Prelude to the NVA Attack on LZ Bird
December 27, 1966
Roy Benson, Commanding Officer
B Company, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry (Airborne)
On December 26th, B Company received orders through a radio call from the acting Battalion S3 Operations Officer, Captain Tom Fields, to occupy blocking positions in a valley about 3-4 kilometers just to the south of LZ Bird at the base of Crow’s Foot Mountains during a so-called Christmas truce. We positioned 3 platoons on-line across the mouth of the valley and held one platoon to our rear for security and as a reserve. During that evening we were surprised and curious why a series of small but persistent probing NVA attacks were attempted against our positions coming out of the Crows foot mountains apparently trying to move north in the direction of LZ Bird.
In any event, the scattered probes continued all evening until around 0100 hours early in the morning of December 27 when all hell broke lose with heavy artillery, rockets, and small arms fire just to our north in what we later found out was a major attack by the elements of the 22nd NVA Regiment against LZ Bird where two artillery batteries were located. LZ Bird was also being defended by troops of our C Company still recuperating from the 506 Valley incident just 10 days or so earlier. It then began to make sense why the NVA was probing our blocking position.
It is worth pointing out now that initially everyone concluded that the probing attacks against B Company’s defensive positions south of LZ Bird had to do with NVA forces in the south attempting to link up with the 22nd NVA in order to participate in the attack against LZ Bird. However, subsequent captured documents indicated that the forces probing our positions may well have been elements of the 18th NVA that were attempting to launch a concurrent coordinated attack against LZ Pony where artillery batteries and the headquarters of the 1st Bn 12th Cav (Airborne) were located. Fortunately, due to the disruptive actions of our forces, this attack never was able to materialize. If it had, the battle at LZ Pony may well have equaled that of LZ Bird.
Shortly after the assault on LZ Bird began, I received an order to mount up as soon as possible and move north to assist C Company that was being assaulted on LZ Bird by a large NVA force. I issued a fragmentation order via radio to move out immediately and gave the marching order to proceed north across the river.
The company was on the march in short order lead by SFC “Hook” Wilson’s 2nd platoon hell bent on coming to the assistance of C Company and the two artillery batteries on LZ Bird; however, when we arrived at the river (see photo below) that stood between us and LZ Bird, we made an attempt to ford/cross the river, but the rainy season and water level was so strong that were unable to get across the river.
Photo of LZ Bird and forces involved on the December 27, 1966 Attack
We did move to high ground on the south and east side of the river and were able to provide some supporting fire to the LZ Bird area.
Shortly after the battle a day or two later, B Company occupied hill 86 (see photo) as a firebase and secured an artillery battery overlooking the vacated LZ Bird. It was the first incident in my tour that we began to use choppers to haul up palm tree trunks to the top of our firebase in order to construct fortified bunkers.
Medal of Honor Citation - Delbert O. Jennings
Daily Staff Journal, 1/12th Cavalry
Note: If I incorrectly recalled or misrepresented the events related to this incident, please contact me at homeat4331-giantbird6@yahoo.com or the webmaster at webmaster@12thcav.us and corrections will be made.