All,
0130 Local Time
23 October 1965
Phu Gia Peninsula, RVN
Operation Red Snapper
Yesterday the boys kicked off Operation Red Snapper, attached to Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines (G/2/3). They came ashore via landing craft as the Marine driving enemy forces into the ARVN anvil. There were only ashore a few hours before they participated in their first firefight of the war, with each of them performing admirably. They had completed their missions of escorting a Forward Observer (FO) into an old French Colonial building atop Hill 65. They were relieved a few hours later and returned to their platoon, where they grabbed some chow and dug-in for the night. But it wasn't long before their squad leader, Corporal Rob Little, came running up, talking about a SNAFU…
Cpl Little briefed the squad: another screw up! As it began getting dark, the FO and Marines from G/2/3 fell back off of Hill 65 for the night, but now HQ has realized there is a gap in the US perimeter. The Platoon Commander, Lt Ward, has ordered Cpl Little to take 3rd Squad back up Hill 65 and to occupy the old French colonial building. "This is not good, Marines. We've got to hustle over there, and we won't get there until after dark, so we won't be able to dig in, string wire, throw out Claymores, nothing. Hell, let's hope Charlie ain't already occupying the damn place! The only good news is that they're sending a machine gun team with us."
The Marines quickly collected their gear and re-packed their packs, filled in their holes, then reported in to the Command Post (CP), where they met up with the attached MG team and set off for Hill 65 in the failing light.
Overview, north is up. The French colonial building atop Hill 65 is at center, with the bunker the squad knocked out in the previous fight at left bottom. At top right is a village, at far left is a rice paddy, and there is a trail running out of the northwest (top left) down to the French colonial building. Other than that, nothing but a lot of grass, some hedges, bamboo thickets, and a whole lotta jungle.
The table, with everyone in their starting positions. The main Marine defensive position is, of course, the French colonial building. The Marines have flankers out to each side (in thicket at far left and right), and a small reserve in the rear (bottom center, on the road). The Viet Cong have a base of fire element in the rear (LMG at top left and RPG at top right), while their assault element is crossing the rice paddy at far left).
Yeah, not their greatest plan to try and cross the rice paddy, but that's how the dice shook out, so we'll see how it goes.
The Marines in the colonial building (top center) can feel eyes on them. Eyes with ill intent…
It's 0130 in the morning and the Marines, though uneasy, have settled into their positions for the night, with the boys struggling to keep their exhausted bodies awake, to the point Nikki (in grove at top center left) thinks he's beginning to hallucinate. He'd swear there were men moving in the rice paddy in front of him (top center), but can't be. Nobody would be dumb enough to advance on the hill (far left) from the left, through the open rice paddies! He'd even screwed with Danny (off camera to left bottom) about drawing the short straw by being sent out on the right, near the village, which the enemy was certain to use as their avenue of approach.
But all thoughts of sleep and hallucinations and whatever else were quickly wiped from the young Marine's mind when the still air of the night was suddenly shattered by the loud 'pop' and hiss of a rocket being fired!
Nikki (bottom right, with the colonial building off camera to top center right) finds himself all alone out on the left flank, facing off against five Viet Cong (left). Nik opens fire with his M-14, dropping one of the enemy soldiers…
But the VC advance (on other side of the trees at far left), forcing Nik to fall back (bottom center right, from bottom left) on the colonial building.
The Viet Cong (bottom left, right, and far right) keep up the pressure on the Marines holding the colonial building.
To see how the fight turned out, please check the blog at:
link
Next batrep posting soon.
V/R,
Jack