unit history information
for D/3/5 CAV 9 INF
5/60 INF
1 BDE 9 INF
2/60 INF
For date 680624
D/3/5 CAV 9 INF was a US Army unit
5/60 INF was a US Army unit
1 BDE 9 INF was a US Army unit
2/60 INF was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Incident reference: 68062435.KIA This information is available on CD-ROM.
Long An Province, III Corps, South Vietnam
Location, An Nhut Tan
D/3/5 CAV 9 INF losses were 2 KIA
Aircraft lost in D/3/5 CAV 9 INF were 1 OH-6A
Description: D Trp (Air), 3rd Sqdn, 5th Cav, APO 96370
24 June 1968
SUBJECT: Unit After Action Report
CG 9th Infantry Div, ATTN: G-3, APO 96370
Delta Troop (-) was OPCON to the 1st Brigade for missions west and northwest of Tan An. The mission commander (Longknife 26) was briefed at 0700H at the Brigade CP. One slick was sent to Dong Tam to pick up the "People Sniffer" crew and one slick to Tan An to pick up CS for use in a "People Sniffer" operation. North of the Van Co Dong River, northeast of Tan An, the LST (Light Scout Team), LFT (Light Fire Team), "People Sniffer," and CS aircraft were over the AO at 0840H. The "People Sniffer" received high readings vicinity XS6668, XS6771 and from XS678689 to XS672699 and over to XS700700 the "People Sniffer" received several moderate readings. The LST following the "People Sniffer" was searching and marking the areas of high and moderate readings for the Control aircraft along the north side of the Rach Doi Ma River. One pass was made from east to west generally between An Nhut Tan and Roch Kien and back, and the second pass going to the east had just began. At 0920H a Light Scout aircraft (War Wagon 14) was marking a small structure and suspected area which had not given a reading on the "People Sniffer" but was generally between two high readings. The Light Scout aircraft was approximately 75 feet and 20 knots when it received extremely intense automatic weapons fire from immediately below the aircraft. The aircraft called receiving fire and attempted to break contact. The aircraft was hit and crashed into the edge of the tree line at XS679699. The trail Scout ship immediately suppressed the area and sighted one crew member outside of the aircraft and reported the entire area was under intense enemy automatic weapons fire and no aircraft were able to enter the immediate area. A unit, C/5/60th Infantry was airborne from Rock Kien enroute to the area of high readings. The unit was inserted vicinity XS675703 to work south into the area of the downed aircraft at 0944H. The unit immediately came under intense fire and was pinned down. A Cobra strike was placed on the area of fire with the heavy tree line south of the downed aircraft being worked. Several low passes were made over the area and the fire was so intense vicinity XS668702 that a low recon of the downed aircraft area was impossible. B/5/60th Infantry was inserted vicinity XS668702 to sweep west and help block the west side of contact. A/5/60th Infantry was inserted generally vicinity XS680707 to block and help sweep from the north. Both units were initially pinned down upon landing. The Light Scouts continued to screen in the south of the area to keep the VC from moving out to the south as continuous artillery and Cobra strikes were put into the area.
At 1140H, the LST sighted 4 VC running in a nippa palm area 100 meters west of the downed aircraft. A Cobra strike was inserted in the area with 4 VC KBA (possible). The LST made a pass near the downed aircraft and the crew was not sighted as they were thought to be in a bunker 10 meters to the front of the aircraft. A CS drop was made into the area with negative results on decreasing the intensity of the ground fire. An airstrike was put in and the A/2/60th Infantry was inserted vicinity XS 683703 to block on the east between 1330 - 1400H. All ground units were still receiving heavy automatic weapons fire from the downed aircraft area. A LST reported seeing 2 personnel in an open bunker about 25 meters south of the downed aircraft at approximately 1449H. The personnel did not appear to be alive at this time. All aircraft continued to draw heavy automatic weapons fire from the nippa palm area.
Medevacs were begun at 1500H for the ground units and LFTs covered. At 1559H, 3 VC were sighted 150 meters east of the aircraft in a stream line. A LST and LFT fired on the VC with 1 VC KBA in the water (BC) and 2 VC KBA (poss). Heavy rain hampered the operation between 1548 and 1600H. At 1700H, 6 people in a sampan were sighted at XS673698 and a LST checked with negative personnel sighting and one empty sampan. The sampan was destroyed.
A/2/60th Infantry was able to move and made it to the downed aircraft at approximately 1819H. One OH-6A and UH-1C C&C landed to pick up the crew. Both personnel were located in an old home foundation with the EM facing north and the pilot facing south in firing positions. The area was 25 meters south of the aircraft location. The EM’s leg was badly broken and he had been shot in the front of his body. The pilot was wounded in the back and otherwise appeared uninjured from the crash. The aircraft was a complete loss with the cockpit smashed, the rotor system wrapped around a palm tree and the mini-gun jammed into the ground. The SOI, M-60, M-79 and other articles from the aircraft were recovered. The pilot’s 38 pistol, Car-15 and morphine blood chit packet were missing. The equipment and bodies were extracted at 1837H and the Troop released to Bear Cat at 1920H.
Summary: Two US KIA, 1 VC KBA (BC), 7 VC KBA (poss) by LST and LFT passes at 1559H. No estimate available until sweep is completed on the total VC KBA from Cobra strikes. 1 sampan destroyed, 2 structures destroyed. 1 38 pistol, 1 Car-15, and 1 blood chit-morphine packet was not recovered.
It is considered unusual in that the area that the Scout aircraft was shot down was not an area with a significant "People Sniffer" reading although maximum readings were obtained both to the southeast and west of the area. The US KIA’s were removed by Troop aircraft to Tan An. Pilot: TASKER, James B., WO1, W3157697 (SSN:274-42-5116), CE: BROPHY, Daniel R., SP/4, US56705375 (SSN:552-64-4328). Aircraft: OH-6A, SN6617770. The aircraft was been secured and will be extracted at first light on 25 June 1968.
Ammo expended by Cobra gunships was 23,000 7.62mm, 380 FFAR, and 800 40mm rounds. One aircraft was hit over 100 times and crashed at XS679699 and 1 Cobra received 1 hit in the rocket pod at XS678698 without any damage to armament system.
FOR THE COMMANDER: William E. Whitworth, Captain, Armor, Operations Officer
Submitted to the VHPA by Duane R. Brofer, 2 Dec 1996.
Comments: CPT Whitworth, William E.; Operations Off; ;
WO1 TASKER JAMES BRUCE; pilot; KIAOF;
SP4 BROPHY DANIEL RALPH; crew chief; KIACM;
The source for this information was Unit After Action Report given by Duane Brofer
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
Please send additions or corrections to: Gary Roush Email address: webmaster@vhpa.org
Return to panel index
Return to Helicopter Pilot KIA index
Return to VHPA Home Page
Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association
Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023