TO: COC FROM CMD GROUP SUBJ THE BATTLE VIC LE BAC (2):
FOLLOWING FROM COMMAND CHRONOLOGY AFTER ACTION REPORT; 3RD BN, 27TH MARINES FOR MAY 1968:
On the morning of 18 May 1968, at 0830 Company L moved from it's night position to link up with Company I and Company K. The Command Group with the platoon of Company K also began to move toward the rendevous point. At approximately 0940 the Command Group with one platoon of Company K joined Companies I and K (-) in the vicinity of AT 959526. While consolidating and attempting to expand the perimeter, friendly units came under small arms fire from LE BAC (2). Company K was moved to the North and Company L, approaching from the East was diverted North to assist in the action.
Initially it was thought the enemy force to be nothing more than one or two snipers, however, it soon became clear that a major enemy force was involved. The volume of fire became exceedingly heavy. Lead elements of Companies K and L were pinned down and could not be extracted. As the battle continued, heat began to take its toll, and heat casualties soon exceeded the number of battle casualties. Flak jackets, which had been worn by all hands, were discarded. Water became a critical item. Company M, which had been alerted previously to replace Company I, began arriving at 1500. Both Companies K and L and the Forward Command Group had been in contact continually since about 0940. Air and artillery missions were called in support of troops in contact, but since friendly units were in such close proximity to the enemy it was not possible to bring supporting arms to bear on all enemy positions.
Company M, upon arrival, was committed to the action in support of Company K, which had suffered a considerable number of battle and heat casualties. Company I was withdrawn from the area of operations utilizing turn about helicopters that transported Company M. Company K was replaced by Company M and withdrawn to a defensive position approximately 250 meters to the rear. The battle raged throughout the day until finally at night fall, friendly units were able to break contact, retrieve all wounded, most of the dead and withdraw to an area from which air and artillery could be fully brought to bear on the enemy positions. All units withdrew to the defensive position established earlier by Company K.
Two rifle companies from 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines also joined the battalion at this position at about 1900. The battalion set in at this location (vic AT 959524) for the night. Friendly casualties for this day were placed at 15 KIA, 78 WIA and 6 MIA, with 20 enemy KIA. Casualty figures were not confirmed at this time due to the tactical situation.
3RD BN, 5TH MARINES REPORT--31 MAY 1968:
(9) Captured Equipment.
2 Operation ALLEN BROOK
(a) Weapons. 6 B/40 rockets, 1 anti-aircraft machine gun, 2 AK-47 rifles, 1 AK-44 rifle.
(b) Ordnance. 2 62mm mortar rounds, 4 60 mm mortar rounds, 31 grenades, nine mines, 5 flares, 2 RPG rockets, 16 B/40 rocket rounds, 550 AK-47 rounds, 500 lbs. rice, 50 lbs. corn, 1 rifle grenade sight, 1 rifle grenade launcher adapter, 500 Russian machine gun rounds, 10 60mm mortar ignition cartridges, 7 blasting caps.
(c) 782 Gear. 400 pounds
(d) Documents 33 pounds.
e. Artillery Support
(1) During the month of May Battery F, 11th Marines, was in direct support of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines...Battery F, displaced to the Da Nang TAOR during the last half of May to support 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines on Operation ALLEN BROOK.
f. (1) Tactical Fixed Wing Support: There were 46 fixed wing airstrikes during the month of May in support of Operation HOUSTON II and ALLEN BROOK.
11TH MARINES COMMAND CHRONOLOGY--MAY 1968
Operation ALLEN BROOK, supported initially by 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines and subsequently by 2nd Battalion, 13th marines, resulted in over 300 confirmed enemy KIA by artillery. During Operation ALLEN BROOK heavy volumes of light, medium and heavy artillery were delivered on enemy fighting from dense thickets, heavy treelines and concrete emplacements.
(LATE ARTILLERY MOVES)
a. At 171300H, Battery F, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines displaced from grid AT 871994 enroute to grid AT 962609 (HILL 55). Arrived in position and laid an azimuth 3100 at 172000H, Four (4) guns up.
b. At 171330H, four (4) M-30 mortars from Battery M, 2nd Battalion, 13th Marines displaced from grid ZD 054031 enroute to grid AT 990675 (DUONG SON 2). Ar arrived in position and laid an azimuth 3400 at 171800H. Five (5) guns up.
BATTERY "M" IS MORTAR BATTERY, AS REPORTED IN 2ND BN, 13TH MARINES CHRONOLOGY FOR MAY 1968:
Narrative Summary:
On 17 May Battery "D" displaced to the vicinity of Liberty Bridge to support units of Operation ALLEN BROOK. Battery "E" 2/13 has also fired in support of Operation ALLEN BROOK, firing from its present position. (AT 012626 AS REPT LOC).
Sequential Listing of Significant Events
170900H "D" Btry displaced to grid AT 924538 (LIBERTY BRIDGE) in support of Operation ALLEN BROOK.
OPCON UNITS//CALLSIGNS:
"F", 2/11 Beechnut
"C", 1/13 Jacksonville
TO: COC FROM CMD GROUP SUBJ THE BATTLE VIC LE BAC (2):