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SEVEN FIREFIGHTSIN VIETNAM

*by**John A. Cash**John Albright**and**Allan W. Sandstrum*

*OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF MILITARY HISTORY**UNITED STATES ARMY**WASHINGTON, D.C., 1985*Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 71-605212First Printed 1970-CMH Pub 70-4For sale by the U.S. Government Printing OfficeSuperintendent of Documents, Mail Stop: SSOP, Washington, DC 20402-9328
Foreword
The Center of Military History is again pleased to reprint Seven Firefightsin Vietnam, the first of any kind of publication under the Center's imprintto appear on this conflict.
The events described in this small book are illustrative of much thattook place in Vietnam after American troops were first committed in forcein 1965: of heroic achievement and sacrifice, of human error, of experimentationand innovation, of a wily and elusive enemy, and of a new dimension inwarfare afforded by the helicopter.
These accounts serve as a preliminary record of the achievements ofmen who served their nation well, a preface to a full military historyof the war that is in preparation. The narratives also serve as valuablelessons to soldiers pursuing lessons of small unit actions.
Washington, D.C.11 October 1984 
DOUGLAS KINNARDBrigadier General, USA (Ret.)Chief of Military History
iii  
The Authors
John Albright served in Vietnam as a captain in the 11th Armored CavalryRegiment and participated in the action, "Convoy Ambush on Highway 1."He received the B.A. degree from Oklahoma State University and is engagedin graduate study at The American University. He has served two short termsin Vietnam as a civilian historian while employed in the Office of theChief of Military History.
John A. Cash, Major, Infantry, an experienced officer, served in Vietnamas a company commander and as a member of a brigade operations staff inthe 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), in the latter capacity participatingin the action, "Fight at Ia Drang." He also served two short tours in Vietnamas a historian on special missions for the Office of the Chief of MilitaryHistory, to which he was assigned from 1966 through 1968. On the secondshort tour he was involved in the action, "Gunship Mission." Major Cashholds the B.A. and M.A. degrees in history from Rutgers University andthe M.A. from the University of Wisconsin.
Allan W. Sandstrum, Lieutenant Colonel, Field Artillery, served on theG-3 staff of I Field Force, Vietnam. He received the B.A. degree from theUniversity of California at Los Angeles and the M.A. degree in historyfrom the University of Texas at E1 Paso. Colonel Sandstrum is currentlyassigned to the Office of the Chief of Military History.
iv  
Preface
These accounts of fighting in Vietnam are based upon official U.S. Armyrecords-daily journals, journal files, and after action reports; upon interviewsconducted soon after the events by historical officers in Vietnam; andupon interviews and correspondence conducted later by the authors themselves.Although no documentation is included in the published work, a fully annotatedcopy of the manuscript is on file in the Office of the Chief of MilitaryHistory.
The editor for the volume was Loretto C. Stevens; the copy editor, BarbaraJ. Harris. Photographs were selected, with the assistance of the authors,by Ruth A. Phillips. Maps were prepared in the office of The Adjutant General.The painting on the front cover is the work of Spec. 4 Paul Rickert; onthe back cover, the work of Pfc. Alexander A. Bogdonovich. The undersignedexercised general supervision over the preparation of the studies.
Washington, D.C.25 March 1970
CHARLES B. MAcDONALDDeputy Chief Historian for Southeast Asia
v  
**Contents** ***Number******Page***1. FIGHT AT IA DRANG, 14-16 NOVEMBER 1965         by John A. Cash32. CONVOY AMBUSH ON HIGHWAY 1, 21 NOVEMBER         1966 by John Albright413. AMBUSH AT PHUOC AN, 18 JUNE 1967 by         John A Cash594. FIGHT ALONG THE RACH BA RAI, 15 SEPTEMBER         1967 by John Albright675. THREE COMPANIES AT DAK TO, 6 NOBEMBER         1967 by Alllan W. Sandstrum856. BATTLE OF LANG VEI, 7 FEBRUARY 1968         by John A. Cash1097. GUNSHIP MISSION, 5 MAY 1968 by John         A. Cash139GLOSSARY153
**Maps** 1. South Vietnam22. Reconnaissance Flight Route, 14November 196583. X-RAY Perimeter, Night, 14 Nobember1965294. Movement, 2d Battalion, 5th Cavalry,15 November 1965355. Enemy Ambush, 1025, 21 November1966456. 1st Squadron Maneuvers, 1050-1700,21 November 1966507. Phuoc An Ambush, 18 January 1967648. Rach Ba Rai Area669. Rach Ba Rai Ambush, 15-16 September19677210. II Corps Tactical Zone8611. Movements of Companies B andD, 6 Nobember 19679312. Enemy Attacks on Company D, 6November 19679613. Enemy Attacks on Company B, 6November 19679914. Lang Vei Special Forces Camp,7 February 196811415. Gunship Target and Landing Area,5 May 1968144 
**Illustrations** Transport Helicopters Landing Infantrymen10Chinook Retrieving Downed Helicopter21Infantry Advancing at X-RAY25Company B Sweeping Forward of the BattalionPerimeter38Lt. Col. Harold G. Moore, Jr., and EnemyCasualty40Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle42Hoisting CONEX Container for Convoy Loading46Burning Truck With Trailer, OppositeBanana Grove51Aerial View of Convoy Ambush After FirstAir Strike53Infantryman Loading an M79 Grenade Launcher60USS*Colleton*68Armored Troop Carrier69Monitor70Aerial View of Rach Ba Rai Battle Area79Navy Machine Gunner of the Riverine Force81Helicopter Landing Deck Medical Aid Boat82Command and Communications Boat83Laden Soldiers Pushing Through ElephantGrass Near Dak To89Montagnard Irregulars90Soldiers Laying Down Covering Fire WithM6095173d Airborne Brigade Soldiers UnderFire at Hill 823100Spooky Making a Firing Pass Over KontumJungles105Hill 823 After the Battle1074.2-Inch Mortar116Light Assault Weapon Carried on a Soldier'sBack118Rockets From Maj. Chadwick C. Payne'sGunship Hit Enemy Positions148Maj. James P. Hunt's Gunship Burns AfterLanding150Downed Crew Leaves Popular Force Compoundfor Rescue Helicopter152 
All illustrations are from Department of Defense files except following:the pictures on pages 21, 25, 38, 40, which are reproduced with the permissionof the Associated Press; the pictures on pages 51 and 53, furnished byCapt. George E. Kinback; and the picture on page 107, furnished by Lt.Col. James H. Johnson.

*page created 4 May 2001*

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