Our lift-off from LZ Grant began around 1100 hours on the 29th of March, 1969. The first wave of slicks swooped down spraying M-60 machine gun fire into the wood line. As the slicks hovered into position the men jumped out into about five feet of elephant grass. Without difficulty or contact from the enemy, they immediately moved into the wood line. As each platoon arrived, they continued to di di to the wood line and sent out observation posts to help secure the perimeter. When all the company was on the ground and the AO was secure, we began to cut a trail toward our mission. We humped for about two klicks and set up a defensive position for the night. The night was peaceful and without incidents.

 

We continued or reconnaissance patrols in this AO for about 5 or 6 days, setting up ambushes along LTL 13 and 19. The days were long from humping in the heat and many of the Bad Bet troopers were exhausted at the end of each day. We found no signs of the NVA during these days in the bush and were surely grateful. Although we had several mortar rounds fall near our FOB one night.

 

On the morning of the 5th of April we received orders to hump in to LZ Grant. Upon arrival to Grant, we prepared ourselves for a CA to a new AO to check out a suspected bunker complex. The CA was green and after securing the area we headed toward our mission.

 

In the early afternoon we arrived at the edge of a small bunker complex. We discovered about 5 bunkers containing six NVA dead bodies about three to six weeks old. It was suspected that they were killed by an air strike or by artillery. We also found ARVN equipment in which we collected and moved out of the area to set up for log.

 

I received a letter from my wife today and some Girl Scout cookies. I took the opportunity during log to finish reading the science fiction novel, Costigan's Needle and started reading a Matt Helm novel called Death of a Salesman. Reading helped give me some serenity during my tour in the Nam.

 

We had humped about klick from our log site when the point platoon spotted movement across a clearing just inside the wood line. A gook carrying a bicycle tire was strolling down the trail. Our CO decided to have him zapped and brought up sharpshooter. He took one shot and killed him in his tracks. At the time, I didn't understand why we hadn't tried to take him prisoner, but you never know how many more of his comrades were lurking near-by. After checking out his possessions, we found a wallet with pictures of his family and him in a NVA uniform. He was also carrying a bag of white powder. Evidently, he had been on an R&R or sent to get supplies and was headed back to his unit. It is sad in some ways that his family will never know his fate. War is Hell!

 

The next day we were ordered to check out an AO of bomb damage from air strike that was followed by a heavy concentration from ARTY.  For several days we begin to find fresh trails and commo wire running along the jungle floor. It seems that we were getting close to the enemy. Later that night at our FOB trip flares went off at one our LPs. The troopers on guard spotted about five individuals moving in their direction. They blew their claymores and engaged in small arms fire.

 

Sunrise came early on the morning of April 8th and with chow eaten, we were already cutting a trail through the bush. It seems we had just broke camp, although we had trudged along about a klick before stopping on the trail for a break. I was sitting and leaning against a tree eating peanut butter and crackers and began to doze off. I was suddenly awakened by AK-47 rifle and machine gun fire. My platoon and M-60 machine gun crew moved up to support the point platoon. I was still in daze from dozing off and couldn't find my M-60 ammo. I began crawling around like a crazy person looking for the ammo and little did I know someone had taken it to the machine gun crew. I finally pulled my self together and moved up to my platoon. We were ambushed by a forward patrol of NVA regulars from the wood line across an open field.

 

We began taking wounded, as well as casualties from the attack. Lt. Mallard the ARTY field observer and his RTO were hit and the radio was knocked out. Lt. Jon Hendrickson, our Bet 5 carrying an M-60 machine gun took point and was immediately hit in the abdomen and fell in the vicinity of a bomb crater. Al Christy was one of the first troopers to get to him and remembers him saying, "I saw the bastard." Al, Jon Thompson and two other troopers placed him in a poncho and carried him back to the PZ to be medevaced. Doc applied field dressings and injected the wounded with syrettes of morphine for pain. As they placed Bet 5 on the Medevac, Al remembering he had left his M-16 on the trail reached up and snatched an M-16 from one of the wounded on the Medevac. He said the soldier didn't seem to be very happy as the Medevac lifted-off. 

 

After dust-off of the wounded, we began to move out of the contact area. Again we were ambushed and began receiving incoming and small arms. Mike McGuire, 1-2 squad's M-79 (thumper) man, was hit in the leg from fragments from a grenade as he lay chilly in the bush.  He remembers watching a grenade leaving a hand. In what appeared as slow motion to him, it tumbled over his head and hit into his area, wounding him and others. Doc again applied field dressings to the wounded.

 

The mortar platoon dropped mortars into the wood line.  The M-60 machine gunners opened fire as we set our M-16s on rock 'n' roll. We also called in an artillery mission into the contact area.  As we staved off the enemy, we pulled back to secure a PZ for the wounded.

 

As the Medevac approached the PZ it took hits on its' rotor blades and returned to Tay Ninh. We now moved to an area to secure a new PZ for the Medevacs. While I was on guard, I knelt down next to one of my squad members and with amazement, he pointed to where a bullet had creased his helmet. I think he knew this was his lucky day. After a safe dust-off, we humped to area to set up a night defensive position. At this time first squad realized they had left behind one of their KIAs. The night was peaceful and without any incidents.

 

We lost Jackie Tate, Charles Dickerson and Raymond Gray a friend from my AIT unit as well as seven wounded in the battle. Jackie Tate came in on the log bird in the morning of April 8th. Al Christy remembers saying "Hi" and that he would talk to him later when we set up our FOB. It was only a matter of hours before Jackie was killed.

 

Ace High lost Charles Dickerson and Keith Miller on the 8th as well. As their company was moving from their log site on an old trail a bobby trapped claymore mine was blown on them. In addition to the two KIAs, they also had 10 wounded.  With the loss of so many lives and wounded, April 8th was a devastating and heart-felt day for A and B companies of the 2/12th Cav.

 

On the morning of the 9th, third and second squads were sent back into the contact area to retrieve Jackie Tate's body. John Thompson remembers that he was wound up tight of the thought of going back in. He remembers accidentally firing a buck- shot round from his M-79 and scaring the hell out of everyone. After locating Jackie's body, one of the Puerto Rican troopers wrapped him in a poncho, put him over his shoulder and carried him back to our perimeter without any resistance from the enemy.

 

Upon return to the perimeter, we were receiving supplies from the log bird. Top Boston and Sgt. Morris, his assistant came out on the log bird. Jackie's body was place on the chopper to be taken to the rear area and prepare him for the long journey home. It wasn't long after the log bird pulled away that we began receiving mortar rounds and B-40 rockets. One mortar round hit exactly where the log bird had been sitting. Al Christy had set up his mortar tube across the open field. He remembers a B-40 rocket was headed straight for his position and landed 6 to 8 meters short. The blast wounded Top, Morris and some other troopers. He began returning HE rounds just inside the wood line.

 

As we began to pull back an artillery barrage began to hit the AO, along with an air strike of napalm. We humped back across the open field and secured a PZ for the Medevac.  After dust-off, we moved to an area to secure a night defensive position. There were a total of ten lines 2's medevaced to safety. It was estimated that we had been in contact with a two company force. The night was calm and peaceful.

 

For the next few days we were up at sunrise, chowing down on C-rations, cleaning our weapons, breaking camp and cautiously moving toward the now suspected bunker complex. We were following a new azimuth toward the complex in which we were attacked. We humped about a klick each day, staying in contact with Ace High Company as they too moved toward the mission of the complex.

 

On the night of the tenth we received 20 to 30 mortar rounds near our FOB. Fortunately, they did not hit close and there were no casualties. As we continued to move toward the complex each day we could see signs indicating the bunker complex was near. We began to locate spider holes and newly built forward outpost that had been abandoned. It was though the enemy knew we were coming.

 

On April 12th, in the close vicinity of our position, we could hear rapid fire of a ferocious battle beginning. Ace High had hit the shit! They had run into the main bunker complex. The NVA regulars were attacking with a barrage of automatic weapons fire and rockets. Ace High immediately began taking casualties and wounded. Our company was out of range of the action to give them support. We were ordered to hold our position and set ambushes and prepare for the retreating enemy to come into our paths. The NVA didn't move in our direction. It was obvious that they knew our location.

 

Ace High pulled back carrying their casualties and wounded.  Artillery missions were called in for support. As ARTY pounded the complex, they disengaged the enemy while they continued to receive off and on sniper fire. The battle raged for about three hours. A pick-up zone was secured and smoke was popped to bring in the Medevacs. After dust-off, the weary combatants pulled back to secure another PZ to be extracted to LZ Grant for base defense.

 

Ace High had taken nine wounded and five KIAs. Loren Woods, Jeffrey Dyer and Lt. Corbin Tindall along with two friends from my AIT unit lost their lives. Richard Lemmon was wounded and Ronald Killing who was serving as a medic received wounds as he carried him to safety. They both died of their wounds. The loss of three of my AIT friends during the week upset me greatly. I was truly finding out the reality of war.

 

Our Bad Bet Company was also extracted to LZ Grant, but we were not staying. After receiving supplies, we were to CA to a new AO. The LZ was green and we moved out and secured a night defensive position. As the sun lowered its final rays through the canopy of the jungle, everyone was resolved to be far from the action of the preceding week. The night was quiet for these weary combatants.

 

Webmaster Note: During April 1969 the 2/12th Cavalry lost 12 men. In addition to the ten men mentioned in this story, Lt Frank Pearson from HHC was killed in a helicopter crash and John Nurse of C Company died from an accident.