Vitenam Tourney Action Report

[majog]

Oh mighty rattler, what of the fate of the heroic Col Grillo?

[The Rattler]

Rescue team Alpha Romeo approached the site of the crashed huey and dropped into the clearing with caution as nva were still patrolling the area. Suddenly the sound of a barking m16 followed by some shots from a revolver were heard in the jungle depths. Then some rifles were heard firing in reply.Dashing into the jungle the rescue team of four men came upon the source of the fire. Lt Col Grillo injured and looking more charcoal grilled than usual was fending of a platoon of nva rifles.the team rushed in giving covering fire and got Lt col grillo back to the huey for immediate first aid.The last words form Lt col grillo before the ordeal had rendered him unconscious were, " get a message to the commander,ambush awaits on highway 55 , its urgent there are swarms on either side of the road waiting to ambush us". "I tried to radio but it was smashed..........." , "Sorry sir" said the rescue squad member, "its too late the armoured column got hit badly, we heard it on the way in, calls are out everywhere for rescue lifts". Another tradgedy in the vietnam cauldron but Lt Grillo was safe for now.

[majog]

See he will make all the difference. You will win now. Just like John Wayne he doesn't die just comes back to fight another day.

[majog]

As the morning mist starts to clear the action on Hwy 55 heats up. With Cpt Weatherholt in the lead column the 247th Mech Inf encounters a deadly NVA ambush from the Dragons bite taking out an APC. But the Tiger has quick reflexes and several companies from the 247th Mech quickly unload returning fire. The sound of RPG and AK's fill the air along with the smell of cordite and enemy screams. With the help of heuy cover fire the 247th secure the Hwy with a klick of Ap Tran Vinh 2.

Meanwhile just E of the the HWY units of the 1/9th Inf (A&B companies) are trying to secure a small hill with LOS on the road. They encounter heavy dug in dragons and rocket launchers gallor. With the help of a skyraider the ground pounding tigers start up the hill only to have a full platoon of B company wiped out by Dragon fire. They consider calling in more air support but help is already on the way as more 1/9th units fast rope into the edge of the light jungle and cover fire takes our NVA mortar platoons. With numerous cobra and gunship runs the Dragon retreats up the hill with hopes of regrouping and trying to make it to their bunkers.

If that action is not enough for you on an un-named small patch of jungle SE of the Song river the ever valient Col Grillo leads his men to take a NVA Hq only to find he is surrounded on 3 sides. He calls in reenforcements but the only units close is a Ma Duce from HQ company 1/9th. Without regaurd to their own safety they land in a hot LZ right in the heart of the Dragons breathe. Fire arrupts from all around but the Heuy has luck on their side and evac unscathed. The Ma Duce team is not as lucky as they take heavy casualties. Meanwhile other 1/9th Infanty push into the jungle but 250 mtrs may as well be miles away.

To further add to the caos Dragon wounded and disrupted units force NVA civilians to act as human shields as they try to escape E of the jungle. THis is just what the US air support was waiting for and with the deadly aim only the eye of the Tiger can have, cobras take out the NVA units leaving the civilian unhurt. WIth the help of other heuy's providing cover fire they circle the Ma Duce team and provide what cover fire they can. Miraculously it works. An RPG team dies and the rocket explode from 30cal MG rounds raining down upon them.

What did we walk into Col Grillo thinks as he pulls his 45 from the holster. With all this radio chatter it is another Ia Drang Valley fiasco. If only his buddy Mel were here with they new Air Mobile Cav units to help out. Oh well CPT Weatherholt is a good man and Maj Applequist was due back from R&R yesterday so should be on the next fight in with fresh units and more ammo. God I love the smell of Napalm in the morning..... time for some F4's to clear out this jungle.:smg:

[The Rattler]

Rattler(u.s) v tide(nva)

We had walked into a trap. It was obvious now. The counter-attacks from the NVA along highway 55 and against previously secure objectives had increased and we were taking heavy losses. The precision and timing by the enemy was something you had to appreciate. A good 3/4 of the initial units that started this engagement had been destroyed or damaged.

As i headed back towards HQ in a Cobra Gunship the smoke from wrecks littered the whole area from one end of the field of battle to the other.As we started a general withdrawl to the safe zones many reports were coming in of the casualties sustained.It was grim reading.The enemy was tough and stood fast against all firepower available to us and used the terrain like only he can.

[The Rattler]

Rattler v Tide
The NVA had not done with us yet. counteratacks across the board drove our forces back from once secured obectives. The cries from the jungle could be heard for miles as hordes of infantry descended upon each location. Air support was called in but tradgedy awaited as a collison occurred between a heli and skyraider. It was unfortunate luck but summed up what had been happening in recent times. A most honourable foe is sir tide, humble in victory, it was a great game.R.I.P Rattler.

[majog]

Cpt Applequist stood next to his HQ APC the morning sun making it unbearable to stay inside. All around him were the grim reminders that war is hell; displaced and dead villagers, burning hooches, and bullet ridden water buffalo. From just outside the village RPG fire indicated the NVA Dragon was still a threat. Radio chatter calling for air cover to mark on the burning APC taken our by RPG platoons, strengthened that fact. It would not be easy but by GOD, we will win this thought Applequist!

Just then good new, A Co 9th Inf, just overan a NVA rocket site and has control of the hillside. But alas the good news was short lived as in the SE jungle new came in that COL Grillo had died in a fierce firefight defending the democratic freedoms of all mankind. He would be going home in a flag draped coffin to the land of peace demonstrations and anti-war rhetoric. His inspiring out of the box leadership would be missed.

But no time to rest for the weary. Looking for revenge his 199th Mech forces combined with C Co 9th In, were looking for blood and found it. In that same God-forsaken patch of jungle they overran a NVA HQ and stuck a 100 point blow to the Dragon's back. Within the next hours the Jungle would be owned by the Tiger as the Dragon was sent back to the mountains hense it came...

[zeiss]

US soldiers celebrate as Operation Strike ends in victory.
Highway 55 and the surrounding hills are once again secure. The bridge and the two nearby villages, Xon Ben Sai and Iao Uyen have been cleared of enemy forces.
VC & NVA units in the area of operations have taken heavy losses and retreated into the jungle. They were forced to abandon all their heavy weapons including the rocket launchers that have been a threat to the highway.
US losses are reported as light, considering the large scale of the operation. The 7th Aviation Battalion is being recommended for a Presidential Unit Citation for their excellent performance.

[zeiss]

The victorious Colonel Khao, victor at LZ Xray.


AMERICAN BATTALION DESTROYED IN IA DRANG

The Imperialist American invaders suffered a great defeat today. One of their battalions, identified as the 1st battalion 7th Cavalry, was surrounded and destroyed by the glorious Vietnam People's Army in the Ia Drang valley.
The heroic Colonel Khao and NFL Colonel Ju lead the final assault against the battered remnants of the American force. Most of the American soldiers choose to surrender en masse when the VPA overran their defences.

The American battalion HQ and several high-ranking officers were captured. When questioned about why they surrendered, many of them stated that “they were happy to be liberated from the yoke of Imperialism and was eager to join the Communist cause”.

Colonel Khao is now preparing to defend the battlefield against further American aggression.