OPERATION MACARTHUR, THE BATTLES AT DAK TO - Corregidor

A Co complied, linking up at approximately 1655H.
B Co 1 st platoon’s counterattack helped restore the
perimeter and recover many of the wounded and dead.
A Co gave a big assist as their 2d platoon, under LT
Thomas Remington moved through to help bolster the 1 st
and 3d platoon of B Co. In the course of the
counterattack, LT Paul Gillenwater, B Co 1 st platoon
leader, and his RTO, PFC Jones, found themselves out in
front of the perimeter but were able to get back without
injury. While still on the Bn frequency, CPT Rogan
requested the Bn TOC to place blocking fires 500 meters
west and north of his position to prevent enemy
reinforcement.
Survivor of Hill 875.
“Late June 1967, I
had just arrived Dak
To base camp as a
replacement for A
Company 2/503 as a
result of No Deros Sky Soldier Judge, Hon. Tom Remington
Alpha being wiped
out in The Battle of the Slopes.” Tom Remington
Note: Tom would go on with his life and become a Circuit
Court Judge in Florida. He retired from his judicial duties
on December 31, 2012. Thanks to Tom for providing the
After Action Report and many of the newspaper articles
for this newsletter. Ed
The company commander’s main concern at this time
was to establish a firm perimeter and establish effective
artillery fires. A Co’s artillery FO had joined CPT
Rogan and had begun walking 4 2” mortar fires in
towards the perimeter. The wounded and dead were
drawn in. No air or gunships were in support at this
time. The fighting was too close and artillery and air
could only help indirectly. The fighting had become
man-to-man with bursts of AW fire at point-blank range.
The bamboo was so thick that some of the paratroopers
thought that their M-16 rds weren’t penetrating. To
illustrate the closeness of the fighting, the next day on
the outer edge of the perimeter 6 American bodies were
found on the eastern side of a log and 4 NVA bodies on
the western side. Two other NVA bodies lay to the left
of the log, one an NVA officer still holding an M-16 he
had snatched from the other side of the log.
U.S. 105mm artillery battery in action in the
Central Highlands (Web photo)
As darkness approached, the NVA continued to keep
up a heavy volume of fire attempting to cut off or
penetrate a section of the perimeter. At 1730H CPT
Rogan requested an emergency ammunition resupply.
Two LOC ships arrived at 1845H. A bomb crater near
the center of the two Cos perimeter was selected as the
DZ. It was dark by this time but the sky was clear and
the moon full. The B Co CO guided the first ship in
with a flashlight and even though the ship received
several hits while it hovered, it dropped the ammunition
on target. The second ship left its load at FSB 16 and
escorted the damaged helicopter back to Dak To. B Co
requested medical evacuation by basket and hoist for 8
of their more serious WIA’s. A Medevac ship arrived at
2000H but was driven off by AW fire as soon as he
hovered, with two of the crew being wounded. CPT
Rogan then cancelled the Dustoff request since the area
was not secure.
No flare ships were requested since this would give
away and silhouette the American positions. SNOOPY
came on station for an hour and a half working the ridge
lines running north and west…
(continued….)
2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / November 2012 – Issue 47
Page 28 of 125