Narrative Summary
During the first half of the month, the Battalion was located at Vandegrift Combat Base with the mission of improving the perimeter and providing base security. One Company was deployed at Ca Lu, two Companies at Vandegrift Combat Base (VCB), and one Company was used as a mobile element within our area of responsibility. On 17 September 68, 1st Battalion 4th Marines was designated to participate in a major operation which involved the 3rd and 9th Marines in the DMZ, 6 miles Northwest of Camp Rockpile.
On 1 September 68 at 0130H, Company B, while under the operational control of 3rd Battalion 4th Marines made contact while in a defensive posture at XD 863462. The action resulted in one NVA KIA and one NVA POW with no USMC casualties. Company B also captured one radio transmitter/receiver, four AK-47’s, 782 gear and medical supplies. On the following morning a patrol sweeping the area of previous contact, discovered two NVA KIA and four AK-47’s at XD 863462.
On 2 September 68, at 0230H, Company C observed two NVA at XD 008489, responded with a 60mm mortar mission with unknown results.
At 0730H on the same day, Company B observed ten NVA at XD 862462. An artillery mission was called and gunships were utilized to destroy the target. The results of the fire missions are unknown as the area was not swept.
On 7 September 68, Company B returned to VCB and was chopped back to 1st Battalion 4th Marines. Company D returned to VCB after extended patrolling in the Bong Ca Lu complex at XD 9348. Their mission was to search and clear the area as this area has been a favorite harboring site for the NVA. An alternate mission of establishing OP sites was also assigned Company D. All of Company D’s findings were reported in the August 1968 Command Chronology.
At 0730H On 10 September 68, Company C while manning the perimeter at VCB had an accidental discharge with a claymore in a living bunker resulting in one death.
On 11 September 68, Company B was helo lifted to the Dong Ca Lu area to assume Company D’s former mission. They returned to VCB on 12 September 68.
On 14 September 68, Company A while defending Ca Lu observed movement at three different locations and responded with an artillery fire mission, small arms, and utilized searchlights. Results of the fire mission are unknown. At 2302H, Company A received a premature burst from a 105mm VT round resulting in one WIA.
On 17 September 68, 1st Battalion 4th Marines was chopped to 9th Marines for Operation Scotland Trousdale North. At 0945H the Battalion was lifted to Landing Zone Canada at XD 947685, starting with Company B, A, 81mm mortar platoon (-), Bn CP, D and C. The zone was secure, and no contact was made with the enemy.
On 18 September 68, Company A while moving to an objective, spotted two NVA fleeing the area. At 0945H, Company A took two NVA under fire, wounding one and capturing the other. The action took place at XD 947674 with no USMC casualties.
On 19 September 68 as the Battalion moved in a three-pronged attack to the South, Company C found two FO positions in trees at XD 943674, and an excavation site which was believed to be a short sector of road at XD 938667. As Company C was in the process of setting in for their night defense, one Chieu Hoi approached the lines at XD 938665, carrying one SKS weapon.
Company B moving on the east flank discovered 30 bunkers at XD 953664. The area was well used and thought to be a Battalion size base camp. Four hundred pounds of rice was also found. As Company B proceeded, the lead elements fired at two NVA on a trail at XD 950667, apparently wounding one. A night position was established at XD 950668 and at 2100H, a strong probe was initiated by the NVA. Company B received RPG’s, small arms, and grenades. In addition to organic weapons, artillery missions were called in as well as an AC-47 dragon ship to neutralize the enemy’s attack. The action resulted in four USMC WIA with unknown results inflicted upon the enemy. A sweep of the area was made the following morning by an element of Company B. Numerous blood trails and indications that bodies had been dragged back from the perimeter were in evidence throughout the area.
Company A, plus the Bn CP and 81’s, observed three NVA at XD 944667 on a trail. The point element countered with small arms with negative results. However, two AK-47’s and 8 packs were found plus additional gear. At XD 94166, the point elements of Company A spotted one NVA on a trail. A volley of small arms was expended with negative results. An Aerial Observer (AO) was called with fixed wing flights run in suspected harboring sites. At 1600H, a patrol from Company A discovered a large weapons cache at XD 935660. Three hundred and twenty Mosin Nagent carbines plus a total of 244 81mm and 82mm mortar rounds, 300,000 AK-47 rounds, 200 pounds of TNT, 64 claymores, one light machine gun and two sub-machine guns and 128 cases of .50 caliber rounds were uncovered.
On 20 September, Company C found working tools at XD 944667. Company A discovered a small bunker complex at XD 940656. Another ammo cache at XD 934652 consisting of 150 anti-tank mines, 249 81mm mortar rounds, 40 claymore mines plus small arms and .50 caliber ammunition was located. A further search was made and at XD 932656 still another cache was uncovered, 12 RPG rounds, 192 81 mm mortar rounds, 10 anti-tank mines, 549 82mm mortar rounds, 15,200 .50 caliber rounds and 300 75mm HE rounds were found in this area. At 2400H, Company B received one friendly artillery round within 30 meters of their position wounding two USMC.
On 21 September, H&S Company (-) found an NVA land telephone plus additional gear at XD 944666. Company A located a base camp and training center at XD 933654 with four AK-44’s, three SKS’s, 4, 000 cloth bandoleers, 82mm mortar rounds, 48 anti-tank mines, 400 leather slings and AK rounds in the area. Company C discovered two cans of .50 caliber ammo at XD 923652.
On 22 September, Company C found 27 large, reinforced bunkers, 100 pounds of rice, and loose ammo to include 82mm mortar rounds at XD 921650. One hundred meters north Company C discovered seven living bunkers. At 1530H, Company C fired upon three NVA at XD 927651 with negative results.
Continuing our mission of search and destroy, Company D found 95-75mm recoilless rifle rounds at XD 933658 on 23 September. Company B discovered an ammo cache at XD 938654 including 63,000 AK-47 rounds, 184 anti-personnel mines, 126-122mm rocket warheads, 25,000 .50 caliber rounds and 782 gear. A further search uncovered more ammo and 782 gear at XD 926688. Company C while searching a bunker complex, took one NVA under fire at XD 921652 resulting in one NVA KIA and the recovery of one SKS weapon with no USMC casualties.
Our operations with 9th Marines closed as we were chopped to 3rd Marines at 2400H on 23 September. At this time our mission changed to the effect that we began to push east for the 3rd Marines vice south for the 9th Marines. A specific mission was to search and clear the area with emphasis on finding an NVA road complex which crossed the Ben Hai River. On 27 September, Company D found working tools at XD 952677, indicating the road was within the area.
On 26 September, Company C was helo-lifted back to Vandegrift Combat Base to assume perimeter guard and was chopped to 4th Marines.
On 30 September, Company D, with assistance from an aerial observer, uncovered the road complex running from North Viet Nam south across the Ben Hai River into the southern sector of the DMZ in the vicinity of Grid Square 9768. The road in the above grid square was well camouflaged and very difficult to detect from the air. North of the Ben Hai River the road is well developed, open and easy to locate from the air as well as from prominent terrain features in the southern sector of the DMZ.
This page last corrected 3 September 2011