Supporting Arms

1. Air Support.  During the first 27 days of the month, tactical air support for the Battalion consisted primarily of TPQ-10 bombing attacks of suspected enemy positions.  Of the 102 missions requested, 20 were conducted.  A total of 69 tons of bombs were expended.  Bomb damage assessment (BDA) was impossible due to the nature and location of these strikes.  An additional 22 divert targets were submitted.  These targets were submitted to higher headquarters for possible attack by aircraft unable to expend their ordnance on preplanned targets.  None of the 22 were hit.

When the Battalion moved into the field late in the month, the opportunity for use of close air support increased perceptibly.  Prior to the vertical assault conducted by the Battalion, nine flights of fixed wing strikes were flown in and around the landing zone.  The BDA for these strikes was 10 bunkers destroyed, three secondary explosions, one secondary fire, and 100 meters of trails and trench lines destroyed.

Five helicopter lifts were accomplished during the month, lifting a total of 500 pounds of cargo and 901 troops.  Helicopter MEDEVAC missions carried a total of 12 emergency, eight priority, and 19 routines.

The overall effectiveness of the TACP was enhanced considerably with the assignment of an F-4B pilot who replaced the Battalion FAC.  The Battalion now has two Naval Aviators with a wide range experience in helicopters, the OV-10A, and high-performance aircraft.

1. Artillery Support.  The preponderance of artillery fire was provided by G Battery, 3/12 located at Ca Lu, and 155mm Guns and 8” Guns located at VCB.  During the last week of the month, the Battalion was supported by artillery and air when it launched a vertical assault on an objective in the new AO.  Prep fires for the operation were conducted in three phases; artillery, air, followed by more artillery.  Phase one commenced at 0430 and lasted until 0630 when air strikes commenced.  The air strikes ended at 0730 and the final artillery prep fires were delivered on the objective. There were three linear and eight periphery targets hit during the prep fires, a total of 1800 rounds of 105mm, 155mm and 8” were expended.

                                                                                                                       Weapon         Targets           Rounds

                                              Harassing and Interdiction                  155mm               52                    100

                                                                                                                        105mm              354                   1740

                                            Prep Fires (1) 105mm           155mm and 175mm             11                    1800

1. When the Battalion assumed responsibility for a new AO late in the month, eight Counter Rocket/Counter Mortar Plans were in existence:  Bobcat, Krait, Tiger, Bronze, Panther, Lion, Fox and Hawk.

This page last corrected 4 September 2011