Vietnam War Timeline

47
23 January 1969
1/35th
Submitted by: Dave Fogg

3rd Bde 4th Inf Div
Bn (1/35) Forward Fire Base
LZ Tango ZA035663

Unit Locations:
A 1/35 YA938685
B 1/35 YA924716
Snoopy Baron 008652
C 1/35 YA945694, FO says- 954686
D 1/35 YA938685
Recon (-) LZ Tango ZA035663
Recon Plt, LZ Tango ZA035663
4.2" Mortar Plt, LZ Tango
CSF (Leroy Cooks)- 943708
A Co 2nd platoon- 952678
Bn CP ZA035663

Summary: Log opened at 0001 hours 23 January 1969. Unit locations: At LZ Tango ZA035663, Battalion Headquarters (Forward), E Company, C Battery 2/9 artillery, A Company YA938685; B Company YA924716; C Company YA945694; D Company YA938685; At LZ Oasis; Headquarters and Headquarters Company Support (S-4 Forward); At Base Camp (Camp Enari); Battalion Headquarters (Rear).

A & D companies were given instruction to move from their location grid YA938685 to south away from the snipers to a secure location and construct an LZ to evacuate the casualties and to receive resupply, also made coordination with Leroy Cooks 36 (CSF) who are going to sweep to the northwest through your night location, move to the east of the 04 grid line to establish an LZ.

At 1015 hours A Company started moving out of the caves to start a search of the area for the 50 element (Task Force Leader Major Laird and his RTO).

At 1105 hours D Company reported that they were taking incoming mortar rounds but there were no casualties reported as a result. At 1120 hours A Company reported that they had found Major Laird's body to confirm him as a KHA, SP/4 Ross body was not found at this time.

At 1530 hours A & D companies reported that they had searched an area that deemed to be suitable for an LZ grid YA948672, it will required additional engineers, they also request a Dust-Off for the wounded. At 1600 hours Dust-Offs 33 and 35 were on station.

At 1742 hours 4 EM were evac'd to the 71st Evacuation Hospital.

At 1820 hours D Company reported that a Dust-Off with 4 EM WHA had been shot down by what was believed to be a B-40 Rocket, one (1) of the 4 WHA was on a hoist.

At 1835 hours A & D companies reported that they were receiving incoming mortar fire, no casualties were reported as a result. Dust-Off 33 was the bird that was shot down. All personnel on the aircraft were killed except for the individual who was on the hoist; most of the bodies were burned with the chopper.

0002 hours Have had negative communications with A or D companies since 2300 hours, orders must be sent to them but there is no communication.

0410 (C) Passed the following message on to D Co and we instructed them to pass it on to A Co: You will move the entire elements to the south away from the snipers to a secure location where you can construct an LZ to evacuate the casualties and receive resupply this will be started as soon as you are able to tell friend from foe, make a maximum effort to contact the 50 element prior to departure, make coordination with Leroy Cooks 36 on 43.90 or 44.40 who are going to sweep to the northwest through your location, get to the east of the 94 grid line, we will send additional engineer support once a secure area is reached. Sent to A & D companies.

0650 (C) Called to the Oasis requesting an ample supply of morphine.

0759 (C) To B Co CO: A, C, and D companies will move to the north on the east side of the 94 grid line, inverse morse is not to move, keep the same AO, gravil 81 is to your west.

0820 hours (C) Informed C Co to sweep the north, but stay east of the 94 grid line, move to the trail in vicinity of grid 952703.

0821 hours (C) Informed the CSF to move to grid 947718 and they are to set up new defensive positions.

0835 hours (C) B Co informed that he could move to the west of the river.

0925 hours (C) D Co reports that in addition to the WHA previously mentioned add the following: 16, 94, 96, 71, 159, 27, 28, 155 has hepatitis.

1009 hours (C) Leroy Cooks is taking incoming mortar at this time.

1016 hours (C) Informed A & D companies to move as soon as Leroy Cooks starts to move, maintain radio contact with Leroy Cooks, you must move at that time, keep us advised.

1020 hours (C) Bde informed us that General Irzik is en route to LZ Tango, ETA 10 minutes out.

1045 hours (C) A Co element that was in the caves is starting to come out of the caves at this time, as soon as they are able to get themselves organized they will begin to search for the 50 party.

1046 hours (C) Cooks 36 is still receiving incoming.

1100 hours (C) D Co request a Dust-Off for their 10 WHA's total 10 to 11 that must be taken out immediately, need the hoist.

1105 hours (C) D Co reports that they are taking incoming mortars from 200 meters from their north.

1120 hours (C) A Co element while coming out of the caves and moving back found Major Laird's body and he is a confirmed KHA.

1121 hours (C) Dust-Off 35 is on station.

1133 hours Dust-Off 35 is leaving the AO, as they were not able to make the pickup. This due to the tactical situation.

1134 hours (U) DELAYED ENTRY-1130 hours 23 Jan 69- A and D companies are moving to the south.

1145 hours (C) LTC Buckner requested that artillery be employed at grid 938668.

1230 hours (C) LTC Buckner informed us that A & D companies are moving in a 150-degree azimuth, they are moving very slowly due to the fact that the rocks were moved about 30-40 meters.

1300 hours (C) Leroy Cooks 36 informs us that they are at grid 945714 same as before they are pinned down by 8 NVA with 2 machine guns, also the NVA spider holes have been assaulting the past 1/2 hour.

1350 hours (C) Bn CO reports that A & D companies are at grid 939683, found no LZ at this time, but they are looking for one as they have one smoke grenade left.

1420 hours (C) D Co thinks that they have VC/NVA on the end of the column and they are going to employ artillery.

1535 hours (C) Requested a Dust-Off one with a wench and one without to area 940681 for A & D companies.

1542 hours (C) Rustler 24 and the engineers are en route to A & D companies.

1550 hours (C) Bde informs us that Dust-Off's 33 and 35 are en route to A & D companies location, ETA 15 minutes.

1555 hours (C) Another resupply bird departed our location en route to D & A company location but it was too heavy to hover and drop the engineers, the bird will come back to our location, drop off part of his load and then he will come back.

1600 hours (C) Dust-Off 33 and 35 are on station and they are en route to D & A company location.

1605 hours (C) Bikini 19 is dropping resupply to D & A companies at this time.

1616 hours (C) Dust-Off's 33 and 35 are at D Co location, they are waiting for the engineers to cut a better LZ.

1640 hours (C) 2nd half of the Engineer team is on the lZ at this time, they estimate that it will take 25 minutes to clear the LZ and the Dust-Off will be able to go in.

1644 hours (C) General Irzik is en route to LZ Tango, ETA 05 minutes.

1655 hours (C) Requested the ETA on the gunships for the Dust-Off.

1710 hours (C) Bde informs us that the guns are down for maintenance and they will try and scrape up a group for us.

1727 hours (C) From the 1/35 Bn Signal Officer to 3d Bde: Possible compromise of the following 4th Division items; 50C-1 plus pen and ink changes, 56A-3, 56A-4 extracts, KAC-QY 514 days 16-31, 34-1, KAC-PY 150 sets 9-16 items were in the possession of Major Laird and his RTO who were KIA, this date no indication available as yet as to whether the subject items were on the body of Major Laird or his RTO.

1742 hours (C) 4 people Dusted-Off from A & D company locations, this by Dust-Off 35.

1820 hours (C) A Dust-Off was shot down by a possible B-40 Rocket, the round came from the north, called Bde for gunships, they are going to put artillery in at grid 948678.

1835 hours (C) A & D companies are receiving incoming mortar rounds at this time 1833 hours.

1845 hours (C) Status of Dust-Off 33 when it was hit; was hovering with 3 WIA aboard, 1 on a hoist and they have not found the bodies at this time.

1850 hours (C) The search party has reached the downed bird, the bird was in flames and no one was alive, they have not found any bodies at this time.

1853 hours (C) Message from Dust-Off 30: Had 4 seriously wounded and they made it to the hospital.

1833 hours (C) The crew states that the crew of men on Dust-Off 33 and the WIA who were on board were all KIA, individual who was on the hoist is still alive (first crew referred to is the search crew).

1905 hours (C) Bn CO has ordered A & D companies to move to the east ASAP to the ridge line above their location.

1908 hours (C) Bn CO reports that A & D companies had security out for 150 yards, rocket came over that and hit the Dust-Off, artillery is being employed and the ship is on fire.

1915 hours (C) Report from Rustler 24: Dust-Off 34 picked up 4 WIA at 1745 hours, Rustler 24 went in with resupply, he received 4 hits from an AK-47, 3 in the tail and 1 under the seat, there were negative casualties as a result.

2003 hours (C) To the Bn CO from the Bde CO: 1/12 has a mission of securing LZ B grid YA949662 for the extraction of the wounded, they will coordinate with you for radio call signs, the frequencies and the link-up procedures, you are directed to use the assigned force required to secure and move your wounded to LZ B, QSL desired.

2020 hours (C) A & D companies are combined, A Co CO will assume command of both companies until a secure area is reached.

2045 hours (U) DELAYED ENTRY-2015 hours 23 Jan 69- At 2015 hours requested Spooky coverage all night, by A Co CO.

2100 hours (C) Reference the QSL item 89: LTC Buckner proposed the use of the Chu-Pa as extraction site, due to the proximity of the location, the presence of friendly troops there, the safety from enemy fire and the presence of an LZ. Directed the use of Objective Bravo for extraction, LTC Buckner said that we would comply.

2120 (C) Spooky is on station, he will fly over A & D company locations all through the night.