operation report information
for MACV SOG
MACV SOG CCS
For date 690424
MACV SOG was a US Army unit
MACV SOG CCS was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Cambodia
Description: Four helicopters air assaulted a CCS hatchet platoon consisting of three Special Forces and 25 Montagnard commandos into Cambodia. Immediately after leaving the LZ, the platoon was hit by concentrated automatic weapons fire while approaching its initial rallying point. All the Americans were quickly killed or wounded but the command helicopter could still see the pinned down unit and talk with the Montagnard radioman. Helicopter gunships and A-1E aircraft constantly bombed and rocketed the NVA positions. The heavy ground fire directed at the aircraft wounded one door gunner. Ten airstrikes and over 1,500 helicopter rockets were used in an effort to force the NVA to break contact. Several attempts to lift out survivors had to be aborted. Napalm was called in only 10 yards from the remaining commandos. After seven hours of continuous fighting, three helicopters dashed in and pulled out 15 wounded troops. As the aircraft lifted off, several crewman saw a panel being waved from a bomb crater. A fourth helicopter set down and an SF officer twice ran over to the bomb hole to bring back wounded and one of the dead Americans. Their aircraft was buffeted by shellfire as it took off.
Comments: CPT Cahill, Paul R.; SF platoon leader; KIA;
SFC Shriver, Jerry M.; SF sergeant; MIA;
MAJ Kapp, Benjamin T. Jr.; commander; ;
SGT Jamison, Ernest C.; SF medic; KIA;
1LT Marcantel, Walter L.; SF; ;
1LT Harrigan, Gregory M.; SF; ;
The source for this information was Green Berets at War P:234
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
Please send additions or corrections to: Gary Roush Email address: webmaster@vhpa.org
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Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023