C/1/11th Inf, 5th Inf Div (M)
Operation Montana Mauler
by Phillip Smith
Submitted by Philip Denney
Monday, Febuary 24, 1969, the 3/5 Cav, operating in Thua Thien Province
around Camp Evans, was moved north to Quang Tri Province, to begin operations in
AO Orange. Firebases in the AO included Alpha 4, Charlie 2, Charlie 3 and
Fuller. The 3/5 Cav was placed under operational control [OPCON] of the 1/5
Infantry Division [Mechanized].
Submitted by Philip Denney
They were immediately engaged by the NVA west of FSB Charlie 2 in the northeast
hills of the Khe Chua Valley in the area of a village called Cam Hung. The 3/5
Cav refers to the action as the "Battle of Cam Hung." Elements of the
27th NVA Regiment were identified in this battle. This eventually leads to an
operation named Montana Mauler.
The grunts of Charlie Company,1/11 Infantry were soon humping the landscape in
this area north of the Cam Lo River and just below the DMZ in the Quang Tri
Province. On Sunday, March 2, 1969, they began working the Cam Hung area under
operational control [OPCON] of the 3/5 Cav. The Charlie Company grunts of the
1/11 Infantry, and elements of the 1/61 Infantry, the 1/12 and 4/12 Cav, and 3/3
Marines had begun to uncover evidence of a suspected battalion of NVA/VC.
Submitted by Philip Denney
Tuesday, March 3, the C/1/11 grunts had departed FSB Charlie 2 to sweep an area
west of FSB Charlie 2 above the northeast end of the Khe Chua Valley and assist
other units in the area. They finally spent the night just outside of FSB Alpha 4
and the next day were returned to their normal operations out of LZ Sharon,
south of Quang Tri City in AO Red that encompassed an area between LZ Anne and
LZ Sharon.
Saturday, March 22, 1969, the 3/5 Cav initiated a reconnaissance in force [RIF]
operation, named Montana Mauler, to regain contact with the 27th NVA Regiment
between FSB Charlie 3 and FSB Elliot just southeast of the Rockpile. Cav units
and mechanized infantry of the 1/5 Infantry [Mechanized] found it extremely
difficult to maneuver making them easy targets for RPG rounds.
Sunday, March 24, 1969, American units encountered an NVA screening force two
miles northeast of FSB Fuller at the head of the Khe Chua Valley.
Tuesday, March 25, plans were developed and the 1/11 infantry was to be
committed a couple days later to the operation as a blocking force on the high
ground northwest of the Khe Chua Valley. The 3/3 Marines and the 3/5 Cav were to
block and sweep east and north up the Khe Chua Valley.
Wednesday, March 26, Charlie Company, 1/11 Infantry was still operating in AO
Red 6-1/2 kilometers south of LZ Sharon. At 15:35 hours they reported finding a
cache of clothing, rice, and AK 47 ammunitions. They closed LZ Sharon later that
day and began preparations for an helilift to Hill 208 the next morning. Hill
208 was 2-1/2 kilometers southeast of the DMZ.
Thursday, March 27, Bravo company, with Alpha company in a support role, began
an assault about one kilometer south of Hill 208, some ten kilometers west of
FSB Charlie 2. The 3/3 Marines, "I" company, blocked in the eastern
end of the Khe Chua Valley two kilometers to the south and the 3/5 Cav blocked
in the eastern end of the Khe Chua Valley. Bravo company immediately took heavy
casualties. Extensive artillery preps were being made on the top of Hill 208 for
an LZ. At 11:50 hours, Charlie company of the 1/11 Infantry, began an airlift
and were inserted by three helicopters in the LZ atop Hill 208 to fix the enemy.
The 45 grunts in the first helicopters immediately started taking small arms
fire and were pounded with 81mm rounds. Their only cover were bomb and artillery
craters. The rest of the Charlie company insertion was aborted. The grunts took
heavy casualties while identifying enemy mortar positions and calling in
airstrikes to neutralize them. The LZ had to be secured before the rest of the
company insertion could be completed later that afternoon. Most of the officers
and medics had either been killed or wounded in the initial landing. Meanwhile,
Bravo company, 1/11, was in contact with the NVA a kilometer south of Hill 208
and was later supported by two platoons from Delta company, 1/11.
By 18:00 hours Charlie company had suffered 13 KIA, including one Kit Carson
Scout, and had 30 wounded. The enemy counter attacked with heavy automatic
weapons fire, mortar fire and heavy fire against tactical air strikes-sixteen in
all. The NVA lost 120 troops, 85 of them to the air strikes.
At 02:30 hours on Friday the 28th, three NVA began a probe of the Charlie
company perimeter and entered it. A Hunter-Killer team was sent across the NDP
resulting in three enemy KIA and three U.S. wounded. Later, at 10:10 hours, a
mortar round landed on top of Hill 208 in the CP of the 1/11 resulting in seven
WIA. Heavy fighting continued throughout the day. Platoons of Delta, 1/11 and
3/5 Cav elements were inserted to reinforce the Charlie company grunts.
Automatic weapons fire continued from the north and east of Hill 208. There were
12 more tac-air strikes causing four secondary explosions. There was another
U.S. KIA and 46 more WIA before the day ended. Sixty-eight more enemy KIA were
identified with 40 of them attributed to airstrikes. Cumulative totals were now
35 friendly KIA's, 178 friendly WIA's, and 187 enemy KIA's.
Saturday, the 29th of March, an ARVN unit from the 2nd ARVN Regiment was
inserted on Hill 162, two kilometers southeast-east of Hill 208 and about a
kilometer northwest of the village of Cam Hung, to close off any enemy escape
routes to the northeast. Mop-up operations began by all units in the area with
light contacts.
When April began Charlie company assumed platoon size search and clear
operations west of Tombstone.
This information is found recorded during March of 1969 in the Daily Staff
Journals or Duty Officer's Logs for the:
1st Battalion, 11th Infantry Daily Staff Journal and Spot Reports
1st Battalion, 61st Infantry Daily Staff Journal
3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Daily Staff Journal
This report was researched and put together by Phillip Smith, the nephew of
Everett Culp, a rifleman with Charlie Company of the 1/11 Infantry, 5th Infantry
Division [Mechanized] who was killed on Hill 208, March 27, 1969, after serving
three months in Quang Tri Province.
Questions or comments can be e-mailed to Phillip
Smith
I would like to thank C/1/11 members Ed Castle and Jack Jines who helped get me
started in this research and also, a very special thank you to C/1/11 member
Keith Short who has helped me enormously in putting it all together.
Return to Top of Page?
