On January 03, 1969, At 0925 hours, Company B received enemy small arms fire on Highway 7A about one kilometer north of the junction of Highway 1. The fire was returned with unknown results. One Bobcat was wounded in the exchange. At 1125 hours, an APC from the Recon Platoon detonated an AT mine just north of the area of Company B’s earlier contact. The APC was a combat loss. Company C was assigned to provide security for Rome Plow operations northeast of Trang Bang. At 1555 hours a Rome Plow detonated an AT mine at XT 504216. On January 06, 1969, Company A conducted an S&D operation northeast of Trang Bang. At 1600 hours, a small ammunition cache was located. At 1615 hours, an APC from Company A detonated an AT mine in the same area. At 1830 hours, an ambush patrol from Company A engaged an unknown number of VC, northwest of the cache site at XT 517207. One body of an enemy soldier was located in a later search of the area. On January 07, 1969, Company B was conducting a RIF on the north side of Highway 1, about 1 kilometer northwest of the junction of highway 7A. At 1025 hours, one Bobcat from the company was wounded when a booby trapped hand grenade was tripped and detonated at XT 551177. At 2130 hours, an ambush patrol from Company A engaged an unknown number of VC about 3 kilometers northeast of Trang Bang at XT 510210. The body of one enemy soldier with his weapon was found after the contact. On January 09, 1969, Company B was securing Rome Plow operations one kilometer southwest of Trung Lap. At 1000 hours, an APC from Company B detonated an AT mine. One Bobcat was wounded and the APC was a combat loss. At 1030 hours, another APC from Company B detonated an AT mine in the same general area. At 1330 hours, the company received a barrage of eight 60mm mortar rounds. One Bobcat was wounded. Fire was returned with unknown results. At 1400 hours, a Rome Plow was damaged when it detonated an AT mine. At 1430 hours, members of the company engaged and killed one VC. On January 10, 1969, Company A was conducting an S&D operation northwest of the junction of Highways 1 and 7A. At 1400 hours, one Bobcat from the company was wounded when a booby trapped hand grenade exploded at XT 559184. At 1538 hours, as the company was sweeping west, it came under small arms fire. The fire was returned with unknown results. Two Bobcats were wounded in the contact. On January 11, 1969, an ambush patrol from Company C engaged an unknown number of VC shortly after midnight, along Highway 7A, 1 kilometer north of Highway 1. In a search of the area after the contact the bodies of four enemy soldiers were found along with weapons and equipment. One wounded VC soldier was captured. At 1120 hours, the Scout Platoon requested a Dust-off for two injured Bobcats. The pair was wounded as they began to search a tunnel and a booby trap exploded just inside the tunnel. Both men died of their injuries later in the day. On January 12, 1969, Company A’s night perimeter located just north of the junction of Highways 7A and 1 at XT 567173, received 16 rounds of 60mm mortar fire. The fire was returned with unknown results. One Bobcat was wounded in the incident. On January 14, 1969, at 1755 hours, an APC from Company B detonated an AT mine on Highway 7A, one kilometer north of the Highway 1 junction. The APC was turned over by the force of the blast. One Bobcat from Company B was killed and four were wounded. On January 17, 1969, at 1113 hours, a Bobcat from Company B detonated a hand grenade that was rigged with a trip wire and instantaneous fuse at XT 548192. He died within a few minutes of the blast. This incident occurred as the company was sweeping the area southwest of Trung Lap. On January 18, 1969, at 0845 hours, an APC from Company C detonated an AT mine 2 kilometers northwest of Thai My at XT 513165. The vehicle was a combat loss. At 1140 hours, another APC from Company C detonated an AT mine along Highway 7A, 2 kilometers north of the Highway 1 junction. On January 21, 1969, Company B was assigned to sweep and clear Highway 7A from north of Trung Lap to the junction of Highway 1. At 0745 hours, the sweep was delayed until the fog lifted. The sweep was resumed and at 0806 hours, a 30 pound AT mine was located and destroyed. At 0837 hours, Company B reported that while moving through Trung Lap one vehicle hit and killed a pig. At 0939 hours, an APC from Company B detonated an AT mine on Highway 7A, one kilometer north of Highway 1 at XT 572178. The blast flipped the track over pinning one Bobcat underneath, killing him. Another Bobcat was wounded. On January 26, 1969, at 0852 hours, a Bobcat from a flame track assigned to Company C stepped on and detonated a 30 pound AT mine. He was killed instantly and another Bobcat suffered busted eardrums from the blast. The incident occurred ½ kilometer northwest of Trung Lap at XT 585223. Two booby trapped hand grenades were located within 30 meters of the mine and were destroyed in place. During January 1969, six Bobcats died in Viet Nam. They were: Anthony L. Lema; David M. Williams; Richard Adiutori; Roger L. Langford; James L. Miller; and William D. Murray Jr. The 25th Infantry Division reported the following personnel losses for the quarterly period of November 01, 1968 to January 31, 1969: KIA: 236; WIA: 3,955 (669 evacuated); MIA: 0. “Under the direction of the commanding general all available chain link fence was issued to mechanized units of the division. The use of chain link fencing has long been recognized as a means of reducing the effectiveness of RPG rounds in the protection of friendly bunkers, however little attention has been given to tracked vehicles. It has been found that this material can also be carried in tracked vehicles, easily installed, and provides similar effectiveness in reducing damage. One 50 foot roll of fence, divided into two equal lengths, seven eight foot pickets and communications wire is all that is required to construct a “car port.” The two sections of fence and pickets can be carried without difficulty and can be installed within ten minutes. Sufficient chain link fence to insure one roll per tracked vehicle and artillery piece with a 10% stockage for replacement was made available immediately.” On February 01, 1969, Company A was conducting a RIF operation about 4 kilometers northeast of Trang Bang. At 1450 hours, a small food cache was located and four suspected VC were detained. At 1715 hours, one Bobcat from the company was wounded when he detonated a booby trap. At 2240 hours, an ambush patrol from Company A located at XT 512220 engaged 2 VC, killing one. On February 02, 1969, Company B was operating northeast of Trang Bang in the area of XT 5322. In the morning the company located two six ton rice caches. At 1653 hours, a tracked recovery vehicle attached to Company C detonated an AT mine 3 kilometers northeast of Trang Bang. The vehicle was a combat loss. At 2000 hours, an ambush patrol from Company A located 2 kilometers south of Trung Lap, received RPG fire which wounded 3 Bobcats. Fire was returned with small arms and artillery with unknown results. On February 03, 1969, at 1025 hours, an APC from Company B detonated an AT mine 1 ½ kilometers north of the junction of Highways 1 and 7A, at XT 563185. One Bobcat was wounded and the track was a combat loss. On February 04, 1969, at 1400 hours, a 75 round artillery barrage of white phosphorous was fired along a 3 kilometer axis of XT 5927 to 6130 in the Ho Bo Woods in the hopes of starting a fire. At 1432 hours, to the south of the above location at XT 578253, Company A requested a Dust-off for three wounded Bobcats and two Bobcats who had been killed. The casualties were the result of two 155mm booby trapped rounds being detonated. They were rigged with trip wires and set 25 meters apart. One was set in a tree to create a low air burst. One of the Bobcats who was wounded, died shortly after being dusted-off. At 1506 hours, Company A had an APC detonate an AT mine that was set in a rice paddy dike in the same general area. The vehicle was a combat loss. On February 05, 1969, Companies A and B were conducting a RIF operation 2 kilometers northeast of Trung Lap in the area of XT 6023. At 1637 hours, Company B requested a Dust-off for two wounded Bobcats. A grenade rigged with a trip wire was detonated at XT 600228, causing the injuries. One of the injured Bobcats died later in the day in hospital from his wounds. On February 08, 1969, the Recon Platoon conducted a RIF southwest of Trung Lap in the area of XT 5619. Companies A and B were conducting a RIF 2 kilometers east of Trung Lap in the area of XT 6222. Scattered contact started at around 1200 hours. At 1338 hours, Company A requested a Dust-off for three wounded Bobcats at XT 625220. The company had engaged an unknown number of VC. After the firefight they found four enemy bodies, a machinegun and an RPG launcher. The company also had four wounded who did not require Dust-off. At 1411 hours, Company A requested another Dust-off for a Bobcat with a gunshot wound. They also had one Bobcat with shrapnel wounds. At 1442 hours, Company A requested another Dust-off for one wounded Bobcat. These were in the same location as the first Dust-off. At 1640 hours an air strike was directed on enemy positions in the area. At 1648 hours, Company A requested a Dust-off for a Bobcat with a severed artery. At 1811 hours, Company B had two APCs hit by RPG rounds at XT 627220. The company Dusted-off six wounded Bobcats and one dead Bobcat. At 1846 hours, an airstrike was delivered on suspected enemy positions. At 2037 hours, Company A linked up with elements of the 2/14th Infantry and established a night perimeter. At 2107 hours, Company B established a night perimeter at XT 618217 and dusted-off three additional dead Bobcats on resupply helicopters. On February 10, 1969, Company A made contact with an estimated VC squad, one kilometer north of Trung Lap at XT 590225. At 1250 hours, Company A requested a Dust-off for one man with a gunshot wound. At 1304 hours, the Dust-off was canceled as the Bobcat had died from his wounds. At 1310 hours, Company A reported that they had an estimated 15 VC on line at XT 586232. Company B was committed to respond to the Company A contact. Air strikes and artillery were called in on the enemy position. At 1411 hours, Company B arrived on scene. A sweep of the enemy position located one enemy body. On February 11, 1969, Companies A and B conducted a RIF operation east of Trung Lap in the area of XT 6121. The bodies of several enemy soldiers that had been killed by earlier air strikes were located in the area. At 1345 hours, Company C, operating on the northern fringe of the Filhol, had an APC detonate an AT mine at XT 656227. The vehicle was a combat loss. On February 12, 1969, Company B was operating 6 kilometers north of Trung Lap with elements of the 2/12th Infantry. At 1000 hours, the company found and destroyed 20 meters of tunnel containing candles at XT 575266. At 1100 hours, Company B requested a Dust-off for two wounded Bobcats and one dead Bobcat. A Bobcat was probing for possible mines on a dirt road when there was an explosion killing him and wounding two others. On February 13, 1969, Company C was conducting a RIF operation about 3 kilometers south of the junction of Routes 238 and 6A in the Boi Loi Woods. At 1400 hours, they discovered a large rice cache at XT 553297. On February 14, 1969, Company B was conducting operations east of Trung Lap. At 1648 hours, Company B requested a Dust-off for seven wounded Bobcats at XT 605213. An APC from the company had detonated an AT mine and then caught fire and burned out of control. At 1705 hours, the Dust-off was complete, however, the body of one dead Bobcat was still next to the burning APC and could not be removed until the fire was out. Company C conducted operations during the day with one company from the 2/12th Infantry. On February 15, 1969, the battalion conducted an S&D operation in the southern Ho Bo Woods in the area of XT 6025. At 1345 hours, an APC from the Recon Platoon detonated an AT mine. One Bobcat was wounded. At 1355 hours, another APC from the platoon hit an AT mine. The track was a combat loss. At 1430 hours, Company C located a rice cache at XT 599299. On February 16, 1969, the Recon Platoon located and destroyed three booby trapped hand grenades near Trung Lap. Companies A and B conducted a RIF three kilometers northeast of Trung Lap. At 0905 hours, an APC from Company A detonated an AT mine. The vehicle was a combat loss. At 1345 hours, Company A located and destroyed 6 rounds of 82mm mortar ammunition. Also at 1345 hours, an APC from Headquarters Company detonated an AT mine just north of Trung Lap at XT 606226. At 1530 hours, Company C had a brief exchange of small arms fire at XT 566246. On February 17, 1969, the night perimeter of Companies A and B received small arms and RPG fire at 0036 hours. The fire was returned with unknown results. One Bobcat was wounded in the exchange. Company C and Company C, 2/12th Infantry conducted a combined RIF operation northwest of Trung Lap in the area of XT 5627. On February 18, 1969, at 1145 hours, Company B located an ammunition cache 5 kilometers north of Trang Bang at XT 513242. At 1512 hours, the company received small arms fire, but suffered no casualties. At 1630 hours, Company A received small arms and RPG fire in the Ho Bo Woods at XT 623279. Fire was returned with organic weapons, artillery and air strikes. The bodies of several enemy soldiers with their weapons were located in a sweep of the area. On February 21, 1969, at 1625 hours, an APC from Company A detonated an AT mine northwest of Trung Lap at XT 560232. The vehicle was a combat loss. On February 22, 1969, the Recon Platoon was assigned to work with the 2/12th Infantry in the Boi Loi Woods area. At 1110 hours, an APC from Company B detonated an AT mine in the area of Xom Moi north of Trung Lap. The vehicle was a combat loss. On February 23, 1969, at 0048 hours, the battalion night perimeter began receiving an 82mm mortar barrage. At 0117 hours, the battalion aid station requested a Dust-off for five wounded Bobcats and one dead Bobcat. At 0158 hours, the Dust-off was completed. Company A had 1 WIA and 1 KIA, Company B had 1 WIA, Company C had 2 WIA and Headquarters Company had 1 WIA. At 0225 hours, another mortar barrage was received without casualties. At 0535 hours, it was reported that FSB Mahone was under ground attack. At 0708 hours, Company A started a sweep of Highway 1 to the junction of Highway 7A and then north on 7A. At 0944 hours, Highway 7A was reported open for traffic. At 0905 hours Company B departed the forward base for a RIF operation. At 0930 hours, Company C departed for a RIF. At 1010 hours, Company B reported receiving RPG and small arms fire 7 kilometers north of Trung Lap at XT 602276. Artillery and air strikes were called in on the suspected enemy positions. A sweep revealed a couple of dead bodies of NVA soldiers with weapons. At 1324 hours, Company B requested a Dust-off for one Bobcat with a gunshot wound. At 1448 hours, Company C reported receiving RPG fire in the area of Xom Moi at XT 620223. At 1453 hours, Company C requested a Dust-off. One APC had been hit twice by RPG fire. At 1512 hours, the Dust-off was complete for three wounded Bobcats and one dead Bobcat. At 1531 hours, Company C requested another Dust-off for four wounded in the same area. At 1550 hours, the dust-off was completed and air strikes started pounding the area. At 1703 hours, Company C reported that they had one APC hit by RPG fire and that they were pulling back to allow more air strikes in the area. At 1757 hours, Company C requested a Dust-off for more wounded Bobcats in the same location as the last Dust-off. At 1830 hours, the Dust-off was complete for six wounded Bobcats and one dead Bobcat. At 1856 hours, as air strikes and heavy artillery were being placed into the area, Company C began moving to FSB Patton.