14 December 1965

Patrol Report – A company, 1^st Platoon 13 Dec 65

1. Size and Composition – Two squads, 3 Engineers, two S-2 Scouts, 2 MAG 36 Scouts.
2. Mission – Search and Clear TAOR and blow-up enemy caves spotted in our area
3. TOD:      0845H 13 Dec.
4. TOR:      1130H 13 Dec.
5. Routes used – Indicated on overlay
6. Terrain – Generally open, many hedge groves, small hills, generally muddy clay.
7. Enemy – No enemy contact.
8. Map Corrections – None
9. Misc. Info. – S-2 Scouts led patrol to known caves found on 12 Dec.  Three caves in vicinity of coord. BT 525123.  All were approx. 6 to 12 feet in length and three feet in diameter.  Openings to the caves were concealed in ‘thorn’ underbrush and when approached, appeared to be merely a hole in the ground – the entrance led out from hole underground parallel to the deck.  Indications where they had not been used recently. Nearest tactical concern was MAG-36 – approx. 200 meters South of the caves.  We destroyed some by demolitions.  The next cave we exploded was at coord BT 525128.  Length 12 feet, width 3½ feet.  Human feces found but was a month old and cave did not appear to have been used recently.

These caves could not be seen unless you stand inside the brush and know where holes were.  At all these positions at least one tree or small shrub had been completely trimmed of all branches, apparently used as a marker for the caves.

1. Results of encounter w/enemy – N/A
2. Condition of Patrol – Good
3. Conclusions and Recommendations – The caves could be used effectively as hiding places but not as fighting positions.  I feel that there are probably many more such caves still undiscovered on this peninsula and that they are probably not used unless there is an emergency or in the case of infiltrators that get in after dark and wait until morning before moving out.

I recommend that aggressive patrolling and frequent ‘sweeps’ of the area be continued.

This page last corrected 18 September 2011