Mission

2. During the period 1-22 December 1965, the mission of the 1^st Battalion continued to be as assigned by the 4^th Marines Operation Order 305-65 of 8 September 1965; namely:
3. Defend along the trace of the MLR within assigned TAOR.
4. Maintain a COPL within assigned TAOR
5. Conduct and maintain surveillance of seaward approaches within sector to repel landings and preclude infiltration.
6. Conduct aggressive operations and patrolling within TAOR.
7. Be prepared to conduct operations and patrolling within TAOR.
8. Provide tactical security for Battery A, 2^nd LAAM Bn firing site on Ky Hoa Island.
9. Provide liaison personnel to effect positive coordination with Province Chief, Tam Ky.

1. On 22 December the Battalion received Regimental Operation Order 308-65 dated 20 December which assigned new missions as follows:
2. Occupy and defend in assigned zone of the 4^th Marines sector.
3. Maintain combat patrol bases on Ky Hoa and Ky Xuan Islands.
4. Conduct and maintain surveillance of seaward approaches within sector to repel landings and prohibit infiltration.
5. Conduct aggressive operations and patrolling within assigned zone.
6. Be prepared to conduct operations outside the TAOR unilaterally or bilaterally with RVNAF.
7. Construct and maintain field fortification required for protection to the vital area on Ky Ha Peninsula.
8. Establish a Peninsula Defense Command to coordinate activities among organizations on the Ky Ha Peninsula.
9. Conduct a vigorous Civil Affairs Program within assigned zone.
10. Provide liaison personnel to the Chief, Quang Tin Province, Tam Ky.

All assigned missions were executed with vigor, and enemy activity throughout the entire TAOR was limited to isolated incidents of sporadic harassing small arms fire.  Aggressive saturation patrolling and ambush establishment precluded any large-scale enemy buildup intent upon attacking the vital logistic support areas in the rear.

1. Operations.  During the month of December, the Battalion maintained two rifle companies along the MLR on the Ky Ha Peninsula, and one company on each of the two islands, Ky Hoa and Ky Xuan.  On the Peninsula, Companies A&B/C conducted vigorous saturation patrolling forward of the MLR, and along the entire length of the Peninsula.  Patrols were increased substantially during the hours of darkness, many of which were coordinated Marine/Popular Force patrols.  Additionally, coordinated Marine/Self Defense Corps checkpoints were manned in the various hamlets to ensure compliance with established curfew regulations.  Company A provided security for the LST ramp (BT 522121) located on the northeastern tip of the Peninsula in addition to manning their portion of the MLR.

Companies C/B and D throughout the month conducted aggressive patrolling on the two western islands of Ky Hoa (BT 500140) and Ky Xuan (BT 485100).  The patrol activity was in conjunction with an active pacification/rural reconstruction program.

Both Companies conducted coordinated Marine/Popular Force patrols.  Company C/B manned coordinated checkpoints with elements of the Self Defense Corps on Ky Hoa Island (BT 500140) to ensure compliance with established curfew regulations.

H&S Company continued their defenses of the Battalion Command Post, and provided Marines on a nightly basis, as security forces for the waterborne patrol, and to accompany the nightly Popular Force ambush within the Ky Ha Village.

The 2^nd Platoon, Company A, 1^st Amphibian Tractor Battalion conducted nightly waterborne patrols throughout the myriad of inland waterways within the Battalion’s TAOR.  The patrol’s primary mission was to ensure compliance with the existing curfew regulations.  In addition to the above-mentioned mission, the LVT’s provided logistic support to the patrol bases located on the Islands of Ky Hoa and Ky Xuan.  Tactical support, in the form of amphibious landings was provided the Battalion during the scheduled operations on Hoa Xuan Island. (BT 4315).

To assist in the defensive posture of the Battalion, the recently acquired Seismic Intrusion Detectors were utilized throughout the Battalion’s area of responsibility.  A total of twenty SID is available and issued to the individual rifle companies and H&S Company.  During December the primary employment was in conjunction with ambushes.  Other uses included MLR defenses CP defenses and storage area defenses.  Periodic sounds were recorded, all of which alerted the Marines manning the adjacent positions.  Illumination and small arms were directed into the vicinity of the reported movement with no significant results.  However, it is felt that instant action as a result of the SID indication deferred any further enemy activity.

Offensive operations conducted by the Battalion reached a peak as the month drew to a close.  On the 9^th of December, acting on intelligence received from a refugee residing in the hamlet of Hoa Tra, Company C (-) (rein) proceeded by LVT to the vicinity of (BT 430174) and conducted a search and destroy operation from Hoa Tra (BT 430174) southeast along the peninsula.  Sporadic small arms fire was received throughout the operation.  Moving south, the Company crossed the Truong Giang River early in the afternoon of the 9^th by LVT and continued the sweep south to the retraction point at (BT 456143).  The operation netted a total of five Viet Cong suspects.

The second offensive operation placed Company C on Hoa Xuan Island (BT 4315) on the 18^th of December.  The Company landed by LVT’s at (BT 437164) and conducted a sweeping Search and Clear operation along the Hoa Xuan (1) Village complex, (Grid Line 16).  Although no large-scale insurgent opposition was met, harassing small arms fire was sporadically present throughout the day.  Numerous trench lines and tunnels were discovered and destroyed, as were hiding holes in and around the hamlet area.  In conjunction with the operation, psychological leaflets were distributed along the axis of advance.  The Company sustained no casualties during the operation, however, seven VCS were apprehended and turned over to the counterintelligence personnel at Chu Lai.

The next offensive operation commenced the evening of the 18^th and upon extraction of Company C.  One Reinforced Platoon from Company B moved clandestinely north from (BT 474144) to (BT 446164) where they harbored for the night and dispatched reconnaissance patrols to observe any enemy activity initiated as a result of Company C’s vacating of the Island earlier in the day.  However, no significant observations were made, and commencing at 190900H the platoon conducted a daylight sweep back to its patrol base at ‘Kahaku’ (BT 476144).  No VC/VCS were observed or apprehended.

On 23 December, Company B was once again ordered to launch a Reinforced Platoon size operation on the Viet Cong controlled island of Hoa Xuan (BT 4315).  Under cover of darkness, and at low tide the platoon moved across the Truong Giang River mouth to the vicinity of (BT 461144).  The move was to be done in compete secrecy, however, an unseen Vietnamese observed the crossing and passed a verbal warning which carried up the entire northeast coast of the Island.  Accordingly, the entry was compromised.  However, the Search and Destroy mission continued up the northeast finger of the island (BT 4515) and back along the southeast finger (BT 4514) with no more contact then isolated harassing incidents of small arms fire.  Noteworthy was the fact, that two VC booby traps were encountered, and both detonations caused only one slightly wounded (non-evacuee) Marine.  The operation netted two VCS both of which were sent to the Chu Lai Collection Point.

The keynote of the offensive operations during the period was the Battalion (-) (rein) operation, code named TRIDENT, conducted on 27 December.  The scheme of maneuver encompassed Hoa Xuan Island (BT 4315) with three companies (-) (rein) landing on widely dispersed beaches.  Company A (-) (rein) landed via Amphibian Tractor on the northeast shore and moved west, while Companies B and C landed by indigenous boats on the southeast and southwest areas respectively and moved generally north.  The operation ran smoothly and netted the Battalion one Viet Cong killed, the capture of his ChiCom 7.62mm Mossin Nagant Carbine and one American M-26 grenade.  Additionally, thirty-five Viet Cong suspects were apprehended ten of which were returned to the Chu Lai Collection Point.  Two of these ten were on the Battalion’s Blacklist.  The Battalion although faced with sporadic isolated incidents of harassing small arms fire, sustained no casualties.

This page last corrected 18 September 2011