The
Old Reliable
Dec.
18, 1968
Page 6
3d Bde
'Devils' harass VC
by 1LT Bill Lafield
TAN AN - From the streets of Saigon to the waist-deet water of the
Plain of Reeds the 3d Brigade has made its presence known to a
harassed enemy during the 9th Division's second year in Vietnam.
The 3d Brigade has taken part in Operations ENTERPRISE, QUYET THANG
and TOAN THANG during this past year and has worked in Dinh Tuong, Go
Cong, and Long An provinces as well as in the city of Saigon.
The first heavy action for the 3d Brigade in 1968 came during the
enemy's TET offensive in early February. The VC attacks began shortly
before Brigade Commander Colonel George Everett was due to leave the
brigade for a new assignment.
The "Go Devils" launched into heavy TET fighting around Ben Tre where
the VC had infiltrated the city. A small group of Vietnamese
government officials and U.S. advisors were putting up a gallant fight
and their ammunition was almost exhausted when the brigade arrived.
Men from the 2d Battalion, 39th Infantry; 3d/29th and 2d/60th fought
from house to house killing for than 150 VC and driving them from the
city. The 9th Division troops surrounded the fleeing enemy and
helicopter gun ships cut them down as they tried to hide or escape.
Infantrymen fo the 2/60 found one of the largest enemy weapons caches
of the TET Offensive on February 16 along the Bo Bo Canal, an infamous
VC infiltration route in the Plane of Reeds. After being tipped off by
an Air Force Forward Air Controller (FAC) assault helicopters engaged
over 100 sampans in the canal sinking 93. When the infantrymen were
inserted the following morning they found four heavy anti-aircraft
guns, 580 rocket rounds, 450 assorted mortar rounds, 29 recoilless
rifle rounds and more then 200,000 rounds of small arms ammunition.
Colonel George W. Everett commanded the "Go Devils" through the TET
offensive and then turned the brigade over to Colonel George C.
Benson, who subsequently let the brigade through the VC's publicized
"Second Offensive" in May. Colonel John A. Hemphill has commanded the
brigade since August.
On April 22 elements of the brigade's 3/39 and 4/39 decisively engaged
a large North Vietnamese regular unit killing 45 in the Ong San River
section of Long An Province.
One day before the VC May attacks began, Benson, sensing that attack
was eminent, sent the 5th/60th (Mechanized) to the Cholon area of
Saigon. Next morning the offensive began and the brigade's 3/39, 2/47,
and 6/31 joined the 5/60 in Saigon to drive the enemy from the city.
In five days of intense street fighting the "Go Devils" pushed every
Viet Cong and North Vietnamese unit from the southern outskirts of
Saigon. Most of the fighting was in the built up section along the
Kinh Doi Canal at the "Y" Bridge. Over 800 of the enemy were killed in
their attempt to capture the capital city from the south.
AFter the May offensive the 3d Brigade moved to Dinh Tuong Province
where they undertook Operation Quyet Thang (Will to Win). On October
4-5 elements of the brigade's 1st/16th, 6th/31st with air support from
Troop D, 3d/5th Calvary and artillery from 1st/11th Artillery engaged
an estimated VC battalion practically annihilating it.
During the two days of fighting in the desolate Plain of Reeds, the
"Go Devils" killed 139 VC and captured 17 enemy solders and 160
weapons.
In mid November the 3d Brigade moved to Tan An in Long An Province.
They immediately began offensive operations to search out the VC units
known to be there. Employing tactics such as night ambushes and
bushmaster operations, the 3d Brigade has taken a steady, mounting
toll of the enemy.
