntsrnme n h vtrwytruhotth ayspprPEa's 67, 91, and 131 conducted a Gopnt cordon and search operation i..h rudfrcs ueosuiore itCn ieesgtddrn cpwith RF oftp troon the afternoon of 12 Nointber on he Ba Rin River
prtonadtkn ne ie Tehl unhp wrecniul

eule

iscabout four

ciles

2bukrsdstoe ..

s aotphest of Hoi An (BT 115

.Thr wer 17: Vie ,.-.-.; Con.

12).

As the o

ERfs e.nter?.1

se.ve.-,..n

.:,

.- ,-...-...-

--

-7m.

* -"

-. ,;

'RI.

the area to coordinate the moveaent of the RF/PP troops, several VC were sighted near bunkers. The PBR's turned around to isek a recon-

naissanc, of the area when an ermW intiated fire fight (iMTFF) ensued. A B-40 rocket hit PBR 131 on the forward coxswain flat cwling, port side, glancing up through the canopy and radome. The boae captain ABU

Jackson was critically wounded, the forward gunner SH Yabry was seriously wounded and three MN received zinor wounds. PER 67 was hit by automatic

weapons fire, however, there were no personnel casualties and only ainor

ffire

damage to the PER.

The PBR's and helo gunships placed beavy saturation into the area of the EUMIF. The wounded were 3DACED by a helo

gunship and the Sea Tiger mission was terminated withoe. further incident. There were six Viet Cong killed in the operation.

On the afternoon of 13 November, Sea Tiger units, consisting of PCF'S 13 and 69, and Coastal Group-14, provided support for Regonal

.. -4

Forces (RF) ground troops

onducting sweps along the mth bank of Song

The troopes ,sre in-

a aRen about 4miles south of Hoi An (BT 135 510).

serted and extracted at various locations along the rver by skimers, and during the numeroua transits, sporadic eneW sniper fire %asreceived

I
--

and suppreased.

The troops were extracted at 1832091 idtb~t further in-

cident- There were six Viet Cong killed and two Vist Cmng captured.
Theoe were no friendly casualties. PCF's 69 and 80 whl aon normal Sea Tiger patrol on the Cua Dmi
And TrL'Ong Giang Rivers (3r 175 54.2/1"3 538) received 11 Hoi Chanhs on 20 Noveaber. One Palo with a rifle at slirg arms and am rejeed above

1
.~ * * .

'3

CD ']FIDEUTIAI
-.. . -<.+. -, * ,.,, . -.

-. ..

.2

-C

&

-. : .....-

", -..

'--o-.-.-,~-~-

-.-....

,-

:.

.-

:- .-~

his head was sighted on the river bank.

PCF 69 stood by for support In Jut and

the event of an anbush vhile PCF SO Proceeded to the bea to beaching, 10 additional pnrinene , filed out ot th open

all personnel were taken aboard without Incient.

The nine males and

Stu females ralliers were turned over to the Naval Intelligence Laison

i ..

Officer (NILO) at Hoi An.

Preliminary Interrogation indicated that all

personnel were between the ages of 14 and 36 years of age, and were merebers of a hamlet VC C"Aeril.a force from Xt~en Tho village wl.t -' two months to one year participation.

4
"On21 Novenber, PCF't 69 and 80 while on a Sea Tiger patrol, sight*

ed three young male rafliers in the ame area as the previous day.

The

"-

"1

Hoi Chanhe were taken aboard without incident and turned over to the Quang Nam Sector. Prel ainlry questioning indicated that two of the '

rallers had been associated with the VC information cadre, the other .- " as a VC platoon leader from the Cam Thanh Island area. The Panamanian csrgo vessel GOLDEN MNTAIK in a distress report requested assistance from any American ship on 26 November. The GOT-=
.-.

""YOUNIAmI
-1 }in

reported poor buoyancy and decreasing freeboard due to leaka The US=O TANEY (WHEC 37) vas directed to the scene a"d

the deck.

assumed the on scene curaander.

toward Danang at tuo kno's.

The TANEY and GOLMM MUNTAIN prooesded

At 0800H on the 27th the GOLDEN MOUNTA)IThe TAIM took the The USS RECLADI

vent dead in the water with an engine casualty.

.

I
-

GOIDEN

NIOMAIN in tow and requested assistance.

(ARS-42) was directed to the scene and took the carg ship in tow and
arrived at Danazz at 13301i on 28 November for necessary repairs. .- "

":' i

"

~~ONFIDEiiTIAI:-,

. ..*.

. .'"""

..

..

...

..

.....

"S

"

""

"'

-,:

:.

."

"

. -7*-

"',:"

:'

'-

',

wz-

OPERATIONS IN THE FIRST COASTAL

ZONE

J
...

F
;a

1v

DEMILITARIZED ZONE c_C

AS T

A. USCGC SEBAGO - 1 Nov.a B. USCGC SEBAGO - 2 XoT. c. SEA TIGER - Is Nov. D. tSCGC TANEI-BNov. E. SEA TIGER 11 Nov. SEA H.SEA TIGER - 13 Nov. TIGER - 20 Now. I SEATIGER-21Nov. J. USCC TANE. - 26 Nov.

F. PBR'S 67, 91, 131 - 12 Now.

.,.G.

CG 14

:1:

1'
IGA

CGP 5

1 H

LAI

-.

4,

-45
Ez,_ .. : ...- '........:.''...-, -.': '.'.,".:.".'.-"- -".-... -. ..-

PRFlUE TI A
.- -.. . . . . . ..- ""

S-.
.- '-

.
.fl*.-*

'.."

~Second

Coastal Zone

,"-

Weather in the Second Coastal Zone was a ajor factor In the xoro '*"

than 15,000 less detections of craft than during October.

In addition#

seven patrol stations, areas 3C, 3D, 3L, 3F, 3GP 3H, and 31# were turned

i
- inspections

over to the Vietnamese Navy during November.

The Coastal Surveillance

Center at Qui Nhon was also turned over to the Vietnamese Navy on 5

Novemiber.

These stations were patrolled by the 13 PCFIS that were turned

There were 4,321 detections, 2,240

over to the VNN on 31 October.

and 809 boardings of craft during November resulting in the detention of 142 persons. The reasons for detainuent were possession "

of contraband, curfew violators, lack of or faulty identification pepof .-. er, draft dodgers, and restricted zone violators. Of those detained,

46 were Viet Cong suspects.

i

There were approximate~y 30 naval gunfire support missions conducted during the month, 70 lees than during October with only a minimm amount

of damage being inflicted on the eney. On4 N4ovember, the PT GRACE (USCG W'PB) sighted a junk PT 459

"adriftabout
on board. veloped.

two miles south of

h&an Thiet (AX 8205) with four persons

The junk was enroute to Phan Thiet when engine trouble deThe junk was taken in tow and turned over to Coastal Group 28,

On the night of 13 November, PCF 90 collided with an unlighted 12 foot Vietnamese sampan about three miles southeast of Nha Trang (CP 11 48). " There were three boys on board, weas recovered in good health. ges 9, 10, and 12. The 9 year old boy

LCPL 46 and skimmers aeristed In the

*!:i0

CO9FIDENTIAt 1I

.~ Se-qco S A ZO L an-. PT Nov.

4A.

901 pa C COATLB. SECON

13 Nov1

hC.PCF 4

5 Nov

cos

m47

7 ,

'.

~invcstigation ~~~in

of PCF 90's hull revealed the 12 year old boy entangled,

'

..

S:

the screws along with an anchor and assorted nets sndl Mie.

'.':.i

!.
Ithe

PCF 74, while acting as a blocking force on 15 November, two

miles east of Nha Trang (CPO 080 531),

picked up a swinmer in the water.

The swimmer had no papers and claimed to have been thrown overboard from a junk, On resumption of patro], a junk with five men on board 'was The swimmer claimed that one man on
five men dented knowing the lowever, all

stopped, boarded, and searched.

junk was his brother.

swimmer.

None of the five men had proper identification papers, and

all were turned over to the Second Coastal Zone Intelligence Officer

'

for .disposition.

"Third Coastal Zone

Indigenous coastal traffic remained at about the same level as

[
.

in October as good weather prevailed throughout the month of November. lThere I were 12,183 craft detected, 4,289 inspections, and 4,089 boardings recorded during the month resulting in the detention of 36 persons for lack of or faulty identification papers, possession of contraband, and :rest.ricted zone violators. In the Game Warden area of operation in the

'"

lower Eassac and Co Chien Rivers", the "swift" boats detected 7,666 water craft. Of these 3,015 were inspected and 2,991 were boarded resulting in six craft and 11 persons being detained. There were two incidents of evading craft reported on the Co Chien Rivei.

There were approximately 140 naval gunfire support missions conducted

* * '-..

- --

483
'- . - '.,' ",-,..--. . .. . .. . .. . . . .

.V ''''

:'.V

"-.-

-":-": -.... -", ".

V.--'!

..

during November in response to requests for urgent gunfire support, targets of opportunity, H and I, or in preplanned river and canal

"incursions.

This was about 60 missions less than the previous month

as the tempo of operations have slowed and the enemy avoided contact where and vhen aver possible. On the night of I November a U.S: Army OH-6A helicopter wes reported down about two miles southwest of Sa Dec (WS 850 373). PCF's '.

37, 59,

and 102 proceeded to search the area with PCF 102 locating the helo -I partially submerged at the waters edge. dead. The three U.S. occupants were

The PCF's stood by to assist in the removal of the bodies and A

to provide security for the ordnance remaining on board the helo.

Vietnamese stated that the halo was burning at the ti-e of the crash. PCF 59 remained on the scene until relieved by U.S. Army personnel. The PT GREY (USCG VPB) while on normal Market Time patrol on

:1

November spotted six people in the water about 13 miles east of Ham

Tan (ZS 271 835).

All six were taken aboard the PT GREY and on interro-

gation they stated their fishing junk had sunk at about 0200H1.

The PT CYPRESS (USCG WPB) fired a gunfire support mission on VC

structures about 25 miles northeast of Soc Trang (XR 298 635) on 8 Novembor. The mission had sector clearance and resulted in three struc-

:1

tures destroyed, four structures damaged and one large secondary explo-

sion.
A squad of Regional Forces troops were ambushed by a VC comper..-

estimated at 100 troops with small arms, autcaatic weapons, &Ix B-40

.ENTI

I%

rockets on the morning of 9 November, about 13 Miles southeast of Can

-,

Th

034 (X- 910).

PCF's 28 and 63 embarked 65 BF troops and inserted The PCF's were i%

them along the canal and then stood by for support.

detached at 1530H and at that time the ground forces had not made contact with the enemy. As a result of the ambush, the RF force suffered

six killed, four wounded and one missing in addition to losing seven

I
I'. iand

14M-16's, one M-60, and one M-79.

Enezy casualties are unknown.

In a spacial operation on the morning of 14 Noveaber, PCF's 25

53 inserted troops along the Bassac River about 20 miles southeast of Car Tho (XR 183 757). The ,s,,ift" boats stood by for gunfire support,
The ground forces

-%%%

and at 0515H extracted the troops without incident.

killed three VC and captured one mauser weapon.

There were no friendly

,

ji,
I

~~asualties.;

PC? 28 observed an RF outpost about 18 miles southwest of Tra Vinh (XR 347 669) come under small arms and autoratic weapons fire at 2225H, 17 November. The "swift" boat placed accurate 81t= fire support There were two

in the area, and at 2355H, the enemy broke contact.

VC killed and one AK-47 rifle captured.

known

RF troop casualties are un-

The PT CYPRESS (USCG WPB) conducted small boat covert surveillance on 22 November about 20 miles south of Phu Vinh (XR 575 554).
4

Eight mas

with fish nets dune.

vere

sighted, and all attempted to evade over the sand

The small boat took the evaders under fire, killing two VC.

I
1m;.......
S~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.. .. -_.. . ...-. . . . . . .. ..- . .-..- _ ..- ._._-,.....,. .... . ..

"".-. -...-._+" .-. .... _...... :,"-,..

--.

,
,-......".-....-'.

'" ...-.... ...-.- - ...- ".....-....... . .......-.-

,K.,. _.

..- ,.;\.,". .**;*4

-.

*,+

. .

PCF 25, while on normal Market Time patrol on the night of 25 Vovbfaerp sighted a small unlighted sampan about 10 miles north of Soc Trang (Xii 200 795). When the 3apan was illuminated, three peronso

Jumped over the side and were takes under fire.

One U.S. sailor fell overboard while throwing concussion grenades and was recovered after the strong current had carried him approximately 150 yards. The "swift*

boat recovered numerous documents, 100 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, and several items of personal clothing before the sampan sunk. were three VC killed and no friendly casualties. There

The documents indicated

S!

that one of the VC killed was a doctor. At 1120H on 30 November, the Alaska Barge and Transport CciparW" office at Vung Tau reported that the civilian tug R PACE with three barges was sinking in the vicinity of channel marker number 2 in the Cua Tien River (YS 080 300) about 12 miles southwest of Vung Tau.

PCF1s 53 and 103 enroute to Bir,.Tur overheard the tug's SOS trans-

mission and proceeded to the scene.

The t-g was sighted at 1155H and At 121611, the

i

PCF 103 assuzed the position of On-scene Commander.

SPC.

evacuated all I,, cramenbers.

Two

tugs had , ,TS been dispatched to

"thescene,

and at 1245H the R PACE tug master was transferred to the The tug master stated that the R PACE was badly

MSTS salvage tug ANN B.

"holed ishen

she went aground.

51

COPFIBEIT;A[
.*,.-** --., ,.

'-..-.-......-................* ..-_ ._ ::..- : .. .;-.:.;;

.
.- .......-. : . .. .. . .C... .

-- :
-'-

.7

"

*o

..

YI

s'.o-t .-. -

-'~ --

r.-

*~ 2

c a ico
m am0 in tU

&z

..

.-...-

0 cm:

SI

_..
S-"

........
:-.:.-:-

.52

~~COUI -I ,..,

FIi TUL

-'.':.H

,*-... . .

. . . ,.I
, .'..-'.-. -,-;-."."-; -. '-." . ".;'-.".-Z-. .- ".-"-.-....-..--.'.. %---. .-'.-" -".'.-. '.-'.-'.-'.'.." '..;''-".''.'" " ..-.."."".-'.

..
" " ". ".'.-.-.'. "

':.'.
.. :-:.

.:
.

::::i; i
,:-:..':

%"

.%,

..

rket Time . '" There ere 5h2 naval gunfire, SEA LORDS, Se Float# and Sea Tiger missions conducted dur Nowmber, approxate se than in Ot P"'" tr, Gm damage assessment on ghese missions as 35,6 to the hO,6 percent the previous month and the high of .3 percent eeorded in Hay 1969. Results of these missions ee (67 body count, 28 probab:le).

.
I

%"

:::: :!S

-. io:1 " ":...: :.:

: - - " :-'I:. .:--.:

, -o-

9 Vlet Con a1

:':::=:"

"":

vt co ....-..-"-:
32 Vt Cong cal 182 Jun8/]:ns ed. destroyed.

"'"",,.-

S7

Ounks/San damaged.

, ".""-

..
S
L-". "" There ere slx icents of evading craft and peraomel reported

":::::!
3a structur/ ra anu.
Strcture/nkera destroyed. .'.;.

S282

"I

.." --'j
.--
."-

during the month and taken under fre resulting in 1) eepenl., dtroyed#.""-..; __. t) 8a]lns da'ged and one Yet Cong kJ.led# one ounde and three

-'" .

:
"" "" @.:-:" -.-

eapt .
Survelance opetton craft. resulted in the detectten of 17#128 ood boarded. DetestOf these to be -::'-:: "-" "; :-':

:-".'-:_i
, .. :..-. ,

Of these 6,92 ee nepeoted and 5#536 z Yrket

ton of steel hul!od esse 179 mre npected , non-suspicious.

mas toald 282.

and another sx boarded, and all dtern Ths tl the loet nber o dteetior

..:'" ".-

since the

.-: :-:

noeptton of arket Te operatton|, and is eontr!ted to Idese at.sr in the Ft and Seoond Coastal gons dur most of the month.

:
-:-i.

"

'O .rlB[ Tlll

.:
...,-:

-...'..'..'...'.:.-...'.:'..'..,. ,-.....-.'..'...'...'...'..'...'...'...'... -'.'....'........ "...,.'...'...-...'.. "...'..-..'.-.-...'..-.. -...- .......-

... " ..'...',..'.... _- .: . ..-.

. -',/,

-',-',

-.

.-

:.

In addition, seven patrol areas in the Second Coastal Zone were turned

SMarket
. I

over to the Vietnamese Navy in November.

This brought the total

Time areas patrolled by the Vietnamese Navy to 27 stations of

-.

the 54 assigned. In support of Operations SEA IDRDS and Sea Float, in the III and IV Corps Tactical Zones, during November. "swift" boats conducted 67 multi-craft missions

""

The results of the missions were not as impressive as in The "Swift" boats N1

vrevious months as the enemy continued to avoid contact.

continued to support the PSYOPS campaign in the lower Ca Mau peninsula. These operations are discussed under ::trket Time Raiders in ummary and operation Sea Float smary. i

the SEA lORDS . SEAL

units attached to Task Force 115 conducted almost daily

operations in the IV Corps Tactical Zone in support of Sea Float operations.

A new enemy tactic was employed against the PCF3s in the Song

"Gang Hao

during November.

Four B-40 rockets were found rigged for The rocket launchers

remote firing by wire leading into the line.

were fastened to a small raft which was floating in a notch cut into the river bank. ]stakes, and it vs The raft was held in place by four s=all pilings or free to ride up and down on these pilings with the "

tide.

The elevation on the rocket launchers 'as thus set to hit a This arrangement eliminated the problem of elevation tidal change.

passing boat.

"adjustment with
,-

"

On 3 November, LCDR Edwin B. McConville, USN, 622446/110o relieved 1CDR Joseph W. Streuli, USN, 606698/1100 as Coamander Coastal Divwiiooo

Thirteen.c

5..-

,Po'

..

-.

..

..

7;Z

The Coastal Surveillance .Center at ui Nhon and the operational control of the seven inshore stations in area the Vietnamese Navy on 5 November.

3 were turned over to

"The PT GAMMN

(UScM WPB) vas deconlisioned and turned over to the ..

Vietnanese Navy in a ceremony at the Sall Craft Repair Facility, Danang on 11 November. The vessel vas renamed the NGUYEN DAO (Q 703)

On 17 November the PT COMFORT (U= WPB) was turned over to the Vietnamese Navy and renamed the DAO THUC (HQ 704).

At 150757H the PT GRACE (USOG WPB)

[I patrol sighted a OV-1 (POHAWK)

hIdle on normal Market Tim

crash and tvo parachutes about 19

hitles southeast of Phu Vinh (XR 730 700) in the Long Toan Secret Zone. In addition to the pilot, an Arzy Lieutenant. the 73rd SAC ende Officer, LCDR

'aircraftcarried the I35 Coastal Zone Intello

scrambledr frO
,'.

Bint Thuy and helc atsistancewas requested fre m the h e'

'.Lae PT GRACE recovered "',. . ".-

~~~Tinh
"{

Birnh sector Tactical Operations Center.

~~portions ~was

Of the aircraf and then entered the canal with OV-10 and

S 1
t @ { J ! 1

chlo guerh

etops o

to search for the personnela perheadi

The canal probe

completed at 1205H with negative results.

A Vietnamese bay stated--:

that he sav two Americans captured and agreed to lead troops to the

~~~capture

Point-

At 1255Ht two ejection seats ofere loeated.

Troops

-.. .... --"-"

'

~ ~~Were inserted
eIktrer

at 1.635H and, led by the 1N boy, found one chute 200 A heli.et and leggings vare also reEzergency

from the ejection seats.

S~~covered

by the troops prior to their extraction at 1900H.

beeper signals were heard at various times throughout the day.

- -- -

--

. ..-..

.-

_S

77-7,*-

jw -Z

Surveillance and blockade onperations continued. throughout the nigh's of 15-16 November. At 161035M, PSYOPS broadcast were cocuenced offer-. At 1400

ing a 100,000 plaster reward for return of the prisoners.

an ARYN battalion was insartee. and one of the aircraft engines WSa located and salvaged. The remainder of the aircraft was destroyed. A four unit blocking force Troop L

he troops were extracted prior to darkness.

'1

with aricraft overhead was zaintained throughout the night.

IL.1
I

search and sweep operations were continued on 17 and 18 November with a blocking force being maintained at night. andobsrve ofthe07- MO The search for the pilot

'WI was terminated at

191500H with negative

At 1248H1 on 16 November, Karket Time patrol aircraft MESS MAN 702 detected an unidentified SI.4 type trawler at position 7-20N, 10505.o ous 4 degre es, speed 15 knots. eAfter the trawler was

MFITheUSCC(WEC-75) HAMTO

as esigate

tointercept

and denifythecontact and to maintain a positive surveillance. hetalretrdCHICOM teritorial waters at 0620H on 20 November. SurvillnceWasdiscontinued at 0Y720H1 on 21 November when radar 1
Contact was lost with the trawler at position 19-16.6N and 110-41.4E.
*

IA

-"

"

..

"

.:

..

"

..-.

:-

.-

..

. ".

-. -. ..

..

" -.-.-. ' -

" .

-.

--

',-'

..

ril --

S . -i-E*'

'E- A m
E..

I IT .:
Si

.....

~--- 4 . - - - -..-..
- ,)"

-"

"a

g
S

IA

"
00

X
_

.w .

':::-:---

""JW
S-. . . .

DFIr
..

III
,

57
. .

"--

:*-

.. . .-

-i

'-' . ,

..

.-

. -

..

-.

., -.

-- r

..

. ...

_,

Operation Sea Float/fran Hung Dao III There were 55 Sea Float and SEAL missions conducted in November in support of operation Sea Float/Tran Hung Deo III in the lower Ca Hsu

Peninsula.

Assets assigned to Sea Float were 10 PCF's, one 10, one

These missions

IST, one ASPB, one minitor, three ATCts, and one Zippo.

and craft supported SEAL, EOD, and UDT team operations and daily air

support "as provided by Slicks, Seawoles3, and OV-1O aircraft.

following Vietnamese Navy assets and forces were also assigned:

The
two

LSM's0,
,41

one ISSL, two PCF's, Coastal Groups 33, 35, and 36, INX POIWAR

Team, Mobile Strike-Team Two, VNN Reaction Force, VNN Biet Rai, RF troops, VNN Rangers, and an RD cadre. The afloat units conducted

day and night Psyops patrols along the rivers and canals of the Sea

Float operating area, and airborne units continued to provide Psyops

,r missions in those areas inaccesstible to the craft. The "swift" boats

provided gunfire support, waterborne guard posts, blocking forces and

~escort services for logistic craft along the D3o Do and Cua Lon Rivers
and adjacent canals. The Mobile Advance Tactical Support Base and all.

.1
,

afloat units conducted nightly H and I fire into known VC base camps

~~and

extortion areas. land clearingscommenced for the construction of ::e

- .

Caeain

operationa Soli
o-

S~~~coastal

group junk and PCF base at Old Kan Can under operation Solid..-There wore 31 Seabees assigned during the month and were

~Anchor.

~~utilized

in the construction of sea huts, the laying of matting for-.

vehicle support, and iproving the camp area.

An RP company arrived

'-',-.--.

'

-....-...

:-

.- r. ..

a..Amph

Fr

U.

L"

at Solid Anchor on On o November frg north shore of the MATSB.

Hm Can and set up cap a ivev" te

thea

;.Ce~ander ,.'-

Amphibious Force, U. S. Pacific Fleet,was briefed on operat~ion Sea Float and Solid Anchor and given a tour of the area on 8 November.

]
j
"1

Esar Admiral Henry J& Johnson, USN, Officer in Charge Construction. and party inspected the Solid Anchor Base contruction on 9 November. on 9 November, COL Vuong, An Xuyen Province Chief and accompsnied by members of the Vietnamese Senate and lower house toured the MATSB. The visitors thought the operation was very imnressive and important, and appeared pleased with the extent to which the area was being claixed to GVN control by Sea Float operations. Admiral Bernard A. Clarey, USN, Vice Chief of Naval Operations,Vice Admiral Ralph L Shipley, USN, OP-04, Vice Admiral Walter H.Baunberger, USN, Deputy Comander in Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet, Vice Admiral E. R. Zumealt, USN, Comwander Naval Forces, Vietnam, and Comoe Also

"dore Tran

Van Chon, VNN, Chief of Naval Operationa, visite4 Sea Float on and were given a tour of the MATSB followed by a briefing All expressed interest in the4 general

"10 November

by USN and VNN briefing oflicers.

success of operations, diversity of assets assigned, and the increasing

Vietnamese participation in all aspects of Sea Float operations. The

Province determination to return the Districal Headquarters to Old NaM Can (oce the VN base is cOnpleted was viewed as an important consolid,.

"ationof

the progress made since' Sea Float operations began.

1
It ".
-I,

~~~59

1 TA
'.,
.

4-.

....

On 14 November, Rsar Admiral John G. Dillon U-SX* Comand-[ Thim

of the Naval Constraction Brigade visited Sea Float for an inspection

Solid Anchor bass sIts. Four ?CF's and LSL 225 established Sea Float Aimex UAST at the
Do confluence of the Dan Doi, Cua lon, and B The PCF's Rivers on 17 November,

atroled the principle waterays playing PSYOPS tapes ad-

vising of the av"ilblility of a doctor and corpsman, and urging people

"tovisit tbe ISSL. The first visitors were received on 26 November "indicati4gthat PSTOPS vere beginning to produce reults.
At 041O0 on 20 November, the Sea Float Annex located at the con-

fluence of the Cua IAn River and Cau Nhap canal vas attacked by the VC.
An insvwctlon of the ama revealed that eight VC had entered th, area
4

via a s=U cal, peoitioed six claymore abet in a fan shape 10 ."-ers frm the RF quarters and then retrestd to firing po..xtime. Four t.all arm we fired, cni wres fires cn of which detcnated, o follod by After the

The VC then left the area via sapeans,

attack, Ifrs clzyreas, five haAd gremades were foun. -."RI troops. There vwre nine persons vounded

and one clip of [-1 am" three civilians, and six

C~cmrwdr J.(. White, MSN, C=VCR1XVFE

Pblio Affairs Offistr~accoaptn-

"ed AP, Vlt, and Nmweeh reporters cc a 24 No..ber visit to Zua Float for an infornal briefing and a tour of the arm..

L-"Van

Li.. Zwats On2 o~apVt dia 6 r,, &M tbhe Cho, W39 and prty visited Sea Fjoatp Solid SOOeaoean 8e
Float Am=, Disouosim on the various armas were held with inph"sis

60

AlE I '
. ,.....-. --

-. _ . ..

..:.-,

,-.

._:._:.-

-..

.-. ,

2&.

-A -

. .... -.

. :,,..,.

-:

.- .

i-,-

~~~on ~in

logitist

A, SEAL mission wa

Kit , base defense, the .o.'. Carso

odce-n9foe

Scout Program, and Progress-'

rbsdo

nomto

,-.-".' ""

the No Fire Zone (NFZ) coennuity.

All appeared to be impressed with"

the continuing propress in the Sea Float area of operationes-.'-

18 kilomegist 00 meters Uth

north of Sea Float (VQ 971 8a ) and patrolled south about hen thee rice mill vas located. Patrolling further south, Continuing the patrol, o-pron VCtae

VC males were captured near a hootch. o

sEAor La t sith set for 20-30 people oble s found aerdtwo VC femalet pri captured o The district chiefaV house was located and four VC

fem1des and several documents werecaptured.

Seaolves received eab" tre.

1fire about tro kilometers to the south, and took the area under f
"' i'

1the
I

At 1700H. 10 SEAIS and the prisoners vere extracted via Slicks vhile remaining MIS patrolled north to the rice il so and receiPrerds allouth-

tvarm .
sfeing

fi. m

sre SeaJolCes

called In to suppress the fire

The remain-

tEAhS ext, were rct

at1730eand returned to Sea Float Vithout

Sfurther
*

incidentu

De.toyed in the operationwere three VC hootches,

feigha 50 gallon drums oil/gasoline, tvo large eotolvdri reeightdVCmall eanpan, There patroled nofrthtotenl rauices.l and ven uethe reainng 1i000 pounds of rice and the rice mill with a large amount od machinery. -" AThere 0ere s1all amonts of assorted ameretion and four kilos of doc-

"carmstfre.

sir fmles

ea

the fir.

PCF 09 with an ElD team, t

Psyops tead and i 10 member Va reacti n n o

C ,

611

-n-

Si

a ~~IORFIDEN.TIAL

:-:o
--

f1F"QF-'5-"

.6.

_:-.: .. . : .- - . . . -. ,. . . .. .- . . ... , ._.-.- .....-.- : .,-.-.-.-,..-:-,. -...-.- :-'.:-.::.S- . . ..,....b . ,-- -,-,,..:-: ..,.....-.-:...: -,-...:......., . . . . . - . .- - . - . . - .: . . .. o. -.-. .. .

f~orte conducted a Psyops patrol. along the Rach Cal Ygay about two ailes northeast of the Sea float Annex (1Q 127 736). coummenced Immediately upon entering the canal. Psyops broadcastirg A few minutes later

as the "swift" boats passed a large wooden structure used to support a fishing net, the PCF's began receiving small arm fire from the north bank. fire. The boats beached on the opposite bank and suppressed the eneq SeawoIl 14, providing aircover, spotted mWy camouflaged hootehes The VUN reaction troops were

and 3ampana and took them under fire.

inserted for a sweep of the area and discovered several soal hootches

abcut 300 meters from the canal, aid retained several documents and
hand grenades.
punji stakes were

Numerous VC signs were noticed in the area, and man

uncovered by the low tide. The troops were extractd

at 18OOM and the PCF's departed the canal without further incident.

There were 10 sampans, one structure, 400 pounds of shrimp,, 75 pounds of fish, 50 pounds of rice, and two fishnets destroyed. The troops

-1

captured 350 pounds of shrimp and fish, two sampans, 100 feet of fishing net, and several documents. eneWy casualties are unknown. On 13 November, SEAL team One, Det. Golf, conducted a mission to capture six district level Viet Cong infrastructures. The SEAIS, two There were no friend~y casualties, and

Kit Carson Scouts, and one guide were inserted by Slick about 16 kilometers southeast of Old Nam Can (WQ 115 672), &nd after patrolling

200 meters to the northwest located six hootehes and took 16 detainees

~into custody.

The hootches were destroyed when the guide identified

They detained

V
.

them as VC.* The detainees were extractd. via Slick and tite SEAlS continued their patrol and located a three hootch complex. 62

GONFIDENTIA1

20 personnel.

Initial Interrogation revealed that they were civilian* The EI assisted In loading

.. .. sred to go to the Sea Float Annex. .... the persons and their property into .,One j.-' ..

and sea then to the Annex.

of the females was detained after she was Identified as the wife of a VC. The SEAIS patr'ol.led back to the landing zone and were extracted There were no frnler
casualties

without incidint.

and 17 relatives

il

"water

of VC v.ers taken into custody. iNpe hoatcbess five sampanm numerous Jugs, 300 pounds of rice and various foods we destroyed, and two kilos of documents were captured. There were 19 civilian relocated -.--

..

to the Sea Float - Annex. -'.. River Assault Craft unitap, consisting of T-4j, T-9# Z-2v and M-2

. ;.. .

'- ., .

. ." . .

-. vere .4...

underway at 0700H., .-. .-. . . . _

. .

14 November . with VK Rangers, . M reaction . . . .

embarked for a Sea Float mision on the
GO IF I DETI-*#

4..

.-

forcep an WOD, and UMT Uea Rach Ong Din about 3

ad lea southeat of Sea Float ('W 015 637).

" .- "". ' . - '- .' .' ,'o ; -. - " . . -' - . '. -'

The
.' .. .- ... . . . " . ... .

i
. ,.. - . . . -. . . .. . . -. . -.

L : "- .-:--'-""-. .' -.'." -'.r , '-: ._ .. " .- '. '. -L .' . .'

rangers were inserted on the east beank mid the reaettia

" ".

force on the

""
;" " .contact

west bank for a sweep S.. ..." .-, .. south. ,,ere destroyed.

. , Several-, bunkers . with .'con . . . ., -. - , .. - . , , . . . '. -

cting ., ./ . ;. . ',... trenches

. .-

The troops were exracted at 1200H, without mkn There Vero 10

with the enemy, and were returned to Sea Float.

bunkers, two structuresp 100 pounds of salt and two fishnsts destroysi. Two platoons of VNM Rangers were inserted aln a canal by ATc

Son
i:: ;:: , !

the morning of 18 November about six miles northeast of sea Pljoat. The troops were divided into five eseawnts and swept generally north

~and then east. PCF'a 11, ~There was no contact made ~were

27* /,01 and 51 and ?.Appo, 2 provided cover. with the enaW, how~er several structures The troopm i:-" .'''

:"

S!
. . were

encountered and 15 wome

and children wer detained.

extracted along the Rash Cal

Ngay and returned to sea Float."

The sweep resulted in 15 structures, two bunkers, 13 water cisterns, 1,000 pounds of rice and one fish trap destroyed and two sampans, 75 pounds of shrimp, two VC flags and assorted VC money and documents captured. There were no friendly casualties.
7

While proceeding east on the Cua Lon River for the Sea Float Annex at 1030H on 28 November, LSSL 225 fired into a suspicious area

about 11 miles northeast of Sea Float (WQ 202 719) and initiated an-ambush receivini two B-40 rockets, one 3.5 rocket and small arms fire.

"The LSSL Immediately opened fire vith all guns and continued slowly
eastward rtaing a thorough firing run. At the same time, PCF's 40,
-

05, and 27 vere proceeding north leaving the Bo De River and immediate-

ly beached opposite the ambush site, and c'nenced 81mm fire.

were scrambled and put strikes into the general vicinity.

Seawolves

At noon

a landing party was put ashore and they found six B-40 rockets, four triple B-40 launchers and several booby trapped grezrAes. PCF's 55

and 06 arrived on the scene ard inserted a VNN reaction force which

found several spider holes and blood trails.

Seawolves inserted EOD

and UDT personnel vho destroyed booby traps in the area and three* bunkers. All personnel were extracted without further incident. Evi-

dence Just north of the ambush site suggested that the VC were caught
by surprise while setting up a second ambush. Along with the weapons 0 ..-. "
-. ,

"cache.hot food

was found indicating the ISSL 225 might have initiated All the weapons were retained. casualties are unknown.

the eneny ambush before the VC were ready. There were no friendly casualties, and ene=

"'-

.As................

;.

..

---. -. .

7'-"-."--'-.'-..-'-.--.-'..--~~.. ., -..- :.-..-.

- -'

"..--.'..-.....

..

..-.-.-..-.-.

-..

.-....

- ..

.....

..

. ...

. -

-.

-.. -.. .

.-

=-.'.,.-

.'--

"

..

... .... .

....

,. -.

["Z - *-=

a.-a

..

o.

. -.

%,

o-

17

~.. .

fC

STATISTICAL SzOK
Average number U.S. ships/craft on patrol during month.
)SO MSC WPB PCF LST PG WHEC

Avg.

12

35

Average number VNN ships/junks employed during month. Sea Force Total
.1

River Force 305

Coastal Force 190

41

U.S. Activity Total Detected Wood

-

Day

14,514

Night "ig.t

2,614

17,410 SStea
*Total
a:Steel

- Day

146 5,045
86 4,110

136
93

Inspected

Wood

Day

Niglt 1, 147
IMigh Night

- Day

""

Total Boarded

Wood

- Day
-

372

4,0
Steel
hV= Activity

Day

it

Junks Searched
1

75,

523

Junks Detained

7t

Persons Searched 264, O%

Persons Detained 3 31

U.S. Activity Junks Detained

92 -,

Persons Detained 291

"StableDoor

Statistics
35,917

Number of Junks Detected Nu.mber of Inspections

Numer of Boardigse

2,933
2,4,58 65

DETA

i:: ::--.-..-.... _...:..-:

.::<. .. ..

.
*----:,......

.
.......-..-

......*.......

:a
.....

"-'... ... ":" -

' "?:

:"

L."

""..%

OPE.RATIONS

"S FLOAT EA IN TIE FOURTYI

COASTAL ZONE

(ON

TIEN

t.
I

*RACH GIA CG 43/44/45 BASM

"
-- ,

42/46 ~~CG

A. SEAJS -9 NoV. B. SEA FLOAT - 13 Nov. v. No 7. S E S Nov. D. SEA FLOAT - l14 :E. SEA FLOAT - 18 Nov.

-3

SF.

SEA FLOAT - 28 Nov.

-'...Z

LF

ScVAt

CA MAU
CG 41 BASE POUtLO OBI

@ 1

oPOINT
NAUTICAL MUMI

,-

:::-:

!-

- -

- :i

:.S.

-' -

Operation Stable Door

Adverse weather during most of November slowed the Stable Door operations as 35,917 craft were detected-. spected and another 2,458 were boarded. Of these,2,933 ewere iPatrol units continued to

I
I .
S"Unit

support ground operations with blocking forces and landing recomais-

sance patrols.
One - VunX Tan There were eight junks and 31 persons detained during November for improper or no identification or boat registration papers, curfew and restricted zone violators. On 6 November, .T# 126, while getting underway from Naval Support" o, lost control and collided

Activity Detachment Cat

ith -Picket 29p The oicket-

Picket 26, LCPL 52, a Vietnamese junk, and the IUWG-1 pier.

sustained cracked ribs, the Vietnamese junk sank, and there wes no apparent damage to LCPL 52. The pier was dislodged and moved approxo-

rmately 15 feet, bending several pilings and length poles and severing an electrical power cable. r LCPL 33 while on routine patrol on 16 November, boarded a coastal junk (PT 16TrHH) and found approximately 60 tons of umanifested rice. "_Tho -. owner had no identification papers. The junk,owner and rice ve" "

turned'over to Coastal Group Thirty Three for disposition.

I
7[

'""6
I:'

-j
I

' --

....
S.... ...
" "- . ' "? ". -" , ."' tt,' -. .s .-. ' . -j . '

.
-. "

.
""

.. ..
. ",

""m'

'-l................

,.

,-

....

."'""-

-t

-..-..

..-....

'-

}'

The USNS SGT ANDR"

HIIIEM uhile anchcred on 16 November. reported ICPL

that a napalm bomb in a wooden case had fallen overboard.

33

conducted a search of the area and was joined by tCPL'a 35 and 52 who searched and provided illumination. -Disposal The bomb was spotted on 17

November by a U.S. Army helicopter and Unit One Explosive Ordnan c personnel destroyed the bomb.

"Picket 29

stopped a fishing junk (PR 1208NTHH) on 16 November, The junk and owner were turned over

for the fifth curfew violation. .' oto

the Vietnamese Navy Police for disposition.

-1

Unit Two - Cam R anh

During November there were eight junks and 10 persons detained for curfew or restricted zone violations, invalid or no registration, and identification papers.

..""'*

i"

I
-.

On 2 November, the sentry on Pier 2 reported a floating mine.

CPL 39

and Skimmer 26 were sent to Investigate.

The duty officer on

the scene identified the explosive device as one of two missing, classified firing devices destined for the U.S. Air Force. EOD personnel destroyed the device. Unit Two

The Harbor Master reoorted on 10 November that an unknown number

of barges had broken lose from their anchorage in the outer harbor and were drifting toward Binh Ba Cove. Unit two was requested to send
r-

boats to check the barges drift until tugs arrived.

Three barges

were adrift and LCPL's 23 and 66 attached lines and succeeded in holding
them until the tugs arrived and took them in tow.

!I

:-

~~~~~~~~.. . . "."-- . . . . .. .'

. ... .........-.. '-.-'... '.

--.-.. " """""-*:-.

S7

""'--*

''

77.-

-,

-..-

-.

-.-

in a restricted sone -. SS A

The junk was runnnt in circles around the .. ".

.. .o

ICAN LEADEF, and upon searching two 100 pound begs of urinfested The junk owner, and rice were turned over to the

rice were discovered.

"'-i:,. ": " :"'

Vietnamese National Police at the Cam Ranh ]bay Villge pier. On 20 November the U.S. Air Force Salvage tean from the 559th Tacttcal Fighter Seuadron requested Unit To's assistance in locating.

Sinner

sector of the adomned F-4 Phantom jet which went down in the northern39 and Soebrltine arb abou2 top on re aojubk uNovemberL, 3 a

Dor Explosive Ordnance Disposal team assisted in the search, and t

SS Ethrough combined operations located the aircrft about 150b on 22,.'-'. H

rcember. Unit Tso's EMdpersonnel attadnd a marker and the Viwere secured fra the operation.tea-'Vf e r

toPL$ t

..

"

On 22 November :ther 27 arde oreaae check of t F fishing 5 k5" off Cox Ranh Bay vlleage and foued two persons with expired Indenti-.

fication cards and t

oje nhics were on the V

net Black Cong

ofto th''e..

7he persons were detained and t~urned over to the Mllitr-ry Police for~t;":! further transfer to the Navy Inte~lligence Malon Officer at Cam"-"-!

" ection on 21 and 22 Noveoner. 1 DIN C loRGE rn OF as Dsp the

a ahBy.i.g

Unit Two received their semi annual adminstrative/naterial in-

ondtoproswt e

Dv G. . Overstreet, USN, O3aIn E 3 S

o".Blak lst

,.rei.. ien-t.-

"'

fictionmeswee ndwhoe Vit cads o th

or inspector and manassisted by per-

The erses wre dtaied Hlity~ Pli-'-'r__" al trnedoverte he "Nsovelfr. StUitf* Unit Four andNlavattahppoe t Faciarey, Cam he Bay, t

nbaea

we ce rti oe

~~~~.." '-''.i,.'.'--"." - "." -".'"-.....'.'.''.'-''-'-.'. '-'.''Z-"-.'L'--..-.."..................-..'.. .'. "."-.-..--.- .. ". ".- . ". .". .-. '-.'. ..-..- -':-.--'.. '-,-..-.-..--.-.., ."-'- ........-...-,......... -S...... ...

,I

S.--.-

On 24 November LCDR W4. G. Dyqr# USNR,

relieved IC;DR I.V.

CO~oopr..'--

r., J . USN as OFFICER IN CHARGE OF U

|

r Two.

R Cooper w-as a.,

-r
.'

~the

Bronze Star Modal with Combat nVIO for meritorious slervice.

Unit Three - 9Ai M-o.

S
i I "

~~~There were only the month ~during anti

-~On 4 November,

two junks and four persons detained by Unit Three those for suspected black marketing.,'o"

"'''

Skimmer 32 and 89 investigated a burnng junk Inspection revealed that

-"" -. "

in the junk anchorage of Hai Minh village.

_lj

~the was fire

caused by a now engine installed in the junk. in the upper harbor observed

""'

j~
Sit

~ ~ S~~one

11 November, Sea Cobras operating Toer ~ ~rudOn AK-4 onl two jnk and foh r pesnsdta

d yUntThe

sampan with two personnel an board traveling along the southern

"'"

tbankh.e

en the sampan was within six feet of the Sea Cobras positionThe Sea Cobras found

was challenged and the occupants surrendered.

tw AK4 rifes

12

oddA-7maaie

"-cmgea

During

one operations on 1t November, usine kri of the ber as a on I I Novem

onergs

Scaptured
;.'

guide, the Sea Cobras moved into a Viet into the campet onea ttried

iCong base camp.

Ac the trail caMn

to escaa and was killed.

th The base camp consisted of e

.0 bunkers

Osters and 100 meters frop the trail. apart

The tear

probrded north-v

SA

elephant grass. west where one VC was spotted but he evaded into the hepisnr neo 5Noebeuin Duig.prtin'o An air strike was called in on the base camp after the tea rowith ,'Z' " '-'' % '- - -'''''*' -'- *' ,; nesoatve ' results.'
."" "

departed o-. .. . .. -. ." .

intesapn ', """.

"'

,"-Z -"

'-

,"-

,"..

70

FIVI"'"""

I,

-'

While on routine patrol on 15 November, IMPL 42 stopped a water taxi (Q 83) after it.had departed from alongside the aberian Cargo "

j
.

.ship

TUNG SING anchored in c-2.

A check of the twater taxi revealed one

man putting something under his shirt which turned out to be 237,000 piasters. The water taxi, two detainees, and the piasters were turned over to the NIML Qui Nhon for further investigation.

On 17 November, a Unit Three boat intercepted a sampan with two teenagers aboard who had 237,000 piasters in their possession. The

boys stated they were going to buy cigarettes ftom ships in the outer harbor. The boys were put in custody that night and turned over to the Th- boys received jail .enterice as black

Chief of National Police. market operators.

They had little knowledge of black narket details and

indicated that they were given the money by an unknown smn and told to So to the ships in the outer harbor where they would be given sealed packages for the money. It appen-od that the boys ware nere pawns in a

large scale black market operation.

Unit FourWho Tran

&-

During November there were 23 junks and .2 pere3s detained in Unit Four's area of operation* Detairments were for curfew and restricted zone violations, lack of or faulty indentifkation papers and no boat registration papers.

*iV

71

S~~~~~~~~~~~~........................ ,..-:..... -.-

.-- .:.....=...;.....

;:;----::-:-....-.-.:.:.....-.:.

.-

, -."

,z.

.-

,-:--"

; -'-.

On c November, IST 581 was beached at the IS ramo and reoort~ed

4"

a man overbcard. Skimmer 89 proceeded to the scene and recovered the man. Attempts to revive him using mouth to mouth resuscitation were
unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead by the 51st Medical Co..pn-.-

personnel, 'ho also assumed custody of the body. lied as Hisao Maedo, Able Seaman, age 42.

The man vas identi-

Coomander Task Group 115.2 notified Unit Four on 12 November that PCF 90 had collided vith a small fishing craft and requested assistance in the search for survivors. The fishing craft sank immediately end LCPL 56, Skimmers 25 and 28 After approximately

one man had been picked up by PCF 90.

proceeded to the area and coumenced searching.

t
t

one hour the search was terminated with negative results. On 25

November

LCPL 46 was hailed by a Korean security guard on The guard had caught a VietnamLCPL 46 transferred the

a Korean barge at anchor in the harbor. , ,

ese trying to steal "C" rations off the barge.

security guard and the detainee to the Cam Da pier for further transfer to the Vietnamese National Police.

I
-i 1-

"

"I -:!
. ..:.:_

f
*,

iOI~l[!--

S.....

,~~~~~~~~.................. .. ,....,.....-..-...,................ ..-...-...-.-.:-.-.-.. .........,...-... , ,.--.........-...-.....-......

.* .

. ,,..

..

L
'.5-

4.

r..-J

.....

r4=

"..

A. -

rr4dv
)
* .. ---,-

----------------------------------------------------------

0
_

I.
----------------------------------------

'.4

a--

I
---------------------------------------

.1

10 0 '-4

I
-

."
* *

--.--

I
--

I I

S a

S S S

aa a

---.w.-*-

'S

I
I I
f 4

I
.......................

V.

C*

73

CD F U A IDE TI I

......................................

RIVER PATROL FORCE SU)OAI1! Thraug)hout November, the River Patrol Force countered **W pressure in the I Corps Tactical Zone, Mekong D~elta, along the upper Saigon River, and In the Fong Sat Special Zone and in addition provided ma~jor mupport, to on-going and recently activated Operation Sea tords Interdiction Campaigns: Giant Slingshot, Border Interdiction (consisting of Tran

Hung Dao and Barrier Roef Campaigns), Search Turn (Each Gia Canal), Nang Thit-Nicholai Canal and Cho Cao Canal Operations. During November the groups, units, and elements of Coama Force 116 were as follows: Desiwiator CT? 3126 Crn6.4 Title COMRIVPATFCII/CCNRVPATFLOT FIVE CO VAL 4 OIC VAL 4 Dot A OIC VAL 4 Dot B Task

location Bink Tbq' Bn Dishk Thuj Tung Tan

Bink TkqY

CTU 116.4.8
CTU 116.4.9

CT1J 116.6.?
CTE 116.6.7.1 aTs 116.6.7.1 CT3 116.6.7.3 CTE 116.6.7.4 cIu n16.6.8

01C )W-2
KST-2 Dot RAVOAMU MST-2 Dot BAVOA MST-2 Dot CHARLIE NST-2 Dot DELTA

n Ben Bea Bue Song 04 Dot I"a Be Dinh ?bskW Bink Thiy Bink Thuy

BJU-1 Team 2,3

NOD Team 38

CTu n16.6.8
070116.8 07 16.9

Co HAL 3
CCU(RSSZRlVPAT=

fta Be

74

"I--4-,

-..

--

,"

.,

,.-U.-.L

CTU 116.9.1 CTU 116.9.2 CTU 116.9.5

CMIVDIV 571 COWNEDIV 112 SEAL Team Dot ALFA 10th Pletoon

Nha Be Uha Be
MhA Be Nha

CTU1 116.9.6
CTJ116.9.8

SEAL TOaM Dot A 9th Platoon

OIC HAL 3 Det 2

Be

Nha Be

Operating in the Rung Sat Special Zone duriag the month of November, Task Group 116.9 and VNN Rivir Patrol Group 52 patrolled the tong Tau, Soi Rap, Thi ai, and Go Gia Rivers day and night. The night patrols

supported Regional Forces, Provincial Reconnaissance Unite, and SEAL Team*

or set waterborne guardposts. Troops from Quang Inya and Can Gio Districts

engaged in anti-extortionist operations in conjunction with the Nationsl

IPol.vte
"I

in areas adjacent to authorized work areas (Nhon Trach, Can Giuoc,

and Long Le).

Operations acmed at multiple tarzats were conducted by Junks,

PMrs, and UH1-1 B (Seawoif Helicopters).

The Rung Sat Special Zone

Regional Forces conducted leng Tau Security sweeps as directed by sub-sector 3 comaders. Task Group 116.9 and River Patrol Group 52 parmued the

folowing num'er of patrols per 24 hour period with PBR and ASPB between
-*

9 and 15 November: Long Tau Channel

Soi Rap
-

I"
I

4 patrols a day/5 patrols a ni~t

lpatrol a day/ patrol a nght

ait

G Ea o

-I patrol a day/i patrol a night

A majority of Pes (141 out o 190) were engaged in the support or Sea lards Campaigns.
Iaterdiction of the enemy in the Rung Sat Special 7 is daring

November r~eceived special attention, in addition to joint opwratiems*

S4.. ?5

LO~IMPHi

conducted with Vi s4tnvz taken with o' her fretv

.

c- cea, on~e nmaed joint operation was under*ces *

This Soint operation was WOLFPACK II WULFPAaC II

which commenced 14 November and continued through 17 November.

was a combined operation~ consi sting of United States end Republice of Vietnam Forces engaging in operations with the Royal Thai Army Volunteer 6th Arsy of the Republic of Vietnam; and units of the let Australian Task Force in the Northern Rung Sat Special Zone and Southern Nhon Trach areas. Their mission was to seek out and destroy elements of the Viet Noteworthy of the success of Operation

I.-Forces;

~.

Cong Tenth Sapper Group (Doan 10).

WOLFPACK II were the following results: Friendly casualties: Enemy casualties: Enemzy material destroyed: Four WIA (U.S.) 4.2 IIA (34~ BC-8 Prob) 19 sanpans; 12 structuras; 13 bNinkers; 8,700 lbs. of rice; 1,300 lbe. or salt;- mntervus cooking utensils; 50-10 ft. lengths of rebar; one water container Enemy material capturedt. One B-40 laurstber; three B-40 rocket rounds; two AX-471s;- two SKS' rifles; one CKC rifle; th a' 4 pistols;4 K-5I

suraberous rourads AK and SKS./veb

pbar; 25 rounds U.S. 75WA Itowitser
. *

e;one M.-16 rifle v/sagasfrte; one mortar sight; 20-meter detonation cr;10 Ailos of Th'T ari C-4-, one

76

blstn

cap

w/at.

re

and~-A**

fiigwr;oecriemgzn

-~

b hooks;

pckap e /bttyring paper 2Dtn

7 1 fI
-'lathe

firigg

weire; o00e ca..rbinemai

~~~./ine;one1

r kiosx of docmentuse;oe
3.1roaist flag~o ae;two adjusnts;bfoe

.-

nhook.;20

o waokages hacpape s;t25

ft m ihadriven~

bladmes-twbeias; 10

I
Operation Game Warden

v/pipe; two Coleme stoles; to hatches; two ha.mockt; andl Miss.

clothing.
aircraft assets during November were 33 UH-lB

helicopters deployed as follows: Destachment 01M (two helos) aboard UM5

~T&W1 COMMT (LST 1.157) supporting Task Force 115 in Operation. Sea

I
*3

Float/Tran Hung Dao MI in the latter Cau Na= Pezinsula; Detaehment TWO

~(four aboard 1153 JxNIUNCS CWUMI (1ST 846) in an area. five miles halos) ~south southwest of Ha Tioin: Detwachmet MHES~ was supporting Task Grop
194.4+in Barrier Reef operations extending to Ha Tien; Detachment FOIR (two be13s) at Ben laic; Detachmvet FIV (two holos) aboard ThM-16 on the

Upper Bassac: River south oast of Q=~ Do--; Detachwnt SIX (two boaos)

-aboard

115S GAR=I C0b

(LTT 74)i

oe

=Pni

nm

&

1
-7!i

77

,--,--*. /

____

__

-______

,-___ _______

___ ____

____-__, ___..

...

_____-.__. ___,

_____________

-.

-.

-".

4
. .... . ....

" -...
-

Detachmnt SEM (two holos) at Tay Ninh; Detachment I.GHT (two hole)

"aboard USS HARNTT COMNM! (IST 821) located approximately ten Miles west
-.

-'

of Rack Gia; Detachment NINE (two halos) aboard YRE-21 located approx,mately three miles north west of An Long and a maintenance pool of 13 hell-

**.

"

copters at Binh Thuy. as follows:

The 13 (0-1OA's (Black Pony) aircra.t were deployed

Detachment A (five Of-bOA's) at VMF, Binh Thuy; Detachmnt B3

(five OV-lOA's) at VNMF, lung Tan; and a maintena:ce pool of three OV-MlO*s at Binh Thuy. These aircraft (OV-lOA) accounted for over 1,061 flJgh

11

hours incombat missions in addition to their normal surveillance patrols. A breakdown of these missions followa:

Pro-planned Strikes Reaction Strikes Targets of Opportunity Support Kissioza

157 110 1M 288 Uh2 3.6 "'5

There were 2,1483 Game Warden resources and population coatrol patrols

".

iaich accounted for 86,829 detections, 36, 207 Inspections and 25, 590 boardings. Clearwater Operations Command Task Force Clearwater noted a great increase in enew activity

Ii

in th& vicinity of the Naval Support Activity Detachment at Caa Viet dwring November. On 1 November a coubined North Vietnamese regular and Viet Cong

group of 25 to 30 men engaged Task Force Clearwater PBRE' and a marine reconnaissance team with autceatie weapons and B40 rocket fire. On

IA f HFIOF"NTI
4

78

[
.* |\:'."

f-'. "

.-.

:,

...

-, . . .

..-.........

**,*(

<= .3. .

7..'.

3 November, five to six North Vietnamese regulars and Viet Con& personnel
engaged PR 118 of River Division 521, Reconnaissance Team Barcroft from 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, and elements of the 3rd Narine Division In a fire fight. One Viet Con& was wounded in that encounter. There were no Both

friendly casualties suffered during either encounter with the aneqr. fire fights took place about 1,00C meters south of the NSAD Cua Viet. EnWe' activity in Xusn Khanh (VD 322 682), which was resettled by

jEDCAPS,

former inhabitants of the DIZ, increased irrespective of the imerms PSYPS, and Civic Action Self-Help projects which had been The village has continued to harbor the Viet

performed by TY Clearwater.

Cong and sniper rounds have been received from the vicinity of the village on a regular basis during the month. Intelligence reports indicated that the %%-

sappers uho mined and sunk TOG 76 on the 13 of November camrs from Xuan Khanh and enemy movement has been detected south of the Cua Viet perimeter several nights during the week of 16-22 November.

1~
1

rith the departure of the Third Marine Battalion and their 105mO battery

from CMa Viet during November, base defense was reduced to one platoon,

"three Slm

mortars, and one 4.2 mortar.

Cozzander Task Force Clearwater

.1

attempted to obtain additional troop suppcrt from the 2nd Regiment, lst ARVN Division during November but this support was still end of the month. pending at the

As a result, the Cua Viet defense perimeter was thinly

11

manned throughout November.

Clearwater opereions during the month of November involved resource &rA population control, daily chain drag sweeps of the Cua Viet and Perfume

79

"":

7-

".

u~~~~~.... ..
'

.....
-~ . ++.o ...

,.

.
.-

...

..

,_.
"
-..

-i---

-+'

++

+,.

'-

+.. ,-~

I-

"

Rivers,, Canal incursions for waterborne traffic, inspections, distribution Of psyoPS material, and MEDCAPS (see Psychological Operations and Civic Action Swinazy for detail~ed P-syops and MUBCAP missions). Clearwater PBE

assets at the end of the mouth we"e 20 boats, ten PEl's each assigned to
RIVDIV 521 and BIV 543. Clearwater Rivrer Patrol Units inspected 9,560 personnel and detained

I
J

14 persons who were suspected of being Viet Cong darzing the mouth of

Novemer. +.

:---'--4

From 07130 to 140011 on 2 Novanber, two ASPB's and a Douche Boat (high Velocity water firing craft) carried out banker destruction missions an the Ba.Giang River 11 miles south southeast of ?Nma Be (XS 978 60W) in the Rnng Sat Special Zone destroyed. The total results of the mission were six bankers

AL

Game Warden PBR. UH-lB. And OV71-A Operatioua

There were no friendly or enemy personnel casualties during the

.14
"I(VQ
""

On the evening of 4 November, Black Ponies 113 and 102 were scrambled

to give overhead air cover to a SMA detachment which was partially surrounded by a group of Viet Cong in an area five miles north of Nam Camn
975 847- . (UH-.e) The ene,7 grund fire was so intense that Seawo-f heliopters were unable to effect an extraction of the SEAL1s. With clearance

from coti and tkary force 116, Black Poande

113 and 102 placed multiple

Black Po strikee i
-.

rocket and machi;io gun strikes from 1717 to 1725.

~~ ~

silenced thb enen ~ nteeeio ~

and the Semrolles extracted the SEAL's. The LAFW ~ fire ~ NvmeBakPne ~ ~ ~ > 11 an 10 **mld 4 er continued to place strikes until approximately 1800H. A farther recoin.............................................................................................................nalssance ef the area revealed that one sampan (rOCeeding out from the area,-'
- ."

8D-'.-.

"

-'-77

was transporting ambers of the Viet Cong group. rocket fire on the evading sampan and destroyed it.

The Black Ponies placed Enemy personnel There were

casualties were one VC killed (prob) and one sampan demaged. no friendly casualties.

Black Ponies 113 and 101 of Task Unit 116.4.8 were on a routine patrol with clearance from CTF 116 to place strikes on two groups of junks and sampans at a canal in an area 12 miles north of Cal Lanh (WS 658 835) on the night of 7 November. of 20 The Black Ponies expended 19-5" rockets, 75 rounds

fire, 3,000 rounds of 7.62nm fire; and 22-M-45 paraflares anti

accounted for 12 sampans and three Junks being destroyed, and 15 VC killed

in actionm:
02 the morning of 9 November, a TJ.S. Navy LiHT of Task Unit 116.9.8 spotted a beached sapan with its occupants attempting to camouflage the
*

-i

sampan in

an area 18 Uiles southeast of h-a Be (IS 188 690)

in the Rom ""

Sat Special Zone.

The IMT placed strikes on the area and succeeded in There were no reports of enmy casualties.

dewtroying the sanpan.

l ] !

~of ~~on

While on a waterborne guardpost, four Rang Sat Special Zone P"R" TU 126.9.1 (PM 61, 62, 128 and 148) sighted one ,empan with two VC a canal in an area 13 miles eaat southeast of Mha Be (TS 14 753)

~creossin

""-'

the nigbt of 10 November.

PER's 123 ard 148 took the saman under fire, While interdicting the sampan, fire from the wast bank of the

Skilled
e P
*I

the two VC and destroyed the 3span. s rautomati

,,

,I;--..

canal.

PRg's 81 and 62 broke their guardpost and proceeded to the aid of At approximately

'"-

PPR's 128 and 141,with support fire and illumination.

81

U I-'.'-"R

"-

*--..

--.-

.- -

'. .

--..

---

...

- ".-.. --..- :-. .. -

..

-. ,-..

* - --

`-.-

-*

*`*--

*,.*`` ``-`**-*`'*

--.-- ,--,- ,-

----.-- ... ,--...

. .. .--....- .. . ... -. ...

...--

.. .

.-

-,

, .-

---

.-

.*l*,.*

-.

--

7T--

21S00 one B-40 rocket was fired at PER 128 from the north west bank of
the stream and impacted astern of the PBR inflicting no damage. -I PF .

61 provided illumination, sighted tt.e attacker. and succeeded in kilihim. The PBR's requested the aid of a ITT who arrived at 2050 and placO4 The LHFT was relieved by a USA

* I
*

strikes on the north bank of the area.

Nighthawk at 2145 who saturated the area with rocket fire.

one U- S

"~[

sailor was .injured by enemy fire but friendly counter fire accounted for three sampans destroyed and one Viet Cong killed.

While providing air support to one platoon of Regional Troops of * 361 Company A, a USN IHFT of TU 116.9.8 made contact with Viet Cong personnel approximately 18.5 miles south east of Aha Be during the morning of 10 November. While directing automatic weaspons fire at the fIFT, the VC The four Viet Cong who had fired upon the Investigation of the area by the

evaded west into a wooded area.

LHFT were killed by RF Company 361.

Regional Troops uncovered a VC base camp that contained the follomwng items which were confiscated: one B- 4 0 launcher; one B-40 round; one

'-ICOM submachine &in with eight full magazines; two CHICOM anti-tank mines (30 kilos each); one kilo of documents and a small quantity of food
* and clothing. There were no friendly casualties.

While engaged in Operation WOIPPACK I3 in an area 15.5 miles east

southeast of Nha Be (IS 165 829) cbring the pro-dawn hours of 14 Novmber,

three RSSZ A-SPB,,

and PBR's were undeway with Hunter/Killer T"

An.

Regional Forces of Company 363 and P.SSZ EGI) Team aboard.

embarked HunterAiller Team sighted an evading Viet Cong S--.-18

At 0925H the
wimr and
.-

.. 8n.-.. .'I.[T
!

o
"""

~~82

*31

...

3 .

-"-

-- -

- ,...'.

.. ;..

.,..,.,.

. :.-

-.-

. -.

.. -.

.-.

..

C*St..p..,..

..

received sporadic sniper fire from the canal bank. ,,,

.

The HunterA/iller At 1058H the group

-

Team returned the fire and killed the swimming VC.

Ssiated one beached sampan in the vicinity of TS 158 833 and placed tire upon tfic sampan to destroy it. The group continued a ground swoop of

the area until 1320H at which time the Hunter/Killer Team vectored one

S~PBRs

platoon of Regional Forces of Company 363, with their advisor, aboard the to provide a canal sweep of the area. extracted the units at 160H. No further contact was made

and the PERIt

On a patrol that was scrambled to support CTU

191..9.7, Black Poniy 110

nd 116 of TU 116.4.9 placed strikes in an area (IS 136 858) 31 miles west

"

4"

:jof

Saigon on the Van Co Tay River on the night of 16 November.

The IAFT

Si

24

received small arm fire from the enemy during t ir strikes but succeeded in silencing the return fire. The results of the strike were deternined

.,

to be six VC killed.
With clearance from CTF 116 on the afternoon of 16 November, Black

Ponies 106 and 101 placed strikes on an enemy force of an unknown size
that was inflicting heavy damage to friendly forces with machine gun fire

2 9&6es west southwest of Rach Gia (WS 350 001 to

*neutralized

WS 345 O0).

The LIFT

the machine gun fire and destroyed three structures.

"-

"

iEngaged

in WOLFPAC

II

Operations, four ASPB's, one ZIP"O (flame

1
-

~thrvwiig craft) of 'TY 116.9.1, and Pifi's with troops embarked bietween the
hours of 0600H and 1600H on 17 November comemeed a search of suspected eneny positions in an area 17 miles east southeast of Wha Be. Friendl-y

troops found ton kilos of T1r and C-4 (explosive), and ton kilos of

83

4A

.7.

IV

.11
. . . -. ...-

documents.

After the troops were extracted by Slick at. 16.5H, Hter/

Killer Teams placed weapons fire on a VC Base Camp, destroying six * sanpse, 1,200 pounds of rice, one bunker and three sleeping platforms.

A U.S. Navy Zippo proceeded to the area in which the contraband had beas discovered and expended two minutes of flame while PBRs 128 and 6(2 firing runs on the area.
,

ade

This

Operation WOMPACK UI, accounted for two

VC's wounded and captured; two VC killed (prob) ard two VC killed in

action (BC).

There was one friendly soldier wounded during the act.ion.

On a scramble, with clearance from CTG 194.3 and CTF 116, Black Ponies 1.3 and 315 placed strikes 24 xies south southwest of Rach Qia

(VR 835 665) on the evening of 20 November In support of friendly forces

who were in contact with a VC platoon. Ons portion of the VC platoon broke lmaiing
.

contact with the friendly forces and proeeded south, w:ilo the

Sportion

of the VC platoon proceeded to sea in five sampas.

The Black

Pones pursued the evading sampans, illuminated one sampan, and received

""* small arms fire from them. Intensified air strikes destroyed the smpan".
Intelligence gained from the captured TC revealed the position of a compa:
size base at VR 837 647. with unknot, results. Black Poq strikes were placed In these coordinates

I
-

The entire scramble accounted for four enemy kll-ed

in action and one sampan destroyed.

In the Ru

Sat Special Zone

14.5 mLles south or

Xha Be, Re

ional
500 motos The"'-"

SForces

of Company 782 observed six rockets impact approitely south of their compound (XS 942 572) on the evenin

of 22 Novembr.

...............

Reioal Fc

t................. ...
......

P .

an. r
:.,....--.......... . .... ;...;. :-.:s"':.-..:..

,' ."
'.-

" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~........ '-...,_._._.=.....:...:....-.

~"oo - .
to '"the be made an the VC posittions. The Black Ponies succeeded in neutralizing

{7 rocket enemy
On the nonn

fire.,'

"

of 26 November a Navy LFn reported that sev~eral se" 161 599).

in a restricted area 16.5 miles southeast of Nha Be (IS Sw~ere

UH-IB (Sawoll Helicopter) 304 and 316

mere directed by the U.S.I/

Ta~ctical Operations Officer to drop smoke in order to driv "an easter17 direction toward an autborizd fishing area.

the saa

In:.-,. fired .2"

The UV

S~~-79
ty h

CS rounds (smoke bombs) in the restricted area and the door gunner on Ut-18 304 reported thato one o f the lapns mao hai e been inadvertentl irit.

soke bomb.

The DUT reconned the area but sfr nothe.

enal.

At

0941H on 29 November the V2et6wese

TNC Watch Officer was notified by the that one Vietnamese 61 bampan.The incident ma

eProeincal Forces Platre- 001, Thank sotage, ml

-

had been bit by IcoT bowls and knocked out of his Treported to by Darinoke

I
t

the RegOion l Forces Platoon by routb. Therialreonneds~c the second nthin nsouthas.t thea areaw occupant of the 12 etne se fale

aSn ea (tre father of the msdsng Vietmefsie male). ar The Iwas lited respo as ne as oof the last of hovember.

of WM Be (7fS 1.08 753) a United Air Force SW

(Li~ht Observation Aicraft)":

1'scrrnbled
I[-

wacinlitedk pace oisng

continuoun a

overhead surveietnee until a Sat Speraal Zone Ad bytr Offi oary LEsM Arrt ,ng in the area, the LHfT placed strkmes n andf somceeded in nedtralioz i the tw s Viet Coing. n was

the o

lastnoo November. of3

henead pob itI;o

ofNa

e(S 0 73

U-edM

oreS-P(igtCs--tinArca

.--.-

77:-:2

"--'--"--.'

-iet -'S.-.

.N.A-.P...

...

F..F,

SEAL Operations

~A

D, etachment ALFA,

9th Platoon, of CTU 116.9.6 depurted Nha Be

an the afternoon of 8 November and were inserted by USA Slick (helicopter) 5 miles southwest of Nha Be (XS 8M8 713). .. In the process of searching a

house in a reported Viet Cong. sympathizingwere extracted SEAL's appreh.ended on* district level 'Fist Cong The SEAL's villege, the by Slick at 1745

without further incident. S"I I ..]Nha S+|.-.4-After an insertion by USA Slick in the area 10 miles southwest of Be (XS 869 627) on the morning of 10 November, SEAL Detchment ALFA,

!] | ._
S-erodes

~9th Platoon, CMU 116.9.6 searched a npa p~als area and found one Viet ~ ~Cong and recovered one kilo of docurerits and maps, two CHICaCK Mvndt""_ cache
and two 1-5 aazines. The squad was extracted around noon "

!:1

making contact wilth the eno. ~withbut

kille disuit return

P'.-.

jeam Cogfi

wasxtracterom4 ,SALwre

dd

byosiion

and

74

Dstacbaertt ALFA, 30t~h Platoon, Squad AIYA, of MTU 116.9-5 was inserted

~by

Slick 15 idles eas

of hha Be in the Fortherm RSSZ area (IS

1M 785)

[-"-

,1215R :
Nb

SI: the squad heard a Viet Cong rawk

sounds approximately 25 meters to

0Nvmbr EL ealeo LA

:::

~ ~~the nort[h
e(S

of their gaardpost.
6 2) nte-onn

While using overhead hellcopttr noise for"-.-"

f

[--. . .

I' +..-..-.-

..

Scover, .c .- oved to a strateooc position a6d scradpled a Hunter/ . th . patrol th-.-_-. Plato..-., .-. +- 1 .. 6 searched a ``mippa pa`.lm`area` and`:found one.'..iet

"o"Killer n

Team to aoon of uater/keo

io n overhead the

biet (position IS c178 ConU

:-782).

i The

er Tm firepeend acouted for four Viet Cong

~accountei

for me WEAL being sligtly]

wounded by automatic weapons fire.":

.86

or F ]ETI R FI
i:'.

?r

!!I
In the same area of action, a light observation helicopter received automatic weapons fire which resulted in one U.S. sailor being wounded (not seriously). A USA Slick dusted off and MEDEVACED the wounded SEAL, After the SEAL

while the LOH returned to Nha Be with its wounded mmber.

Squad was extracted by Slick the entire area was saturated by air strikes. Noteworthy in this operation was the capture of one kilo of documents which identified one Viet Cong Executive Officer A-1 (political staff section) Doan 10. The remaining documents were political propaganda except for a

type written resume of Viet Cong operations daring September and October

of 1969.
After departing M Be by Slick on 15 November and inserting 10 miles

east of Nha Be (YS 106 787), five SEAL1s of Detach 1uwt ALFA, 9th Platoen, -q,,id ALFA of CTU 116.9.6 with 13 Provincial Reconnaissance personnel patrolled approximately 700 meters northeast of their trail guardpost and observed three Vist Cong walking west. The group detonated a pro-set

claymore mine and took the Viet Cong under fire while requesting Navy EWFT strikes on the area. ene The group was extracted by Slick and received sporadic The encounter accounted for one sub-

ground fire dring their departure.

Viet Cong killed (0C), two Viet Cong killed (prob), and one CHIC(I machine gun being captured. Two

embers of SMAL Detachaent ALFA, 10th Platoon suffered wounds

(one slight and one serious) when their squad's guardpost position was taken under enm automsatic weapons fire U miles of 2& November. east of Mha Be (1I 1.02

782) on the afternoeo

A scrambled IM

dusted off the

__

COIFIDENTIAL
... . . . --

'r
2.1-

EL's Uoii to Nha Be and thqe rmaining 61SALOB patr'ole without making contact withk the O"W

th

ar

I 7!
Iand
i

~After departing Iha Be 26160011 in a ISSC (Light SEAL Support

Craft

Crf)SAL Detachwit ALFA, 10th Platoon,

SFSudBAOo

qa

RV

1-.

1..

& ,iaterborne guard poet 17 miles east Of Nha Be (YS 198 776).

At 2000H1

the SEALvs detected a sampafi traveling west and took the sampan under fireo

~~killinS the samPan's three occupants. The squad destroyed the sampan1.
returned to Nha Be at 223011 On thet 26 of November. En~ Min5.n&Harassment/Attacks on Merchant Shippn The RS=Z Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team removed a mine fron the SS SEATRAIg yAIHEon the night of 5 yovember. The ships was anchored

approxdmately. 1,000) meters north of ftv. Be, 400 meters off the Shell Tank Pir Far (S 90 80).The Vietnanese BoD team observed a line attached to the ship's anchor chain. The team cut the lina and towed the mine clear

*of

the ship to the east of the

~rivrwhere they determined that the vmin

was a four feet by 20 inches by 2D inches and contained six sections with a pointed buoyancy tank in front. The mine was held together b7 mnetal rods

team stated that the mine failed to detonate due to a faulty firing mechanism (water soluble washer type). The EOD team destroyed the mine at 1040 on 6 Nova--er. Throughout the operation a USH PBER and ASPB providied surveillanre of the ships in the area. Vessel SS TEANS CATISEAN SS ANT1NS k-..aa.on Cat Iai Anchorage 1 Cat Lid Anchorage 3 Vessels in the imediate area were:4 Distance frem SS SS&THAIN MAIN 8,000 meter 8,000 mtetrs.

T1 1

................................................................-.--.

r17

There were reports that three rocket rounds Impacted within 700

yards of LST-287 while transiting the Long Tan River at approximately 1320H on 2) November. The U.S. Navy sources stated that PEK'. in the area

reported no eney activity on the river at the time. The pilot embarked an LST-287 stated that there was firing on shore by friendly forces and that the rounds could have been misfires. The USNS LST-287 received no hits and

there were no casualties to personnel or equipment.

".I9

,1o'

-I

r
:-r.
-

--

1%o .

I_-I

S...-..-.., .. - .. :. . _

... .; . .-..'-..-. -- -: ; -. ..- . .. .. ... :

_*=.

...... :.-;:.._-.-:_.:

%.~

.~

~'%~**

WW

rL

Comm=..--,-.~.-

US

STTSIA SUJM

"1
Detetion

1969
WZI 1741 GknVAME E

..

*ER

86,629t 36,207

. *5

Vieteciong suspects

Hot,37reiciets5

5682

36620

5.

Craf

Wetanded

925 366 05 (68 As36 27 MU,7 32

0

Hocil Caitrecdet USNi~ casualties: a. Killed b. ;Wounded c. Captured

d.

& L 80_

.~322B . .8RB .28R.

K~sie Duestroed

a.

(1) junks or spa=fl5 (2) Structures b. Captured: (1) junks or sarl~afl= (2) Weapons (3) hnmunition (rounds) (4) Rice (tons)a c. Danaged:f. (1) junks or sampafle (2) Structures USN material losses:$ a. Destroyed: (1) Surface craft (2) Helicopters b. Damaged: (1) surface craft (2) Helicopters Remarks:

182 28215 a
*26,991

219

0i

5*

71 132 01 0

13 18-n-

81)
1I

a-Informaticti not available or not applicable

-.

0GROU1PI4 Do'wngraded at 3 Year intervals Declassified after 12 years

9DFI~~IL
qi~**'~

CU

NAVAL ADVISORY i GROUP SL".ARY ~,

Fleet Command

The 13 U. S. Navy PCF's that were turned over to the Vietnamese Navy on 31 October in Saigon were delayed in their transit to Qui Nhon by adverse

Sweather.

However,

an 5 Novemberl, along with the turnover of the Coastal Sur-

Sveillance Center at Qui Nhon,, the Vietnamese Navy assumed the responsibilities
for Market Time stations 3CC 3D, 3E, 3F, 3G3 3H, and 3L The PCF's have been

patrolling all these stations with the exceptions of 3E and 3H which have been assigned to CG 21 aw Ce 23. d With the additional seven Market Time stationsu,

Vietnamese ethe a total of 27 stations under their operational control. C have

i The receipt of two more WPB'3 on 17 November was reflected later in the month

rwhen

these two units began Market Time patrols in the 3st

and 3rd Coastal

Zones.

November was 18,011 and 5O284

iespectfully.

The corresponding detainment fig-

ures in November were 17 and zero.

There was a significant reduction in the number of gunfire support missions fired in November in comparison to the figure for October. While 52 NGFS missions

were fired by Fleet Command ships in October, only 28 missions were recorded in November. As in the preceding months, the greatest majority of the fire were designated as harassment and interdiction missions.

support operations

One exception was reported on 10 November when LSIL 328 was called in to render assistance to a VN outpost on the upper Mekong River that was under enenV

**

- .-.-

.-.---...--.

:.

---....

. p.\ .

....

....

. .........-..-.-- ... -,. . .

.,.-..:..'....

A..

\.-..

, ., -.
-: ..

attack.

With t+e LSUh placing devastating. fire in th. area apriuateY

boxder (vicinity or four miles south of the interrnaticnal Caabodia/Vi*taR 61M me" No e VS 200 985), the efoe' attack Was 8oi eztinguished. assesment was made available. *

At the and of three mine.",6ping res ,n

minethe Doag Mai River, the V1NN

"

gear tw ccaduwtor electrical wires sweepere of RAG 91 recovered from their the last, occas.', -Ae We on 22 of 15;0 feet. Cn having a total length Novweber, the vire vas attached to a claymore xine p3xg. operations M the lower LSIL 225 which had been assigned to Sea Float vu approaching an area Ca Vau peninsula in the latter part of the mouth ailes east cAduct a Psyops mission on the mmorning of 28 eovein , tvelvo

"

'

"to

Lo and Bo Do northeast of Nan Can, almost at the intersect&Un of the Cuo v Rivers (IW,201 719),w S. xnan wknoun sizedVC force plosebedJOandU. LSIL. With an almot anti-tank rockets and smll arme an the unmuspecting instantaneou1s response, the LSIL placed a heavy blaunkt of ccztntratel fire Into the VC positions. the LSIL, rde firing runs o Three U.S. Navy 7C1's, tho were accompsn the ambush site while the LSIL cai rn. Although the 1= had beo about in slightlY

r
"

or0or to gain position for anothe

fire, she made a total damged by one U.S. anti-tank rocket and amen arms rwaing the boa up on the of three firing passes at the aiyush site before of a lending party. Almost river bank In order to facilitate the moverent party discovered at the ecact location of the beached LSIL, the laing ..

0 rockets, four B-O a second abandomed ambush site idheh contained six B-40 rocket, five booby laivachre, five how"Aeo laicmhers, cne U.S. anti-tamk

* Ii

93

CO FINEENT1A'

tra

grenades,

,electri

cable,.

wt -

can, _-. -

e .rr" ,-.-.
,-

S-. ............ .....................................................................

..

-nyv

,,a St'

'.,

trap grenades, electric cable, a. single water can, eleven U.S. grenade . launcher adapters and several unfinished dinners. The VNN reaction force,

which landed at the original ambush position via PCF, found large amounts of blood left by the fleeing VC.
*

River Patrol Group

I *

;
and

The 83 PER's assigned to the four River Patrol Groups, RM 51, 52, 53, 54, of TF 212, were actively engagd in river patrols and interdiction
Routine day

operations in the Third and Fourth Riverine areas in November.

and night patrols of the Long Tau shipping channels, the upper Dung Nai

and lower Saigon Rivers, and in the RSSZ vere performed by IM 51 and R" 52, operating from their bases at Cat lai and Nha Be, respectively. Althoouh

"theyexperienced

a generally low level of eneiV activity, there were several On one occasion, RMG

significant incidents of confrontation with the enemy. 351

PBR's engaged three VC in an evading sampan on the Saigon River two -1e

"eastof Saigon

(LS 908 913) on the evening of 24 December.

The VN sailors

* I'

expended

M-16 and M-79 fire in an unsuccessful attempt to intercept the lwon

later In the month on 29 Novembr, EP

51 uncovered a partially subrmged

VAny foot prints

VC sampan eight mdles east of Saigon on the Dong Kai River.

I+]
4

around the sampan and matted grass indicated recent activity in the area.

I
1

"The PBR's

of RPO

54 were equally divided, between operations in the vi cinThe units

ity of YJ Tho and Tran Hung Dao operation on the Vinh To Canal.

assi&ned to Tran Hung Dao were given the task force designator TG 194.4.3.3

and were utilizing the Y1B}-16 located Just east of Chau Doe (WS 142 8i5)

_9'

L
-.-

x.

n r

;
6

as their bas.

he R. 54 PER,s static.edi at my Tho have quickly developed

zr

active patrols or the

Tho and s, rounding rivers . &

d the

tatat.gicall,

.iWQotant.

Cho Gao Canal.

(See discuasien of Tran Hung Dao opoeatims in

-

SEA LORDS Swasary for further details). River Patrol Group 53, which Joined Giant Slingshot foe"e in October, carried out interdicticn and river patrol operations frca the bases at Ben Luc (TO 194.9.0.1) and Tan An (194.9.4.1). (see disoasic of Giant Slingshot Operations in the SEA LORDS Suasary for further details). Coastal Junk Forces

SAt
Ssigned .*

theand of Novezber, there were 226 Junks and 17 rivsenocraft asto the Coastal Junk Groups, including RAG 32, operating In all four Coastal Zmes. There was a slight improvement in the average nmer of craft
*

I
f
-i

that were operatimal and employed in comparison to the correspndingfigUres compiled in October. An average of 176.6 units were operatiaal each day, and an average of 171.7 were eysployed. During the manth, the coastal

_A '"

forces searched 50,348 Junks and 167, 294 people. They detained 70 Jacks and 314 people for further questiming and identificatiw.

SThe Sexception
-4

Firat Coastal Zone general trend of eneT' action was comsidered to be lm level with the

of the period 8-14 November when increased activity was reported in of CO 11. An unusually large nuber of VC ranlied to The usual reaeus the 1a erai", Fjr

the Cua Viet area, hbo

CO 14 located in the CuA Dai River asin.

gave were poor living cenditions and being just plain tirel of fighting. the entire First Coastal Zone, there have been 161 VC fho have rallied to
*

95

1OIFiDEr TIAt

,_ ", :.

,,.

. ,'

.,-

-'.'

..

.'.

..-

'

.-

'. ... *

'

'

--

--

USNINN forces since the beginning of the year. On the afternoon of

5 November,

a lone CG 11 Yabuta junk detained a 28 In her possession

year old girl just southeast of Cua Viet (YD 322 682).

was an oatmeal filled sandbag that also conicealed the location of various medicines. After being questioned, she readily admitted to being a VC

"and said

that she would lead the Vietnamese sailors to a secret bunker Late in the afternoon, a ten man VNN reaction force

hideout in the area.

with USN advisors were led by the girl to the supposed bunker.

After

searching for several hours, the team returned to the CG 11 base, leaving

I
* " -

the secret bunker hideout still

a secret.

Two skimmer boats of CO 14 were carrying out sector operations four rmiles east of the CG14 base on the Ba Ren River (vicinity of BT 135505) on 12 November. A devastating blow was delivered the eneiv as the VN es-

tablished contact with VC simmers, VC in a lane sampan (BT 123 5o7), and
VC personnel that were in an adjacent field (BT 128 510). Fourteen VC

*"

I'

iand

were annihilated and five others along with two AK-47's, 18 grenades, some miscellaneous supplies were taken into custody. Cne VC doctor, two VC corpsmen, and one senior VC petty officer were identified among -

the confirmad dead.

-

j" "
*. 4,
I-

-i
Second Coastal Zone

The six Coastal Groups, 21, 23, 25, 26, 27, and 28, located in the
2nd Coastal Zone performed base defense operations, river and Market Time patrols, as well as Psyops operations which were the focal point of their activity. The Market Time stations 3E and 3H were assigned to CG 21 and

I"

11"
:!-'

S-. :...-. .-. ;

..... :

, - .,

.......-

......-,...-.

.,

.-..--

... ..-...

.-.-.. .-.

.-. ;/

-. . ,." . .....;.... .

..

....

_..

,-.-,.-....

VV -T,

C-

V-7

',-.

Cal23 an 5 Novemer uhen the Qul Nhm Coastal Surveillance Center was turned
over to the Vietnamese.

Although there was a dramatic increase

in.

the number of enemy initiated

incidents In the first two wks of November in the I7- CTZ, the coastal groups vere spared contact. eeav The Naval air facility at Cam Ranh Bay did reBy the third week of the month, the

a mortar attack on 11 November.

nusber of wene

encounters had been reduced to the low level that was re(See Psychological Operations and

corded throughout the previous month.

Civic Action Summary for futher detail).

"Third Coastal Zone

coastal groups of the Third Coastal Zoue,CG's33, 34, 35, and 36, SThe
coastal patrols, vaterborne guard post operations, river and Sconducted PU missions, PSYOPS, base defense and Sea Float operations. The ten units

33, frm COG 35, and 36 that were assigned to Sea Float operations carried out
the majority of their operations on the Cua Lon River. Third Coastal Zone and Co Chien

Sforces also operated on the MA Oiui, Ham Luurg, Rau Giang I?

interlace the RSSZ. The enei

River, and the small Ong Ben and Cua Lap streams, and on the waterways that

high point which bad been anticipated to occur sometime during

the first half of November took place in the nigh, of hich time there was a total of 27 enes ?
-"

3-4 November, during

These actions

attacks by fire.

were restricted almost entirely to indirect small scale attacks to the fire

support bases located in Tay Ninh, Bih Long and Pauoc Long Provinces.

i~9

N6FIDENTIAL

G"OO

"-

.-

"-

--

--

g---=.--.... -j

.:--...

enevhigpon i

As the amth passed by, the intensity O.

ActiVitY "

~gradually

returned to the low levels of October-

sowtheast 1 November 25 nls A CO 34 canal reconnaissance missioon of Ben Tre on. the Rach Eo Loi (IR 762 946) was Interrupted bY a VC B-40.:
rocket that passed close aboard. The CG 34 personnel and U.S. advisors,

S"LT Rowh, LTJG Lilliott, BMC Wekaold

and EN3 Sarpsm, returned and suppressed

.3
Calso

Sthe eneiq fire, killing two VC in the process.

Shortly after midnight an the evening of 7-8 November, a CG 34 Junk ran

I aground on a sand bar just off the coast, 29 miles southeast of

the mouth of the Ba Lai River. 900 100), at S(XS

oTho

The initial efforts to

free the stricken vessel by two other CG 34 junks were xmsuccassful as they went aground. On 11 November, two WFB's, cxe PCF and a chinook hro Attempts to free the junks by the Finall-y

,j.

were at the scene to render assistance.

helo alone and in conjunction with the WPB's and PCF were tried. the afternoon a channel leading to the water had been dug.

W tile the

Sin

tide was cresting, the three junks were towed to deep water by the PCF

54.

2
Swanted
4

Near the end of the month on 29 November, a lune CG 36 jtnk spotted a southwest toward the river bank 26 miles southeast of Can Tho ax junk the lower Bassac River (XR 200 733). When the CU 36 Junk parstted the evad-

Ing craft, seven VC personnel showed their weapons and called oat that they
to surrender. As the CG 36 junk approached the sarpan, ane VC threw The AMN opened fire amaneuvered to clear

uk. a grenade into the CG 36j

the area, two of the three VNN ax the junk had been wounded but seven VC

w~ere kWlled (six probable) and three aemi-automtic weapons, axe grenade,

.........

'1

some amsnition,ai4 the VC sampan were captured.

CO~FIDEliTIRI TII
:.-,:,:..-,..-,...-...........,.-.,.._ ..

..... :.:-

a.'.............-.............-.,.....--....-.-.-.v--

" ,.

-''' .

--

- -

..-

"

... l [

!*,'

Fourth Coasta Zone

In'the Fourth Coastal Zone, the four Vietnamese Coastal Groups, CG 41, M2, 43, and h4, continued to participate In Operation Tran Hung Dao, Market Time operations, base defense, river patrols, logistic lifts missions. and Payaps

The 22 junks assigned to the western sector of Tran Hung Dao were

rotated an the night, single boat, waterborne guardposts from the Ha Tien base such that an average of 13 posts were set each day. Tran Hung Dao in SEA LORDS Summary for further details). (Sea discussion of The remainder of

the operating junks carried out their missions from An Thoi, Hon Tre, and Poulo Panjang. 'he Market Tim stations that the junks were patrolling

this month 8C, 6D, 9C, 9D, 9R, 9P. and 9G, were particularly critical thi south because of the increased indication that the eoezq was going to make a coacerted effort to infiltrate supplies to the U-NIinh Forest and Base Area 93F

via the sea.

Third and Fourth Riverine Areas

Althought the total number of river patrols and aihibioue operations conducted by the RAG's were slightly lower in November, the nvnber of river patrols decreased from 1175 in October to 1067 in November. and the nuwim amphibious operations increased from 2515 in October to 2606 in November. For the past several months the total number of river patrols and aphibions operations of the RAG's has stabilized around of

35500.

A reductic

In river

patrols has generaly been offset by an increase in the number of axphibioaus operations.

."~~~~~~~ ........

~~~~..-......-...-... -. . ...,...-..-_.,-...

.....

_..

. ..
-... -.--

....

_ _...

," . "

a:: InEiTIA&
The river patrols and amphibious operations have been the major c*mitments for the RAG's, however, they have also been employed in logistics lifts, escort duties, Psyops and civic action missions. one company of the 1/50th Regiment, 25th ARVN Division had joined forces with the RAG 22 boats an 2 November five and one half miles south southeast A4.3 of Ben Luc in an area adjacent to the Nhut TaoRiver which feeds into the 'When the RAG boats began to put the troops ashore

,.

Van Co Dong (IS 652 658).

for a sweep to the south, the entire force came under semi-automatic i"pons from an estimated eneV squad that was positioned in bunkers During "" (IS 652 657). "-.

the exchange of fire that followed two ARVN and two VC were killed; five ARVN were wounded; four bunkers were destroyed; 12 RVG's, five B-aO0 rockets, one CKC rifle, one K-5h pistol, 25 kilograms of C-a, six AX-7 azines, one small bag of documents and one sampan were captured. g-

"i
.j "

RAG 22, operating in the Giant Slingshot area, was again involved in enenq acticn an the evening of 13-14 November. An estimated enemy platoon had

attacked the Thu Thua Canal outpost two and one half miles up river from Ben

""

Luc (XS 581 768).

The RAG 22 units were ordered into the

n Luc River In About ome

order to provide security at the Ben Luc District Headquarters.

half hour after the original attack, the RAG boats received one B-laO rocket and small arms fire which wounded two VNN and damaged one ICVP. The VM didI

"-"

return the fire with

unknown

results.

RP.G 24 units, working the Upper Saigcn River with the 5th ARMW Division,

_Lp

conducted an amphibious operation on 25-26 November 1I miles north northwest iOf Saigon (XT 705 213). Three platoons were put ashore for perimeter security
The iollowing morning while the troops searched,

on the evening of 25 November.

-,._.:.-.
--~ -

.. ...- .....-.....

..

..
. -,.^.. ,*._ , - ., _: . . . . - . - _ .-. '..: ,...... ,.,-. .,..,..

Zl

--

-4

-.-

-9;+c2

the RAG's destroyed cue sampan and one bunker. tracted about 0900 and then inserted to the east .platoon sweep.

The ARVX soldiers veto exIT 720 216) for a four.

The RAG boats demolished one mnore bunker and three more -

~tunels
"iunits " "

before picking up the troops and joining other 5th ATM. Division S'

In a blocking operation.
In the Fourth Riverine Area, seven BALG 21/23 were undersra an the morning of 10 November. STam from Deng

After a refueling stop at My Tho, they They remalned there until

proceeded to the operations area east of My The.

the middle of the afternoon vben the boats transited to the Ran Luong Ferry

area (XS 483 298) In order to perform night patrols and security S~landing
l t operations. Around noon of the following day, the RAG unit~s were erauOute thre a iles southeast of Ify Tho + i

%to planned troop extraction rendezvou the

~ ~(XS 193)o 553

The troop boarding took place vithout Incident,,and the am,-1

., -4forceS~phibious about one mile towards My T-he (from Is had traveled

i-i" to

547

206

plaoonevaeep atthe RAG buongterr 3admoihene roswre iesmoreig XS 529 225) vhen they began receiving 75mm, oebikand the rocitet mid 57mm, B-.4O
Sautomatic weaponstunnels~ ptetop bank. ~fire from the ~ ~ ~ S(CCB) an -.... The Co ~~~~~fr t and 3 n ~ onn d pikn co.-micati.iiIo Boat beior te R The UE advisor, CH3C Parsons,
*.

two LCH-6'a took direct bits.

[ ;

,_:

aboard

the SCC,vas . sitting two feet from where the 754 recoiless rifle . . . ...

+:" .. and

rear of the boatj

he sustained no injuries and i~ediately called in artillery7 'With in engine room ablaze In one boat Zan&

helo gunship support.

gaping three foot by three foot square hole In another, the Vietnamese
maneuvered these two units to the beach where they could be saved. After the helo gunship placed strikes Into the eneWW locations, the unfriendly aut-omatic weapons fire became 8110nt 10il the 15 VM and AmV vere being

the_ ourth..--.e.r,-i. e ,., .ea-.

se. en. . . .. -. . ..ere . 1/.3

fro. .

":a

"

he"r"""o-0

ov-er."

Afte a:rfiie+in .-

sto" at -" ."o.,

the,

."'....".

*"

..

-,.

j
I..

three rescue mits froa Nag Tax returned to the stricken vessels and took thens In tow. The crippled CCB dlid not stay in Deng Tax with the other MAG 0

unilts but continued to )Yr Tho In Order to deliver the one Vietnamese sal~w

who was killed An the ski-mish.

.The Viuh log based RAG's 23/31 regularly escorted logistic craft on the

Mang Tht-Nicolai Canal and suppored 9th Am Division operation Chuoag Thm-

I
I

Province along with the RAG's 25/29 homeported at Can Tho.

The RG 26 located

at Long Iven was assigned to the Kien Giang Sector for operatious wvith the 213t ARVN Di'visiai. Cal Len River. This Incinded amaldbious operatiouns out of Kiei An en the

Arpbibious Task Force 211, ktich is ccmpoeed of RAM's 70, 71, 72, 73,

.1

A~,hibious Task Force 211

74, and 75 with the combined assets of 108 riverine crtft, participated In
river paIrols, a Psyop taioms and Interdiction operatias, logistics lifts, and 9nd civic aiticui misicuis.' The 497 river patrols and 1,44l7 amsThibiouia operaticas that they conducted In Noveiber accowrted for the major utili-atiam

of the RAMD's.

The nuer of river patrols was ccmarble to the Octcber fig.

",.-*'-

wre. However, the nmber of amphibious operaticuta dropped by more than 500 missi3i from the October total of 2,010 mssions. The two oldest RAID's, 70 and 71, ATO 211.1, ccatimued to carry out interdicticam 1isims in Giant Slinohot operatins oan the Van Co Dong and Vin

I
-

Co TV Rivers from their respective bases at Tan Art, M3B 194-9.4i.2, and Ban

Luc, CTE 194.9.0.2. Although the RAID's 70 and 71 assets bad their headquarters at Ben Luc and Tan An, their units ware regmlarJY operating out of.

*"

102

" -.-.--

...

o_

o..'.

CONFIOENTIAL
Ben Koo (Tay Ninh), Tra Cut, and Moc Ha. (See discussion of Giant Slingshot

in SEL IMMiS Summry for further details of the operations of RAIDtS 70'and
71).

The AI 211.3, composed of 52 riverie craft of RAID's 72, 74, and* 75, ad the 4ath and 6th infantry Battalionis, VNMC, with their sunpotn rilr

units, agressively pursued the ener

vince. 542)

in .the U-Minh Forest of Kian Giing Pro-

The RAE craft, operating from base locatihops at Tan Bang (VRi996 and Dog Hung (Vcp 621), utilized the Can Gao Canal and coannecting 942 and fire support capability to the

waterways to provide their basic lift Vietnamese Marines.

The Lamching of the enezV winter-spring campaign in the 4th CTZ in the beginning of November was considered to have reached a high point on the night of 6/7 November when 44 individual fire attacks and no ground attacks were reported in the Delta. The previous night of 5/6 November,

there wre 16 in4ividual fire attacks and four ground attacks including

the ene:V assualts against the VM VNIIC forces positioned at Tan Bang
(VR 996 542) and Dong Hung (VR 942 621). The attack at Dong Hung was the
While

scene of the heaviest fighting that the new RAID's had engaged in.

Smand

moored at the ATF 211 coumand post at Dong Hung, the RAID craft and compost came under 82m mortar attack at approaimately 0130. The mortar attack ceased at about 0145 only to resin. power of 6 mortars, B-40/41 rockets at 0300 with the added fireUnder

and 57=d recoiless rifles.

the cover of the heavy barrage of mortar, rocket, and recoiless rifle fire, approidmately two battalions of VC surronded and attacked the command post. Wihen it was imminent that the friendly positions were going to be overrun, the VNKC staff, advisors, and most of the troops of the two companiles of the

lOj
+-" . , o

CO FIDEUTIAI

.'

**, *'.o

..

a-.....--'

' "' .

'6th

infantry Battalion boarded the R&ID boats

the

vast

bank allowing the o

VC forces to destroy the tents, buts, bukers, and commic-tions equipment that the marines were forced to leave behind. AU the R&D boats tra-eled

S~~to
:: ' P."

the east bank.

From this position, they were able to place only

"limited

.fireupon the enexV because of soaw VNMC that stMl remained on the vast bank. rTom the CCB, the friendly forces were able to canl in spooky and

shadow aircraft who were able to respond to the call and remain on station

The VC battalion had inflicted heavy casualties and damage on the VNN/

i ! ! ' "

"

"'I

~VNKC

forces in the isolated incident, but they paid dearly for their efforts. 72 and 74 boats suffered varying degrees of ower. The command post Ma

A total of 19 of the 21 RAI Sengine

rooms could not move under their am

5i

'-84
.,i! {c~ieil

wounded, and three missing.

The two

M advisors to RAID 74, who re. i

minor shrapnel Vouds, MZI Garcz and EMf Stauoer, were z.are fortunate than the tto VnN vho died thehting and 36 other who were wounded. the The VC t reported that 85 vc were knlled in this atack and ensuing actions. werpo d re ecovered: 16 be-i7da bachine on. g therea B-4b/ot rocketl"

tThe follwainge

launchers, and one Chicom There were no V

:d

casualties or damage as a result of the mortar attack n t However, later that mornlyn, RAte 75 boats

f
efr

on Tan ] Bang on the same morning.

k.
-."

S.'.-.-.;. ..

.ate

engaged in 7 H river s e Dd cevdmnoan eneof a19oh while n aaca n Patrol bUe hanl"ons tabr en Tan Bang and o ee Hang (VR 948 610). Three VCdedf.ht.gan .. and eighte c withwere,.... One t tha'te.woV..wo were killed ho founded. w.o.-.ded.........
36....o..........V..N.

.c

watis sli

cetly

wered

sro a e

rocket bit. Th4o

w dd dt e in

htvOr

AID, IETIA L

the~~

VC

siae tbtainsz

atace ,

+-I,

D.AgHugpsitc -

an

4-ba~

V
3evening

of 7/8 Nover-lr.

Following approximately 75 rounds of U2m mortars,

a

"B-AO and B-41 rockets, the VC force mounted successive ground attacks from
the southeast and southwest. The valiant attempts were squelched by the com-

bined efforts of belo gunship, the RAID units, and the VNMC ground forces. VC were eliminated by the friendly forces, but five marines and one STwenty VN sailor lost their lives, and eight marines and two VII sailors received wounds. Major damage was sustained in two of the RAID craft, and a third

[r

sank. As they fled, the VC were careful to pick up the weapons of their fallen comrades. COly one AX-47 was captured.-

The first six weeks of the operations in the U-Mitnh Forost went largely unchallenged. the cAHowever, faced with a continued build up of friedly forces, to wage comn","

had decided, at least in the opening days of Nove;

"parativelylarge scale offensive operations in order to re-e-tablish his hold

Son
f j

the area.

The U-FHinh Forest has consistently been an integral pert of

the nese' plans for the Delta, and the positive effects of the GON accelerated pacification program and friendly offensive operations have detinitely impaired their activities. Because of the extensive battle damage and general material condition of the RAID 72, 74, and 75 units, 15 RAID 72 and 74 boats proceeded to the USS ASKAIU (ARL 30) at Long Xvyen in order to carry cat the required maintenance. _

In order to fill the craft vacancy, ten RAID 73 transited from Thoi Binh
(WR 100 320) to Dong Hung on 9 and 10 November.
V ATG

Their arrival brought about

F4O
210

the realignment of ATG 211.2 to include both RAID's 73 and 75. The relief of 211.3 by AMG 211.2 at DOng Hung on 10 Noveraber was affected since the 15,FIDE

~~~~~O

FO T1I,""

,::.:

.~

-.

";

-.

C119FIOENTIAL
=Majority of the RCMD 72 snd 74 boats hal depae.-6
d"" - o
4

tb "

*-_m ._
"= -

-no ;/z.sp*ous operations mandvateborne grkrdposUvt.rh Vitu~mos Rud"w

resitance. On 13 NtoromAN Roili'ARM .

units t,1roug th reuLa.nder o the jemth met dn

' ]hn ~~s~ DWS Rg r,

;..

M =as ao-rts attack again Vi~th 25; 821s amxa"U der bolos. wa Onez Vstwetn r i ,n b *nr

being f'ired at, the w~~rd post and incoming

adfour mre~ines We~re k~lled, and 13 mrn,.'tesp oe LM adviseor, and

mae VU""
-

were : d . The 6
Ranger Battalic Of its, swuty

on, vM,

asep~t

at TiBang on II& NTovembe.

S~Hoewsy,

of ifting twong mi~nes continu "tbq h rwmeiusws

etr tUs muth Operations iwtoanco Ba 25 Wa offensive BaitLyc In the Ga ina3 or a

Atrot

-.".

-In

bevlng
chtid

ordio to bays the bst utilizatioa to redepl i r a ?3 to th wo bn

at MrD11=t the c

A ofs athe inosnghec.

of the RM craft, it was do-

aeVeams

opieaimes. DOgarea Odt

the Sm 73 mitl pmreeed tauaate Bin awithiati8mor Deng . l)overb, Bata= o in fifts ecnrity Novmb aog ~ to Ca moc at Tan Mrpctonda rofRaner

forman. t of the 10i"d an.td .].

from Tan BJn to a ne iorn

oe aboat );, -ZZ ":"

ten vdle north. noth-us, of D=3 Zm (WR 005; 780) took place o - 2? No-by to Dougeune and &Utquiant was =, 6timfp ot-htr varber. Adt the

V= Hoevh(See w=,e
'! 3I-

c:.-t;.opo
litn s

futbar &)7 o h

do,.ls of AtiO r211.2 ahe AM 211.3 gquati)., fe

og(x Dcae

foertos
TnRn

waiso
-tl"".""u ". -it .

he5hIfnrLtaint
-o...-.".- . . . .-_ - . -.

n2
. . -. ... . . , - . "."

%.

1 .....

-,'L-i.. '.-

4.-"N.

.. " -. .

-i -"v-e'-r.Z.''z.--" ." "- "

. . -.

. . --

. .

...

".at.....n- U RD 13.. i

,d - the e ,- of th ,

.... " :

-""1i

f6

otcraftiT

wa

v.

--.

llL

- -O*.-vlOE-t-

CONFIDENTIAL
"As of 30 Noveber, the Vietnamese NaVY had the following rnunber and
types of craft assigned as indicated:
-

Logistic Ships
Ships

23
41

,Patrol

PCF'a

33

-'

5
1st Coastal Zone Junks 1st Coastal Zone, RAG 32 2nd Coastal Zone Junks 47 17

57 65 57
62

3rd Coastal Zone Junks

4th Coastal Zone Junks 3rd Riverine, rea RAG's Iith Riverine Area RkG's10 Amphibious Task Force 2111

108

"

Task Force 212 (RPG's)2

83
65

"CentralTask Force3
Total

765

I. 1 2.

ATF inclIes RAID's 70, 71, 72, 73, 74 TF 212 includes anl PaR's assigned to RpG's j51, 52, 53, and 54 Central Task Force includes RAD's 27, 81, and 91 0

""
-

-3.
.

I I

9Fg

TA

"

I"l7

S.

-- - -

, ..

_-

- ..

_--

--

- -

-..'.-.--

.--

Oz,.'----. --. EI'

,. -.

-. -' . --.

' . -

..

. ...... .

.......

,-....,..'..

..

.. ..... :....

........-... . . .

....

".......

..-

'

'-..-.;---..,

F.

;,

-.-.

*.*

..

-.-

I :-.

.*.DflFIOUIIIIAlL
Vietnamese iqarlna Corms

] I

iWhile employed exclusively in the III and IT Corps tactical areas, the Vietnamese Marine Corps and their U.S. Marine Corps Advisors aggressively sought out the enaky through t.e utilization of amphibious, heliborne, recennaissance, defense and security operations. The Marine and enem %.

casualty statistics were almost a direct reflection of the activity of the 4th, 5th and 6th Infantry Battalions and their supporting units in the U-Minh Forest. The launching of the eneq's Winter Spring Campaign in the on

Delta was considered to have taken place in the period 5-8 November;

the evening of 5-6 Noveaber, tke VMC Brigade *B" headquarters, two companies of the 6th Infantry Battalion, Battery C of the Artillery Battalion and were subje-ted to a stand

21 RAID 72 and 74 craft at Dong Hung (VR 94 62)

off attack of approximately 500 rounds of 82w mortars and B-4O/41 rockets. This was followed by a ground assault directed against the Brigade CP, which

Svwas S~30

successfully repulsed by the VHKC and M Forces.

The final resuits were: (inc~luding two:: : : '':

vArS es, two P3, and 85 VC V~i 33ed; 88 marines and 38 VN

S.7
. ili

~~USH

advisors) wounded;

ea~vy : dma~ge to the coma~nd post and to the RAID

Scraft;

sixteen AX-47;s, three B-4/41 launchrs and one CHICCOH machiLne Brixade WA A

captured.

The Brigade "AN staff was in a six hour reserve standby status to JGS until 10 Novemer when it departed Saigon to relieve Brigade 'B' located in the U-Nink Forest. Tke Battery "A" of the let Artillery Battalion

Joined the Brigade at Dong Tam. The relievi~ng process was completed oem 12 November .,t Dong Hung (VR 944 620). The Brigade 'A" and Battery "'A

"

"-

utilised the sites vacated by Brigade "B' and Battery "C".

The following

*10

GOHFIBEUlTIAL

--

I.'-""

" -

-" . '"

","

".-

."'. '. " ::- ''.

"-"--"-"-*.

-- - -'-..- ". -- .* . -. -. -. - . -., - *- ..

- *.

11MUIENUIAL
day the command post came under a VC 82m 1 I mortar attack. Twenty-six rounds landed with pinpoint accuracy in the comand post causing 25 casualties among the 4th Battalion, the artillery battery, the brigade staff, and the M. One VNN officer was killed and the USKC artillery advisor, Captain The headquarters functioned

R. Porter, received shrapnel wounds in the face. 1the remainder of the mot sthe

coordinator of the marine units andai

waterborne assets that operated in the area. S~and

i
SThe
- - .,." ., . . .-. .

~Br-i.gade "B"
Brigade OBI staff functioned as the headquarters unit for the VNMC
. . , . .,. . , - .- . . -. . " ., . . .. S. . . . .operating. in .- the .U4in . Forest' . . . . . .. . . . . - ' '

Sunits

_ -~~through " 12. November. ' *- - ' . . - -. , -.

..

After they were . . . . .

relieved by Brigde .Athe

Brigade "B" staff and Battery "CO traveled to -. : . . .. . _ - , . -. ,-: . . . .- " . - ', . : . . . -' .' ' . " . ' . ' . . - . - .' . ' . . . .; Soi (WS 151 007) where they remained overnight before proceeding to SRach

,. .. .

Saigon via Can The.

Leaving Battery "CO at Don& Tan, the Brigade "B"

lead~q~arters on 14 November and assumed previously flled by the Brigade

Headquarters arrived at the VMC S!

six hour alert status to JGS that wa Sthe staff.

S~"A*
st, Infantry Battalion

i i '" "|JG |the

The let lafautry Battalion was assigned a reserve at Cam

one hour alert status as !

Nguyen Van Rho (XS $74 935) for the entire month With returned to its base cm

exception of the period 3r-9 November when it

at Thu Due (IT 922 007) for one week of training and rehabiltation.

j i ""From

2nd Infantry Battalion 1-6 November th. 2nd Inufantry Battalion, stationed at B's Inc I

.-:

(XS 625 ?56), was under the operational control of the Giant Slingshot .09

F,.

...

--

-.

..

"Ccomarder,CTG 1%.9.

From positions to the south and soutkeast of Ben

Iuce (xs 558 834., ZS 553 809, 13 625 736), the 2nd Battalion units sent out platoon sized patrols and nigit squad singe guard posts. Althoug.

I
.:" j
!
* I

"the battalion did. not establish enemr contact during this period, they "uneovered a smal cache on 2 November that contained 100 handmade grendes,
143 rifle grenades and 200 rounde of carbine aiunition (at XS 547 806).

ChangLng operational control to the 5th AlVN Hanger Group on 6 Novelber, the 2nd Battalion movedto a new location. four miles east of Saigon (XS 754 938). There were negative results throuh 10 NIovebIer when the

Battalion was assigned an operational area that stretched from six kilometers west of Saigon to the Vam Co Dong River. In order to facilitate

operations in the area, the Battalion headquarters and one coapany relocated to Fire Support Base Barbara (IS 571 856). The renaining battalion units

were strategically located in the area (IS 704 8945, 1S 875 820MIS 587 826). The 2nd Battalion carried out air mobile operations in conjunction with the U.S. 25th Infantry Division with negative results until 24 Noveaber. After

the 3rd Battalion relieved the 2nd Battalion on 24 November,

the 2nd Battalion

returned to the Thu Due base camp and a six hour alert status under JCS

control 3rd Infantry Battalion

tIron 1-15 November, the

3rd

Infantry Battalion underwent refresher

training at the Van liep National Training Center (IS

* -

400

610).

With the

completion of four weeks of refresher training on 15 November, the Battalion was placed on 6 hour alert as JGS Reserve. The following day they returned

no
.1%

COUIDEl} TIAL
'2"

. ,..... .- .- , ...-..
* -.-_ L ., =" " - : .. '' - "-" . ,, d L -. ' " ." -". .. ". .. \-. .-. ". . -". . -n .:--..-. '.-..--. ,

""

S". . , .

-S

"

.-

*-.

...

'",,,,rn TAfl
to

their Thu Due bass camp.

On 24,November the 3rd Battalion exchanged

4

] ; ::'i.:
.:J

i ative

issions vith the 2nid Battalion and came under the operational control a of the 5th Ranger Group ARVN. The Battalion deployed an average of There vas neg-

eight squad and five platoon sized guardPosts per nightenexV contact for the reminder of the month.

.-

4th Infantry Battalion

the ground elements of ATF 211 in the U-Mtnh Forest in November.

The

P-4. with ]Uht r"sistance on 5 November (vR s73 66). Sunit kilied, one VC was captured and CKC rifle Swere

Five VC

wAd some hand grenades

I "-,",

were taken into custody.

Contact was again established on 6 November

I'

Sresulting ~
-

in ~ n capturn ive

one C adtfrtes VXKC ne and ntand two r" being killedmonth.five marines being gre o fnte

-'.unded.

As a result of the enaW attack an the ATF Headquarters on morningthh 5/6 November,Battalion of 4nfthr two ecopanies were movsd to reinforce the Afe areivdath T21Hanutr

"o--

S". the
A

s~Teur th Ifaotre Batlon er s3Nvm t*a ed in tear nouscap v i aciie aresoeo tOn 13 November en the ATF 211 Headquarters came under 82mBmortarn'
i3' m

security of --- c the

nd post'at Dong Hang on the afternoon of 6 November.

oattack, 4th Battalion took the

aeunder casualties. the

Four of

iwthlgtrsitneo,5Nvme Battalion engaged a VC forcv unt fourth pat

-- '''%'-" '-"''. '..' -'.' .',"-' " ." . "; .': 'v "-" " ".".n. " -"

their men vere kalled and anothe Badttalonded of

. ".. .

VR 902 605t, kiling

. .

(" 7 6)

an aveday, othe t. o of them

... . .

ieV

I. . . . . . ._., _,-. . . .-. .-: , . ..-..-; . :: .:-:-::::: . ::.:.--:. .:.:.: :.:.-...-< :< :
.-.

S*.:

862 718) and one kilogram of documents

nas found on 26 November.

!;iiI "'

!j

-0

O1FIOENTIAL

,-.-

On 30 t.ovember, elements of the battalion found andl destroyed a VC ca*plex consisting of a first aid station, an Infesation -enter and an armory. Two pistols,- one Russian rifle, one shotgun, ten boxes of Tyr, and soe miscellaneous rifle parts -

one PRC 25 radio, three lC5m shell were removed from the VC complex.

5th Infantry Battalon The 5th Infantry Battalion operated as an element of ATF 211 in the
song Ong Doe District of An Xyen Province and In the Ua Sof lien Gin Province in November. An ambuh on the evenin Forest area of 6 Novem:

brfourteen miles west southwest of Ca hn

death of three VCp the capture of one CKC rifle, two mines, ten hand grenades, 500 rounds of small arms antntio, 600 kilogams of rie an)d

Ii

(ft 926

057) ended with the

t ". ::

two kilograzs of documents, and the destructiou of one sampan. I

Ear3y the
L

j
*

fofllwng morning, a marine squad outpost (VR 977 036) um overrun by an unknown sized enemy force after the outpost had been taken under fire with twenty rounds of 60m mortar,. B-40 and B4- rockets. Five marines were

Skilled,

four were wounded, and five 1-161s and one x-79 grenade launcher were taken from the marines. The eneW was not to be spared casualties

as five of their men were killed, one was captured, and twenty B-40 rockets and twelve enemy handigrenades were recovered. Betueen 14 and 17 November, the 5th Battalion concentrated on operations between the western edge of the U-Minh Forest and the Gulf of

Thailand.

On 16 November the marines Joined forces with U.S. Air Cavalry

~forces to kill 41 VC and destroy fifteen samperis on a malfl canal three

and one half miles southwest of Dong Hung (VO893 658).

CONFIOENTIAL

'i-'', - -

7 ,

Minor IncIdents wer -oile

reported during the remainder of the month

the battalion headeuarter3 and two companies occupied defensive{ _and the other companies screened an area up

positions In Dog Hug

to five kilometers around the A"IF command post at Dons }Hung

6th Infantrr Battalion The 6th infantry Battalion supported ATF 211 operations In the U-Minh Forest the entire month of November. Working with U.S. Air

Cavalry units on 3 Nov

053 Hung (TAR 73),

br approxmately

ten Miles southeast of Dong

the combined force killed 22 VC and destroyed tvo Concurrent with the

VC platoon sized base camps and three sampans.

r,---. .--,.. .1i6th

attack an the ATF 211 headquarters at Dong Hung on 6 November, the

4 4*
.-

-- -

4,=

-. -..

- . .- ..

Battalion headquarters at Tan Bang (R

992 544) received fifteen

..-.-

. .".

-.-.

. .

-. ..-.

-.

.j..-.-..

.- -.

-.-.-.

-:

-%-

rounds of 82m

mortars that wunded sixteen marines. security Mission at

SAfter

the 6th Battalion vas relieved of its

S~~Tau Bang by an AMV Sof Sr63stence.

noo . '1 .".in& mornin

Ranger Batta:lon on 14, Novembper, the marines ilnit:ione kilometer

Sated operations to the northvest and the Vest to vithn

the Gul of Thailand.

Bet-seen 16 and 20 November they met with daily

VR3

A strong enemy force

engaged in the middle of the after-

of 17 No'vember and lasted unti.l approximately 0400 the follovin OVR 850 569). Three vere killed and another 22 vere -marnes A sweep of the battle field on the mornone AX-47, three cartridge and fifteen grenades,

ourded in the bloody battle.

of 18 November revealed thirteen dead VC, belts, tenty

"'
.

60mm mortar rounds* one B-40 launcher

. .

CONFIDENTIA

...

".

. . .- . . . . . .

..

.-.-.

:.:

Squad size contacts on t9 November yielded five

VC killed, and

the capturing of one VC, one subaachinegun, two cartridge belts, twelve bandgrenades and one kilogram of documente. Five thousand kilograms

of salt and 57 sampans were also destroyed.

A"During

the rest of the month, the 6th Batthlion had almost daily contact i ".ch ended in casualties and loss of equipment to the enem. - ben the VC attacked one company of marines in night defensive nostions on 23-24 November, they were driven off by the. organic weapons of the marines and U.S. and ViN Air strikes. attack and another three were voundod. Two marines were killed in the The VC lost thirteen men, d "
L.
I-

the use of three home-made rocket launchers, six home-made rocketsp eight B-40 rockets, two belts of 50 caliber machinegun amunition, seventeen grenades and fifteen TNT charges.

The discovery of a fifty bed hospital and emall information center

i.I

ORIii 569) to VR 873 591) on 29 November was another indication of 861 the heavy involvement the VC have in the U-Ninh Forest. Sxmarines . Before the

dest.royed the complex, they recovered ten kilograms of medical supplies, one kilogram of documents, twenty 1.5 volt batteries and a

'IC Flag.

7th Infantry Battalion On I November the 7th Infantry Battalion as formerd under-an

. *

authorized force structure increase.

The Battalion has been located in

the rear area of the VMC Training Center at Thu Duc where training and

further organization are being implemented. ember

The unit strngth on I Now-

vas 692 men including 33 officers, 80 NCO'a and 579 men.

". I
_.._-__. _. _. _.

.....
, . .. _ . .. .. . . .. .. ... ..

3-

I..:. ...

__-___._.:._........._. . . . . ... ..

-. w

"

--

..- ,'.

.".,

*-..

..

-i.

New battalion. has Iadition to training and orgaisation. t," ucasents of the two been maiming security outposts and escorting the two brigade headonarters and artillery BatterisAadCt Saigon 13t and 2nd ArtillerY Battalimfli n r

1-

jj

OperationEmployment of the artillery batteries :Is included in the

Control summary that follow-s

_-.I.-"-"--".-"-". . .

"". . . . . "." . . .-".". .-"-. ,".-'-", -"-"-"..- ,,.":;.-"-"--- . ,"-. ."- ,".L"-'
-.

0-I

u..

-.

7,

"4

ax.

F- M
91 to0 -

to 03
r.

toU
r.

)
:

;
a0

1; ;
9 c

0
a t

E-.EC 13S
4 0

-t 67
0-

*v

00

2.

Q000 , Ac

C-4 0

SX

*t:

0-' C-'j 1cia~ 0N :Dl" C4 -C ddC p Cd C-4

N"--j1

jjg

000

0 0

000

IM

ca

oh

02eve Q.

it
to.O .** .***-'--.----*-.*--*,~ *

C*.
1

.,'=Il

.............

VNN/VNC STATISTICAL SU1.1

II h.8 ohh.22 h,2

VIEMNAnSE NAM COASTALJ

iI~II

Searched Daily AveragPeople M1 Junks FORCE--58,777 47.7 114,829 I 149.8J 414,722 40.14 1~44722 1428 28,180 8,180 46.1 46.4 IIn 3561 37.5 1157 IV 37.6 1 0,3 Sub_-totals
1,530 23.3 26.3 4 17.41. 29.Sub-totals: ,?.: 20 127.4 71.9 7,100 3,390 7,071

Dta:e Pcl Jns 22 5

LT

121 5
1

311 0 0

*FLEET COMMUD
PATROL-SHIPS

WPBs/PCF's
!I
RIVERM

109140 i 39,200
8,409 31,132

0 0 "1-7T o
0

,1
0

AREA. 0 0 0 70 0
0

RIVER AgSSALT GROUPS 134.3 72.5 TF 211

TF 212

78.5

65.8 o40.0

9,601 0

#CENTRAL TaxsFORCE

4o4.0

0
331

STOTALS:
VIENMWEE MARIN CORPS:
KIA

75,523

264,o54

(ro~tgh

27 Noveirber
33 " Suspects detalng.dn.ZL..

j
""

VC/TVA: VNMC:

j.2 _

Captured WI, I-,r sport

KIAMIA
28 "

,
m

. 191k
issims.

I*Provided

Hoi Chanh:

"#Includes RAG

27 ard RIRO

IM
.1.-

:"

.\,. ....

.-. , .;:

,-. j':',",."-,,,,,-"

,-

,.

,-,

. - ',

..- .,-

N ...

* .'.-

.'

. -

--

*~

-~

z-

~-0

.o

to"MI

A i

PSY

CAL

7.,RATICHS SWH.AR! i)CIVIC ACTION

and VNM forces. Although this WVA In Noveaber 36 VC rallied to US1 did not who chien boid in October, it considerably more than the nineteon experienced in Ju3y. surpass the record high Of 208 Ho' Chanh that was W*1 River Basin of 1 CTZ NvCoastal Group 34A located in the Cut NThe living conditions one half of the ralliers. Poor accounted for approxim&teWJ this were relatively common reason "and lack of interest in the fighting rallying to the government. particular Roi Chanh gave for IW)CAP'. In the Danang area 8,213 yietnamee received medic aid from The dental facilities at team-s and mobile vie the NAVSPPACT facilities the MSAD station hbspit " and a Cap Tien She treated total of 389 Vietnese dental patients. Another 463 Vietnmaese were the recipients of
3

1A and outlying lSA detachments. The dental aid from the mobile teaWs to 22 schools, three orphanagesP Danang rendered civic ktction assistance One of institutiOns during the month. three dispensaries and 42 separate onStraction is a two story, six room the special projects that is under .Ie of ihuong NWia. Most of the mamCatholic school in the nearby v of the local beirg provided by the ame~ers power for this project are parish. Construction Battalion accounted for evacuations 1nc'1~ding fourteen emergency 2,840 medical/dental treatments teams reported that they 1ad completed and two curgical cases. The Sesbee three one school, two housing projects, 38 projects in November, including one buildings, one medical facility, warehouses, five bridges, six public Elements of the Third XMa

us FtBIDEUTIAL
... . ... .4

. ... .... -..- ,...-:.- ,...-

.. .-.

.-- _ .- ,-

.. ..- ,:...

.-

.:

. . . ... . .....

..- ....

],_--.,____.,

.- .--.-

.-.

othe

miclaeu

proet

Th -

Sebe

em013bae

otsero

iseellane onc roecte.

Th Seabee Team 0

103, boated in Gi DihPovic

northeast of Saiipn (XT 933 001), completed work on the 8 meter X 23 meter soncrete block building that was utilized as a 200-man galley by the Youth Services of Thu Doc.
-~

The Vinh iKy electrical system (Wa 661 229) which

consists of a 30 KW generator an4 a three wire electrical distribution

system with 51 street lights was completed by Sea4bee 0811 'working out of

]
-1

the city of Eac Lieu (WR 813 275).

Seabee Team 08U1 also campleted a

~three room 10 motor X meter plastered block recovery room for the Bas 14
Lieu Province Hospital
A 'very unusual PSYCRS operation involved CIKU-302 at Cam Ranh Bay on 4 November. Xid-day a large whale carcass estimated to weigh four tons p.

..

-j
*

~had washed ashore on the beach .at the U.S. Naval Communicationsi Station,
Cam Ranh Bay. "The large whale had been dead seven to ten days and the A request was made and approved to remove

after section was all but gome.

the carcass from the beach and bury it in the Vietnamese village of Cam Rah Th Sete arie at -the beach with bulldozers, front loaders,

~dump tracks and plenty of manpower.

About thirty Vietnamese 'villagers and

sailors from the support facility and the commnications station we.-,%also on hand. After fighting the pounding surf for three hours, the carcass was

loaded into trucks which the villagers draped with red bunting for the eight mile trip to the village. * TM whale was buried during a solemn

religious ceremony which was attended by the entire village and the Seabees. 119

COM BENnruIAL

1' A

e z

It.

isudrto

itaee

ihra

osie

ahn

exeddto recoverstaodturyt . i thefrs

Vietnamese fishermancnie

toe shingh

the whale will conduct burial ceremonies and will celebrate the day of finding once each year for three years in order that the fisherman from the village will prosper and have bountiful fishing. The Riverine Strike Group PSYOPS team and RAD 152 medical personnel

I
*Doug

~carried out a )MGAP on 3 November thirteen miles south of Saigon in the

Binh Village (X5 887 685). p and The local village chief was very cooperative

rane fo

adqaelcto and

o h prtionth While the medical

-1~newspaprs,

.1paste
3

andmedical sanpplies, the PSI(PS personnel distributed Pamphlets,

cook books and children's story books. Pschoogicl Oeratonspersnne in he SSZplaced continued emphasis

on te M esDMCAS, dopsandpro-ecodedleudspeaker broadeafet cass.A POPSwa cupate tanar utiizig o 1 NoemerbyTG 1. personnel

hlo or aUSASlik ranporatin.

toalof 75,000 mixed

IRS
j

FSTPS eafetswer ito drppd

uspcte ennylocations in the northern

,

(TS l1O 740 and YS8160 760).

Onie of the weekly MEDCAPS regularly planned by the Clearwater forces

~was conduicted on 18 November in the village of Vinh Thanh (YD 982 185).
H111 Montgomery assisted by the PBR crews and VNN ACTOV trainees treated 150 children and adults. including Various items and Pamphlets were distributed

75 bars of soap, 50 packages of tobacco, 25 boxes of book

.-.

....:.

-**,

- --

:.!

1PI

_,,,.,. -.

matches, 30 magazines, 50 anti-VC and 25 pro-GVN leaflets, and 100-. medical leaflets. A U5.1 Sea Tiger operation south of Danang (vicinity BT 180 543 TG to 158 524) featured loudspeaker PSYC25 broadcasts in areas where recent

"VC have

rallied.

Some of the more interesting PSY(PS tapes were entitled

"who are your enemies?", "Hanoi has abandoned your cause", and "come home to your family that fears you will die." At one point in the patrol two However, the tapes

"males were

sighted inland wearing civilian clothes.

crew member were not sufficient and a personal coercement by the ONH inducement for the men to close to the PIF. At Operation Sea Float/Solid Anchor near Old ?am Can City on the lower Ca Kau Peninsula the pacification effort made noteworthy progress in November. On 3 November the ground work was laid at the annex for a new

andlarer chol.Theoldscholhas bendivided for ueasacho

by the VW PSYOPS team and as a check point for all people traveling in the

1
A[
4121

area.
In order to improve the operation of the comminity the MaM Can District Chief has provided a temporary hamlet chief who well serve in that capacity until the resettles can organize their hamlet and hold elections.

Ten additional BF troops arrived at the annex on 13 November.

Along"L

with their weapons, they brought concertina, barbed wire and steel posts for the construction of an outpost (vicinity WQ 072 702). A Revolutionary

Development Team finished construction of a email pier at the annex on

i[

CONtFIDIENTIAL

_*'_' .

.'-.-.-.....

...

.......

-..x.

.. ,_.-,....*-....-*--,,.-.-..-

.- .-

- .

- .

..-.

-.

..-.

.-

"L "

1--

;-*--,

--

-..
. --

--.--

15 Nowsiber.

The log pier will accomodate the OEN YABUTA Junks and

the wood cutter sampans. Beginning on 17 November, in addition to the normal Sea Float annex

"

a Sea Float annex east was established on a temporary basis at the Junction of the Cua Lon, Bo De and Dam Doi Rivers (Wq 213 719). It is hoped that

the indigenous people of the surrounding areas will respond as entkaiastically as the people have at the original annex. The following is a comparison of the statistics of the no-fire zone

'I "*

for the last four months:

Date No. Houses Wo. Sa~mn Stable Population Transient Population

30 Ag 24 Sep 28 Oct
A

25 110 401 703

78?

1w0 226 540 775 780

16050 660 2,406

4,218

798 1,620
2,325

U oy n 1NoT is

4,704

2,340

The present total population of approximately 7,000 people represents

about 23% of the N)a Can District population and has raised the total population of the Sea Float area of operation from approximately 5,000 to *
-*

about L2,00.

This has increased the percentage of the residents under

in"

direct gun protection of Sea Float forces from 45% in October to 58

November.

112
A o

S.........

'

--

.-

.............-.-............-..-............... " - .-

"...." ."... .'.......

...

. .

. "

~---

---------------------------------25 ... SE 26

ACTIO

CIVC

CTON

TAISICA 26

S-0AR

SE?232,2OC GG CVIC

t OF VOLUTARY CalT4BERN~f-AS* PROJECTIVTIS ACTT"

E CIVI Y

FUNT

j
I4

A t O F WSPLE TIUT C~~~~oShe P~~ROJCSXii$ ACTION

1IIAX

REORE

II

!,.3,F

OMateria PRW U.~~~~~~~a MuatrJ-l social welfare Trarisportaticfl33 2W

_ _ __,6W

gnis________ SDcvlinalylal 3

1INSTITMIS
t
*One

Refugee

ASSE
*

~Schools.
Orpbanages HOSPitals/Dispeflsarles Others

ymn-nay equals cne ten bour workding day

-f-~*4

I12

-No

5*-)..
T I

-'9..

*~:L

-:

IL

r'~.

As part of the U. S. Coast Guard's SCATTCH (Small Craft Assets, Training, and Turnover of Resources) program, -. IR:2 mese cc-unterpart, Do Tn, in the use of a fie drill. cFadcien imtructs his Vietnahr-e d.-;ing a shipboard fire

................

-2i

I4%
f
j
-,-z

--

-N%

116

TA--111,r

ACCLEA

TURNOVER PR'RAM 0Z TRAINING SUIO.AJI!

The turnover of thirteen PCF's to the Vietnamese Navy on 31 October was followed by the turnover of the Coastal Surveillance Center at. Q.Nhon, the reporting facility for the Market Time stations which the now

S+,1
[ I.1
["
+.

Vietnmuese PCF's are patrolling. Although Vice Admiral X. R. Zuwnalt, Jr., Commander U.S. Naval Forces,
Vietnam and Commodore Iran Van Chon, Chief of Naval Operations, Vietnumese Navy had planned to be present at the cermony which was held on 5 Novemher at Quu Nhon, they were forced to remain in the air because unsatisfactory The two officials -.

weather conditions prevented their plane from landing.

of their respective governments maintained voice cowaenications with the ceremony site and siged the official transfer docements while circling
Qui Nhon.

f
]

This was the second coastal surveillance center that has been turned over to the Vietnamese. The center at An Thoi has been operated by the

.Vietnamese Navy since June 1969. The US3 .advisory staff at Qui Nhon including the repair facility, the surveillance center, and the PCF rlderos presently numbers approximately 40 men. There were three turnover ceremnies of waterborne assets in November.

0
.".'"

"*1

On the morning of 7 November, a brief ceremony wa held in order to officially transfer two LCM-8's to the Vietnamese Navy. This was the . _
.'-

:1

~~~third turnover of logistic craft at Danang this year. In August, oze LCU "w"z transferred to the VRN, and in October, four LQ.4's were sig:ed o*ver
to the Vietnamese Navy.

.....----.-.... ...........................................-..........

"..

ItI

Two more U.S. Coast Caar4L WPB's were transferred to the Vietmewse Navy during separate ceremonies at Ianang and at Cat Lo. On 11 oveser

at the Small Craft Repair Faci:2.tiy in Danang, Captain Ralph W. Mess, Commander U.S. Coast Guard Activities Vietnam, and Captain Nguyen Van Thong, Comaarder First Coastal Zone, Vietnamese Navy, signed the official documents which transferred the POIhf GA)4M0N to the Vietnamesee Navy. In preparation for this turnover, the POIDt GAIQION, designated SCATIVR 4

['
7.

j
1

which identified it as the fourth WPB to commence the progrsa,

gradmell3y

~integrated the VNN sailors into the WPB operations until the entire crew
was manned by the VNH with the exception of the captain. When the uait became a M11 asset, the VNN prospective commanding officers who had been as executive officer, was put. in cosmand.

-:serving

.1

In a siwilar ceremony at the Cat la Naval aipport Activity Detachment on 17 Kova~ber, the USCG hIB POINT CCEFCRT, which bad been labeled as SCATTM 5, was turned ever to the Vietnamese Wavy. Captain Ralph W. Nises

tagain
*

represented the U.S. Swarner4nt, and Cor-dore Tran Van Chou, Chief of Naval Operations, Vietnamse Navy accepted the vessel on behalf of the Vietnamese. Simse the implementation of the SCA1TCM Program, there have beem five WPB's added to the Vietnamese Navy.

The following is a recapitulationi

Zone Op

of .11 the WPB's that have been turned over. ITO Date USG Mme SCAOR lie ~Coastal 1 16 rAy 69 POIL'GA2R1 HQ 700
___

In

in &IT

16XMy 69

P&NTITLEAGUE

HQ 701

4ITII

; '-.

."3 45

15 Sep 69 1 Nov 69 17 Now 69

Pay

CI

HQ 702

Iin

& IT

-'--

PTPOINTr

.oi CoKFxoW

HQ 703HQ 704 1in IT -!,",

C -.--. -, '-.

SSTART
' "!

personnel were able to focus their attention in the miestones yet

~~~~~~of

the first turnover crws i

anticipated to eliminate UMn

previous'~:_..'-:+ As of 25 -':-.

problems and to result in a maxmm training effort realized.

Sle~~Nvember, ~~~~have Sthe

there wer 215 M trainees in vari~ous stages of on-the-job Thirty-four of these trainees In order to sol,,dil.:.2'2"' +

training at the PCIP bases throughout Vietnam. .

successfullyr completed the course of instruction.

chain of cozznd swng the trainees after the forw~tion of the IO PCF orders to each.

crews, the respective M Coastal Zone commanders are ising

!i!
.i J

~~trainee specificall a331gdngr his to a VK proapecti.o OinC. Both the ~ ~~~trainee ~~~of
and the 0inC are being notified that the VO OiWC is clearly.''.._a.

'"'

resonsiblefo rdic
the trainee. un ainthor-s i-"

rc lt
of -'.-dp"and "

The practice of docktmg of VO trainee pay for JJmtanm

abanes and missig patrols has been unvral successful in deterring such diescip].~lnz7 problem.

~ ~~has provea
3

FOT FIVE reported at the and of the l5A sat o sfacetory

su1ner.

that the PM Ionth O of the SEA LORDS pe

a

'""

I
j.

II
"-

trthining was proceeding in Operation C tris--'eh---

HIA
t

:::'

K: *

wzdere, aeben 194.2 ntfedtatte---,iO CTG on the Song OnA Doi, the ilaesos te sclal

Stroinib

S . . . ., ,,. -. . I-,

ontrl, tainng pogrss, nd U.S Pttrol eplinry pro-p wherdbyponse~frdliaieon officer. an off duth oera-.wefar the M NOffvcer, ant vera25 tra in ees aboat andari o ns p.y.fr i.,.-ess.ef. v practic.of,-ocing.of,,-traine tragnes g sesson un.uthori.ed-as-e -and

. ,.' .'... ..' ., , ,-.. . . ., ""sprv-"ucesu

in deern -"h

missng-patrolsha.bee-,unive,-,ly.a.o.t...a

suc "-

isciplinary:.-

pr'-obl--e-'s.-.-..-.-..-.--..-----oh t e

.' ..

th

bs

tn

hy

r.r

ech afternoon prior to sending the trainees out on patrol.

The problM.

of infrequent or total lack of pay for the VNN trainees appear to have been solved and has contributed in a positive manner to the morale and the performance of the men. The guidance of the VVN PBR Commander C TF 212

"hasincreased

the effectiveness of the VNM liaison officer.

Since the majority of the river assault craft that are administratively assigned to TF 194-.7, are wnder the operational control of other comrs3 the continued success of the RAC ACTOr training rested heavily on the onseem commanders. Each cmander has been directed to devote the '/"

equivalent of one day per week to each RAC and his control for training. The program to be carried out for the remainder of ths RAC to be turned over has been divided into three phases. The first phase will stress The

1!

individual s3ki development and completion of the pactical factors.

~second phase is designed to organize the trainees into three man boat craew
idth their assigents based on the aptitude they demonstrated during the initial phase and to comence training as boat crew. The final phase will

complete the boat crew and stress group tactics with emphasis on battle

probleas. Captain R. I. Finke, ACOS for Commnication,represented Vice Admiral Zuetalt, Chief Naval Advisory Croupat the ACTOa Communications school

j *f
j

graduation coremy hebld at the U.S. Naval Co=mnications Station Cam

Dank Bay on 20 November.

Along with a short address Captain Finks presented

gradnation certificates to the VIDI officers who had successfully completed

the eight week basic coonications officer course and to the VNU enlisted

COHFIDEHTIAL .-

I
-. . . . . - .
---

. -.-

-.- ----- 5~~ _--...

*.-:-. .. . . .. . . . -.-

. . .

. .- 5 -..

::

-'7

2--7

77M.""7

-.-

-b

e bad satisfactorily coploted an eight week enlisted camuicatioes

operators curriculum and the eight week teletype repair course. At the end of the month, there were 1870 VXV personnel participating

In craft maintenance training.

This represents 35.0% of the projected

"need. There mer 128 YEN personnel undergoing supply training and a total
of 284 MI have already been phased into varloue spaces in the VU logistic
spport organizatio-.

The first of 40 logistic installations was turned over to the

I
"I

Vietnamese Navy on 29 November at the ]Yr Tho Naval Base.

The turnover

of the Navy logistic support has been an integral part of the overall ACM", program. At the end of-the montb construction was in progress at nine of

the bases and at one of the ATSB's planned for turnover to the VNW

S[

:13

4
P frrrsw-

S"

* 7

*
*Detachments

~NAVAL SUPPOI T ACTIVITY SU1PMARY

of the Naval Support. Ac-ivity Saigon reported numerous ene attacks during ths month of November. The Naval Support Activity There

*at

My Tho received thras rocket/mortar attacks during November. were no casualties or damage reported. in gs of enewy sapper swimmers.

It Tho also reported two sight--

In each case the swinmer disappeared NSA Dong Toan reported four rocket/

when concussion grenades were used. ."

mortar attacks uith no casualties and only minor damage to buildinT-1055 and to Basin Street. On 30 November ATSB Go Dau Ha experienced It was believed the result of a One USN
vas

I
j

an explosion on its northern Aimi.

possible sepper attack or fMoating mine. tw,

injured, mnd

60 W" generators were damaged beyond repair.

One generator Vas The shelter roof

blown over the side and one reefer unit was damaged. over the reefers wae badly damged.

The Asi pontoon had one copart-

ment completely destroyed, while the main deck was buckled transversely "
--

:in i

three locations at approxi=tely 20 feet apart. Peksonnel were lost in separate ocassions vhen a Boston Vfler from Phouc Khanh enroute was swaxped and overturned by a large vave resulting in one ARM kXrrant Officer missing and presumed dead by

-.

Sdrowning.

A VNM sailor vas carried away by a swift current vhile vorking on a PER moored at NSA) W no. dead by drowng. The VmN sailor vas missing and presumed
USN

The USS MZi-WAH (APB-35) reported one

missing.

4.1 -I *SThe

The man i

believed to have fallen overboard.

An extensive search

provided no results. NAVSUPPACT Detachment The, the first major U.S. Naval SupporA 3" t

A 'I

.-

S _

...

-.. .

. . *. * ._

_.

- .-

.,..

-.

.-.

..

--

*~

...

. * ....".-.:-'

-.-

'

Activity in the Republic of Vietnam, was turned over to the Vietnamese Navy in a ceremony on 29 November. CAPT W.L. Siple, COMNAVSUPPACT,

turned the tase over to CAPT Nguyen Van Lich, Commander VNN logistics Support Com~mand, in a ceremony at the base which is located 45 miles southwest of Saigon. Support Wy Tho will now become a Vietnamese Navy Iogistical

Base f or units operating in the Operation Game Warden region

on the Ky Tho and Mekong Rivers in the Yekong Delta. * I In a civic action project, Naval Support Activity Saigon Seabees rebuilt a damaged Vietnamese home nearV'ha Be after it had received a direct hit from a 1O7mm rocket. *The r innel status as

of 31 October (including NAVSUPPFAC Can

RAhn Bay and all assigned craft) included 165 officers, 2;975 enlisted
-

men, and 998 civilians.

AThe

Naval Support Activity Detachments of Saigon's craft accounted 9,476 short tons of surface cargo, 2yi43 measurement tons of ammunition, 716,025 gallons of water, and 213 passengers hauled during November.

jfor
4

1:4 I
j
I

Naval Support Activity Detachmenta' craft assets were deployed to

~various locations: The 1153 MARK (AKL.-12), USS BRUIX (AKI,-28), UFR-890, ~Y786S: the 100 foot utility boa-ts, MOROCCO and HONDEO, and an available LCM-8 provided routi: -s resupply throughout the Mekong Delta. The USS MONMOUJTH COUNTY (LST-1032) relieved the USS LUJZR1 902) as resupply IS? on 22 November. COUNTY (1,ST-

The APL-30 is scheduled to join 2h APL-26 andl APIP-27

APL-26 and APL-27 as soon as berths a"e availablie.

~:. . 33 1

C~ JE IA

. -.-.

..

,-'- .. x:-

-... .

provided additional berthing facilities in support of the ACTOV Pro rm.. The USS KRISNA (ARL-38) departed RVN for RAV Yokosuka =n 6 :ovember.

The USS ASKARI (API,-30) returned from RAV on 4 November and presentl. is at Long Xnyen. Slingshot. The USS SPHINX (ARL-24) provided services for Giant

The USS SATYR (ARL-23) is off the west coast of the Repab-

,I.

'lic

of Vietnam in the vicinity of Song Ong Dec -hile the USS TUTIJA (ARG-4) :Ls repairing PCF's at An Thoi. During the month of November, the detachments were engaged in the

following activities:

SCam
'

Rahn Bay:

The ammi drydock is on site and construction of the concrete block plant at NAF is umderwW.

Ah Taoi:

The ACTOV construction program is underway by the 3rd Naval Construction Bataflion.

Cat Lo/,ung Tau: -"percent .

The construction of a boat complete.

repair building is 50

This includes construction of

security fence and lighting around Vung Tau axwo storage point and the r epair of security fence ,

1
Dong Tam:

and lighting at the Navy Liaison Division. The water distribution is 99 percent compIete and

awaiting pump parts.* The upgrade of ashore facilities for 194.7 is underway and the upgrade of

I
Binh Thuy:
Saigon:

Army facilities for

hIN occupancy is also underway.

The galley and a forty-man BO_is complet.7

The construction of a special warfare group building at NAVFORV is 95 percent complete.

j3
r-. 1
L.-i- ---.. -

CONFIDENTIAL

.' -': ...

.: -

'AL

-i--

"

,-

Go Dau Ha:

The construction of a new galley Aimi is a&%iting arrival of the Ammi. Base layout revamping is

underway.
Seafleat: The construction for operation Solid Anchor us
.s

underway, and operation SEAFIDAT, a mobile support

"base anchored

in the Cua Won River of the Ca Mau

peninsula is being =oved ashore. Phu Cuong: " A Ha Tien: The phase 2 construction is ccmplete.The ACTOV construction of helo pads is complete and the construction of NOC is underway. During the month of November, the USS TUTUIIA (ARG-4.); NAVSUPPFAC

] .

I
SzzI;
.

Cam Ranh Bay; NAVSUPPACT Detachments Qui Khan; An Thoi; and Cat Il all provided repair support to Task Force 115 (Market Time). The

NAVSUPkCT Detachments Nha Be; Bin Thuy; and Ben Thc; P3R Mobile Base

uR..w, YRR-20; Y,.Q.; USS HAxRN C

CARRETr COUNTY (LST-86)

(L T-821 ), and U~SSi

all provided repair support to Tnzk Force 116

J
..

{I

(Game Warden).

Task Force 1% was supported by the USS SATYR (ARL-23),

USS SPHiX (ARL-24) USS ASK.

(ARL-38),

YRBM-17, and NSAD Dong Tax.

The overall effectiveness of the general supply operations of NSA Detachments in fulfill-ing their role of supplying the operational forces

S~-i

j
4

has been tabulated at 66 percent gross effectiveness and 77 percent net effectiveness. A total of 16,340 orders were issued and 1,115 back A total of 24,806 operational demands vere pro-

orders were released. toessed.

t
135

g FIDEUTIAL

-~IZ

Z.*

I.-

+.

.-

-..

+.

'p

j.

A.

--

--

'-a 7

Support from the Army depot at Uong Binh during November was 52 percent as compared with 53 percent in October and 10 percent in September.
_ __

The training support of Vietnamese personnel for the month of November was as follows: Location IMN PERS TYPE TRAINING

An Thoi

52

PCF Crew

]Nha

Y. Tho

49
39
20 2

OJT/CMS

Be
Qtu Nhon

OJT/CMS
PR Crew OJT/CMS

Ben 1xc.4
SaDoec
6

9
2
21.

OJT;='
OJT/CMS
PB Crew

.-

F+IR-1

Binh Thu

37

48

PBR Crew
OJT/CIAS PBR Crew

cat 19o
R 20

40

11

Dong Tan

24
20

OJT/CFS
PCF Crew

i
"I

COHNFIDENTIAL

f4

"

.--

r-r NAVAL SUPPORT

Cargo operations for the month of November- were severely hmpers4 by adverse weather conditions throughout the I Corps Tactical Force. Current rates of -retrograde cargo generation suggested a satisfactory export situation during December. As the I CTZ is currently receiving the

"effectsof

the monsoon season, the conditions and their effect on cargo CONUS shipping projections indicate

operations are unpredictable.

substantially the same level of iumport activity in Deceaber as was experienced . during November. The VX railroad spur through bridge ramp cargo facility

has been cleared; however, the staging area near the spar line at Phu BA was not cmpleated. In view of this situation there uill be a delay in

cargo offering for the VHRS rail system.

A summary of port operations

during November follows:

Off-I"ad Bacicoad Throu ut

Danang
Chu Lai

136,222
19,962

264,938
42,121

63,805
6,890

132,M28
22,171

200,027
26,852

397,066
64,292

Dong Ha/"ie Viet Hue/Tan NY

5,845 14,537 1,150

10,061 23,148 1,730

10,739 3,577 115

35,442 12,448 413

16,584 18,114 1,265

45,503 35,596 2,143

"Sa Huynh

SOpratiorm
"weather. ".operatons
tions.

were halted for 14 days during Noveer due to unfavorable

On 4 November the cargo barge LO 702 grounded in the vicinity of Silvage

buoy 1 at Tan My after a towline to the tug DIAMOND BAT parted. havs bee

unsuccesful due to weather and other priority opera-.

An I-8

and UDT 12 Dot ECHO was provided on 23 Novemer to ombark

""i

138

O FIEJIIj ER

"

":......

COiMFIOFWCTIA!.

4
1to

.1..-.

UMC and ARYi troops vicinity Worth Point DanAng and transported th1 the Lien Chieu Faso Depot. On 27-28 No`inber, the SS GOLtUGM KOUVAi-

was taken in tcy by the USS RECLUAMER (ARS 42) answering a call for assistance. The GODzI ,OUNIT Danang. had experie ad engineering ant fl oding caIs Ities e ut.

-* -.

In addition to normal coastal operations the following IYFU/LCU's

..

were comitted to Keystone Cardinal Operations during the month: Unit III 1-9 NoT 21 TIU/TU

Unit IV
*UDuring

13--30 NOT

29 7PU,/JCU
"

Noveaber, LQ( 8/6'1

conducted 195 harbor shuttlee carrying

181 short tons of cargo and made amphibious beachings along the I CTZ coast

carrying 2,509 short tons.

A significant increase in hull daLaW*

to LCU/

MFU craft has occurred in conjunction with Keystone CardAsal operations. In one case, U-58 hull damage was such that the craft is no longer suitable

for cargo operations until extensive repairs have bein made. The coambined gross effectiVansos for supply danans remained the ease

as during October at Danang and Chu Iai with 92 percent and a not effectiveness of 95 percent. The overall Class I supply situation remined good.

Thcre were 16 days of supply of A rations on hand and 9,102,036 C ration meals on hand and another 5,233,164 C ration meals due in.

PFzo1 isZues in the I Corps Tactical Zone in 15ovember decreased from

the Oc-tober rate of 1,578,000 gallons per day to 1,563,000 Lmllons per day.

Wezthor has ccaosd Sea I*od Lines at ChuTAi and Tan N7to be down Mch of the mnth. The TOG-76 was mined at OCa Viet on 13 NwcEr and was replaced
by rG-56 on

14, Zovaber.

139

.FIEflTIAL

- .*.-..-.-_-- . - . . ..-.-.. . . . .. . . .

. .

. . . ..

.-.

*..-.

.7

The personnel status for the Naval Support Activity, Danang at the
<

~ad of November: ' "::Allowance Officer 436

R-71. Total 48

E~nlisted 9,002 ;

SNSA.

89
9,091-

S~There

were seven officer and 115 enlisted personnel assigned to TComaener asnnel sttu s for various projects. There were 859 Persons

performing base security duties and 131 persons perforsing afloat security during the monthd Eghteen persons extended their tours during Novembero

Skbringin

the total for

1969 to 1W3 . The following numbers of personnel

were performing cargo handling duties during November: Hatch Teams Harap Team 278 149
L

Checkers Admin Support

Fleet Air Support Total

152

173
42 794

There were a total of 165,664 military personnel in the I CTZ during November supported by the Naval Support Activity, lanang.

The dredge DAVISON removed 345,677 cubic meters from the entrance channel at Tan My and the dredge SANDCASTE
the Perfme River.

dredged 28,508 cubic meters in

At Cua Vi6t the dredge SdE.MUASTER returned on station

.'o 140

E7 $
S

--; '. ' . . -' . -; . -.. ,' -:.. . - -.. . . .' -_. -- '.~2 : .. ".''--

.-. -. .- . .- "- .

.- .- .- .- . - *--\ .- .'."-

-. . .
*.-.,-,-...

. ..

. . . . .. ."-. - " .- -" ..

,.

." .

-,..-.-

-.

...

..-.....

. ....

1.44

.441-

, " -,12 .:
*

Niovember "An

"a removed 85229 cub:ic motors frui th

,;",wo ch-,me2.

"

""The

dredge SAWDC:AS-'ER dredged 62,209 cubic meters at the upe and lower

Scrossings.
[::

Construction for Project, KO0D, moye out of Danag, was 77 percent complete for Navy facilities and 35 percent cozplete for &3-1 military fa-il-ttas. i Lease ter.ination negotiations were completed for the White"

Ele1phanit and USA Senior Officers' quarters...'

CBHUL301 assumed operations and production responsibility for mineral

:%

:i ,< ,% i.
.- , :

~requirements.

The Naval Support Activity, Danang was tasked by CMAVV

;.. I ;, ::

"i
4.4-4.

to act as the I CTZ coordinator in the construction of the Viotnamese Navy

~Dependent ~The
-. .- .h..n.l.

shelters at VKH bases throughout the I Corps. Third Maval Construction Brigade cotmenced construction on the

.'.-,12-."

1,0 SFo aneac aclte,420S of= storage 1,20,,o

A total of 2,437 facilities in 23 cantonments at the ; : Tri/Dong Ha combat base were turned over to the U.S. Army and the: The Amy reeived 1,802
:fcilities

a.d.re-o.ed..5,2<9-cubi..-e.er.-..o.-t.e...-

spaces- and utilities. .

~Quang

S~ARMN S~~the
{

with an initial cost of $7,2D8,000; The.;

AReN received 635 facilities with an initial cost of $795,000.

facilities involved buildings, runways, hospitals and utility systems. Keytone Cardinal was completed o~n 30 Novembe.

" 1Operation
*-' i !weather

Due to

' .

associated with the northeast monsoon season, damge to lighterage craft loading I.SD/LPD at sa" off Cua Viet was extensive. A total of 28

CO4FIOENtIiAL

77 11777F

77!

;7 7

p.

" !
Lw/Ir! suffered age that precluded tbWiiX. c.,tuied use during the

operation.

daW that wil take In 4o=S Four craft sustained major

of thirty days to correct. There we, 1,458 patent.s adAttotohe

I~ang tation hosli1.U-

Of this totap, 2s7 wern during November, icluding 47PrIeoheM-war" battle casualties, 270 for major surgSry 121 for minor surgery an 193

"nalaria admissions.

The average daily painIt census for IkOedueW was

en&. 399 with 347 beds occupied at sonth's

-.-

1
- .' \, """"''

44

I.T

i3I . '\..": ''".---. ''' .-'''""::.-.. -.. . ""''"""""""""" '""".' ".". .'"." "".'"

-W.-Z-

THIRD NAVAL CONSTRUCTICR BdIGADE Enemy activity was light during Novemer with only 12 incidents

11
*

reported and these were evenly distributed throughout the I Corps Tactical
Zone. The largest attack involved a Convoy south of Danang which was hit There were no casualties in any of

by a land nine and sma~ll arms fire.

the attacks.
The 1969 Line of Communication. program continued on schedule throughout the I Corps Tactical Zone. Route QL.-lfrom the Kin Rion bridge to

Dong Ha to the Vandegrift combat base was turned over to the Ministry of Public Works. Sauth of Danang on Route 4L-1 from the Song Can IAn to the

intersection of routes QL-l and 535 an emergency maintenance and upgrade program was undertaken to open the road and keep it trafficable through the monsoon season. Routine maintenance work continued on routes K1.-13C, NL..12E, NL-12W, MLlIC, ML-l and through the Hasi Van Pass.

*I

Construction of aircraft shelters continued with 119 shelters wider construction, 64 shelters completed excpt for concrete covers and 46 shelters were completed. During November, 25 shelters in the approved

program were released from hold status and IS shelters were cancelled.

IThe I

Dong Ha electrical distritution system was completed on 1.5 NOTOW. hear as scheduled. The Seabees of NHCB-62 completed the construction of the Don& Ha highway bridge ahead of schedule on 15 November. The Hue by-pass

ferry project which included two ferry land~ings with access roads, security towers, fencing and lighting wasl 88 Percent complete at month's end; how-

]J4

!OUIDEMIAL

-, |

ever, firal completion has been delayed by heavy rains an& 4;pected ficial occupancy date is now 15 December. All work under the Military ,Construction project to rehabilitate the Phu W airfield, ecept for the overlaV of the parking apron, has been postponed to late January or Febmruar water table which eists during the monsoon season. Condue to the h struction of the asphaltic concrete overlay of the parking apron is prnseoding ad is now 37 percent complete; however, continuou rain. is hampering prog Naval construction

.4

and no beneficial occupancy date has been ectablished.

forces completed two military class 30 timber bridges; during Noember on secondtary roads north of Hue. YAteria&U were being shilpped and staged for

construction of the two remaining now bridges. In the Danang area work on the partial restoration of ASP-1 was usably i i !! 1 :IConstruction
-- Z 'o "._ "_ ".' -"..'

completed and occupied by the Fleet logistics Carter.

Additional, funds have

been established for the now work which is being delayed by weather conditions.

::.:..:..'-. . -. . ..
;..'.;.. .'',-':

. ......-the Tactical Air .Data . of . .. . ..-. -. .

'.. . ' . ' ." . -

Center in Daran
. . . . .

for the First Matrine .

.
.-

S.......

.-. First expe bo the month. The 200-bed ",an "."d """" - """ nal" com-pleted e.. er. fi" was co peto during "'as' dela *e by, he"v ra'..'',.'',. hospital for the'..cted..-,, Air Wing Battalion which included a med~ical and dental complex and cantonrent and support facilities was completed and fully occupied. Naval

SMeacal
|,s

Construction Forces completed the repair of damaage to the Naval Support , ]

~Activity,

Darnan

warehouses caused by a rocket attack in early Septadert.

The work was accomplished by NKCB's 8 and 53 prior to their redeployment. iAt the Xrble )buntain Air Fac~iity the Saabee3 of W.CB-121 continued on the operational, adsinistrattion and support facilities to accommodate the redeployrmnt o; two helicopter squadrons. The facilities have been

"-"

Swork
.

S~turned !1

over on an incremental basis and the project is 68 percent completed

!].ONFIDENlTIAL
145

-, - ,.

-"

--

-.

_,S

.a

-".".

"..

"
-

with a scheduled competion date of 6 December.

The Seabees of IECB-7

completed the construction of a 6,000 SP hangar with 1,200 SF of storage and office space for the 174th Aviation Company at Duc Pho.

"During November,

VICB-1 continued a heavy construction workload in

',"

4
o

the 11I and IV Corps Tactical Zone at seven locations with a total of
253 men. Construction at the Vietnamese Navy base at An Thoi contiumed Construction of the

and the project is currently 55 percent completed.

Advanced Tactical Support Base at Rach Soi was completed during the month. -. Work was commenced at the ACTOV base at Ha Tien. temporarily suspended awaiting Mfl S.* progress continued on the ViN -1 At Kan Can, work was Satiefactory

to be provided by contract.

self-help/maintenance program.

Daring November, ICBt3s -11 and 53 completed their redeployments without reliefs as part of Operation Keystone Cardinal. was relieved by NMCB-121. at Caup Haskins in Danang. On 22 November, NXCB-8 B-1 ioved fro

Camp Campbell in Phu Bai to Camp Haskins as part of the realignment of Naval Construction Forces in the I Corps Tactical Zone. * Rear Admiral Spencer R. Smith, CEC, USN, Comander Naval Construction Battalions,U. S. Pacific Fleet, visited Naval Construction Forces in the

I CTZ from 26 to 30 November and was briefed by the Comander Third Naval
Construction Brigade on current Seabee operations.

Naval Construction lbrces hate a funded backlog aiounting to 23.6

weeks of horizontal work and 4.2 weeks of vertical work.

The programaed

146
146

.,"

D :i

:"

,.

'2..".[",' -

- "---T--

i"

-'

,.-

----

~"
-

'm :~-'-

"

'

'

'

"-.

-.-

-s
-

."

,.

,.---- .'. .

---

.~ ,,backlog

mounts to an additional 3.6 weeks of horizontal and 6.7 week* of vertical work. These projections were based on the planned Omplou.nt

of five Naval Construction Battalions.

'M,: "Wring November, Seabee personnel were awarded four Bronze Stars,

"23Navy

Commendation Medals, one Navy and Marine Corps Medal, 74 NavY

Aehievements, one Purple Heart Medal and 310 Combat Action Awards.

_ *.

-;.

( -

...

14

i~

"

-...

14"

'oI

""

--'

lzw

GLOSSAWf (W ABBREVTICflS The following abbreviation and terims are comm=4~ used in the coubat zone by all agencies and are listed here in amplification of those used in the text: ABF Attack by fire A multi-purpose baw-e, standard size is twenty eight feet by ninety feet Army of the Republic of Vietnam

Amml Pontoon
A N

-IASPB

Assault Support Patrol Boat

Blc Pony/Bronco,
CCI CG

V10Ti

nieTrorpCutr

Command and Ccaimmication, Boat Coastal Group (VIN) Chinese Commiunist Civilian Irreguilar Defense Group-. mercenaries of Vietnamre-se Laotian, Cambodian -#&o fight primarily around their ownl villages Enemy comixsmicatica routes or personnel Civilian Reconnaissance Intelligence

I I
*cl 21descent

CHICOII CIDG

Commo Liaison Crip,

:1
CS * CTZ CZ
Det HakMhw

Platoon
Tear Gag Grenades Corps Tactical Zone Coastal Zone
V-0Srzr

MUIA

I(
D/S

UNCEASSIE1ED
Direct support,
Medical evacuation by helicopter

""DuI

EnFFDeruy initiated firefight

.SB ,MAFFire Support Base Free World Military Assistance Forces

GDA
OGVX H&I JGS "K

Gun Damage Assesment

Government of Vietnam Harassment and Interdiction Fire Support Joint General Staff Killed in Action

Kit Carson Scouts

Former Viet Cong who have come over to the side of the Saigon government and
serve with allied military units

,
.

LAFT
LAW LCPL

Light Attack Fire Team (OV-1Ots)

Light Anti-tank Weapon Landing Craft, Personnel, Large Vietnamese equivalent of USN underwater demolition team

SLDNN
LHFT

Light Helo Fire Team

LOH

Off-6 Light Observation Helicopter

LRRP
MACV

Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol

Military Assistance Cosmand, Vietnam Mobile Advanced Tactical Support Base Medical Civic Action Program Heavily armored LCM-6 (4Osn cannon or O5imn howitzcr) Mobile Riverine Base Yinesweeper, Boat

*1
* .~

KATSB

MEICAP MONITOR

MRE
MSB

149.

.N.....

17

'.rV

'Z777

,.

-;...

-:

-4"

JUNCLASSIUIED,
MSD Minesweeper, Drone Mobile Strike Force - mercenaries who "deploy and go anywhere

"1SF
NGFS

Naval Gunfire Support

Naval Intelligence Liaison Officer

"NILO "
.

1
]PC?
j

"NOD
NVA
PBR PG
PRU

Night Observation Device

North Vietnamese Ariz"

Patrol Boat, River .

Patrol Craft, Fast (Swift Boat)

Patrol Gunboat
Provincial Reconnaissance Unit

PSA" PSYOPS RAD

RAG RAID RAS

Provincial Sector Advisor

Psychological Operations

River Assa-ult Division

River Assault Group (VNN) River Assault and Interdiction Division River Assault Squadron

RF/PF RIF
RPJ

Regional Forces/Popular Forces Reconnaissance in Force

Rocket Propelled Grenade

RSSZ SAR
SEAWOLF SH"ADOWD

Rung Sit Special Zone Search and Rescue

UB-IB Kelo, heavily armed, USN operated C-119 aircraft

SDOER SLICK

20' fiberglass rowboat DR-1B halo

H'C1.ASSb~L

1.50

. _._...-:, . ...............

..

..-.-.-........ o-.-....-.-.-

-,1

'

..

"

'

.. 4

. as or

4.

4*

~i1~CASS1ED4
S ;..4 t
Solid Anchorore Spooiy 553 STABSEAL
2'

TraxIsitiall of Sea Float operaticils

c-4~7 aircraft

~Swiimmer support boat

(skimumer)

**

Team Assault Bloat Tactical Area of Responsibility (also referred to as AO)

aTAMB Toe Poppe SART

VNHC

'

Small explosive VC booby trap United States Arrv, Vietnam

Vietnamese Marine Corps

'EI "" "!W~fiPWaterborne

Waterborne Guardpost (NWWP - Night Guardpost ) Flame tbrover equipped ATC or Monitor

Zippo

BC
TACAI

Body count
Tactical Air Support
-

ED R Cadre
4-'

Revolutionary Development Cadre

availability Square feet

ELRegular SF

"

SI VS

Square yards Vietnamese railroad pr

~11

".

UAR

I" "

.... . . ...... ":.'~~~~~.." ...

. .. ..

....-..-.

. ....

'.-.

-.

... --..

. .-..

.-

. . . ..

..

. - .. -

. . .- .. . .. - . . . .

. - .