Southern Cross information
for 196 BDE 23 INF
3/21 INF 23 INF
F/8 CAV
H/17 CAV
For date 700626
196 BDE 23 INF was a US Army unit
3/21 INF 23 INF was a US Army unit
F/8 CAV was a US Army unit
H/17 CAV was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Operation FREDRICK HILL
Quang Tin Province, I Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Tam Ky
Description: The following is an edited version of an article titled "Division Recap Children reveal caches" by the Americal IO.
CHU LAI - In the Fredrick Hill area, significant action took place when elements from the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry killed 12 enemy soldiers while suffering no losses. Early that morning D Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry found itself operating in the thick vegetation 20 miles northwest of Tam Ky. The "Gimlets" encountered a lone NVA with a pack. The engagement and death of this lone NVA soldier triggered what was to be a black day for the hard-luck enemy. Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry, operating in the same area engaged and killed one Viet Cong, and then moments later sweeping through another woodline observed and engaged 10-12 NVA. The stumbling NVA fled into the closest vegetation. Bravo Company, not to be out maneuvered, quickly surrounded and pinned down the enemy. Soon, however, the "Bushmasters" received five to six incoming mortar rounds. Undaunted they held their ground and called for support from Bravo Battery, 3rd Battalion, 82nd Artillery, along with gunships. Four enemy kills were confirmed. As they were checking out the "kill zone" they began taking round from another enemy position. Again they called in artillery and were rewarded with a secondary explosion. Six more NVA were confirmed killed. A search of a village turned up the weeks only rice cache five miles northwest of Tam Ky. One-half ton of rice was confiscated by Bravo "Legionnaires", 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry, two hundred pounds of which was polished and hidden in huge ceramic pots in a tunnel. Support from F/8th Cav and F Troop, 17th Cavalry, accounted for two enemy killed, both in searches of tunnel complexes.
The source for this information was 7006_323_scr supplied by Les Hines 12/19/2000
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
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Last updated
12/24/2000
Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023