TO LAND CLEARING
ENGINEER HISTORY ~ 101
This is a site that will hopefully help inform others of the hardships & missions of a great group of men.
They were and are the "LANDCLEARING ENGINEERS OF VIETNAM."
Here you will find actual scanned articles and photos of that period of their lives.
With a little luck and a lot of donations I hope to also have some first hand stories from
some of them men.
The first article was sent to me by Dennis McCarthy who served with the 86th LCT (Land Clearing Team).
This Team later became the 501st LCC (Land Clearing Company).
Thanks Dennis......you can be the lead plow in this cut and maybe others will follow.
I am not sure which paper this was printed in.
A SIGNIFICANT DAY Dated: June 9, 1968
On June 6th a platoon of the 588th Engr. Bn. working on a culvert on the outskirts of Dong Tam were startled by the crashing trees, clanking treads & the roar of powerful engines laboring in the heavy mud.
The task was to clear 34 kilometers of dense jungle and through the notorious Don Dien Michelin Plantation long a strong hold of the Viet Cong to the village of Dau Tieng. The villagers surged around in wonder as the Rome Plows came to a halt behind the leading APC. Our Rome Plows cut a swath 34 kilometers in length 400 kilometers wide through the plantation spreading through the jungle to a point on Rt. ql-13 operation Gainesville. A giant swath began May 3/68 with the 86th LCT with the support of 1st Inf. Division. The Rome Plows pushed on despite the rain mud and the ever-present VCSniper. The VC initiated several attacks against the Engineers but the 1st Division Troops kept the way open. Mortar attacks rained down on our campsites at night but the LCT pushed toward their goal.
Several tons of rice was discovered and evacuated during the clearing process although the terrain weather and enemy made the mission a most difficult and hazardous one the team suffered no casualties and only slight vehicle damage. Proper maintenance was at a high level under expert guidance of CW2 Edward Edwards of Greenville, Tennessee and his replacement CW2 John McCafferty of Augusta Georgia. The LCT completed the clearing of over 7,000 acres of jungle in an unprecedented 37 days at the completion of Operation Gainesville. The LCTs’ answer to the question "What else can you do” was simple " have you got something harder to take a crack at?"
The 86th Engr. Bn. Land Clearing Team has to their credit, 53,000 acres cleared since their assignment to the 86th Engr. Bn. on June 9th 1967. They participated in operations AKRON, EMPORIA, RILEY, AKRON 3, SANTA FE, PLANTATION, ROOSTER, MANCHESTER, LIGHT, MALLARD 1 & 2, NO-NAME & GAINESVILLE
If You Are One Of The Elite Landclearing Men And Would Like To Be Added to The
Mailing List for Upcoming Reunions Please Contact Me At:
Hazel Kimbrell - Secretary
Landcleares' Association
P.O. Box 503
Westminster, SC 29693
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Or Email Me Below
