operation report information
for SOG
For date 700228
SOG was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Operation HALFBACK
Incident reference: 70022828.KIA This information is available on CD-ROM.
Laos
Description: The NVA had positioned heavy AA weapons around the hill and intelligence had detected the entire NVA 27th Infantry Regiment en route to the battle. The plan was to have Company B leave their hill and move about one kilometer to a PZ. Just before they left, a Kingbee came in with last minute resupply and to medevac their wounded. It was destroyed along with the SF medic, Master Sergeant William Boyle. Plaster's account in SOG states two more VNAF CH-34s were shot down and destroyed before the Hatchet Force left the hill but the VHPA records show only the one aircraft.
A truly brilliant series of A-1 and F-4 air strikes kept the NVA at bay and allowed Company B to move to the PZ. At least 32 tac air sorties plus Cobra gunships supported this effort. It is estimated that 800 NVA were killed in this action.
Company B was successfully extracted but would require six months of recruiting and training to rebuild.
The source for this information was SOG by Plaster P:260
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