SUBJECT: After Action Report for Operation Wayne Grey

6 March, 1969: 1^st Battalion, 8^th Infantry on 6 March, 1969 continued reconnaissance in force with Companies A, C and D. Company A’s emplaced platoon-sized ambushes at grids 819027 and 818027 at 1814 hours. Company A experiences incoming 105-mm howitzer. Counter battery from Fire Support Base 20 emplaced at grids 810020 and 811039. After artillery was employed incoming ceased. Company B continued to secure Fire Support Base 20 with local security, patrols and ambushes at 805065, 810085, 824086 and 819077. Company C continued reconnaissance in force from 828040. Two platoon-sized ambushes were employed at grids 820040 and 828035 with 4 NVA engaged with negative results from the later grid. Company D continued reconnaissance in force from 777052 and moved to Fire Support Base 20 at 2345 hours. They observed an enemy bunker complex at 793059 showing recent use. Reconnaissance platoon worked in liaison with Company A. Mortar platoon minus supported battalion operations from Fire Support Base 20. One 81 section supported Companies A and C operations.

Air Support: HH47 adjusted 105-mm’s from Fire Support Base onto grid 806032 (possible bunker complex) HH46 adjusted 3 rounds Firecracker, vicinity 806032, onto suspected enemy personnel positions.

Artillery: At 0750 reconnaissance by fire for Company A at grid 807021, 105-mm. At 1055 4.2 inch and 105-mm for Company D at grid 797054, enemy in open. At 1820 hours Company A received incoming. Counter battery was directed on grid 810020. At 1825 hours counter mortar on grid 811039. (See air assets for 2 additional missions) NFP 805040 100 rounds of 4.2 inch. 777016 150 rounds 105-mm.

7 March, 1969:1^st Battalion, 8^th Infantry on 7 March, 1969 continued reconnaissance in force with Companies A and C in the A.O. Company A continued security of night location, vicinity YB 825027, utilizing OP, LP, patrols. Their platoon-sized ambushes at 819024 and 818027 kept up their surveillance. Two NVA were sighted near Company A’s CP location. They were taken under fire with negative results. Company B continued security of Fire Support Base 20 with local security, patrols and platoon-sized ambushes. Ambushes were employed at YB 819079 and 819077. Company C continued security of their night location with local LP’s and OP’s. They employed platoon-sized ambushes at YB 820040 and 828035. One NVA was sighted near Company C CP and was taken under fire with negative results. Company D continued to secure Fire Support Base 20 with local LP’s and OP’s. Platoon-sized ambush at YB826030. Reconnaissance platoon worked in liaison with Company A. Tracer 5 at YB 826030. Mortar platoon minus continued to support battalion operations from Fire Support Base 20 with 1 81 section at Company A and C’s location.

Air Support: The 7^th of the 17^th Cavalry operated in the A.O. At 1635 Comic 31 reported sighting 2 artillery pieces at grid 779028. Gunships were employed and they reported destroying one piece and damaging the second.

Artillery: At 1300 hours 155-mm fired firecracker on suspected enemy artillery position. At 1610 105-mm fired in support of Company A receiving small arms fire. Night fire program: 75 rounds 4.2-inch mortar on grid 793058.

8 March, 1969: 1^st Battalion, 8^th Infantry on 8 March, 1969 continued its reconnaissance in force mission with Company A. Companies B and D continued local security and patrols from Fire Support Base 20 employing one platoon-sized ambush each. Company B’s ambush vicinity being YB 808078 and Company D’s vicinity being YB 838075. Company C continued to secure their previous night location with local security patrols and two platoon-sized ambushes located at vicinity YB 827036 and YB 825027. Reconnaissance platoon continued to operate in liaison with Company A. Mortar platoon continued in support of battalion operations from Fire Support Base 20. Generally the Battalion’s operations had negative results.

Air Support: Cider 10 (FAC) employed an airstrike at grid vicinity YB 778018. The 7^th of the 17^th Cavalry’s red birds reported destroying 1 NVA truck (2 ½ ton) and killing 1 NVA soldier in the vicinity of 105-mm howitzer position. They also reported sighting another truck at the same general grid. Comic 31 also sighted another truck, vicinity YB 780022. Dust off was utilized at Fire Support Base 20 to remove one injured engineer.

Artillery: Vicinity 773026 the Battalion Liaison Officer employed 110 HE rounds of 105-mm howitzer and 15 firecracker rounds of 155-mm on enemy in open vicinity YB 847007. Results were three confirmed NVA KBA (Artillery). Vicinity 773026 the 7^th of the 17^th Cavalry employed 155-mm on suspected enemy location. Vicinity 77017 Cavalry employed 105-mm against an enemy artillery position with unknown results. Vicinity 834074 Company D employed mortars from Fire Support Base 20 in a reconnaissance by fire program. Night firing program: 110 rounds of 105-mm against suspected enemy artillery positions and areas of enemy sightings that day.

9 March, 1969: 1^st Battalion, 8^th Infantry on 9 March, 1969 continued its mission to interdict the enemy’s movement within the A.O. Company A conducted a BDA from their night location at YB 853025 and returned to the night location YB 826028 due to airstrikes being employed in the vicinity of their BDA mission’s A.O. Company A also employed 2 platoon-sized ambushes vicinity 817022 and at 824014. Company B continued local security of Fire Support Base 20 plus one platoon-sized ambush vicinity 818065 C Company located vicinity 828040 continued local patrols and security and its ambush missions to the Southwest, West and Northeast. A 2 platoon-sized ambush was employed vicinity 828036. Company D continued Fire Support Base 20 security mission employing local security, patrols and one platoon-sized ambush vicinity 817089. Reconnaissance platoon worked in liaison with Company A and moved to Company A’s location. Tracer 6 was employed vicinity YB 828032 with the mission of ambushing the trail in that vicinity. The mortar platoon continued to support battalion operations from Fire Support Base 20.

Air Support: Comic Blue 6 reported enemy trucks vicinity 777018 and 780024. These trucks had been previously destroyed by an airstrike but they had been covered with foliage during the night. Artillery emplaced with unknown results.

Artillery Night firing program. 167 rounds of 105-mm howitzer was employed on routes of regress to the Southwest. An arclight area where enemy were sighted in the open near a suspected mortar position was also fired upon.

10 March, 1969: 1^st Battalion, 8^th Infantry on 10 March, 1969 continued its reconnaissance in force mission with two companies operating from patrol bases utilizing maximum platoon-sized forces and local patrols. One company undertook mission to extract enemy artillery pieces at grid 779028, which was successfully accomplished. One company secured Fire Support Base 20 with local security patrols and two platoon-sized ambushes. Reconnaissance platoon’s Tracer 6 was utilized as ambush vicinity YB828030 (negative results). Company A continued reconnaissance in force vicinity YB 825036. Local security patrols and two platoon-sized ambushes were employed in this area with negative results. One platoon was on standby to assist Company D’s operation. Company B continued Fire Support Base 20 security mission; employing two platoon-sized ambushes, local security, and local patrols encountering negative results. Company C continued reconnaissance in force mission operating from patrol base vicinity YB 828040 employing two platoon-sized ambushes, local security and local patrols with negative results. Company D received mission to retrieve two enemy held 105-mm howitzers vicinity YB 779028. Company D was lifted from Fire Support Base 20 to an LZ vicinity YB 770026. With combat assault complete 1159 hours, they regrouped and moved overland to objective area. Light contact was encountered vicinity YB 777018 from secured artillery pieces in bunker complex. A LAW was employed against bunker with fleeing NVA killed by Company D forward security element. Results of action: Two U.S. 105-mm howitzers recaptured and taken to Polei Kleng, one NVA KIA with personal effects and SKS carbine, two trucks previously burned by napalm were completely disabled with thermite grenade, explosive charges, and burning gasoline. These same two trucks contained about 4500-lbs. rice, 50 lbs. beans and a 55-gallon drum of gasoline. Another truck, well dug in and camouflaged, was uncovered and destroyed with thermite grenade, explosive charges and burning gasoline. Various equipment, including commo equipment, wire, 1942 Honeywell quad (destroyed), plus various personal effects were captured; 30 rounds 105-mm Chicom fixed ammunition was destroyed in place. The operation revealed a large enemy complex in this vicinity approximately one kilometer wide and one kilometer long. Company D received ground fire on pickup zone on airlift back to Fire Support Base 20. Artillery was employed on LZ vicinity in the form of a preparation with a total of 199 rounds being expended for operation. Artillery was also employed on PZ after final extraction of Company D with results unknown. Friendly casualties consisted of one U.S. WIA. Reconnaissance platoon continued working in liaison with Company A. Tracer 6 was located vicinity YB 828030 serving as an ambush. Mortar platoon continued to support battalion operations from Fire Support Base 20 with all mortars except those located at Mary Lou. One new 4.2 mortar was received at Fire Support Base 20 to DX one worn out of same dimensions.

11 March, 1969: 1^st Battalion, 8^th Infantry on 11 March, 1969 continued its reconnaissance in force mission with Company B. securing Fire Support Base 20 utilizing local patrols and security, and platoon-sized ambushes to the Southwest, South and Southeast of Fire Support Base 20. Companies A and C received mission to conduct BDA vicinity YB 870984. These two companies moved overland toward that location with negative results. Reconnaissance platoon continued to operate in liaison with Company A. Mortar platoon continued to support battalion operations at Fire Support Base 20 employing 7 81-mm mortars and 4 4.2 inch mortars. Four additional mortars are located at LZ Mary Lou. Artillery from A Battery 1^st of the 29^th Artillery was employed against enemy anti-aircraft gun position vicinity YB 827021 by Headhunter 46. Previously these guns had fired on Hummingbird 1 assisting in Company A and Company C BDA.

Air Support: Cider 10 (FAC) and 15 worked area vicinity YB 827011 and employed airstrike. This was the area that enemy 105-mm artillery guns were extracted the previous day.