Rumbling Through The Highlands

Road Security

The 1st Battalion, 69th Armor is one of two armor battalions in Vietnam. Arriving in country in January 1966, the "Black Panthers" were attached to the 3rd Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division.

When the 3rd Brigade moved to Pleiku, they brought the tankers with them. After operating with the 4th Infantry Division for nearly a year, the battalion officially became a part of the Ivy team in August 1967.

Operating in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, the 69th has been fulfilling a variety of missions. These have included: search and destroy; road clearing and security; convoy security; direct and indirect fire support for infantry units; perimeter defense; and acting as a mobile reaction force.

In addition to tactical missions, the "Black Panthers" have been active in an extensive civil affairs program both in the base camp and in the forward areas. On several occasions, the members of the 1/69th have used their tanks to aid Montagnard villagers in cattle drives.

At one time, military leaders felt that the use of armor in the jungled mountainous highlands was impractical. Today, the tanks of the 1/69th are an integral part of the overall military posture in the Central Highlands. This fact is attested by the impressive record that the "Black Panther" Battalion has amassed.