| Attack on Dau Tieng Base Camp |
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Based on the 25th Infantry Division, Operations Report, Lessons Learned for the period ending July 1968, the following
details of operations are found. On July 4, 1968, members of 2nd Battalion, 77th Artillery Regiment,
25th Infantry Division were in the Dau Tieng base camp as part of Operation TOAN THANG II.
The 25th Infantry Division's major admin and logistical base camps located at Cu Chi, Tay Ninh, and Dau Tieng had come under frequent stand off mortar and rocket attacks during the reporting period. However, all of these attacks were minor in nature, involving small amounts of ordnance and were conducted more for harrassment than any other purpose. The one exception to this norm was the attack which took place on the Dau Tieng Base Camp beginning at 0220 hours and lasting until 0450 hours. During that period of time, the base camp received 42 107mm rocket rounds and 515 rounds of mixed 82mm and 60mm mortar rounds. This massive artillery assault was combined with two separate ground probes on two sectors against the base camp perimeter. These probes were met by bunker line personnel and reaction forces from the Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry and the Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 77th Artillery. In both cases, the ground probes were repulsed with the enemy breaching the perimeter in only one location on the Western side of the camp. Results of the attack in the way of United States losses were 5 killed in action, 55 wounded in action, 12 quarter ton trucks, one Armored Personnel Carrier, and six buildings were damaged. Enemy losses were recorded at 16 KIA, six AK-47 rifles and one rocket launcher captured, and 434 satchel charges, 61 Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) rounds, 45 60mm mortar rounds, 16 grenades and four mines were destroyed. Follow up operations in the vicinity of Dau Tieng and the redeployment of the 3rd Brigade, with the 2nd battalion, 77th Artillery attached, to Operational Control (OPCON) with Capital Military Assistance Command (CMAC) caused a large number of artillery moves between the 4th and 6th of July. Bravo Battery, 2-77th replaced Alpha Battery, 7/11th at FSB Danford on 4 July. On 6 July, Charlie Battery, 2/77th Artillery also moved into Danford as the 2/77th came under CMAC control on 5 July. The following day, Charlie Battery displaced from Cu CHi to Dau Tieng and on 8 July, Alpha, 7/11th artillery moved into Tay Ninh from FSB Hull. By 13 July, action around Dau Tiend had subsided and operations centered in the Tung Lap, Trang Bang, and Go Dau Ha area until late in July when intelligence disclosed a major threat to Tay Ninh. Four artillery men were killed and eight wounded in the fighting at Dau Tieng. Three were from HHB, 2/77th and the other from A/2-77th Artillery Regiment. In addition, one man from E Company, 65th Engineer Battalion was killed in this action. The names of these men are:
Panel 53 West, Lines 07 through 15 of the Wall, Washington, D.C., |