We rejoin 3rd Platoon after the prisoners and casualties from mission 3's ambush are medevac'd out.
Arriving on the first resupply bird are 3 new soldiers:
PFC Garcia, the new platoon medic
CPL Metzger, the new FO
PFC Clemens, the new FO RTO
While not replacing all of our losses, it is nice to have some fresh meat for the grinder.
Capturing the live prisoner in mission 3 gave our intelligence officers a chance to interrogate an NVA and discover where the nearby basecamp is located. Our mission will be to destroy that base camp.
MISSION 4B Company will airlift to LZ AIRBORNE in the vicinity of An Loc Dong and occupy positions at phase line BIG DOG no later than 0400Zulu. At 0415Zulu B Company will advance on line to objective HAMMER where it will capture or destroy the NVA basecamp.
3rd Platoon will be the main effort, with 2nd Platoon to the West and 1st Platoon to the East. As the main effort, 3rd Platoon will have priority of fires from organic mortars as well as 105mm howitzers. Air support is on standby.
The AO from the South looking North:
From the West looking East:
Initial flyover from the cavalry's OH-6s show civilians in the area, it doesn't look like we are expected.
3rd Platoon will start the mission as follows:
Upon crossing Phase Line BIG DOG, 3rd Platoon deploys on line:
Immediately, the civilians begin to run into the jungle:
Cautiously, 3rd Platoon continues to advance:
Until the sound of AK47s shatter the silence! The NVA are dug in on the hill. Looks like this isn't going to be a surprise after all.
The entrenched NVA fireteam opens up on 3rd Squad's Bravo Team, hitting SGT Daniels in the right shoulder with an AK47 round.
Without warning, an NVA mortar round lands in the rice paddy with SFC Stevenson, thankfully landing wide of any US troops.
(This could have been bad, SFC Stevenson was the aiming point and if hit, the mortar would have affected the entire platoon HQ.)
A second NVA fireteam opens up on 2nd Squad's Bravo Team from a paddy dike, thankfully missing their shots:
A third NVA fireteam moves forward in the jungle and heads towards 1st Squad:
CPL Metzger shows his experience and calls in an A4 Skyhawk to drop some napalm on the entrenched NVA fireteam on the hill. The Skyhawk pilot is right on the money and vaporizes the NVA fireteam in their foxholes.
Advancing under fire, 2nd Squad's Bravo Team takes cover at the next paddy dike:
While 3rd Squad's Alpha Team advances towards the now empty NVA foxholes:
The NVA mortar continues to try and get the range, missing wide to the left:
As they approach the edge of the rice paddy, 3rd Squad's Alpha team comes under point-blank fire from an NVA machinegun bunker
SGT Tabor is hit in the face and taken out of the fight, while the rest of the team is pinned down.
Moving towards a better firing position, PFC Smith from M60 Team A steps on a mine and is killed.
(Dang booby traps)
On the far left flank, 1st Squad's Bravo Team is pinned down by a fresh NVA fireteam firing from the jungle:
Directly across from 2nd Squad, an NVA Machinegun bunker opens up on 2nd Squad's Bravo Team:
While a second NVA mortar drops a perfect first-round-hit on 2nd Squad's Alpha Team, blowing off PV2 Bobbit's left leg, killing him.
The NVA platoon leader appears on top of the hill, clearly directing the mortar fire from his vantage point:
Eager to show the NVA the power of free-world artillery, SSG Panza calls in a mortar barrage right on top of the second NVA machinegun bunker and mortar team, destroying both:
On the left flank, PFC Wallace shakes off the suppression and kills two NVA infantrymen with his M79 grenade launcher. SSG Herod attempts to call in the Skyhawk again but cannot direct the pilot on to the target and the bombs miss the NVA, killing a family of monkeys.
In revenge, the western NVA squad fires on both teams from 1st Squad, wounding PFC Binning from 1st Squad Alpha Team in the lower left arm, and wounding PFC Hughet from 1st Squad Bravo Team in the chest.
Trying to take the pressure off of 3rd Squad's Alpha Team, SGT Lawrence fires his M60 and suppresses the NVA machine gunners.
CPL Metzger continues to be on the ball, calling in an artillery fire mission where SSG Herod failed. The rounds land right on target and wipe out one of the NVA fireteams and leaving behind a moonscape in the jungle.
Without warning, a 73mm shell explodes amongst 2nd Squad's Bravo Team hitting PFC Bonilla in the right shoulder, SGT Clock in the right upper leg, and PFC Allen in the neck. PFC Bonilla is killed instantly, SGT Clock and PFC Allen are both seriously wounded, Leaving PV2 Ruiz as the only member of his team remaining. An NVA Recoilless Rifle has entered the game.
With the remaining NVA MG Bunker still suppressed, 3rd Squad Alpha Team is able to advance close enough to bring effective fire on the bunker and wipes out the crew.
In an attempt to minimize the incoming fire on his squad, SSG Panza of 2nd Squad calls for the Skyhawk to drop its remaining ordnance on the NVA fireteam closest to him. The Skyhawk pilot is right on target and blasts the NVA fireteam, killing two and pinning the rest of the team.
On the hill, a second entrenched NVA fireteam opens up on 3rd Squad's Alpha Team. Fortunately, their shots only cause the Americans to duck.
The RPG gunner, however, takes aim at SFC Stevenson and launches a rocket. Continuing to live his charmed life, the RPG misses and explodes harmlessly in the paddy field.
The remaining NVA mortar again fires on SFC Stevenson and the platoon HQ. This time his aim is right on the money and the mortar bomb lands right at SFC Stevenson's feet.
However, once the dust settles SFC Stevenson and the platoon HQ are shaken up, but unscathed.
In an attempt to cover the platoon HQ, SPC Miles from 3rd Squad Alpha Team fires his M79 at the entrenched RPG gunner's foxhole. His 40mm grenade lands right on target, blasting the NVA occupying the hole and killing them.
Spotting SPC Hodges' radio antenna, the NVA recoilless rifle targets 2nd Squad's command team. The 73mm shell is right on target and hits SSG Panza in the head, killing him instantly. SPC Hodges is unhurt, but is left suppressed.
With this last casualty, 3rd Platoon breaks contact, dragging their dead and wounded back to LZ AIRBORNE, where they will reorganize, regroup, reinforce, and try again.
Mission EndThis mission was an absolute bloodbath on both sides. Again, the US artillery, mortars, and air support inflicted the majority of the enemy casualties, with the riflemen seemingly only being there to identify targets for their supporting arms.
Overall, the US forces lost 4 KIA (Panza, Bobbit, Smith, and Bonilla) and 6 WIA (Binning, Hughet, Clock, Allen, Daniels, and Tabor). The NVA suffered even more, losing over half of the defending platoon.
After rolling for the fate of the wounded we have:
PFC Binning - Light wounds, miss 1 mission
PFC Hughet - DOW
SGT Clock - Severe wounds, return to USA
PFC Allen - Moderate wounds, miss 2 missions
SGT Tabor - Moderate wounds, miss 2 missions
SGT Daniels - Moderate wounds, miss 2 missions
This brings our total to 5 KIA / DOW and 5 WIA. 3rd Platoon is hurting!
On the plus side, PV2 Runyon returns for the next mission, having recovered from his wounds. We are also hearing rumors about possible replacements, but until they actually show up we will have to make do with a severely understrength platoon for the next mission:
After 4 missions we have lost:
SPC Hodges and PV2 Runyon have both returned, and we might be able to have 2LT Shull sneak out of the aid station early, but that always runs the risk of the lieutenant accidentally fragging his own men!
Again, if you made it this far, thanks for reading! And I will catch you next time.
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June 05, 2023, 09:07:48 PM
March 22, 2009, 03:35:48 PM
