Battle at Ap Gu information
for 1 INF DIV

From date 670331 to 670401


1 INF DIV was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Operation JUNCTION CITY
South Vietnam
Location, Ap Gu
Description: While supporting operation JUNCTION CITY, the 1/26th Inf was air assaulted on Mar 26 into an LZ near Ap Gu, 25 miles northeast of Tay Ninh city to search for a suspected enemy basecamp. Several fortified positions were found but only small contacts were made with the enemy. On Mar 30 while patrolling north of their NDP, heavy contact was made. Air and Arty were applied and the 1/16th Inf was inserted to reinforce. The VC assault and the fire fight that followed lasted two days. 1st Inf Div Arty fired over 15,000 rounds and 133 airstrikes were delivered. The 271st VC Rgmt left 609 dead in the area.

I joined the 1-26 Infantry at Fire Base Charie on March 21, 1967. The battalion remained at Fire Base Charlie until March 30, when it conducted an air assault into LZ George. My platoon came in on the second lift, and had to hold in the trees east of the LZ while an earlier platoon moved out of my sector. I was told they went there to flush out a sniper, but I know of no other contact on the 30th. The 1-2 infantry was flown into LZ George on the morning of March 31, before any contact developed. Our Recon platoon made heavy contact north of the LZ at about 1300 on March 31, and the 1-16th Infantry was flown in that afternoon. The 1-26th was able to disengage at about 1600, although artillery and air strikes continued to be placed on the enemy positions. Plans for a two battalion sweep of the contact area on April 1 were supersceded by a massive VC attack, primarily on the 1-26th. at about 0400 that morning, The VC broke contact at about 0800; and while both the 1-2nd and the 1-16th pursued them, they were unable to regain contact.

From: James M. Crain, LTC (Ret) USAR

The source for this information was Turner 1st Inf P:25

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Last updated 10/17/2014

Date posted on this site: 05/13/2023