Army Reporter information
for 33 ARTY
3 BDE 1 INF
For date 680608
33 ARTY was a US Army unit
3 BDE 1 INF was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Operation TOAN THANG
Binh Duong Province, III Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Lai Khe
Description: The following is an edited version of an article titled "33rd Arty Aids 1st Inf Div" dated 8 June 1968.
Speed and accuracy were essential for both the infantry and the artillery as Operation Toan Thang shifted into high gear. Infantry units of the 3rd Bde swept through a previously untouched area east of Lai Khe in search of concentrations of the 9th NVA Regiment. The bold recon-in-force operations were made possible because of the coordination and close-in artillery support of 1st Inf Div artillery batteries. Backing up the ground operations was the fire of seven artillery batteries under the control of the 2/33rd Arty. The unit provided two of its organic firing batteries plus its battery operations elements, which directed all the artillery fires from its locations in FSB Sicily VI. The Headquarters Battery was airlifted to its field position by CH-47 helicopters aircraft. The FDC was set up and took immediate control of all artillery fire in the area. It became responsible for assigning each fire mission, rechecking firing data, keeping track of infantry patrols, coordinating with ARVN units, and providing an aircraft warning system. Once the groundwork was laid, the firing batteries moved out by convoy and helicopter in a building-block fashion, each battery covering for the next as they mushroomed out over the area. When one battery was set up, it immediately fired to prepare the LZ for another battery. This insured that each battery could land and set up undisturbed by enemy fire. As the infantry carried through its phase of the operation, the artillery responded with their support. Infantry patrols could count on accurate artillery fire whenever they called for it. When the 1/26th Inf uncovered an enemy basecamp, artillery fire was called in first. After the smoke had cleared, the infantry unit entered the camp to find 23 enemy dead and a large cache of rice. A further search revealed a stockpile of weapons and equipment. As it did in all contacts, the artillery played a key role in infantry ambushes. In one instance an ambush site was chosen by an infantry patrol, which then notified the artillery. That night, at the predesignated time six batteries of artillery zeroed in on the spot. An enemy body count of 18 was net result of this ambush by artillery. The success of the artillery's mission depends on how effective its fire proves to be and how it helps the infantry to complete its mission. The thought of aiding the individual infantryman is driven home in the mind of the cannoneer with each round he rams into the breech of a howitzer.
The source for this information was 6806AR.AVN supplied by Les Hines
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Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023