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Operation Wayne Grey
Operation Wayne Grey was an operation carried out by the United States Army, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division and supporting elements, on March 1 to April 14, 1969. Its main objective was to cut off lines of communication and supply to the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 24th and 66th Infantry Regiments as well as preventing them from retreating into Cambodia.
Captured documents and interrogations of Prisoners of war revealed that in late January to early February the PAVN 66th Regiment, 24th Regiment and elements of the 40th Artillery moved north into the Chu-Mom-Ray mountain area and had begun to conduct offensive operations. Aerial reconnaissance of firebases west of Polei Kleng Camp revealed heavy vehicle traffic and construction of roads deep into the Chu-Mom-Ray mountains and from the Cambodian border into the eastern Plei Trap valley. The confirmation of artillery and possible armor units suggested that a major offensive was being planned and that their likely target was Kontum City and Polei Kleng Camp.
Operation Wayne Grey began on 1 March, when A Company of the 3rd Battalion, 12th Infantry out of Polei Mrong were combat assaulted into Landing Zone (LZ) Swinger (14°25′44″N 107°37′37″E / 14.429°N 107.627°E). Their objective was to secure the LZ and establish a firebase to allow for the placement of artillery. The position would be used to support the 3/12th, 1/8th and 3/8th Infantry as they conducted operations in Plei Trap. The first helicopter was able to land and offload without incident. After the second helicopter began offloading its troops, they were ambushed by sappers from the PAVN K25B Engineer battalion. The initial firefight lasted for over three hours before the PAVN retreated and the 1/92nd Field Artillery was able to land and set up their guns. B Company, 1/8th assaulted into Firebase 20 (14°29′31″N 107°35′49″E / 14.492°N 107.597°E) and C Company, 3/8th into Firebase Pause (14°21′36″N 107°39′18″E / 14.36°N 107.655°E) followed by A and C Companies of the 6/29 Artillery. The 6/29th Artillery was now in position to provide support for 1st Brigade's sweep of Plei Trap. On 2 March, A Company, 1/8th secured LZ Turkey (14°28′26″N 107°35′53″E / 14.474°N 107.598°E) and began reconnaissance operations, while Companies C and D, 1/8th assaulted into LZ Susan (14°29′N 107°32′E / 14.49°N 107.54°E). The remaining companies from the 3/8th were inserted in LZ's in and around LZ Mary (14°23′10″N 107°34′41″E / 14.386°N 107.578°E).
Operations along the Plei Trap road were conducted by A, C and D Companies, 1/8th Infantry. Beginning on 1 March, with the support of the A/7-17th Air Cavalry the 1/8th was able to locate and destroy communications, supplies and vehicles along the Plei Trap road, as well as the recapturing of two M101 howitzers captured by the PAVN.
The battle of Landing Zone Brace was the largest and most significant battle of the operation. It began on 3 March when A Company, 3/8th Infantry came into contact with a battalion of PAVN troops at their headquarters at the top of a hill (14°20′42″N 107°36′18″E / 14.345°N 107.605°E). A Company suffered heavy casualties during the battle and was forced to retreat. It was extracted on March 4 after heavy fighting at its night location. B and C Companies, 3/8th, were successful at taking the hill on 6 March. A firebase was constructed after the LZ, now named Brace, was secured and on the 16 March C Company, 6/29th Artillery was placed there along with the remainder of Company A 3/8th and the 3/8th headquarters.
Hill 947 (14°20′13″N 107°36′14″E / 14.337°N 107.604°E) was established on 3 March by D Company, 3/8th Infantry to block PAVN retreating from LZ Brace. The position was attacked several times between the 3rd and the 8th of March as well as being under constant mortar and artillery fire. D Company was successful in holding the hill against PAVN attacks and by the afternoon of 8 March, the PAVN gave up trying to take the position.
On 7 March D Company moved overland to Firebase 20 to assist B Company in patrols to help patrol Hill 1030. A and C Companies continued operations along the Plei Trap road.
Between the 10th and 14 March, Task Force Swift consisting of B and D Companies, 3/12th along with a reconnaissance platoon, consolidated on Hill 947. On the 11th, Swift came into contact with a PAVN company and pulled back to their perimeter to call in B-52 airstrikes; they were again shelled by mortar fire. The next day they assaulted and took the PAVN position.
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Operation Wayne Grey
Operation Wayne Grey was an operation carried out by the United States Army, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division and supporting elements, on March 1 to April 14, 1969. Its main objective was to cut off lines of communication and supply to the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 24th and 66th Infantry Regiments as well as preventing them from retreating into Cambodia.
Captured documents and interrogations of Prisoners of war revealed that in late January to early February the PAVN 66th Regiment, 24th Regiment and elements of the 40th Artillery moved north into the Chu-Mom-Ray mountain area and had begun to conduct offensive operations. Aerial reconnaissance of firebases west of Polei Kleng Camp revealed heavy vehicle traffic and construction of roads deep into the Chu-Mom-Ray mountains and from the Cambodian border into the eastern Plei Trap valley. The confirmation of artillery and possible armor units suggested that a major offensive was being planned and that their likely target was Kontum City and Polei Kleng Camp.
Operation Wayne Grey began on 1 March, when A Company of the 3rd Battalion, 12th Infantry out of Polei Mrong were combat assaulted into Landing Zone (LZ) Swinger (14°25′44″N 107°37′37″E / 14.429°N 107.627°E). Their objective was to secure the LZ and establish a firebase to allow for the placement of artillery. The position would be used to support the 3/12th, 1/8th and 3/8th Infantry as they conducted operations in Plei Trap. The first helicopter was able to land and offload without incident. After the second helicopter began offloading its troops, they were ambushed by sappers from the PAVN K25B Engineer battalion. The initial firefight lasted for over three hours before the PAVN retreated and the 1/92nd Field Artillery was able to land and set up their guns. B Company, 1/8th assaulted into Firebase 20 (14°29′31″N 107°35′49″E / 14.492°N 107.597°E) and C Company, 3/8th into Firebase Pause (14°21′36″N 107°39′18″E / 14.36°N 107.655°E) followed by A and C Companies of the 6/29 Artillery. The 6/29th Artillery was now in position to provide support for 1st Brigade's sweep of Plei Trap. On 2 March, A Company, 1/8th secured LZ Turkey (14°28′26″N 107°35′53″E / 14.474°N 107.598°E) and began reconnaissance operations, while Companies C and D, 1/8th assaulted into LZ Susan (14°29′N 107°32′E / 14.49°N 107.54°E). The remaining companies from the 3/8th were inserted in LZ's in and around LZ Mary (14°23′10″N 107°34′41″E / 14.386°N 107.578°E).
Operations along the Plei Trap road were conducted by A, C and D Companies, 1/8th Infantry. Beginning on 1 March, with the support of the A/7-17th Air Cavalry the 1/8th was able to locate and destroy communications, supplies and vehicles along the Plei Trap road, as well as the recapturing of two M101 howitzers captured by the PAVN.
The battle of Landing Zone Brace was the largest and most significant battle of the operation. It began on 3 March when A Company, 3/8th Infantry came into contact with a battalion of PAVN troops at their headquarters at the top of a hill (14°20′42″N 107°36′18″E / 14.345°N 107.605°E). A Company suffered heavy casualties during the battle and was forced to retreat. It was extracted on March 4 after heavy fighting at its night location. B and C Companies, 3/8th, were successful at taking the hill on 6 March. A firebase was constructed after the LZ, now named Brace, was secured and on the 16 March C Company, 6/29th Artillery was placed there along with the remainder of Company A 3/8th and the 3/8th headquarters.
Hill 947 (14°20′13″N 107°36′14″E / 14.337°N 107.604°E) was established on 3 March by D Company, 3/8th Infantry to block PAVN retreating from LZ Brace. The position was attacked several times between the 3rd and the 8th of March as well as being under constant mortar and artillery fire. D Company was successful in holding the hill against PAVN attacks and by the afternoon of 8 March, the PAVN gave up trying to take the position.
On 7 March D Company moved overland to Firebase 20 to assist B Company in patrols to help patrol Hill 1030. A and C Companies continued operations along the Plei Trap road.
Between the 10th and 14 March, Task Force Swift consisting of B and D Companies, 3/12th along with a reconnaissance platoon, consolidated on Hill 947. On the 11th, Swift came into contact with a PAVN company and pulled back to their perimeter to call in B-52 airstrikes; they were again shelled by mortar fire. The next day they assaulted and took the PAVN position.