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August 1970 - W3 COMPANY ACTIVITIES This section has a detailed timeline for W3 Company activities from 1 to 31 August 1970 offer corrections and updates to this detail - send here glossary: xxxxH is a time in 24-hour clock, if six-digit the first two are date. YSxxxxxx is a 6-figure map grid read left to right then bottom to top. KIA killed in action - WIA wounded in action - BT blood trail full glossary here Research Issues. There are no 2RAR duty officer logs for the period 1 - 16 August. The 2RAR logs available are hand written and generally messy to read and difficult to understand. Many gaps in the timeline have been filled by using detail reported by 2RAR to the 1ATF CP. The 2RAR logs in their unedited state do offer some insights into unit operational thinking which frequently contradict views in the book 'Second To None 2 RAR as the ANZAC Battalion in Vietnam 1970-1971' by CO 2RAR, this book also having many factual inaccuracies. Summary. During August 2RAR/NZ continued Op CUNG CHUNG II in AO DROVER NE of the coastal SHW15, with Bn HQ based at FSPB GAIL at YS252722 near the coast. W Coy handed over FSPB LE LOI to 8RAR on 2 August and rejoined 2RAR/NZ in the field on recce and ambush ops until 10 August, had a break at VUNG TAU from 11 - 13 August and then remained in NUI DAT as the 1ATF Ready Reaction Force from 14 until 22 August. From 23 August the Company remained in the field a further 4-weeks [until 25 September]. The Company had no contacts with VC during August. Deploying under full control of 2RAR/NZ for the first significant time [having been deployed on mostly independent sub-unit missions since 2RAR’s arrival in May 1970] the more experienced and practised W Coy now had to manage the stifling leadership manner imposed by CO 2RAR, especially his desire to CONTROL platoon activities when they were in contact, and to manage the minutiae of unit administration – examples are in the W3 timeline for August and subsequent months and in the CO's book. OC W Coy managed to counter this to some degree by building strong relationships with subordinate appointments in Bn HQ. It was also a common sub-unit practise when in contact to immediately request a fire mission with airspace clearance so that the CO’s helicopter would not be able to hover over the contact location while the CO offered gratuitous advice and required frequent reports from the commander engaged in the fire fight [although the CO denies doing this, see page 159, he also stated he thought flying around above a contact was good for the morale of those in the fire fight on the basis the CO was taking the same risks they were..!]. Once wise to the sub-unit practise LtCol Church countered with his own requirement that fire missions supporting contacts be prior approved by the Bn HQ CP as in his view the average of 18 artillery rounds fired per contact was ‘a wasteful use of ammunition” - however he was always happy to 'prep' LZ [assume the VC is protecting the LZ] by smashing the LZ surroundings with artillery, gunship fire and even air strikes, all this despite there not being a case of a 'hot' LZ in a 1ATF AO for some months. The 4Fd Regt RAA August commanders diary reports that within 1ATF for most days in August "no contacts were fired during the 24-hour period", most fire missions being H&I or LZ preparation.
The
signallers might recollect the brief trialling
of the AKAC
numeral code system
– this provided a plastic cover with wheel under which the code page was
placed. The wheel was then rotated to set a message code key [called
I Set] after which
extract from 2RAR unit
routine order
1
August 1010H Comd 1ATF visited W Coy at LE LOI. Night Locations: Coy HQ and all platoons were at LE LOI.
Rainfall today 76 points or 15 mm [point is a horizontal line on the cylinder every
0.2 mm (0.007"] Humidity 84%
2
August 1330H W Coy rejoins 2RAR command net and departs NUI DAT by road for AO DROVER to conduct reconnaissance and ambush operations in the area of the NUI ONG TRINH and NUI THI VAI Hills. The Company AO was NW of the area covered by W Coy in late May 1970. 1715H W Coy complete with W3 mor sect at YS274674. Night Locations: Coy HQ and 2Pl YS291684, 1Pl YS288681, 3Pl YS292688. W3 mor sect FSPB GAIL. Rainfall today 97 points or 19.4 mm. Humidity 88%
road movement to the AO
from the
3
August 1215H at YS287687 2Pl detained a further x10 locals, party was now x10 female, x2 boys dressed mainly in black trousers with ARVN footwear and grey shirts and carrying x9 buckets of bamboo shoots and old C rations. The adults had ID cards and expired work permits. Div Int Sect now decided that the party should be removed to FSPB GAIL for interrogation and a sect of APC were sent to collect. At 1700H the party were still on the APC's and the plans changed again, with the party being taken direct to NUI DAT for interrogation. They were released the following morning into national police control in PHUOC HOA. Night Locations: Coy HQ and 2Pl YS291684, 1Pl YS285684, 3Pl YS292696. Rainfall today 38 points Humidity 88% W Coy AO August 1970
4
August 1239H locstats W Coy: no change from 1059H. 1258H at YS294697 3Pl requested winch DUSTOFF for a NZ patient with PUO and temperature of 104 F degrees. Night Locations: Coy HQ and 2Pl YS294708, 1Pl YS284690, 3Pl YS294697. W3 mor sect were back in NUI DAT. Rainfall today nil Humidity 86%
5
August
1020H
locstat 3Pl YS296696 During the morning 2Pl air assaulted into an unusual LP near the top of the NUI THI VAI mountain feature, being little more than a large flat rock, a 2Pl recollection is here. Once 2Pl were secure on the ground Coy HQ and the W3 mor sect followed to establish a NDP that allowed good communications and plunging indirect mortar fire into the various re-entrants running down from the high ground. A W3 mor sect recollection is here. 1515H locstat Coy HQ and 2Pl YS294708, 1Pl YS279699, 3Pl no change. Night Locations: Coy HQ, W3 mor sect and 2Pl YS294708, 1Pl278704, 3Pl YS307698. Rainfall today nil Humidity 76% the large rock acting as LP at NDP LUISE
6
August [0835H at YS310699 1ATF log shows 3Pl W Coy was collocated with 2Pl V Coy - unlikely, given LOCSTAT perhaps 3Pl V Coy..] 0910H locstat 3Pl YS310699 [likely V Coy] 1040H locstat W Coy HQ and W3 mor sect LUISE, 1Pl YS278704, 2Pl moving east from LUISE, 3Pl [likely V Coy] YS308699. 1548H locstat 2Pl YS304712. Night Locations: Coy HQ NDP LUISE YS295708, 1Pl YS278704, 2Pl YS307715 and YS306712, 3Pl YS308699. Rainfall today nil Humidity 73%
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August Night Locations: Coy HQ NDP LUISE YS295708, 1Pl YS278712, 2Pl YS305720 and YS308715, 3Pl YS300688.
Rainfall today 7 points Humidity 77%
8
August Rainfall today 20 points Humidity 83%
9
August Rainfall today 0.2 points Humidity not recorded
10
August Night Locations: W Coy complete in lines at NUI DAT. Rainfall today nil Humidity 80% Vung Tau town and beaches
11
August Night Locations: W Coy complete at 1ALSG VUNG TAU. Rainfall today 0.03” Humidity 77%
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August Night Locations: W Coy complete at 1ALSG VUNG TAU.
Rainfall today nil Humidity 72% 13 August mid-morning W Coy return to NUI DAT from VUNG TAU. W Coy at Peter Badcoe club waiting to return to NUI DAT 1600H W Coy Liaison party under command of Capt George Kereama [NZ 2ic of 2RAR Support Coy] joins 252 RF Coy for Op DONG TIEN in AO TRAU [Buffalo] - 252 RF Coy were skilling up by undertaking recce and ambush operations with 1ATF assistance and resources. W Coy were to provide x3 Cpls, x3 MG Nos, x4 radio ops and x1 interpreter for three platoon level liaison parties with internal comms and local protection – deploying 14 Aug with x5 days requirements. [reference 2RAR Ops 11, Op Instr 10/70 dated 110800H Aug 70]. AO TRAU was situated on the flat ground to the immediate north of the NUI THI mountains. The liaison party structure was later used for a second RF operation - Op DAO GAM over the period 24 - 28 August, but it is unlikely W Coy again provided the liaison party [the Op Instr 11/70 dated 19 Aug 70 front page is missing] but W3 mor sect was warned out to support the operation if required. Night Locations: W Coy in lines in NUI DAT. Rainfall today nil Humidity 72%
14
August 0900H the LZ for the insertion of 252 RF Coy was prepared by artillery and gunships. 0950H 252 RF Coy with W Coy Liaison party [c/s 7 on 2RAR net] were safely into AO TRAU, by 1130H the RF platoons were at YS351716 [3Pl], YS346708 [Coy HQ]. At 2000H the night locations were 1Pl YS474661, 2Pl YS490671. Two section strength W Coy TAOR patrols were deployed to the area YS4767/YS4765 and area YS5068/4867 for the nights 14/15 August. Night Locations: majority of W Coy in lines in NUI DAT.
Rainfall today 086” Humidity 83%
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August Night Locations: majority of W Coy in lines in NUI DAT. Rainfall today 1.56" Humidity 75%
W Coy TAOR patrol
16 August 0925H at YS366717 252 RF Coy located x10 VC caves which they planned to destroy, however evaluation found the bunkers had been destroyed 12 months prior. 1610H at YS350721 3Pl 252 RF Coy observed x2 VC following them on a track 400 metres behind them. The VC spotted 3Pl and disappeared, 3Pl remained in the area overnight as an ambush. Two section strength W Coy TAOR patrols were deployed to the area YS4667/YS4867 and area YS4966/YS5066 for the nights 16 and 17 August. Night Locations: majority of W Coy in lines in NUI DAT. Rainfall today 1.38” Humidity 89%
17
August Two section strength W Coy TAOR patrols remained deployed to the area YS4667/YS4867 and area YS4966/YS5066 for the nights 16 and 17 August. Night Locations: Coy HQ and all platoons [minus patrols] with W3 mor sect, complete in lines at NUI DAT. Rainfall today 122 points Humidity 88%
18
August Two section strength W Coy TAOR patrols were deployed to the area YS4868/YS4768 and area YS4863/YS5065 for the nights 18 to 20 August. Night Locations: Coy HQ and all platoons [minus patrols], with W3 mor sect, complete in lines at NUI DAT. Rainfall today 1 points Humidity 85-90%
19
August Two section strength W Coy TAOR patrols remained deployed to the area YS4868/YS4768 and area YS4863/YS5065 for the nights 18 to 20 August. The W Coy party with 252 RF Coy were withdrawn by 1900H when the RF were extracted from the field at the end of their 5-day training and operational cycle. Night Locations: Coy HQ and all platoons [minus patrols] complete in lines at NUI DAT. Rainfall today 50 points Humidity 89%
20
August Night Locations: Coy HQ and 3Pl in lines at NUI DAT, no record for other platoons. Rainfall today 61 points Humidity 86%
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August Night Locations: Coy HQ and all platoons complete in lines at NUI DAT. Rainfall today 13 points Humidity 84%
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August Rainfall today nil Humidity 86%
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August W Coy AO late August 1970 1841H W Coy requested clearance for 3Pl to operate up to the boundary with C Coy from 240900H. Night Locations: Coy HQ and 1Pl YS290765, 2Pl YS297656, 3Pl YS290680. Rainfall today nil Humidity 84%
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August Night Locations: Coy HQ and 1Pl YS299674 with 1Pl ptl YS307674, 2Pl YS307664, 3Pl YS297698. Rainfall today 1.71" Humidity 85%
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August Night Locations: Coy HQ YS313674, 1Pl YS311673, 2Pl YS308645 and YS303645, 3Pl YS297698. Rainfall today 0.04” Humidity 85%
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August [Major John Masters MC RNZA arrived in country, the last battery commander of 161 Bty RNZA before its withdrawal in May 1971].
1625H
Bn HQ directed W Coy to man the Air Admin [AA – used for resupply and
conversations with helicopters etc] radio net. W Coy replied that
they had insufficient radios to man the AA, that they had had the
correct number of radios but Pronto [2RAR Signals
officer or
RSO] took two radios leaving only two radios at Coy HQ [Bn Comd and
Coy Comd nets], that previously the Coy HQ had maintained an AA net. Bn
HQ asked “are you inferring you do not intend to answer AA means..?” to
which Coy HQ answered “there is currently traffic on our internal, when
it is clear we will flick [change] to AA means”. A note in the
log from the RSO reads “’spoke to all coys on this matter 2-days ago. I
sent a signal to W Coy requesting No of radios held by them. The answer
was 11. As each coy was limited to 10 and c/s5 reports no backload
[surplus or broken radios] I can’t see why withdrawing radios
indistinct....” [research note: this is an early indication of
the problem with radio scales and serviceability that would later have
an impact during the 3Pl accident in early October 1970 – there is more
to this matter during 27 August]. Night Location: Coy HQ YS313674, 1Pl YS311673, 2Pl YS306649, 3Pl YS309699. Rainfall today 0.04” Humidity 83% AN-PRC 25 radio set - the object of the discussion between Bn HQ and W Coy
27
August 1121H the Bn adjutant [CO’s staff officer normally responsible for personnel matters] spoke to W Coy Sunray that apparently a radio had been lost after it was picked up by the CO [c/s9] from the W Coy element with the RF Coy and delivered to GAIL, then returned back to NUI DAT but lost in transit. The CO subsequently ordered a registration check to be conducted of 2RAR radios, and that all other company’s had only 10 radios as per discussion CO/2ic/RSO prior to this operation. Approx 1130H W Coy were asked for the serial number of the missing radio /"attempting to trace”. W Coy was then asked for the number of radios in use by W Coy /”11, excluding lost radio”. 1640H Adjutant told W Coy Sunray that there should be an internal redistribution of W Coy radios to get a radio to Coy HQ for the AA net, and that Bn HQ would arrange any air tasking to assist this. 1715H Bn HQ Ops Offr spoke to W Coy Sunray, the log notes are: “OC W Coy agrees they have x11 radios (i.e. one more than A, B or C Coy) but this is because they have one extra MFC. Sunray’s policy has been to keep two radios at Coy HQ and give each platoon two radios each, plus radios at NUI DAT = 10. That he now understands the policy but is reluctant to withdraw sets from platoons at this stage. He is changing his internal set to AA frequency as necessary. He receives most AA traffic from his CQMS at NUI DAT who has a set on the company internal net. The Ops Offr agreed to leave things as they were while platoons were deployed as at present”. A side note in the log to the CO suggested that the W Coy policy “be left as is at present. While W Coy will cease to be a problem I think policy may need clarifying to V Coy”. [While the non-standard radio distribution issue was being addressed by senior Bn HQ officers another 2RAR company were in contact with a VC bunker system and one Australian soldier elsewhere in the field required an urgent MEDEVAC [but subsequently cancelled] because his sexually transmitted disease had flared up.] At 1930H W Coy reported earlier seeing smoke at YS338673 and called artillery onto the location, result unknown. Night Locations: Coy HQ YS313674, 1Pl YS308684, 2Pl YS306649, and YS315646, 3Pl YS317696. Rainfall today 0.11” Humidity 82%
28
August 1040H CO visited W Coy HQ and outlined a future deployment of W Coy to protect the land clearing team [LCT]. At around 1600H W Coy advised Bn HQ of the subunit strength states and LP locations to allow planning for a further deployment: Coy HQ: 21, 1Pl: 27, 2Pl: 27, 3Pl: 26. LP locations were: Coy HQ and 3Pl YS320680, 1Pl YS290680, and 2Pl YS305650. Night Locations: Coy HQ YS313674, 1Pl YS301683, 2Pl YS306649 and YS315646, 3Pl YS317696. Rainfall today 1.31” Humidity 80%
29
August 0947 at YS306649 2Pl were warned to expect a HOI CHANH [probably TRAN VAN QUON] and Australian interpreter [nickname ‘chatterbox’]. The party arrived at 1215H and briefed 2Pl HQ of the requirement to escort the HOI CHANH [HC] to a cache in a cave, 2Pl in turn briefed the HC on what behaviour was expected of him if a contact was initiated while he was leading the platoon. QUON had been part of the VC unit destroyed by 8Pl 8RAR on 12 August but being ill at the time had been left behind alone in the VC base location when the VC party left, when no-one returned to the base camp after 3-days QUON did some soul-searching and chose to quit the cause. [he likely had a choice, there is no mention of a baby in his camp so the baby food and clothes captured in the 8Pl 8RAR incident on 12 August suggests another VC camp was probably located in the area]. [the 2Pl cache search is briefly described in the CO's book page 85 but he incorrectly attributes the task to 2Pl V Coy under Lt Ian Glendenning]. 1150H a replacement [4 Fd Regt artillery] radio for the attached FOO party was delivered to W Coy HQ, being lowered on a rope and the faulty radio retrieved. 1310H at YS791690 an APC travelling with the armoured force on Op MASSEY, which included the W3 mor sect mounted in AMC, initiated a pressure mine – x1 Bushman Scout KIA, x9 Aust WIA. The requests for DUSTOFF in the 1ATF log reflect the confusion of handling this large number of wounded, ultimately x2 DUSTOFF were required to lift out x5 litter casualties, x4 sitting casualties, the other passenger and crew remained on duty. The APC sustained heavy damage and was thrown onto the back of a nearby Centurion tank but surprisingly the APC’s belly armour was not penetrated by the 30lb anti-tank mine. see this link for more details and photo. Mid-afternoon Sunray started discussing the return to Singapore of Sunray Minor 2Pl [probably Sgt Hemana] who had been advised that his daughter was seriously ill. Sunray Minor 2Pl was backloaded to NUI DAT to sort out further travel arrangements. 1721H 2Pl reported in a SITREP to Coy HQ that the HC mission went well until it began to get late and the HC became worried about not having field equipment. 2Pl then stopped for the night and supplied him with sleeping kit and a meal which had reassured him. The HC later seemed more sure of himself and ‘ready to go’ in the morning, feeling he was close to the area of the cache. It was decided to leave him in the field and continue the mission the following day, but it was noted that this extension might interfere with a planned resupply of 2Pl the next afternoon. Night Locations: Coy HQ YS313674, 1Pl YS301683, 2Pl YS324671, 3Pl YS320682. Rainfall today 76 points Humidity 70%
30
August There are several mentions in the logs of W Coy having ‘US visitors’ spending a day or two with Coy HQ – there are no other details. 0959H at YS329677 2Pl assisted by a HOI CHANH [HC] located a small cave under rocks, possibly not used in the previous 12-months. They recovered x1 82mm CHICOM mortar barrel, x7 rounds 82mm mortar ammunition, x1400 .45 rounds [used in .45 pistol and Thompson sub-machinegun], x1500 7.62 short rounds [for AK47] and some cables. The mortar and ammunition had been cached in a natural cave in March 1969. Around 1330H the VC stores, HC and chatterbox were lifted from YS325674 by Iroquois helicopter back to NUI DAT, the HC subsequently receiving a monetary reward for his assistance in locating the cache. 2Pl also flew out to rejoin W Coy near JILL. 1315H W Coy received a resupply at B Coy’s location near NDP JILL. 1450H a MEDEVAC was called for a W Coy soldier with a badly gashed knee, he was taken from the field by SIOUX helicopter. Night Locations: Coy HQ and 1PL NDP JILL YS298771, 2Pl and 3Pl YS297768. Rainfall today nil Humidity 76%
31
August 1400H Sunray W Coy moved by light helicopter to FSPB GAIL to attend a conference on activities in the period 11 to 21 September. The remainder of W Coy moved north to begin their stint guarding the land clearing team [LCT]. 1545H at YS287778 3Pl noticed a VC booby trapped Claymore mine on the side of a track with a buried firing device in the centre of the track. A splinter team was flown to 3Pl and the booby trap was dismantled. Night Locations: Coy HQ and 1Pl NDP JILL, 2Pl YS296773, 3Pl YS287778. Rainfall today nil Humidity 82% W Coy remained with the LCT until 22 September, 2Pl moving to garrison FSPB GAIL on 9 September in the absence of 2RAR who returned to NUI DAT for a 10-day rest and re-training programme. References:
Rainfall figures are for NUI DAT. There are no W Coy contact after-action reports for August 1970 read July 1970 timeline here read September 1970 timeline here full glossary here anyone can offer corrections and updates to this detail - send here |
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