Army Reporter information
for 23 INF DIV
174 AHC
From date 681218 to 681221
23 INF DIV was a US Army unit
174 AHC was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
South Vietnam
Location, Chu Lai
Description: The following is an edited version of an article titled "Americal blasts N. Viets from northern positions" dated 6 Jan 1969.
Soldiers of the Americal Division killed 161 enemy in two days of heavy contact throughout I Corps. In the most successful single action three companies of the 2/1st Inf, 196th LIB set up a hasty ambush southwest of An Hoa and managed to trap and kill 53 NVA soldiers. Artillery and gunships helped in the action as they blasted the trapped enemy and hindered any escape from the ambush. The action six miles south of An Hoa occurred on Dec 18, as the three companies of the 2d Bn moved out of a NDP in the triple canopy jungle and encountered an estimated 100 NVA soldiers. With approximately 30 NVA soldiers killed, the enemy broke contact and ran north where they were blocked by A/2/1. The enemy then moved southwest and almost two miles from the original point of contact and encountered D/2/1. Airstrikes hampered the chances for an escape to the west. Artillery and gunships were called in to finish off the enemy troops.
In scattered action the same day Americal Division troops killed six NVA and 29 VC throughout the southern portion of I Corps. Eight more bodies were found in shallow graves west of Tam Ky.
Elements of the 1/46th Inf killed six NVA soldiers in one encounter seven miles south of Hoi An. Other of the battalion's units killed 14 VC in scattered engagement.
Twelve VC were killed in separate actions in southern Quang Ngai Province by infantrymen of the 11th LIB. Soldiers form the 198th LIB and supporting elements reported killing three VC in contacts in the Chu Lai area.
More heavy action occurred on Dec 21, Americal Division forces reported 73 enemy soldiers killed and the bodies of 34 others discovered in scattered contacts in southern I Corps. Eight tons of rice were also uncovered. Infantrymen from the 11th LIB reported killing 34 of the enemy, while elements of the 4/21st Inf discovered 12 enemy bodies and eight tons of rice. Soldiers of the 4/21st Inf, operating in an area approximately 20 miles west of Duc Pho, discovered 11 enemy bodies near a stream. The enemy had been killed by artillery fire. Another enemy killed by small arms fire was discovered on a hillside in the same area. Continuing the search, the infantrymen came upon several huts in a clearing. Further investigation revealed eight tons of rice hidden within the structures.
A platoon from the 1/20th Inf observed engaged and killed six VC along the Song Be River, 14 miles northwest of Duc Pho. At the same time chopper gunners from the 174th AHC reported killing three in the same area. Other 1st Bn elements found the bodies of five VC in graves nearby. The enemy had been killed by small arms fire. Other brigade units reported killing 25 enemy in scattered small engagements throughout the day. The 198th LIB reported their soldiers along with supporting elements killed 21 enemy in scattered incidents. Several VC were spotted by a division patrol west of Chu Lai.
The source for this information was 6901AR.AVN supplied by Les Hines
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
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Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023