After Action Report 

Subject:  After Action Report #15, Company (-) Combat Patrol 27-28 July 1965 

  

Units Involved: 

Company A (-)(rein) 

1st and 3rd Plts. 

Company Headquarters 

Arty FO Team 

81 FO Team 

FAC Team  

Interpreter 

  

Detachment, 1st Plt, Co B, 3rd Engr Bn 

Detachment, 1st Plt, Co A, 1st AmTrac Bn 

  

Casualties: 

Friendly –  5 USMC WIA’s 

Enemy   –  None confirmed 

  

Nature of Action:  Company (-) combat patrol 

Narrative: 

At 270740H Company A (-)(rein) heli-lifted into LZ at (BT 452049).  As first helicopters landed, approximately fifty civilians, all women and children, were seen fleeing north from village at (BT 435045).  Shortly after, at 270812H, approximately thirty women and children were seen fleeing south and east from village at (BT 445053). 

Company (-) moved out from LZ at 270820H, 3rd Plt moving north towards village at (BT 435053) and  1st Plt moving southwest towards high ground at (BT 441041).  3rd Plt continued toward village at (BT 457056) when reports were received from district headquarters that a VC platoon was situated at that location.  Platoon commander, making a recon on hill at (BT 450053), tripped a booby trap, resulting in serious injury to himself and platoon guide.  Booby trap appeared to have been bouncing type mine or grenade activated by trip wire at chest height. 

At 271050H, 1st Plt, moving southwest along trail and high ground at (BT 438041), received sniper fire from village at (BT 431041).  As platoon rushed the village, one man tripped a trip wire in hedge row at (BT 435045) and was seriously wounded by booby trap.  Snipers immediately withdrew from contact.  Helicopter evacuation was request for three WIA’s.  As platoon commenced to establish landing zone perimeter, another booby trap was detonated at (BT 433045), resulting in two more WIA’s.  Both devices appear to have been grenades of foreign manufacture, activated b trip wires or vines one to  two feet off the ground. 

Engineer support was requested at this time.  Detachment arrived by helicopter with mine detection equipment at 271130H.  Engineers commenced detailed search of all the hedge rows in the village at (BT 435045).  Search lasted two hours but failed to uncover any more explosive devices. 

At 271115H, 3rd Plt was taken under fire from snipers on hill at (BT 445045).  Platoon rushed the hill but enemy withdrew from contact.  Two platoons joined at 271153H at (Bt 435045). 

Platoons proceeded north from village at 271400H along separate, parallel routes.  Harbor site at (BT 437068) was reached by 271700H and ambushes were established at (BT 425063) and (BT452063).  Ambushes secured at 28030H with no enemy contact. 

1st Plt. Moved out northward and 3rd Plt eastward from harbor site.  Platoons joined at (BT 432085) and continued east along parallel patrol routes to pick up point (BT 461090).  Several villagers were questioned enroute to pick up point to ascertain location and movement of VC.  One VCS was caught fleeing from village at (BT 462079).  Company (-) departed target area by LVT’s 281210H, arriving at MLR positions by 281300H.