Southern Cross information
for 11 BDE 23 INF
For date 700703
11 BDE 23 INF was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Quang Ngai Province, I Corps, South Vietnam
Location, LZ BRONCO
Description: The following is an edited version of an article titled "Arty Rounds without shrapnel" by 1Lt. J.P. Collins Jr. (11th INF BDE IO).
FSB BRONCO - The 105mm round exploded 90 yards above a small VC encampment and sent the enemy scurrying for foxholes and makeshift bunkers. They waited for the artillery bombardment, but it never came. Instead they were deluged with leaflets. The message was not lost on them: "This could have been a high explosive round. Next time it will be. Chieu Hoi before it is too late." It may sound like macabre humor but it's actually a highly effective technique of psychological warfare. Here the 105mm howitzer, a proven tactical weapon is frequently employed to dispense leaflets rather than shrapnel. "Each round holds about 900 leaflets," explained 1LT Robert T. Cossaboom, Peoria, Ill., 11th Infantry Brigade psychological operations officer, "and can saturate and area 75 by 50 yards." A standard 105mm smoke round with the smoke cartridge removed carries the leaflet payload. The leaflets are rolled up "bankroll" fashion, secured with tape and placed in the hollowed-out interior of the round. "A variable time fuze detonates the round about 100 yards over the target," continued LT Cossaboom. "The leaflets are then forced to the rear knocking out the backplate." "The advantage of the leaflet rounds are mainly accuracy and speed," stated MAJ Robert L. McLaughlin, Providence, R.I., 11th Brigade S-5. "We can pinpoint a grid and hit it in seconds. Weather doesn't affect the mission so they really come into their own during the monsoon season when the flying weather prevents leaflet drops." Large scale leaflet operations are conducted with a C-47 "Skytrain" which can drop 28,000 leaflets-covering three grid squares in a single operation. Asked what is the smallest size enemy unit the leaflet round be employed against. MAJ McLaughlin replied, "A single man. If we know a sniper is working in a certain area it's worth it if we can convince him to rally." The 105mm leaflet round appears to support Marshall McLuhan's contention that the "medium is the message."
The source for this information was 7007_324_scr supplied by Les Hines 12/23/2000
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Last updated
12/23/2000
Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023