OPERATION MACARTHUR, THE BATTLES AT DAK TO - Corregidor

20 November 1967, Dak To, Captain O’Sullivan and 1 st
SGT Rodriguez, Bravo Company, 8 th Cav, on Hill 1034.
(Insert): “In the afternoon of 20 Nov and proceeded
by a devastating air and artillery barrage,
Bravo Company completed
the assault of Hill 1034.
We spent most of the
evening and the following
two days clearing the
extensive enemy bunker
complex surrounding Hill
1034, and collecting captured NVA weapons and a
large supply of artillery and mortar ammunition,
some of which had markings showing that they were
manufactured in Russia. According to information
recorded in a letter home, one of the enemy units
occupying Hill 1034 was an NVA mortar unit with an
identification number of 338. This information was
obtained from enemy documents found in the
bunkers. Another dangerous situation confronting
us was the presence of numerous unexploded cluster
bombs that were scattered all over Hill 1034 and an
Explosive Ordinance Team spent many hours
blowing them up. The entire ridgeline was cleared
and secured by 21 Nov.”
Source:
http://www.eagerarms.com/battleofdakto.html
Concept of Operation / Execution:
On the early morning of the 20 th at 0540 hours, “C”
Company heard movement then shortly afterwards,
received several rifle grenades. Fifteen minutes later,
“D” Company heard heavy movement higher up on the
hill and called in artillery fire. The first priority for the
companies was to establish and secure an LZ to evacuate
the wounded. At 0818 hours, an LOC ship was hit
trying to kick off an LZ kit and one man was injured.
Bomb strikes were conducted on the hill while the men
of the companies attempted to hack out an
LZ. The battalion TAC CP organized a
command group consisting of the Battalion
XO, Major William Kelley, and the XO’s of
“A” and “C” Companies whose mission was
to go in and reorganize their elements,
expedite the evacuation of the wounded and
if possible exploit the tactical situation. Their
attempts to get in were frustrated by hostile
ground fire, in spite of heavy TAC Air,
artillery, gunship and infantry ground fire.
At approximately 1400 hours, “D” Company
sent out a clearing patrol up Hill 875 in an
attempt to locate some of the tree snipers who
were driving the helicopters away. The first
4 men in the patrol had barely left the
perimeter when a captured M-60 machine
gun cut them down, killing one and wounding three.
The fire came from the vicinity of the bunker which had
caused so much trouble before. At 1900 hours, a
DUSTOFF helicopter finally made it in and out,
extracting five (5) of the critically wounded. It was the
only ship able to make iy in before dark. Leaving FSB
#16 at 0937 hours, B/4/503d Infantry marched overland
closing on the companies at 1700 hours. A/4/503d
Infantry closed at 2100 hours and C/4/503d Infantry at
2220 hours. Major Kelley and the Command Group
made it in on the successful DUSTOFF ship. B/4/503d
Infantry reported two incoming B-40 rockets and at 2045
hours, 7-8 60mm mortar rounds landed within the
perimeter injuring at least one. During the day of the
20th, 2/503d Infantry started its extraction from AO
HAWK, their area of operation, by extracting their
Battalion Headquarters minus the TAC CP group and by
extracting the 4 2” mortar platoon.
The morning of the 20 th , B-4-503d Inf mustered at 4
officers and 96 enlisted men. SP4 Edward D. Garcia,
173d Engineer Company was attached to the Company.
The Company had been briefed that there were several
hundred NVA on the hill and that they could expect an
ambush on the way into 2-503d Infantry’s perimeter.
Therefore, CPT Leonard decided to swing wide and
come into Hill 875 from the Northwest. At 0730H, B/4-
503d Inf moved out in diamond type formation with the
3d Platoon commanded by 1LT Al Lindsath in the lead,
1 st Platoon on the right flank led by 1LT Larry Moore,
the 2d Platoon on the left flank led by 1LT Hugh
Proffitt, and the weapons platoon under SSG Riley in the
rear. CPT Leonard located himself behind the 3d
Platoon and sent his point out about 100 meters in
advance of the main body….
(continued….)
2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / November 2012 – Issue 47
Page 46 of 125