CTG 117.2 Combat After Action Report

September 15-16, 1967

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1030H Lead unit under fire. Automatic weapons left and right bank. Fire returned with everything available.
 
1030H ATC-111-7 hit by B-40 rocket midway coxswain’s flat. Boston whaler on fire. Vicinity objective 13, is 194457. Fire received from left and right banks.
 
1030H Lead minesweeper T-91-13 hit by two rounds B-40 vicinity objective 14, XS 1994450. Boat reconnoitering by fire. One round port side coxswain’s flat, 1 round port side 50 caliber machine gun mount. Five men wounded.
 
1031H Lead minesweeper T-91-11 under fire same area vicinity objective 14, XS 194452 both sides of canal. T-91-11 remained under fire until objective 11 was reached vicinity XS 190466, receiving (7) B-40 rocket hits from both sides of the canal. Three men wounded in action.
 
1032H ATC-111-10 hit by B-40 0n canopy starboard side. 2 Navy wounded, 18 Army wounded in action, 1 Army Killed in action. Fire from left and right river banks vicinity W22 XS 193458.
 
1035H CCB-111-1 two near misses from B-40 port bow. No damage.
 
1038H ATC-111-3 two near misses from B-40 starboard side. No damage. Steering affected.
 
1040H-1050 Receiving small arms fire.
  
1048H Landing troops at White Beach ONE and TWO under fire.
 
1048H Monitor-91-3 took bunker at vicinity W41 under fire from which B-40 rounds were launched. Under Fire. Fire suppressed. Bunker Damaged, not destroyed. T-91-13 took 1 B-40 hit on stern slight Damage.
 
1050H Later examination by troops revealed interior of bunker covered with blood. One sampan near by with 1 VC Killed in action.
 
1051H Minesweepers T-91-11 and T-91-13 received hits. East bank vicinity, check point 40, T-91-11 took B-40 port side deck house T-91-13 took B-50 hit canopy, did not explode. Removed by EOD Team.
 
1055H Sniper activity increasing from North bank. CCB-111-1 took two sniper hits.
 
1106H CCB-111-1 hit port side main deck one round B-50. Three wounded in action. Vicinity White Beach Two.
 
1110H CCB-111-1 took two near misses B-40, B-50 from vicinity objective 11. No damage. 1 VC hit in chest with full clip M16. 1 VC (Prob) KIA.
 
1115H Landing Consolidated. Naval block set.
 
1120H Pulled southernmost units back to western flank on white beach TWO.
 
1130H-1200H Commenced MEDEVAC from ATC-111-3 helo platform. MEDEVAC
accomplished under fire.
 
1315H TU 117.2.3 arrived 1340 in area of operations. Held vicinity objective 14.
 
1655H TU 117.2.3 under fire. Received two B-40 hits in ATC-92-8. Five wounded in action. Returned fire. 1 VC KIA - 1 VC Probable KIA.
 
1900H Attempted to proceed. Halted by air strikes and artillery fires. On advise of higher authority. Task unit ordered to remain in Vicinity objective 14 for the night.
 
160330H Monitor-111-1 discovered swimmer alongside, fired two clips M-16 into him. Observed to sink beneath surface. I VC KIA Sunk.
 
0800H Provided H&I fire throughout the night on North bank across from White Beaches, Provided illumination on call throughout the night. Expended 20 rounds 81mm illumination.
 
1200H Task Element joined at White Beach to re supply Task Group with ammo.
 
1230H Re supply completed.
 
1300H Task Element departed area of operation for Mobile Riverine Base with following units, M-111-3, M-91-3, ATC-91-1, ATC-91-11, ATC-111-6, ATC-111-7.
 
1530H Commenced loading troops.
 
1615H Back loading of troops completed.
 
1630H Took departure from area of operations.
 
1632H Received small arms fire from west bank. Opened fire all guns to starboard. Large secondary explosion black smoke vicinity XS 192458, 50 yards in. Possible arms cache, belonging to troops That ex-filtrated night before.
 
1640H Ceased fire.
 
1640H Normal transit rest of way.
 
1900H Closed Mobile Base.
 
2000H Secured from operation.

12. Results,

A.   Enemy

       3 VC KIA
       2 VC (Probable)

B.   Enemy material 1 Bunker 1 Sampan 1 Arms 1 arms cache (probable)

C.   Friendly Casualties 3 Navy KIA
       77 Navy Wounded in action

       3 Marine Corps Wounded in action
       Army wounded or killed in action unknown

D.   No Navy material lost.

E.    Navy material casualties.

        4-20mm Cannon damaged
        4-50 cal M.G. damaged
        1-81MM Mortar damaged
        2-30 cal M.G. destroyed
        1-Minesweeper winch destroyed
        1-M-16 Rifle Damaged (destroyed)
        1-Shotgun destroyed
        4-Canopies destroyed P-250 Pump destroyed
        Extensive Bar Armor Damage
        4-VRC radio damage
        2-antennas shot up
        1-50 cal stand leg shot off
        2-ramps destroyed
        1-M-79 destroyed

13.   Administrative matters, No comment.

14.   Special equipment and techniques: Boston Whalers should not be carried on Armored Troop Carriers.

15.   Commanders Comments,

Army troops fired own machine guns and A/W from both sides of the boats When engaged.

Army troops threw hand grenades from boats.

Army troops manned .30 cal machine guns in forward in Armored Troop Carriers.

Army troops manned .30 Cal and .50 Cal machine guns in Armored Troop Carriers when Navy men were wounded and killed.

Army troops passed 40mm ammo in CCB allowing continuous firing while Engaged. Expended 500 rounds first engagement, 600 rounds 2nd engagement.

 Army troops helped fight fires on stern and in canopy of damaged Armored Troop Carriers.

Very poor communications with Mobile Riverine Base while in Rach Ba Rai. Army could not communicate with Fire Support Base except by helo.

Distance to banks 20-30 meters. Guns could not be depressed sufficiently to fire Into nearest emplacements.

Cease fire had to be given by four times so smoke could clear from scene. Impossible to see next boat ahead.

Artillery prep on both sides of the banks and then walking artillery up banks Would help.

Helo fire team prep of banks ahead of boats would help.

Initial ambush approximately 1000 meters long, both sides of bank from Objective 10 to objective (XS193445 to XS 193458). Fire received through Objective 11 to objective 41.

16.   Recommendations,

Install  VRC-46 radio sets in ammo stowage area under coxswain flat. Remote or put Long lead on headset with speaker in cockpit. B-40 hits in control tend to disrupt Communications somewhat.

Lower Torso Board Armor should be provided earliest to all crew members in order to reduce fragment casualties.

Use gas on beaches ahead of boats.

Investigate installing body armor (easily removable) on 40mm turret. Weld to Turret. It will -turn with gun. I see absolutely no problems here. If the 40mm is Knocked out, in close combat, finis monitor.

Try styrofoam blocks behind bar armor topside.           Top

F.E. Rhodes. Jr.

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Note:  This After Action Report is incorrect in some areas.  The actual KIA and boat numbers were:

09/15/67 - William H. Little, EN2, Weymouth, MA - M-111-3 (Dinh Tuong)

09/15/67 - Richard A. Cheek, SN, Oregon, IL - M-111-2 (Ding Tuong)

09/15/67 - William T. Diamond Jr., SN, Ottawa, IL - ATC-111-6 (Dinh Tuong)

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