unit history information
for B/7/17 CAV
For date 680429
B/7/17 CAV was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
South Vietnam
Description: B/7/17 Cav spent the day conducting BDAs west of Kontum city. While conducting the final BDA of the morning, 7 NVA were seen and taken under fire resulting in 2 confirmed NVA KIA's. Ten hooches, 3 partial completed and 7 completed with dimension 8x10 feet were also spotted and destroyed. At 1600, MAJ Heffort, the Troop CO, was briefed by the CO of the 3d Bde, 4th Inf Div on a mission that was to take place as soon as possible. The mission was for B Troop to insert a 7 man squad into an area where 4 US KIA's, some weapons, and a couple of PRC-25s were located. The area was a small LZ on the side of a hill. The American bodies were scattered and not readily accessible. The KIAs and equipment had been left by a unit of the 3d Bde when the LZ had come under heavy mortar and AW fire at the time of their extraction. Upon inserting the squad, the LZ once again came under heavy mortar attack and the lift ship sustained minor damage. Arty was put in on the suspected mortar position and the insertion was completed. The 7 men spent 1 hour and 45 minutes on the ground. The squad returned to the PZ and called from the lift ships. They had loaded 2 US KIAs, 15 individual weapons, and 3 PRC-25's when the PZ once again came under heavy AW and mortar fire. The 2 US KIAs located on the side of the hil were unable to be removed and had to be left behind. The KIAs and equipment were returned to the 3d Bde HQ.
Comments: MAJ Hefford; Troop CO; ;
The source for this information was B/7/17 CAV 4 Feb 67 - 1 JAN 69 Unit History
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
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Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023