Vietnam Mission 2

The date is 2 December, 1965. It has been a month and a half since the latest batch of draftees arrived in-country, and patrols have continued sporadic skirmishes with local force VC in the area alongside ARVN troops, as well as conducting a larger search and destroy operation with Australian forces. Now, a new aviation unit, the 147th Medium Helicopter Company, has been deployed to Vietnam to support 1st ID, and command has decided to use their new capabilities to stage an assault on a suspected VC stronghold in the western reaches of the province.

Bravo Platoon, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division has been assigned to this assault. The platoon is expected to gather standard weapons and ammo from S4 logistics and load up in the Chinook helicopter at Duc Thanh. From there, the platoon will be ferried to LZ Able south of the suspected enemy stronghold and the village of Bao Lieu. An assault is to be led on the palace ruins where the VC command post is likely to be situated, and any intelligence and prisoners are to be taken and acted upon with initiative by leadership in the field.

With the inclement weather ongoing and expected to get worse, Air Force planes are currently grounded. If fire support is required, 2nd Battery, 32nd Field Artillery has 105mm howitzers stationed at FOB Chizel for emergencies, but command has ordained that the artillery is only to be used in situations where the platoon is in danger of being overrun by hostile forces.

Enemy presence is expected to be heavy but poorly trained and equipped VC local force militias, possibly supported by Regional Force units at most. ARVN forces are currently occupied alongside most of the regiment with Operation Bushmaster, so we will not have any friendly forces operating inside our combat area. Prisoners are to be taken where possible for the S-Shop to gather intelligence from, and any enemy weapons are to be collected or destroyed in the field, and recorded for unit statistics.