Sept. '66 Command Chronology

1 Sep:
One medevac was flown from 1st Med. Bn. to Da Nang G-4 hospital at Marble Mountain without incident.  Nine aircraft were launched in five routine VIP, administrative and Lausanne flights to Da Nang, Quang Ngai and the local Chu Lai Area.  All completed without incident.

2 Sep:
A seven man Naval Survey team was flown to Gia Vuc.  Seven aircraft lifted a reinforced Company of 248 Marines from BS 536946 to BS 470826.  Eight aircraft were occupied throughout the afternoon resupplying ARVN outposts, Mo Duc, Nui Dang and Nui Dau from Quang Ngai Airport transporting 35,400 pounds of ammunition and sixty five passengers.

3 Sep:
LtCol. Sommerville led a flight of five aircraft and successfully inserted a 22 man reconnaissance team for the 7th Marines at BT 372085 at 0730.  Later during a multiple medevac mission two aircraft led by 1stLt. W. L. O'Connor were required to land at coordinates BT 255243, BT 254240, BT 242198 and BT 251211 in order to extract nine wounded ARVNs.  Small arms fire was received from BT 242198 and BT 251211 and one aircraft received four hits.  The port side gunner, MSgt. Zimbleman from HMM-165, was seriously wounded in the ankle.  At 1250 two aircraft flew two U.S. wounded from Chu Lai to the G-4 hospital at Marble Mountain.  The last significant event for the day was a 15 man recon retraction from BT 026125.  Although the landing zone was surrounded on all sides by high obstacles the retraction was successfully completed by four aircraft.

4 Sep:
Four aircraft were forced to abort a resupply mission from Quang Ngai Airport to Mo Duc because of heavy small arms fire in the LZ.  Several flights of A-4E aircraft were utilized in further attempts to neutralize the enemy fire.  Two uneventful convoy escorts were flown.  One from the 5th Marines Command Post area to Tam Ky, and the other from the Chu Lai enclave to Da Nang.  Two TAOR sweeps were completed uneventfully in conjunction with VMO-6.

5 Sep:
LtCol. Sommerville lead a sixteen aircraft heliborne strike west of Tam Ky in support of operation NAPA.  The lift included I Company (220 troops), and the 3rd Bn. 5th Marines from BT 228230 to BT 205212.  Four aircraft sustained battle damage and one port side gunner was hit in the leg.  In addition to the days operation, two recon teams were successfully extracted with no incident from AT 975035 and BT 356074.  An emergency resupply of the radio relay team on Hill 707, which was 9 miles west of Chu Lai, was also completed.  The team was under attack from a VC force which unsuccessfully tried to scale the north side of the hill.   1stLt. Tim Woozley, the leader of the two plane flight, courageously defied the attackers and in the midst of a hail of fire deposited a 1,000 lb. external load of ammunition near the radio team.

7 Sep:
Eight flights transported 59 medevacs to 1st Med. Bn. at Chu Lai and the Quang Ngai Hospital.

8 Sep:
The 3rd Bn. 5th Marines continued sweep and clear operations west of Tam Ky on Operation NAPA.  Two aircraft provided direct support to Companies India, Kilo, and Lima lifting 3,800 lbs. of rations, water, ammunition, 61 passengers and 17 troops.  Four aircraft lifted a Civic Action team to Lysm Island located at coordinates CT 0001.  Two aircraft provided direct support for the Korean Marines lifting 10,700 lbs. of ammunition and other supplies.

9 Sep:
Two aircraft participated in a resupply/passenger mission to the Army Special Forces outpost at Bato.  They lifted 3,800 lbs. of ammunition and two passengers from Ky Ha.

10 Sep:
Three separate medevac missions were flown transporting a total of 17 wounded to the 1st Med. Bn.  Five aircraft flew 18 recon troops to BS 717465 without incident.

11 Sep:
Four separate medevac missions were flown.  Each one received fire in the zone.  A total of 14 wounded were transported to 1st Med. Bn.

12 Sep:
Two wounded Vietnamese civilians were flown from Tam Ky to the G-4 hospital at Marble Mountain.  Six aircraft transported 40,800 lbs. of 105mm ammunition to Hau Duc from both Ky Ha and Hill 69.  Three CH-46 helicopters augmented the flight to external three 105mm guns to Hau Duc.

13 Sep:
One medevac mission was flown lifting 2 ARVN troops to the Quang Ngai Hospital.  General Stiler was flown to Hill 707 for a visit with the radio relay team and was returned to the 1st MARDIV Headquarters shortly thereafter.

14 Sep:
Two aircraft flew direct support missions for the Korean Marines and lifted 21,500 lbs. of cargo and 3 passengers.  Two medevac missions were flown transporting 6 U.S. wounded to the 1st Med. Bn.  Two aircraft were flown to the Special Forces camp at Cam Duc where they conducted an aerial recon of the Duc Pek area and transported a total of 36 troops.

15 Sep:
Four medevac flights were flown transporting 10 U.S. wounded and 2 wounded civilians to 1st. Med. and the Quang Ngai Hospital.  Two aircraft escorted a convoy from Hill 54.  The convoy picked up elements of the 3rd Bn. 5th Marines and Operation NAPA was brought to a close.

16 Sep:
Five aircraft took part in a normal recon insert from LZ Quail to BS 301079.  No enemy action resulted.  Five separate medevac missions were flown and three aircraft flew a troop rotation mission from C&C LZ to BS 474864.

17 Sep:
Four aircraft were assigned the mission of direct support of Operation FRESNO.  These aircraft operated out of the LSA at Quang Ngai Air Field.  Three separate administrative missions were flown between KY Ha and Da Nang.  One emergency medevac was flown to transport one U.S. wounded from BS 664985 to "D" Med.

18 Sep:
Four TAOR sweeps were flown in support of VMO-6.  Six aircraft flew direct support missions for Operation FRESNO.  These aircraft carried a total of 13 tons of cargo and 44 passengers.  Four aircraft flew recon extraction of troops from BS 307079.  No enemy action taken.

19 Sep:
Two medevac missions were flown resulting in two wounded from BS 386704 and one wounded from BT 232188.  One wounded individual was transferred from "D" Med. to the G-4 Hospital at Da Nang.  One aircraft flew out to investigate a downed B-57 at BS 456878 and four missions were flown in support of VMO-6 on VIP missions.

20 Sep:
Eight aircraft flew administration missions throughout the day.

21 Sep:
One convoy escort mission was flown from Dong Ha to Da Nang.  Four TAOR sweep missions were flown in support of VMO-6 and three administrative missions were also flown.

22 Sep:
Five aircraft flew two recon insert missions to BS 351807 and BS 717463.  While still airborne the flight was dispatched to BS 351807 to extract the First Recon Team that was receiving moderate automatic fire.  The flight which was led by LtCol. Sommerville braved the automatic weapons fire while extracting the recon team without further incident.  One medevac mission was flown transporting a total 12 wounded.

23 Sep:
Four aircraft were assigned direct support of "Golden Fleece" at Quang Ngai Airfield.  They flew various cargo, medevac, troop and passenger missions.  Two aircraft assigned night stand by at Quang Ngai transported one U. S. and 11 ARVN medevacs.

24 Sep:
Transferred six aircraft to H&MS-17.

25 Sep:
Four aircraft provided troop lift for the ROK Marines from BS 598899 to BS 727857 where light enemy fire was received in the destination LZ.  Two aircraft resupplied Nui Dau from Quang Ngai.

26 Sep:
HMM-364 shut down operations and awaiting transportation to CONUS

Submitted by:
Franklin A. Gulledge, Jr., Maj. USMC (Ret)

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