Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Pleiku) on January 8, 1966 by Jerry Conners
On January 5, 1966 the 1st Bn (ABN) 8th Cav air assaulted into LZs near the Cambodia border of
Vietnam. The planned assault into Cambodia to pursue the fleeing NVA that were encountered
during the battle of the Ia Drang had been cancelled. The operation was restricted to a hilly and
heavily forested area immediately adjacent to Cambodia where the route of the NVA withdrawal
had been detected by reconnaissance aircraft. The rifle companies and the Chinese Bandit Recon
Platoon conducted patrols around the LZs where caches of rice and an abandoned NVA field
hospital were located by the Recon Platoon on January 6.
The hospital consisted of two main open bamboo framed buildings having thatched roofs. Two rows
of single raised bamboo beds were constructed in each of the buildings that were approximately 30
foot long by 15 foot wide. Several other smaller huts were located near the larger buildings. The
compound was located at the intersection of three trails and covered by dense tall trees that
concealed the site from the air. One of the trails lead towards the border and was one of two trails
that showed recent heavy foot traffic. A large knife was shoved into the roof thatching of one of the
hospitals with only the handle exposed. A close examination of the knife revealed batteries that
were taped together and a trigger device connected to several American 2.75 inch FF aerial rockets.
Helicopters overflew the site while we conducted our inspection and we were instructed to burn the
buildings and return to the battalion LZ Stallion. We did not remain in the area after setting the
fires but hastily departed the area and did not hear any detonations during our return.
Early the following morning, the Chinese Bandits were notified to prepare for patrols to the south
west in the area along the Se San river which formed the boundary with Ratanakiri Province of
Cambodia. SSG Robert Grimes was serving as the acting Platoon Leader and Platoon Sergeant and
spent the morning studying the maps and aerial photos with his three scout squad leaders. A route
was selected which followed a trail that had been discovered the previous day by one of the rifle
companies and was believed to lead towards the river. The trail was not depicted on the detailed
topographic maps that we were provided. Warning orders and operations orders were given to the
squads in the afternoon and equipment was readied for an expected contact with a large NVA force
that was believed to be on one side of the river or the other. The patrols were expected to extend
beyond the available 81mm mortars located at the battalion LZs and prearranged fires were
planned for using ARA and tactical air support only.
Our patrolling skills had continually improved since our arrival in country and we were capable of
accomplishing the tasks assigned; however, the excitement of the anticipated action kept most of us
awake and talking late into the night.
In the morning, we donned our equipment and ranger patrol caps and began the slow advance to
the border. Second Scout Squad, Chinese Bandit 12, was lead by SSG “Ranger” Terry Lawson and
was the first in the order of march. His squad followed the trail for about half a mile before
deciding to move along the treed area parallel to the trail and continued along the trail until the
terrain dropped off towards the river. We stopped at the point that Lawson first saw the river
which was one to two hundred feet across and as depicted on the aerial photos. Grimes and the
other scout squad leaders linked up with Lawson and were informed that there were NVA boot
prints on the trail a few hundred meters ahead where his point team had discovered them. While
we were discussing our options a flock of birds landed in the tall trees overhead, we could not see
them but heard them and they flew off towards the river a few moments later. We were concerned
that the birds have given our position away. Lawson suggested that he rejoin his twoman point
team and that we slowly advance towards the river. Grimes agreed and also directed that his 1st
Scout Squad move forward from the rear and take the place of the 3d Scout Squad in the order of
march.
We moved slowly down the hill with each squad paralleling both sides of the trail until the trail
became closer to a stream on our left where the vegetation was dense and the tree height much less.
Lawson and his point team detected disturbed and what appeared to be cleared vegetation on the
hillside on the other side of the steam and had stopped. We were about a half a mile from the river.
Lawson withdrew to where Grimes was located and the other scout squad leaders had assembled.
“Can you smell it?” he asked. Before we could respond he stated “Cooking fires, people, not sure.”
We had not noticed. He said, “When you get further down by the creek, you will notice it.”
Lawson described shallow dug holes and a network of trails located on the other side of the stream
that he had seen using his binoculars. Grime’s RTO sent the report on the battalion command net
and notified LTC Mertel, the Battalion Commander, that we had stopped and attempting to
observe at a distance. Mertel instructed Grimes to pull back if NVA troops were spotted and that
ARA units were being alerted and to remain on standby. All three scout squads moved slowly
further away from the trail and the lead scout squad attempted to place themselves in positions to
observe the trail and other hillside. Lawson was able to advance to where the trail formed an
intersection and three pieces of sixinch diameter bamboo formed a footbridge over the stream. He
withdrew after examining the area for about half an hour and returned slowly to where Grimes
and the other scout squad leaders were waiting. “It’s a bivouac site of some type. Will hold at least
two hundred troops. But I don’t think it is occupied.” Grimes again reported the situation to LTC
Mertel who immediately instructed the Chinese Bandits to withdraw and join him at LZ Stallion.
We arrived at the LZ late in the afternoon. Grimes and the battalion commander discussed the
options and a decision was made that the Chinese Bandits would return to the site that was now
believed to be a NVA regimental CP at night and establish ambush sites along the trails leading into
the bivouac site. Everyone ate and planned quickly and we were ready to depart again in an hour.
The Chinese Bandits advanced along the same route that was used earlier and reached the area
overlooking the suspected NVA bivouac site by 2030 hours. Lawson’s 2d Scout Squad took up
positions near the bamboo foot bridge, 1st and 3d Scout Squads remained along the trail where we
had been earlier in the day. During the preparation for the patrol a few hours earlier, a tentative
plan was made that Lawson and one of the other Scout Squad Leaders would enter the bivouac
area after darkness to determine if the site was occupied by NVA troops. As darkness fell and the
ambush sites were established and readied, the plan to scout the bivouac site was discussed with
Grimes and the scout squad leaders. The decision was made to enter the site and determine its
boundaries and if it was occupied.
Lawson and I moved slowly upstream where the vegetation was less thick and were able to cross the
stream and drainage without much difficulty. They proceeded downstream along the base of the
hill and quickly came to the perimeter of the bivouac site. Both of us moved slowly and low crawled
uphill remaining about 20 feet apart. It was dark under the trees but the river opening provided a
backdrop where any movement a few feet above the ground could be observed. No enemy troops
were heard or seen. When reaching the southern limit of the bivouac area they discussed the size
and spacing of the shallow trenches and erected corner poles that were located near most
excavations and determine the site to occupy about 400 feet along the river and about two hundred
feet from the river. The number of holes indicated that about 500 men and therefore, a NVA
regimental CP used the bivouac site. Other members of the regiment would occupy sites that
approached this central location. We decided to stand and walk back through the bivouac site
towards the Chinese Bandits that were occupying the ambush sites.
After linking up with Grimes, he decided to lead the 1st Scout Squad through the bivouac site and
locate another ambush site along the trail on the opposite south side of the unoccupied regimental
CP.
The Chinese Bandits remained in position without enemy contact until the following morning when
three NVA troops walked into Grime’s ambush site and were captured about one hour before
sunrise.
Grimes and the scout squad leaders met one more time at sunrise near the northern edge of the
regimental CP where Grimes gave a radio report to LTC Mertel. Mertel directed that Grimes and
the 1st Scout Squad would return to LZ Stallion and the 2d and 3d Scout Squads would continue
patrolling separately south and north of the NVA regimental CP.
Later in the morning water buffalo were observed tethered to stakes driven in the river on the
Cambodia side of the Se San. The trails were well used but no additional enemy contact was made
and the two remaining scout squads returned to LZ Stallion using separate routes.
Note: Regarding this operation Colonel Kenneth D. Mertel would later write in his book Year of
the Horse: Vietnam 1st Air Cavalry in the Highlands 196566 “they (Chinese Bandits) had
tremendous pride and spirit…found the largest enemy target, the regimental bivouac…” and
captured the attention of senior Department of Defense, MACV, and 5th Special Forces
commanders and staff responsible for long range reconnaissance operations. S.L.A. Marshall,
General (Retired) stated that he initially selected the Chinese Bandits for inclusion in his book
Battles in the Monsoon as a result of this operation.