1969 Scrapbook
The scrapbooks on this page are organized by month. Scroll down and click each scrapbook for additional pictures and information.
Note: The scrapbooks are not meant to tell the entire story in a definitive manner but simply display pieces of the overall story. 100 percent accuracy is difficult to attain: division and brigade level reports do not contain details regarding the daily operations of the battalion (nor do articles); reports may have omissions and errors; soldiers who were at the same battle/event often remember things differently due to position, perspective, line of sight, fatigue and stress; memories have sometimes faded; and in 1968 the battalion was a rapid response force with elements often operating in different areas. The more information we obtain, the more accurate we can become.
January 1969
January 1969 found the Rakkasans continuing to operate in and around FSB Rakkasan, FSB Long and FSB Helen as well as a support 3rd Brigade and division-wide operations. 3rd Brigade Headquarters was at Camp Evans as was the 3/187th rear. The 3/187th forward command post continued at FSB Rakkasan. Elements of 3rd Brigade also operated in and around FSB Jack and other 3rd Brigade Fire Support Bases. Operation Todd Forest (a 3rd Brigade Operation) began December 31, 1968 and involved the 1/506th and ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) as the maneuver elements, with the 3/187th securing and patrolling around firebases. According to "Operational Report of Headquarters 3d Brigade, 101st Airborne Division for Period Ending 31 January 1969", page 13, the "3-187 and 2-506 Inf continue their security, construction and offensive operations in their assigned AO's (area of operations) with no significant contacts with enemy forces." Operation Todd Forest ended on January 13, 1969. On January 10 & 11, 1969, the battalion underwent a change of command. On January 10, 1969, LTC George Scheets released control of the 3/187th with LTC Weldon Honeycutt taking command on January 11, 1969. Operation Ohio Rapids began on January 24, 1969 and involved with 2/506th and ARVN as the maneuver elements. Operation Ohio Rapids was a three-phase operation. During Phase I of Operation Ohio Rapids, artillery was moved to FSB Davis, FSB Mexico and FSB Barbara on January 24, 1969. Bravo and Delta Companies of the 3/187th were moved to FSB Barbara and FSB Mexico to secure the firebases and surrounding areas in support of the larger operation. The remainder of the 3/187th continued operations in and around FSB Rakkasan, FSB Helen and FSB Long. Phase II began shortly thereafter and Phase III began February 9, 1969. The Rakkasans lost one soldier killed in action during the month of January - Richard John Borovick on January 2, 1970.
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February 1969
February 1969 opened with the 3/187th supporting Operation Ohio Rapids, while also conducting operations in their area of operation in and around FSB Helen, FSB Long and FSB Rakkasan. During Phase I of Operation Ohio Rapids, commencing January 24, 1969, elements of Bravo Company and Delta Company had been moved to FSB Barbara and FSB Mexico and continued there through Phase II. Phase III began on February 9 or 10, 1969 - Alpha Company was combat assaulted into FSB Mexico to begin a reconnaissance in force operation north of the Coc a Bo mountains. While, Delta Company was moved to FSB Rakkasans. Although Operation Ohio Rapids officially ended on February 28, 1969, elements of the 3/187th were alerted in mid-February to prepare for operations with 1st Brigade under Operation Spokane Rapids starting February 18, 1969. In preparation for Operation Spokane Rapids, the 3/187th marshalled at Camp Evans. After delays due to bad weather, Bravo Company was inserted into FSB Brick while elements of Alpha, Charlie and Delta were inserted into LZ Susan to commence operations. The 3/187th continued operations under 1st Brigade through March 1, 1969 when 3/187th elements were extracted and moved back to Camp Evans. The 3/187th suffered two Rakkasans killed in action in February of 1969 during Operation Spokane Rapids: Clarence Joseph Babin Jr. (Delta Company) and Alfredo Rivera (Charlie Company).
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March 1969
On March 1, 1969, the 3/187th elements involved in Operation Spokane Rapids were extracted from the field and moved to Camp Evans. Operation Spokane Rapids officially ended on March 3, 1969. Operation Kentucky Jumper began March 1, 1969. On March 19, 1969, Alpha Company was moved to FSB Jack to take over the defense of the firebase.
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April 1969
In April on 1969, the 3/187th...
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May 1969
In May of 1969, the 3/187th...
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June 1969
Although Operation Apache Snow did not officially end until June 7, 1969, the 3/187th's involvement in the operation ended May 21, 1969. According to Inclosure 1 of the "Combat After Action Report, Operation Kentucky Jumper", Headquarters, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry, "On 21 May 1969 the 3d Bn 187th Abn Infantry returned to Camp Evans from the A Shau Valley, terminating its participation in the 3d Bde operation Apache Snow and was placed under the OPCON of the 2d Brigade", page 1. The 3/187th remained OPCON (operational control) to 2nd Brigade for the entire month of June as it rebuilt. Although Operation Montgomery Rendezvous began June 8, 1969, the 3/187th did not join the operation until July 9, 1969 when it returned OPCON to 3rd Brigade. After being placed OPCON to 2nd Brigade: Delta Company was assigned security at the Pho Trach Bridge and Phong Dien District Headquarters; Alpha Company was assigned security of the An Lo Bridge; Bravo Company patrolled the Rocket Belt; Charlie Company was assigned secruity at Colco Beach (Eagle Beach) and the LCU Ramp (boat ramp) at Hue; Echo Company assumed security at FSB (Fire Support Base) Rakkasan. Additionally, the Rakkasans were enaged in daily sweeps of Highway 1 from the An Lo Bridge to Thua Thien Province boundary, northwest of Phong Dien. On or around June 7, 1969 Bravo Company and Charlie Company switched locations. Bravo Company assumed responsibility for Colco/Eagle Beach security as well as the Hue boat ramp and pumping station. Charlie Company began patrolling the Rocket Belt. Through the rest of June 1969, the companies were rotated to Eagle Beach and continued to engage in security operations. As June, wore on, combat operations increased. On June 23, 1969, the Battalion Forward Command Post moved from Camp Evans back to FSB Rakkasan where it remained until July 1, 1969 when the Forward Command Post was moved to FSB Bastogne. One Rakkasan lost his life in June of 1969 - Hallia Leon Griffen, Jr of Charlie Company.
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July 1969
July of 1969 opened with the 3/187th moving its forward command post from FSB (Fire Support Base) Rakkasan to FSB Bastogne. At the time, the 3/187th remained OPCON (operational control) to 2nd Brigade. On July 9, 1969, the 3/187th returned OPCON to 3rd Brigade and moved the Battalion Forward Command Post to FSB Blaze. On that date, the 3/187th joined Operation Montgomery Rendezvous which had commenced on June 1, 1969. The 3/187th was tasked with providing route security between FSB Blaze and FSB Rendezvous as Route 547 was being cleared and built. According to "Combat After Action Report: Operation Montgomery Rendezvous", Headquarters, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry, the disposition of the Battalion on July 9, 1969 was as follows: "A Company occupied FB Cannon; B Company OPCON of 2/501 at FB Bastogne; C Company OPCON to 2/501 at FB Bastogne; D Company at FB Blaze with 1st Platoon OPCON 3-5 Cav; and E Company OPCON 2/501 at FB Blaze", page 2. On July 12, 1969, Echo Company and Charlie Company returned OPCON of the 3/187th. Bravo Company was moved to the operational control of the 3-5 Cavalry around July 19, 1969. On July 26, 1969, Alpha Company was moved to FSB Blaze from FSB Cannon and commenced a combat operation on July 27, 1969 south of FSB Cannon/southeast of FSB Rendezvous. One Rakkasan lost his life in July of 1969 - Robert Charles Rizzo of Delta Company.
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August 1969
The 3/187th continued Operation Montgomery Rendezvous (the final phase of Kentucky Jumper) through August 14, 1969. Security operations continued along Route 547 between FSB Blaze and FSB Rendezvous, as did security at FSB Blaze and FSB Cannon. On August 14, 1969 both Operation Montogomery Rendezous and Operation Kentucky Jumper came to a close. The following day, August 15, 1969, Operation Louisian Lee commenced. Operation Louisiana Lee consisted of two Phases. Phase I ran from August 15, 1969 to September 10, 1969 and found the /187th continuing security along Route 547, continuing security at FSB Cannon as well as reinforcing and securing FSB Rendezvous. Phase II ran from September 11, 1969 through September 28, 1969 and found the 3/187th staging at A Loi, followed by combat assaults into positions in the Northern A Shau and onto FSB Erskine. Four Rakkasans lost their lives in August of 1969: Phillip Charles Smith of Alpha Company, Gregory Leo Meyer of Charlie Company, Curtis Bowman of Bravo Company and Jayson Fred Ulrich of Bravo Company.
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September 1969
The 3/187th continued Operation Louisiana Lee through September 28, 1969. As Phase 1 of Louisiana Lee wrapped up, the companies were rotated to Eagle Beach for two-day stand downs. Phase 2 of Operation Louisian Lee began September 11, 1969 with all companies at FSB Rendezvous, followed by staging at A Loui (Staging Area Foxy) in the A Shau Valley. On September 14, 1969: Bravo Company was combat assaulted into FSB Erskine; Alpha, Charlie and Delta Companies were combat assaulted into three landing zones south of FSB Erskine; Mortars were moved to FSB Erskine; and Recon Platoon continued to patrol in the Dong Pho Ridge in 6-man teams. The 3/187th continued operations in the vicinity through September 20, 1969 when all elements were returned to FSB Rendezvous where they remained, breaking down the firebase. On September 28, 1969, the 3/187th returned to Camp Evans for a seven day training period. After fierce fighting in the A Shau Valley in April and May of 1969, and spending a good portion of the summer of 1969 providing security along Route 547 and into the A Shau, the Rakkasans packed up and headed to Camp Evans for the next phase of the Vietnam War and their new role – pacification. Three Rakkasans lost their lives in September of 1969 - Russell C Fordham of Alpha Company, James B Stockdale of Delta Company and Bryan De Mello of Bravo Company.
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October 1969
After moving from the A Shau Valley to Camp Evans, the 3/187th commenced Operation Republic Square on September 29, 1969. The Rakkasans were entering into a new role - that of supporting South Vietnemese Government Pacification efforts, combined training and operations. Additionally, the Rakkasans began operating in an area known as "The Street Without Joy". According to the Combat After Action Report, Operation Republic Square, Headquarters, 3rd Battaion (Airmobile), 187th Infantry, the mission of the operation was :"...conduct offensive operations emphasizing reconnaisance and ambush in order to deny the enemy access to the populated areas and support the GVN accelerated pacification program while upgrading local GVN Forces through training and combined operations", page 2. The first several days of Republic Square involved training at Camp Evans, with operations beginning in Phong Dien Ditrict on or around October 6, 1969. The Battalion Forward Command Post was joint command post, established at Phong Dien District Headquarters. The Battalion's new area of operation was divided into four segments with each of the four rifle companies assigned a segment. Operation Republic Square continued through December 6, 1969. In the month of October, 1969, five Rakkasans lost their lives - Philip W Baughn of Delta Company, Joseph V Camerlengo of Delta Company, Dennis G Hall of Delta Company, Dennis Akerly of Bravo Company, and Thomas R Foster of Echo Company.
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November 1969
The 3/187th continued Operation Republic Square through the entire month of November and continued the mission of conducting "...offensive operations emphasizing reconnaisance and ambush in order to deny the enemy access to the populated areas and support the GVN accelerated pacification program while upgrading local GVN Forces through training and combined operations" ("Combat After Action Report, Operation Republic Square", Headquarters, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry, Page 2). In mid-November, Phase 2 of Republic Square began. The "1969 Historial Summary" for the 3/187th indicates that "In mid-November the Battalion Commander initiated his training program. At this time 3/187 Inf companies were moved to positions co-located with RF companies in the field. Training, reinforced by combined night ambush and daylight reconnaisance patrols, was conducted for 6 RF companies between mid-November and 31 Dec 69." One Rakkasan lost his life in November - Charles R Alex of Bravo Company.
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December 1969
Operation Republic Square wrapped up on December 6, 1969. Operation Randolph Glen commenced the following day on December 7, 1969 and continued through March 31, 1970. The mission of Operation Randolph Glen remained the same as Operation Republic Square and operations continued in Phuog Dien District. According to the "Combat After Actions Report: Operation Randolph Glen", Headquarters, 3rd Battalion (Airmobile), 187th Infantry, the mission was to: "Conduct offensive operations emphasizing reconnaisance and ambush in order to deny the enemy access to the populated areas and support the GVN accelerated pacification program while upgrading local GVN forces through training and combined operations", page 3. According to "1969 Historical Summary" of the 3/187th, "Training of PF platoons and PSDF began during the middle of December when mobile training teams were formed from the three Battalions of 3rd Brigade and sent into the district under the control of the 187 Inf.", page 14. December 1969 also marked the third Christmas that the Rakkasans spent in the Republic of Vietnam as well as the second full year of combat operations. No Rakkasans lost their lived in December of 1969.
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