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2nd Platoon CP Group
Front L-R: Cpl Parra, L/Cpl Dan Welland, Me
Back L-R: Lt Earl Anderson, Sgt Meeks, L/Cpl Ron McWhite
Hot Dog, in the Arizona Feb. 70 |
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INTELLIGENCE REPORT FOR APRIL 1970
Quang Nam (P):
Unlike the previous week in which enemy activity increased significantly as a result of the initiation of Phase 1 of the K700 campaign on 1 April, the week of 5-11 April produced only scattered actions in Quang Nam Province. No major ground combat was recorded within the province during the reporting period and enemy efforts were confined primarily to launching scattered harassing attacks-by-fire against friendly installations.
The Da Nang area continued to be a favorite target of light rocket attacks, most likely conducted by elements of the 577th Rocket Artillery Battalion, which is alleged to be operating in the area south of the city. On 8 April, four 122mm rockets impacted in the vicinity of Da Nang Air Base. One round made a direct hit on a hooch in MAG-16 area. Another round destroyed the communications building of the 6924th Security Squadron. However, casualties were light.
Elsewhere in the province, attacks-by-fire were limited to mortar attacks of 20-25 rounds. L/3/7 Marines suffered 14 casualties on 1 April when 20 rounds of 82mm mortar impacted in their company defensive position seven kilometers west-southwest of Que Son (AT 976448).
The enemy continued his attempts to discredit and neutralize pacification efforts in Quang Nam(P) which apparently are deeply felt by the VC infrastructure. The most significant incident was a terrorist attack against two refugee camps in the eastern portion of the province. On the morning of 10 April, the Ngan Cau OP (BT 073655) situated eight kilometers south of Marble Mountain and secured by the 105th RF Company received 20 rounds of 82mm mortar fire. At the same time an estimated two platoons of VC entered the Tu Cau (BT 065656) and Ngan Cau (BT 050658) Refugee Camps and burned 140 homes.
In other activity within the province, eight enemy base camps (in the central mountainous regions to the north and south of Thuong Duc) were discovered. Five of these camps were located in Base Area 127 (AT 8063, AT 8062, and AT 8162), and three were in Base Area 112 (ZC 1439, ZC 1637, and ZC 1934).
On 7 April, 1st Marine Division reconnaissance team "Claypipe" discovered an enemy base camp (AT 800637) occupied by an estimated 30 enemy. 11 NVA were killed. A large quantity of assorted weapons, ammunition and explosives was captured. The previous day, 1st Marine Division reconnaissance team "Durham" killed 16 enemy troops in the same area (ZC 200620). The largest sighting consisted of 70 enemy with packs and weapons moving southwest approximately seven kilometers northeast of An Hoa (AT 808485). Evidence that the 90th (AKA 38th) NVA Regiment continues to operate in Base Area 112 was provided by the capture of a PW from that unit on 5 April. The PW, a lieutenant from the staff section of the regiment's 8th Battalion, was captured 16 kilometers south of Thuong Duc (ZC 161377).
From 5 Apr - 11 Apr 1970, there were 21 infantry regiments committed against XXIV Corps. These regiments are composed of 61 NVA Infantry battalions and 3 Main Force Infantry battalions. These forces are supported by the normal combat and combat service support units (signal, reconnaissance, medical, transportation, recoilless rifle, mortar, engineer, anti-aircraft and sapper). In addition, there are 8 separate Main Force and Local Force Infantry battalions, 19 Sapper battalions and 2 Reconnaissance battalions for a total of 93 maneuver battalions. These battalions are supported by 14 Rocket and Rocket Artillery battalions and 9 Field Artillery battalions.
1. The following is an compilation of enemy weapons and ammunition captured by friendly forces in XXIV Corps AO during the week of 05-11 Apr.
a. Captured Mortar, Artillery, and Rocket Ammunition:
TYPE AMOUNT
60mm mortar 5
81mm mortar 3
82mm mortar 46
122mm rkt 1
b. Individual and Crew-served Weapons Captured:
Individual Weapons 141
Crew-served Weapons 23
3. (C) OTHER INTELLIGENCE FACTORS:
A. Enemy casualties: Enemy losses in XXIV Corps AO increased in comparison to the previous week. There were 965 KIA's and 91 PW's.
B. Morale: No Change.
C. Weather:
1. Recap of Weather for Reporting Period:
Quang Tri Phu Bai Da Nang Chu Lai
High Temp 100 97 94 95
Low Temp 68 66 68 78
Pct Humid (Ave) 76 74 75 80
Rainfall .02" 0 0 . 05"
2. Weather Outlook for period 120001H-182400H Apr 70.
a. General: A frontal system is expected to effect the Corps AO beginning around 121000H Apr. Poor conditions will exist over the Corps AO for 36-48 hours with gradual improvement during the next 36 hour period.
b. Southern Corps: 12 Apr: Skies will be partly cloudy at 1500-2000 feet becoming broken to overcast by late afternoon or early evening. After sundown, skies will become broken at 1000-1500 feet and visibility will be 4-6 miles in intermittent light drizzle. Winds will be southeasterly at 8-10 knots becoming northerly at 8-10 knots after frontal passage.
13-14 Apr: Broken clouds at 2000-3000 feet will persist through the day. Visibility will be 5-7 miles in base. Winds will become northerly at 8-10 knots gusting to 15 during the afternoon.
15-18 Apr: Skies will be partly cloudy with bases at 3000 feet and good visibility. Winds will be easterly at 8-10 knots gusting to 15 knots. Rainshowers and isolated thunderstorms will occur over the ridges to the west.
4. (C) COUNTERINTELLIGENCE:
A. General:
Enemy initiated activity continued at a high level during the reporting period. The majority of the incidents occurred at the early portion of the week as the enemy "high point" tapered off. Activity was not centered in any one province, but was spread across the entire XXIV Corps AO.
There were 32 reported politically oriented terrorist incidents. These incidents resulted in 17 people kidnapped, 9 civilians killed, 60 civilians wounded and 206 homes/buildings destroyed or damaged. While these figures are high, they represent a decrease from the previous reporting period. Quang Nam (P) and Quang Ngai (P) were the locations of the majority of these incidents, with rural hamlets and rural GVN Pacification Program centers being the targets for most of the late reported incidents.
A look at the past week's sabotage activity indicate that the interdiction of National Highway 1 was one of the enemy's objectives during their recent "high point". Six reported incidents occurred on Highway 1 and one incident involved the Hue-Da Nang Railroad Line. |
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