Debriefing of Patrol
1st Platoon Company A
231800H to 151300H Sept 65
5. Map Accuracy – Many more trails found then map indicated, especially in GS 4415, 4515, 4212. Area Vic 430165 interested by hedgerows and tree lines – not all rice paddy. Rice paddy vic GS 4414 extends down to approx 15 Grid line. Area Vic 4215, 4315 has many small knolls and trees – very good places for snipers to delay advance. Tracks seen very fresh, not more than 1 day old (rain until day before patrols) and all seemed to generally move northwest.
7. Contacts:
1 VCS apprehended vic coord 429158. He was sitting in a tree alongside trail running East-West and observing movement of unit. When see, individual attempted to leave area. His home was within 75 meters of location where he was observing. (At any rate, he went to this house and began working in the yard). He was dressed in white and carried no papers. ID card attached – No other papers.
9. Cultivation Areas – rice paddies found all over island – all well tended and seemed about ready for harvest. Production much move than needed by island.
Miscellaneous:
Village vic coord 432143 to 438152 protected barbed wire fence and heavy hedgerow on SE side. Barbed wire fence and punji stakes on NW side running from 435151 to approx 435143. Trench 15 meters long 3 feet deep coord 428138. Trench and barbed wire running SW-NE vic coord 423132. Anti-LZ stakes 430149 and 435159 – area approx 20 meters radius. Punji stakes 436153. Sign with VN language and read ‘MIN’ coord 437153. M-26 Frag Grenade found in trail 430159 – evidently dropped by someone fleeing in front of unit. Trail from 434161 to 434058 had many holes in it. Most right in the middle. Some were small and some almost big enough for females. All were cut into rectangle shape and seemed fairly fresh. Barbed wire SE of tree line 435161 to 425157. C-Raton boxes found at 445155. Fresh punji stakes 461147.
Information on VCS:
Picked up by 1st Plat, A Co. vicinity coord BT 421158 at 0830H 15 Sept 65. He was sitting in a tree watching unit pass. Had ID card. Said he was in tree trying to get dry wood for cooking. Said he didn’t see troops until he was in tree – was not hiding. VCS also states that he heard from other people that most VC concentrate Binh An (1) Grid Square BT 4414, (about 30 VC). Some VC speak northern dialect, also Quang Nam. VCS identified as Do Luong of Ky Chanh Village.
Ronald C. Cormier
S-2 Officer