A Division directed patrol to evaluate NVA communications in the late spring of 1966, by
RANGER Conners, Chinese Bandit 13
| was informed by SSG Robert F. Grimes, Jr. (Acting Platoon Leader of the Recon Platoon) that
my scout squad would conduct a three-day patrol in the mountainous area along the border south
of the Dak Rolong river. He accompanied me to Division HQs where we received a briefing and
were introduced to a ILT communications officer that would be accompanying us during the
operation. The LT was not assigned to the Ist Cav but to a unit based in the United States and
would only be in country long enough to conduct the patrol and debriefings before returning
Stateside. I do not recall his unit or where he was stationed. He had not received any special ranger
ing but had a good attitude and willingness to get the job done.
ns order, maps and aerial photographs that we received indicated that we would be
the late evening near the border. We were to immediately move about 10 miles, initially
‘westward and then southward along the border to a hilltop where the commo officer, using special
‘communications equipment, would attempt to locate and monitor NVA radio traffic and determine
if the NVA were using Soviet-block communications equipment that could locate our radios when
transmitting and were capable of making our radios transmit when powered on and receiving. I
was previously unaware that such technology existed and was in use by the Soviets. We were
instructed to keep our radios powered on during the entire patrol and make two long situation
reports, one in the morning and one in the evening prior to moving to the second hilltop located
about 10 miles further south. Both hilltops overlooked valleys into Laos that contained expected
NVA Regimental size CPs and provided line of sight between our radios and the NVA positions. We
were directed to make one final transmission on the third day prior to moving to the extraction site
located east of the border during the early morning hours. We were tasked to provide a pre-
arranged fire plan that relied soley on TAC Air and gunships from the Ist Cav.
Grimes did not go on the patrol but assisted my scout squad in the planning and preparation for
the patrol. He and I prepared the fire support plan after providing the first formal warning order
to the patrol. The communications LT joined the patrol at our base camp in AnKhe and
participated in warning and operations orders and rehearsals where it was necessary to provide
him the appropriate clothing, LBE and rig his equipment to achieve the needed ‘silencing’. We
practiced movement in the tree area behind the Mustang LZ opposite our tents until the LT was,
sufficiently proficient at moving quietly and coordinating his movements well with the other
members of the patrol. The LT answered all of my technical questions on the special equipment he
carried on a rucksack like frame suspended by shoulder straps. Frank Spickler, my scout squad
team leader, and myself carried one small IR device, field binoculars and a set of maps and aerial
photos. All members were provided and carried a single topographic map of a seale that covered
the entire patrol route. Stevens, my RTO, was to carry his PRC-25 with antennas and SOI, and
would follow me during movement, One of the other scouts carried a spare battery for the radio.
Tyler would be on point, as usual, and in front of me during movement. The communications LT
‘would follow Stevens and remain under my direct control. Frank chose Carley, without his M60,
and Frank Cunningham as rear security. Cunningham had recently joined the scout squad as a
led at Bong Son. Cunningham had been levied from
replacement for CR Hatcher who had beenthe 8th Infantry’s Long Range Patrol Company stationed in Germany. He had quickly adapted to
our procedures and movement in the Central Highlands.
All members, except the communications LT, carried our normal LBE without rucksacks, and
wore snap links with wrapped 550 chord for emergency rigging, and M16 rifles (without slings and
taped for silencing). All wore our prized patrol caps with ‘merit badges’ and one was loaned to the
LT for use during the patrol. LRRP rations were carried in the jungle fatigue pockets, three meals
for three days. Most members carried jungle chocolate candy bars and would eat the paper
wrappers (a LRRP tradition, if not it should be). No claymores or grenades and only two smoke
grenades were carried. Our plan was to break contact and run if detected. Special rallying points
were preselected and easily identified along the intended route. I also carried my 101st Recondo
ecured to my LBE harness, one VS17 air panel
compass, except myself, who
soap dish containing emergency medical suppli
and signal mirror. All patrol members earried a military lensat
carried an M-2 compass. As usual, we chose fo go lightly equipped, allowing rapid movement
though the mountainous jungle.
We had developed many SOPs and did not practice them but spent three days preparing for the
patrol by studying and memorizing the maps, aerial photos, routes and preplanned fire locations;
and at least one trip to Sin City to visit Bic Lin and our other favorites. The aerial photos contained
excellent detail and I chose not to perform a recon flight of the area prior to insertion; however, Air
Force low level photo missions were flown to provide current aerial photos one day prior to the
insertion. All photographs and reports indicated that the NVA troop concentrations were not in the
area where we would be working. Our actual route selections were chosen along trails that were
clearly depicted in the aerial photographs and we intended to use them until human footprints or
other indicators of human activity were encountered.
wo UF-Is arrived at the Mustang LZ. where we boarded and were inserted about 30 minutes
before EECT. We moved as planned to the first hilltop without any indication of enemy or human
ity. The commo LT, my RTO and myself occupied a small open area on the hill where we
joned our communications equipment and antennas in line of site into Laos. Frank Spickler
and the other patrol members occupied approximate pre-arranged positions further down hill
adjacent to the trail leading to and from the hilltop. Tyler and Cunningham were at one location
and Spickler and Carley at the other. Prior to splitting up, the IR device I earried was given to
Cunningham. The two teams would use the IR equipment carefully during the night. Everyone
shared the IR equipment to investigate any sound that usually revealed trailing ants, large black
scorpions, snakes, or large mammals including tigers. The devices were powered by BA-30 batteries
and transmitted an IR beam that could be seen with any IR receiver, a potentially dangerous piece
of equipment if the enemy has IR receivers in use. The use of IR devices by the NVA was routinely
included on the EEI list provided during the Division reconnaissance operations. To my knowledge
none was detected or captured in our area of operations during the 1965 to early summer 1966
period.
LRRP rations were heated by adding water and placing the pouch against the chest between the
body and the fatigue shirt, Water was obtained from the streams we crossed. No rain wasanticipated and no rain gear was carried. Each person carried a single camouflage poncho liner in
the small butt pack, The routine resting position during darkness consisted of leaning against a tree
along the trail and wrapping the poncho liner around the back and shoulders, if a person needed it,
with the M-16 cradled on your lap. During daylight hours the individuals moved further down hil
but remained close to the trail near a tree. Leeches were always a problem, not the larger aquatic
species, but the small black damp soil types. Mosquito repellant was carried by most and used to
remove the leeches that accumulated when moving through areas that were infested with them, We
always adjusted our planned observation sites to avoid them, I encouraged the scouts not to use
mosquito repellent or anything that had an odor that masked the natural smells of the jungle and
the enemy. However, we all whimped out occasionally and put on liberal amounts of the repellent.
Obviously smoking was banned and I discouraged the scouts from smoking even in base camp.
Photographs taken in base camp, ete. of the era indicate that I was ignored.
‘he commo
was unable to record NVA radio traffic and did not detect any enemy
‘communications equipment attempting to locate our transmitter or activate our transmitter during
patrol. Our twice-daily SOI coded situation reports were transmitted to airborne
the entin raft
that operated above us during transmi
ions.
We moved to the second hilltop as planned and did not detect any human aetivity and no enemy
ivity was observed on the other side of the border. We did encounter two wild elephants along
the trail on the second day of movement.
We were extracted on the third day without any enemy contact and no injuries. The normal
debriefing occurred after the patrol members consolidated all notes and memories. Notes were
recorded on a small notebook using a wood lead pencil that was carried in the breast pocket by all
team members. Many interesting topies were recorded in those booklets.
Grimes accompanied me to Division HQs where I gave the debriefing to a room of senior officers
and NCOs. When I completed the briefing and stated, "The time is now, what are your questions?"
the audience was most interested in the patrol’s physical well being and means of remaining
undetected. I expressed my concerns that the boot imprint that we made warranted a special sole
that resembled a human footprint or NVA style footgear. We had discussed this amongst the scouts
for several months but had not attempted to have a pair made locally. After six months in country
most of the scouts were very thin and most had malaria. Grimes and I looked very thin compared
to others present and that became an issue of discussion that included our efforts to select persons
having only relatively mild reactions to malaria. Medical doctors were present and a General grade
officer ordered them "to look into that.’
We returned to the company area at AnKhe and informed the patrol and other assembled scouts of
what had occurred at the debriefing, It was obvious that we had accomplished another noteworthy
achievement. [ remembering feeling proud until George Conrad walked, no strutted, into our area
wearing his captured NVA (or Chinese Advisor) belt and pistol. But that is a story that can only be
told by Conrad.1 do not recall believing this to be a LRRP patrol and we did not call it such. We conducted many
two and three-day operations, often distant enough to be beyond the range of any fire support other
than aerial, The patrol was special and remains a high light in my military experience. I mailed my
green memo booklet describing this operation home to my brother and Father but efforts to locate
the booklet have been unsuccessful. My notes included sunbathing on the hilltop wearing only my
issued tan diving trunks that I occasionally wore under my jungle fatigues. My Father felt that was
inappropriate...ex-WWIL-Korea-JUSMAG and he told me so when I came home a few months
ignificantly more combat time, decorations and purple hearts, therefore, I don’t
argue with him,