DETAILS
On December 13, 1968, at 0628 hours, the Recon Platoon left the battalion forward base to sweep Highway 7A to the junction of Highway 1.
At 1206 hours, Company A began to receive RPG and automatic weapons fire 3 kilometers west of Trung Lap at XT 558200. One APC was hit by RPG fire and the company began calling in artillery fire on the enemy position. At 1225 hours, the company reported three Bobcats wounded and requested a Dust-Off.
At 1245 hours, Company B, 2/12th Infantry was airlifted into the area. At 1301 hours, Company A dusted-off three wounded and one dead Bobcat. Air strikes and helicopter gun ships bombed and strafed the enemy position. At 1328 hours, Company B, 1/5th(M) was sent to the area of Mit Nai on the report of a large VC force in that area. At 1440 hours, Company A, 2/12th Infantry was airlifted to an LZ at XT 536201, west of the enemy position that Company A, 1/5th(M) had engaged.
At 1517 hours, Company B had an APC detonate a booby trap of unknown type at XT 565186. Two Bobcats were wounded and dusted off. At 1608 hours, Company A reported that they were receiving fire.
At 1615 hours, Company B reported that they were receiving mortar, RPG, small arms and automatic weapons fire. At 1626 hours, Company B backed up their APCs to get better suppressive fire on the enemy position. At 1631 hours, Company B reported that they had casualties and also had a unit pinned down by enemy fire.
At 1644 hours, Companies A and B, 2/12th Infantry linked up to form a blocking force. At 1703 hours, Company B, 1/5th(M) reported that they had two Bobcats killed and several wounded from a 60mm mortar barrage. At 1708 hours, Company A, 1/5th(M) requested a Dust-off for at least two wounded. At 1723 hours, the Company B wounded were dusted-off. At 1730 hours, Company A reported that one of their wounded died and they still had three wounded to be taken out. At 1750 hours, the Dust-off was completed. The VC force broke contact and a sweep of the contact area revealed the bodies of enemy soldiers along with weapons and equipment.
During the day’s contact five Bobcats were killed and fourteen were wounded.