SITREP is a military acronym that stands for, Situation report. A sitrep can be defined as; a short concise statement identifying a unit’s current location and tactical situation.
SITREPS highlight the activities of Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta companies as well as, Recon, Aero scouts, HHC, LRRP team's,
Editors note:
If you served in the 4/3 in 1970 and you got hot steel in your body there is a 99.99% chance your name will be on these pages. If you were snake bit, FUO, Dysentery, Malaria, heat exhaustion, twisted ankle or broke back from a runaway Blivit there is a 98% chance your name will appear. It is a good sign when your name does not appear at all. Charlie blew us up in 68, he mortared us in 69 and this year is payback baby. The Mech Amb
dominates the 4th Battalion war in 1970. There are periods where we have nightly success at upping the body count. On the down side a Mech Amb
does not care what it blows up. Often women and children set the ambush off. During the year 4th Battalion Mech Amb's bagged: a cat, a rat, a bird,
lots of birds, two black bears, a tiger, a leopard, a water Buffalo, a couple of monkeys, some wild pigs, some drops of rain and a whole bunch of wind.. There were several accidental detonations of Mech Amb by US personal. A bummer downside.
January SITREP's come from 185 pages of staff journals
Journal opened: unit locations;
SRRP's 1,2,3,and 4 on LZSJ.
Warlord lead reports receiving heavy automatic small arms fire at BS712320. 1 NVA/VC KIA. Infantry not put on ground.
Message from Battalion. BATO has 1 platoon friendlies in contact over large area vic. BS6228. Estimate between 1 and 2
companies of enemy forces. Platoon is trying to break contact. 100 + enemy observed by friendlies. Gunships have depleted
ordinance and fuel and have broken contact to refit and refuel.
Received Battalion strength report;
2 Jan. 70 0720H
Co. D request DUSTOFF for 4 US w/frag wounds result of grenade explosion in trash at BS645366.
PFC Robert J Fenner
PFC Ted R Miller
PFC Doug B Wheeler
PFC Silas S. Haynes
2 Jan. 70 1300H
Company B is OPCON 4/21 Inf.(Gimlets)
A battle will start at 2230 hours 2 Jan. 70 that will become known as, "the battle of hill 285", see casualties:
3 Jan. 70 0001H
Co. A, BS605395, Co. B, OPCON 4/21, Co. C, LZ SJ and Duc Pho, Co. D, LZSJ
3 Jan. 70 0810H
Co. B OPCON 4/21 on hill 285 vic. BS821286 came under heavy ground and mortar attack at 2230 hours 2 Jan. 70.
Contact continued until 0520H
6
10
1
Company B reports contact results; 29 NVA KIA confirmed. Recovered 10 AK-50's, 1 9mm pistol, 1 M-16, 1 RPG-2,
and 70 to 75 chi com grenades. See staff journals: Page one Page two
Received relayed report from 4/21 inf. thru Co. B 4/3 inf. location FSB 285. One Battalion VC located about 2 clicks away.
Companies A, B and C are OPCON 4/21
At 0350 BATO came under mortar attack by 1 company VC/NVA
LRRP team
Co. B CO, Capt. Kirk, will leave unit for Chu Lai this afternoon.
LRRP team
Companies A, B and C OPCON 4/21. Company D LZSJ. All SRRP's vic. LZSJ.
A, B and C OPCON 4/21. Co. D LZSJ
Message fron Maj. Blevins: Make sure all LZ's are properly policed. Poor police is damaging too many helicopters.
Companies A, B and C OPCON 4/21.
Companies A, B and C OPCON 4/21. Co. D LZSJ
Co. A reports 10 to 15
Sgt Larry J Griffin----------suspected hernia
Sgt. Edward B Stewart-----foot infection
Scheduled CS drops must have protective masks for ground personnel.
Co. A is on LZ Bronco, Co. B is on LZ Debbie, Company C is at BS713398, Co. D LZSJ.
Strength report: A = 4/78, B = 5/71, C = 5/95, D = 6/96.
LRRP
Sensor activation, 2 persons moving. Engaged with 4.2, 10 rounds HE.
Co. A LZSJ, Co. B BS684354, Co. C BS708365, Co. D BS692394
18 Jan. 70 1345H
At 1300 Company C request DUSTOFF for 3 US result Booby-trap at BS711345. SEE JOURNAL
2d LT. Larry Collett
PFC Rand Wilson
? ? ? ?
In response to questions from Brigade the individuals from company C wounded by a booby trap were not wearing flak
jackets. They were wearing steel pots and traveling about 15 meters apart. Trap was detonated by pressure and the
crater was about 12" in Dia. and 4' deep.
LRRP team
LRRP team
DUSTOFF/extraction ETA 20 Min.
LRRP request Shark 9 extract.
Shark 9 reports picking up 3 persons, 1 wounded, en route Duc Pho.
Extraction completed by DUSTOFF ship. LRRP NDP cleared for arty.
Co. A request DUSTOFF for 3
Juan Mitchel
Van Turner
19 Jan. 70 0839H
Co. D reports 1 US wounded during combat assault by frags from a 40mm round fired by gunships.
John Dick
LRRP team
LRRP team
Strength report: A = 4/82, B = 5/75, C = 4/97, D = 3/46, Recon = 1/34
Co. A at LZSJ, Co. B at BS688327, Co. C at BS897344, Co. D at BS729328, Recon at LZSJ.
Sensor reading of ferrous metal, 5 persons. Engaged with 10 rounds of 4.2, results unknown.
Company D request DUSTOFF for 2
2d LT. Robert E. Conners
SP4 Leo Chadwell SEE JOURNAL
22 Jan. 70 1830H
On way to chow a
PFC. John Anthony
24 Jan 70 INTEL
Lots of intel reports of enemy activities.
LRRP team
Extraction of LRRP team
Co. A at BS564432, Co. B at BS643418, Co. C at LZSJ, Co. D at BS723363.
Spot report: 3d platoon of company B engaged 1 VC with small arms fire. Result 1 VC WHA/CIA DUSTEDOFF.
DUSTOFF complete for 3 persons from Company A result of sniper fire.
E-5 Michael L. Livesay---------------shot in hip
David Collins-------------------------shot in leg
Hidrickson----------------------------shot in leg SEE JOURNAL
editors observations:
Daily intel reports of Battalion, company and platoon sized enemy elements active throughout AO. 4/3 is dealing with a bad batch of
grenades that let the blasting cap go off as soon as you release the spoon, the grenade does not go off, just the blasting cap.
