AAR 24HR WE WERE SOLDIERS (6 DEC 08)

My experiences as part of the US Forces at the battle of Ia Drang – LZ X-Ray

At 1100hrs we were given our orders. The entire battalion was to be inserted by helo to a location by the Ia Drang river where we believe the remnants of the NVA and VC force that attacked our special forces base had withdrawn to. We were to drop the 1st load in with about 200 men and secure the LZ so 2 other loads could be dropped in behind us. Once the entire battalion was infield, we were to then expand our patrols and recon to the north to locate and eliminate any enemy found. Not too back a plan.

I was in the 2nd group to be sent in. When we landed we could see that the 1st group was in heavy contact already. As we settled in on the left flank, our comrades to our right were attacked repeatedly by waves of NVA and VC. They did not appear to be a defeated under strength force. I asked around and found out that the attacking force was actually a fresh regiment of NVA they did now know was in the area. They were coming from over the ridgeline to our north and east in large numbers. It appeared they were trying to kill as many of us as possible with little care for themselves or their comrades.

We were told to dig in part way up the mountain and secure the LZ and protect it from infiltrators. A number of overlapping and supporting gun and defensive positions were established with great affect. Multiple attacks were broken up and repelled but we were taking casualties. All we had to do was to break the attacks enough to be able to assault up the mountain. But this was a long way off. We had to concentrate on holding off their attacks with enough violence so as to make them hold for long enough for us to take the initiative.

Our little force on the left flank caught site of a group flanking us on our left. They were walking straight towards our position perpendicular to our defensive line. Our team leader, Owl was the link between our line moving left from him and the gun pit of the rest of our battalion. The enemy were moving in a column formation straight for Owl but had not seen him. He and his team were sighting up the enemy and my team and Carnage’s were hunkered down waiting for Owl to open the contact. We could hear him counting down the range until he finally opened fire with everything he had. Both mine and Carnage’s team also opened fire even though in reality my team was not able to see the targets due to large scrub between us and them.

The enemy broke to their right, our left, right along our defensive line and we soon had them pinned between a large block of trees and stumps to my immediate front. My team continued laying down suppressing fire, while Owl’s team between moving on my right to flank the enemy hiding behind their cover. Carnage took Owl’s lead and moved his team up on my left. The enemy soon had fire from their left and right while I was suppressing them to their front. As soon as Owl and Carnage stopped in their positions, I moved my team up to close the gap. With fire coming from 3 sides, the enemy were totally eliminated. We moved in and secured their location and re-established our defensive line this time facing the top of the ridge to the northeast which is where this enemy force had come from.

After an hour or 2, we were requested to join the company on our right as they cautiously moved up to mountainside to the northeast. As we were on their left and facing the same direction, we fell into formation and headed up. A long gun battle erupted a number of enemy to our front and slight left. The crossfire from such a large line advancing soon had most of the enemy pinned to cover and overcome by fire being received from multiple directions sometimes as extreme close range. Soon we had cleared the face of the mountain. We heard rumours that an NVA Divisional HQ was located just over the ridgeline and that we had actually landed in an area housing 3 full regiments of NVA and VC along with the remnants of the attack that we had been sent in there to locate. We had no orders to proceed any further so we withdrew back down to mountain to re-establish our original defensive line and await reinforcements and further orders.

A number of counterattacks were witnessed throughout the rest of that day until my team and I were pulled out to rest and resupply, which we did appreciatively as the heat had been almost unbearable.

Soon after a rest and hydration, we moved back to the centre of the line to assist in a counterattack that appeared to be targeting the central gun pit. My team fell in to cover the area to the slight left and rear of the pit and were soon engaging targets on the ridgeline at long range. It took a while but most of those contacts were either killed or withdrew and I relocated my team to cover the right flank of the pit.

A counterattack further to our right prompted me to move my team back to our LZ but when we got there, that attack had been beaten off.

Things quietened down so I took the time to grab some food and rest a little. A storm was on its way and the light rain was a welcomed addition to a very hot and arduous day. The storm broke! It thundered down torrents of rain and almost non stop flashes of lightning as we huddled under our hooches and tarps.

All throughout the night the storm beat into us and at daybreak, it was revealed that our LZ had been completely overrun with storm water. It was then that got orders to abandon our LZ altogether and get back to our FOB to recover.

We stepped onto the choppers at around 6:30am while it was still raining and saw the enemy overrunning the site we had fought so hard and lost so dearly for.

Did we achieve a victory or not? And at what cost? I know we were they to locate and destroy any enemy found but what we found was a force much larger than we had anticipated. Had we actually made any impact on their numbers for the time we were there? I guess only the brass can call it in the end. All I know is my team and I made it out alive.

That's enough victory for 1 day for me.

We'll be back Charlie! Just you wait.