Battle of Loc Ninh Airstrip by Dave Berry

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Battle of Loc Ninh Airstrip

Aerial view of the airstrip at Loc Ninh, near the Cambodian border. The Special Forces compound is next to the airstrip. The 2/28th perimeter is in the lower right, at the end of the airstrip. Two companies of 2/28th and Alpha Battery of 105mm howitzers from the 6/15th Artillery (call sign: Deadly, which was quite appropriate) repelled a ground attack in the Battle of Loc Ninh Airstrip. The artillerymen fired point-blank down the runway to break up the attack. The VC body count in the morning was 110. US casualties were light. Over the next few weeks numerous battles were fought in the vicinity as US battalions from the 1st and 25th Divisions clashed with the NVA and elements of the 272nd and 273rd VC Regiments. At one point Black Lions went house-to-house in the town of Loc Ninh, driving the enemy out. Our perimeter had additional ground attacks as well as frequent mortar attacks. On another day a small group of us medics were providing medical care for the locals in Loc Ninh when we were suddenly told to pack up and move out. When we got back to our perimeter we were told that an NVA company was entering from the other end of town while we were leaving. I would have moved a lot faster if I had known that up-front. It was a very turbulent time.

In their infinite wisdom, the US Command decided to bulldoze the enemy bodies into the rubber trees in order to clear the runway quickly. For the next 2-3 weeks we lived with the stench of decomposing bodies and passed by them daily on patrol. My strongest memories of Loc Ninh will always be the red clay that we had to dig and live in, which was like concrete, and the sight and smell of death daily for more than two weeks.

I celebrated (?) my 21st birthday at Loc Ninh. The NVA must have known that, because we had fireworks that night (mortar attack)

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Charles W Robb		14-Nov-2022 15:00
Ken Brown mentioned I might have been in his platoon. He mentioned a new guy who got wounded and wouldn't stay down and got wounded a couple more times. That was not me. When I got down, I stayed down. LOL.

Harley Jones		21-Feb-2022 15:12
Harley Jones, I was there. brings back lots of good and bad memories

Richard W Magner		17-Nov-2021 14:25
W.M. Mercer, I partner with Bob Connor in efforts to help the Vietnamese locate graves from the war years. Any info you can offer relative to where you dozed the grave will be greatly appreciated. Richard rwmagner@gmail.com

red beasley		31-May-2021 19:57
looking for members of the recon platoon 1/28th inf who were there 9/12/68. wolf,cowboy.eagle beak,or jenkins team

Guest		20-May-2021 21:47
REMEMBER THE THANKSGIVING DAY 1968 BATTLE NEAR THE LOC NINH AIRPORT? I WAS IN THAT BATTLE

Jeff Smith		25-Nov-2020 23:38
I was with 168th combat engr and built this strip in early 68, during the construction we got over run by th VC and as were being airlift out by Chinnoks I got wrapped up in some PSP from the prop blast of the chinooks. I was trap inside for several before our guys came back for me. The most terrifying thing was when then unrolled it I had no idea who was going to be there US or VC . thank god it was US troops and I was airlifted back to base camp to be checked out. I escape with minor injuries and was able to return within a week to Finnish the airstrip. This ia a great photo of the strip where i was trapped.

Ken Roberts		12-Sep-2020 14:13
Dave I was with the Blackhorse Regiment (11th ACR) during my tour. My first field mission was at Loc Ninh Airstrip in January 1968, later on in August and September 1968 Blackhorse Second Squadron once again was assigned to the Bien Long Providence where we made camp at the Southern end of the airstrip, and not far from Special Force Base. Blackhorse was assigned to the Big Red One Div. F and G-Troop, I was assigned to G-Troop if you or anyone reading this message may know about Ten Phase 3 had began and the American forces were to take back from the NVA all the real estate in the Ben Long Providence. When we arrived the only real estate Armican Forces had control over was the air strip area. I am currently writing a story about Blackhorse Jungle operations during 1968, long ago I asked your permission to use your photo of the Air Strip and SF Base, you most likely forgot so I once again request your permission after all we have shared common ground at Loc Ninh

Chad Czarkowski		02-Jun-2020 21:31
Good friend Pvt Kurt Ponath was killed in the ambush 5k NE of Loc Ninh on rainy night 12 Sept 68 described by Charles Robb above. Anyone remember him, any more details of that ambush?

Guest		14-Apr-2020 20:33
yes i remember you all

Andrew Petrella		16-Nov-2019 14:42
To Ron Blythe: Do remember Petrella, Ferguson, Gray in the POL unit of the S & T division out of Quan Loi ?

ron blythe		08-Jul-2019 07:44
HI Pete my name is Ron we worked together that night at Loch Nin, would like to chat

Rich Brechbiel		28-Dec-2018 15:25
I was briefly assigned aid in refueling, but we only had about 50 pounds of JP-4 when we got there. I was able to contact my unit, (HHT 1/9 Cav from Phuoc Vinh … there were only three of us … we stayed with the Special Forces). That afternoon, the JP-4 was delivered and lined all along the side of the airfield. On August 12, 1969 we were attacked. I was wounded and medivac out. I was told that the 11th Armored Cav blew up the JP-4 to stop the VC. Never really found out what happened that night, since I quickly found myself in Camp Zama, Japan and then onto Ft. Knox after surgery.

Gary Mock		26-Apr-2018 18:34
I was 'DustOff 49' and ended up spending what was left of the night when I couldn't get back to Quan Loi for refuel. As I recall the weather was total crap. The day started when 'Danger 77' was shot down and we were called for the extraction. We couldn't get in because it needed a hoist and the downed aircraft was crawling with NVA. We made numerous trips between Loc Ninh and Quan Loi with wounded until we couldn't due to weather and fuel. Loc Ninh was under heavy contact all night. We were afraid one of the mortars would hit the aircraft with only fumes in the tank so we ended up crawling away from it in the ditch when they started to walk the mortars down the runway. During the night the 105's were loaded with 'beehive' rounds and fired point blank at troops attempting to overrun the camp and in the morning found them hanging in the wire and nailed to trees. When a fuel tanker finally arrived and we got fuel, we returned to Lai Khe only to have our ass chewed for being covered in red clay and looking 'un-Military'! All I could think of was 'Bite Me'.

Jim Dopp		13-Mar-2018 03:42
My name is Jim Dopp. I was the senior team medic of the Special Forces team A-331 during October and November 1967. The 1st Division came into our AO on the morning of the third day. Most likely the SF camp would have been overrun as was the RF/PF compound to our North without the Divisions arrival. Incredibly grateful to the 105 battery at the end of the runway. Some really big holes near your position made by 122mm rockets in that really hard red clay soil.

Vic		24-Jan-2018 01:17
Call me Echo One Zero. Like Frank Jencik, I was a member of the 2nd of the 16th. We were on the east end of the runway in Sept of 68. The TOC took a rocket, lots of damage to the radios. A couple of guys got replacements,in spite of all that fire! That took guts. We could see the NVA coming up on the east end of the runway! A couple of beehives took care of that! We took a lot of rockets that night. Nobody who was there will ever forget it. I remember after things slowed down,later that morning {still dark},four guys went out to recon the area east and south. Maj Jim Benke was one of those guys! That was one scary night! I just want to say thanks to all who helped me get through that time. I love all you guys from the Big Red One.

W.M. Mercer		18-Jan-2018 01:05
I was there at Loc Ninh Christmas 1967 and was a D-8 bulldozer operator. 168 enginers 557 light equipment co. It was as Franco described. I spent one night with an officer and he repeatedly received calls for permission to fire and they were denied as it was supposed to be a TET truce. I cleared the some of the airstrip from heads and bodies and butterfly bombs and unexplored mortar rounds. Dug holes for tanks and APC's on the perimeter .

Bob Connor		08-Jun-2017 02:31
Bill Folkner, Thanks for your additional information of the other graves. Local Provincial Government is in process of making arrangements for excavations to start soon. Will update you and others who contributed directly as they proceed. Thank you, Bob

William L Forkner		29-May-2017 02:25
My name is William L Forkner - I was a Field Artillery First Lt with the 11th ACR in the battles of Loc Ninh in Nov 1967, May 1968 and Sep 1968 - I have pictures of the airstrip, a C130 delivering 155mm ammo, the battery positions of How Battery 2nd Squadron 11th ACR taken in Sep 1968 - I was the Battery XO wforkner@comcast.net if you want copies or more info

Bob Connor		25-May-2017 16:11
To Joel McDaniel & Bob Graves, Can to pinpoint as best you remember where the graves are that you mentioned and about how many bodies. I'm doing humanitarian work (No pay, don't ask for donations nor sell anything) in helping them find the remains for their families. They are missing over 300,000. The DOD and Embassy are aware of my efforts. Already found 3 graves in and around Bien Hoa. Meeting tomorrow (5/26) with soldier fro the 101st to pinpoint 4 more graves. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Bob Connor, former Sgt. 3rd Security Police Sq., Bien Hoa 4/67 - 4/68.

Cpl William Huntington		14-May-2017 17:41
I arrived via Chinook from An Loc soon after Gen Ware and crew were shot down near the runway. At first I was glad to leave An Loc but after 15 minuts on the ground at Loc Ninh knew this place was bad. As a member of the 1st Inf l/5 Arty Alpha we started digging in an area that was pre softened by previous morter rounds. Already zeroed in on. That day we provided continuous fire for a patrol that had made contact with a large number of NVA and VC nearby. There was nothing good about this place. A lot of bad things about the place.

Guest		08-Apr-2017 02:18
was with the 1/16th inf. called in to chase the unit that hit the 2/28thran into a guy I went to high school with right off the chopper on pursuit of chuck things got messy lost some good friends that day

Sgt Raymond Marlowe		09-Jul-2016 16:11
Raymond Marlowe ,in An Loc August 67- August 68,552nd MIlPHAP team,lost one of our medics at Loc Ninh,Lewis Arnold.Two weeks later when they became worried about a Plague outbreak I was sent with personnel to check out .Bodies left in the wire rats had eaten away the flesh,snapper charges still on there backs.

Dave aka "Dustoff 22)		14-Feb-2016 19:02
In November '67 I was the Aircraft Commander of a dustoff Huey called because Loc Ninh was being overrun. I remember flying 21 hours without shutting down evacuating casualties. I returned there a few days later and remember seeing a great number of bloated bodies of VC or NVA scattered everywhere. It was a tough night and day at Loc Ninh.

Kenneth		21-Jan-2016 16:20
Looking for anyone that knew Sgt Garcia that got the Silver Star -/-action on 24 Aug 1968 . He was in another battle on December 28 awarded DSC upgraded to Medal of Honor

Dale Fincher		20-Jan-2016 14:40
I was 3rd Plt medic, F/2/11 ACR. We arrived at Lc Ninh n 19 Aug 68 until 22 Aug. We lost Mendez, Deering, and Embrey there. Sgt Elmer Morris was our Plt Sgt and will always be my hero. Fucked up place in a fucked up war. What a horrible waste.

Guest		19-Sep-2015 02:16
Robert Graves here, I was the D7 operator (168 combat engineers) that dozed the bodies in the holes.

Guest		26-Jul-2015 02:14
For some reason b co from 1/28 was sent to loc ninh out of quan Loi sept or oct 68. I had spoken to recon when they were hit. I was on radio watch when I heard recon calling for artillery support . The person on the radio called for whillie Pete at tree top bursts. He described the Nva taking out friends being killed he also said he was going of radio. The artillery must have made the fire mission. Only one in recon left was red feather I saw him before he was dusted off. He could talk and looked straight into nowhere when I spoke to him. After that I was point up the mountain I had just turned nineteen and was scared shitless. Lima plt went to village and ended up on airstrip. Special forces camp was in shambles and the area was deserted. No soldiers but a small plt. I later walked from s f camp to other end. If I'm not confusing things the lt and Lima plt were all setting at the large table with some Buddhist priests. I was told to stand observation. I chose a wall looking down the steep mountainside. After a time I focused in on movement way down the mt. I could make out helmeted soldiers walking up the trail to us I told the lt I had watched a steady stream of movement coming up the mountain fo 5 minutes. The lt called for a s hook to pick us up. We put a 1/4 ton pickup in the ch 47 and flew out of there. Leaving the airstrip deserted and empty except for the monks.

Guest		25-May-2015 14:10
A neighbor of mine was killed here on July 24, 1968: Joey Miller, Jr., he was 21 years old from Baltimore, Maryland. Does anyone know how he died?

Mike		18-May-2015 10:27
Mike Montgomery,I was with HHQ Co.1st Engr Bn. water point team, I remember Sept 13 , 1968 General Ware and staff killed..

Guest		18-May-2015 10:21
Mike,I was with the HHQ co. 1ST Engr. water point team Sept. 13th 1968 ..General ware and team shot down.alot happened that day....

Fred Schleber Jr		05-Mar-2015 17:06
Fred Schleber....I was with the 1st of the 28th serving in Quan Loi as a radio operator with headquarters co. A corporal asked me to come up to Loc Ninh with him to set up antennas and we'd be back in Quan Loi that night. As we were finishing up all our forward units Charlie Co and Recon had contact so what started out as a lark turned into a three day nightmare. Immediately started digging at the sound of gunfire and had a respectable foxhole for maybe 3 guys that ended up suitable for about 6 when we started receiving mortar rounds the next day. You could actually hear the mortar tubes pop so the NVA were damn close. Manned the radios and took wounded off dustoffs to a large bunker with a Dr and medics. One fella helping me with stretchers had copious bandages over his head and eye. When we had finished our last stretcher the Dr told the fella that was helping me "now it's your turn. He unwrapped the bandages and the further he got the more blood started coming from his left eye which was gone. The fella just sat there and was talking to the Dr.

guest		25-Jan-2015 03:22
I was there with Cco 2/28.Remember launching a few mortar rounds into clearings just after midnight in late oct,either the 31st or nov 1st I think. Wasnt to long after that if my memory serves me right, the VC responded and the battle was on. Also remember seeing enemy bodies on the airstrip afterwards.Left after a few days to meet my wife in Hawaii for R,R.Great picture of the airstrip. Ran up there to grab some ammo one night.

Ken Roberts		18-Dec-2014 19:36
Dave I see that you was with the Big Red One, during August and September 1968 I was a Trooper assigned to the Black Horse Regiment second squadron. The second squadron was detailed to the First Infantry Division during the time frame I mentioned above. You stated that you had a birthday when in Loc Ninh, I turned 20 while I was in Loc Ninh during the that General Ware was killed, I was in the area, but did not learn of his death until I started writing my story, I asked you once before could I use a couple of your pictures (the big Snake, and the Airstrip you said ok then is it still ok I am about to complete my book that covers my tour with the 11th ACR during 1968. I F & G Troop was engaged in the battle where an infantrymen by the name of Ferguson was taken as a POW, that to I learned about Sergeant Ferguson and the time he was help capative, and when he was killed, my heart went out to all American Soldiers that died during August and September 1968 during the time as a combined team the Red One infantrymen, and the Troopers became a team to defeat a very large NVA Force. You and I traveled in the same jungles, lived in the monsoon rains, but you guys had better chow than we did.

Michael Burns		24-Jul-2014 03:13
Sept 13, '68 I was with 1st Pathfinders TDY to SF camp to run air traffic. Bringing in flights of Chinooks w/infantry, arty sling loads, C130's, Cobras, hunter killer teams of Cobras/LOH's. Gen Ware chewed me out for letting C130 leave, while holding Cobras. When he was done he told me not to worry, just not to make the same mistake again. He and the Sgt Major and the General's German Shepherd got on the command chopper with staff. 15 minutes later they were all dead. The general was at tree level instead of command altitude. We got hit that night hard, the next day I found a high school friend working out of the ARVN compound with a unit of engineers. He was part of a team repairing the airstrip from rockets the night before. That day we lost a pilot, Bob McAfee, who took one 50 caliber round while he was trying to do a LRRP insertion in an effort to take out the position that took down the general. Co-pilot somehow was able to bring the chopper back in, bounced to a stop off the east side of the strip, and they all bailed. McAfee was KIA, no one else as hit. It was a brutal week. If wasn't Nov 67, but it sure as hell felt like the of a battle of Loc Ninh to me

Guest		05-Jul-2014 16:40
There was no air control on that air strip in 1967 so the pilots flew in and out on sight. One c 130 left the air strip and had a 105 round go right through the air craft and explode well away from them. He kept flying. Not sure if he knew he was hit. You would certainly think so. We did have a channel for them to know what areas to avoid but the air strip was not one of them.

E. Lord		24-Jun-2014 02:48
Most probably know the significance of Loc Ninh in the days immediately following the signing of the "peace" treaty. However, some may not. In Feb., 1973, I was platoon Sgt. with the 59th CAG (Formerly 120th Avn. out of Long Binh. We were selected to fly into Loc Ninh to pick up the first 27 (?) American POWs released in III Corps. We were unarmed, supposed to be on the ground no more that 15 minutes. We finally lifted off 12 hours later.

Dave		16-Jun-2014 04:31
I was there the 1st night the NVA came across that runway. I was with the 6/15th HHQ fire control. One of our guys got shot in the chest. We set up the the fire support for the gun ships and the batteries at quan loi. I was given the bornze star for meritorious service. We moved in that day and got hit that night. It was like they did not know we were even there. Before they had time to swing toward us we had all the fire support killing them.

Pete		04-May-2014 23:19
I was with First div. S & T Unit. we set up a fuel depot at Loch Ninh so the gunships could refuel instead of traveling back to Quan Loi.While the battle was going on we would run out of a bunker start the pumps and dive back into the bunker. After the battle a NVA prisoner said that they wanted to wipe out the fuel area because the hurt the gunships were doing.

Jack Henson		22-Mar-2014 00:24
My brother was listed as being killed sept 1st 1968 Bco, 1st bn 2nd inf 1st inf div. near loc Ninh Vietnam Gwynn Henson from Chicago any body rember .

Paul Manson		20-Feb-2014 07:31
I was with C Company 168th Engineers (cbt) 2nd plt at the Provincial HQ at the other end of the air strip when we were attacked. The next day the 11th ACR showed up with the 1st DIV. I don’t know what troops or units or the 1st DIV, but I sure happy to see them.

montanez		07-Dec-2013 00:43
i was the medic with the dustoff that pulled the wounded in the rubber trees the infantry had to blow the trees for an LZ we lifted in a LT Col (Rau?) and dusted off wounded we were low on fuel and had to endure the night mortar attack while in the open near the perimeter of the airfield the arty prepared bee hive rounds to prepare for a ground attack the flares and mortars were scary we oould not dig in there was a direct mortar hit on abattery i will never forget the screams anyone remember the dustoff on the strip and maybe the incident much confusion next morning villagers appeared on their bicycles selling cold soda and cigarettes ????? like an intermission

Don Arnold		30-Oct-2013 19:15
I was serving as an RTO with A Battery 2/32 Arty, 8' & 175mm self propelled Arty (big guns). I arrived at Loc Ninh with forward observer Sergeant Murdoch on November 1st from a fire base outside of Tay Ninh. We were charged with supporting SF & CIDG who were doing Eagle flights to gather Intel, ambush, and harass the retreat of the NVA. We also linked-up with a company of MIKE Force. I remember sweeping through Michelin Rubber Plantation were a fierce battle was fought by the 1st Infantry division. We also had a couple of contacts, and our recon element was ambushed while advancing on a enemy position. There were several KIAs & WIAs including a SF Team Sgt,his interpreter, Sgt Murdoch, and myself. The team Sgt. was choppered out. Sgt. Murdoch, and myself were field treated for minor wounds by the SF Team Medic whose name I wish I knew.

Ken Roberts		27-Sep-2013 14:57
Dave Berry, I turned 20 during 1968 at the air strip setting next to the Special Force Base Camp. Dave I served with the 11th ACR, better known as Black Horse Regiment. I request you premission to use your photo of this air strip and base camp in the story that I a writing about the battles that Black Horse Troopers assigned to the Big Red One fought for approximately six weeks during August and September 1968.

Dave Berry		20-Sep-2013 05:43
Sorry to have left you guys out, but I didn't know which Engineer unit was there. You had the unenviable job of bulldozing the bodies off the runway.

Ed Watson		18-Sep-2013 15:51
The 168th Combat Engineers were there also. I was one of them. Ed Watson

Michael L. Uhl		24-Jul-2013 20:34
9-12-68 was my first day in the field. I was with Charlie 1st of the 28th.Part of our company was ambushed that day. I was not on the side of the file that made contact but was shaken by event. Later that evening my lieutenant told me to help load bodies on a chopters. Iwas not able to move.looking back i now know that was the reason he put me out on point flank the next day. Iasked what to look for and he said just keep yours eyes open.I heard that agook was spotted and we were going after him. We crossed a road and started into the rubber trees. It was not long before all hell broke loose.I hit the ground , the grass was high and being torn by bullets in both directions. There was an explosion by me and i reached back to find my entire right rear was missing.Ipushed my way back and one of our guys said keep moving and i will give you cover.Ifound a medic in a whole who treated me and had two guys drag me back by the road. I was dusted off from there, going to Long Bhin and then to Japan.Iwas sent back to Nam in december and asked for to be put back in the 1st of the 28th. I finished my tour with them and no more Purple Hearts Thank God. This is my account of the Battle of Loch Ninh.

paul kwasniewski		23-Jan-2013 01:07
I was with dust off at quon loi. Co c ist medical battlion 68

Dave Berry		27-Jul-2012 06:40
Regarding the NVA at Loc Ninh, I know they were there. When we swept the battlefield and the rubber trees they had come through we found NVA bodies and gear as well as VC. I don't know how many were there or what units were involved.

RJ-FDO		27-Jul-2012 01:24
Many thanks to whoever put this up with the photo and comments. It brought back a flood of memories. I was the FDO of the 6/15th Artillery who was sent to direct the artillery fires in support of operations to help keep the Special Forces camp from being overrun. This was late October 1967. We used our own artillery and other tubes from south of there...and Tac Air, etc. The rounds that were fired along the runway into the onslaught of NVA coming across the airstrip were not beehive. The Battery commander of A battery, a friend, later told me he wished they had beehive at the time but didn't...so they improvised and bounced the rounds off the runway. This was one of the first large battles in which the NVA rather than the VC were present in large numbers. Our unit made a second trip to Loc Ninh early in 1968. It was a hot area because of its proximity to the Ho Chi Minh trail I believe. I look forward to reading other posts on this. Best to all who fought there.

Guest		29-Feb-2012 04:55
Sgt. larry duane ratliff , I was with the 1st on the 105's & the 11th on the apc in 1967-68 thru TET where I recieved accomadation in march 68 from westmoreland himself .I was 63h20 & a 63k40 mos , But I 5-2-3'd most everything .I was 18 as most everyone was . The 1st were mostly black soldiers & the Cal. was mostly white soldiers with l.ove S.pecial D.elivery on the sides of the 105's. The 11 calv. were mostly from West Virgina & I thought they the meanest people I ever met the 1st week till we were asalted by the V.C, & then we became one as I wanted to live to return to Ga. alive !!the picture is much larger than was 1967-68 I'd have to rite a book to tell all ,but I'm still living those days till today in my sleep loading ous troops on the dust off's . I'd like to say the Navy pilots saved our lives many times as we were about to be over run by V.C. again ! There is no way to tell or show the complete horrow that was going thru the troops @ this time during a over run by V.C. I was debreafed my last year after Nam tour . I owe my life to the Navy pilots !! thanks Duane

Ken Brown		02-Feb-2012 13:23
I was with C 1/28 in 1968, and Charles Robb may have been in my platoon,I did have a new man who, after being wounded once, would not get down--so wounded a couple of more times. Many of wounded were collected and shipped back to the fight a few days later. D

Larry Simon SP/5 CE		25-Oct-2011 17:35
Was there early in the morning just after mass wave of VC at the Loc Ninh Army Airfield.. with the 1st Air Lift Platoon (UH-1H slicks) of the 195th Assault Helicopter Co 214th CAB. The whole airfield was already reeking badly from the newly decomposing bodies.. we were close by over at Song Be and come to the area to bring in supply for ground forces (US). One of the first things our flight noticed was the stench then the bodies strewn around the airfield then we seen VC sandals hanging in the trees nearby with human feet still in them.. Must have been point blank range with large arty.. we heard the VC just marched on in and got a big surprise.. Skychief a/c 66-16365

Guest		18-Jun-2011 16:36
DEADLY's Tactical Command Post (TAG CP) of 12-15 men, consisted of a Fire Direction Center, and battalion command element with communications personnel controlled the fire support for many of the 3rd Brigade operations and could be tailored in size so that it could be moved by one Huey. This was the procedure at first light on 30 October 1967, when it moved with Battery A to Loc Ninh to support the Special Forces camp that had been attacked during evening hours of 29 October. Two companies of 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry, moved with DEADLY's Battery A to set up a fire support patrol base on the south end of the Loc Ninh airstrip. The next morning at 0055 hours 31 October, the VC mortared and three hours later the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 272 VC Regiment attacked in three waves across the airstrip only to be cut down by the gunners of Battery A. The attack on the airstrip and the Special Forces camp was repulsed for the time being. The VC attacked again on 1 November and were unable to mass for a ground attack because of the deadly point blank fires from Battery A. The VC were also unsuccessful on their third attempt on 2 November. October and November 1967 was a very busy period for DEADLY. All the firing batteries were involved in a series of combat operations moving by chopper and by road. The men were now veterans and air mobile operations, artillery raids and supporting infantry combat operations were a piece of cake.

Guest		18-Jun-2011 15:01
Westmoreland showed up a day or two after the battle. He had two Cobras flying in circles after he landed. He had two helicopters. One he flew in and one back up. Both landed. One between him and the trees. All these helicopters shinned like new pennies. They must wax them daily. I wonder if he had a bar inside one. He was on the ground for 30 minutes and split.

Guest		18-Jun-2011 14:50
I was there in 1968. One of the 105s shot a round off when a C 130 was taking off. It blew a hole through the plane and blew up about 100 yards later. Thank God it was a fuse delay. There was not enough time in the day to supply use with beehive rounds be they time they brought in all the troops, 105s, ammo, and supplies. We ended up firing 105s at point blank ranch fuse quick. Anything we could put in the cannon was fired. We melted two barrels and had move other cannons in position. The grunts said the body count was 3000 the next day. During the fight we set up a gun target line to allow air support around and artillery from other base camps to protect all our flank. What an ass sucking night that was.

Frank Jencik		27-Feb-2011 21:27
Delta Company, 2nd 16th Infantry opperated at Loc Ninh and between there and the Cambodian border in the fall of '68. I remember Loc Ninh as the toughest fighting that I experienced in Vietnam as a grunt, worse than what I later faced up in l Corp and at the DMZ and at Operation Remagen with the 1st Brigade,5th Division. I remember the swarms of NVA trying to over run the airstrip at Loc Ninh and the Rockets raining down. The motars never bothered us much but those rockets were the worst. And I'll never forget that red clay that colored your skin and hair and took forever to wash away well after leaving that nasty place.

Charles Robb		13-Nov-2010 21:27
I was wounded there on September 13, 1968, while with C Company, 1/28th Infantry, a unit I had recently joined. I spent 7 months in the hospital and ultimately received a medical retirement as a result of that action. I remember the company being ambushed the night of the 12th in a driving rain. The next day we walked into a bigger fight. That was also the day The Commanding General of the 1st Division was killed when his helicopter was shot down. Loc Ninh was a tough place.

Guest		28-Oct-2010 04:06
Joel McDaniel,195th AHC, gun plattoon , Thunderchickens.Was there for the last days of the battle in Nov 67. bulldozers were digging holes and pushing in the VC bodies.Remember the 105 shooting down the runway.Did some fire support for the area.We were supporting the SF and using Loc Ninh as a jumping off site for missions over the fence.

Maggy		10-Feb-2009 20:08
Tom Magliocca (Maggy)with C Troop 1/4 Cav - I was one of the guys in those tracks that was flown in by the C130s. We had to take off our 50s and we came out of the plane with just our 60s firing because the air strip was being hit when we landed. Reading the last guest entry reminds me of days passed but not forgotten. Although this last entry from Alan Benoit is dated July 26, 2008, this is my first time on this site - better late than never.

Jim Dopp		02-Feb-2009 01:54
I was senior team medic at the Special Forces camp known as A-331 during the Oct-Nov 67 activities. Loved watching the band!! Have some great pics.

Franko		04-Nov-2008 16:55
I was with the 11th Armored Cav Regt, 541st MID, when we were placed at Loc Ninh that following December. The decomposed bodies were still there, this was our Christmas in '67. That and unexpoded butterfly bombs hanging in the rubber trees, where we set up camp. Our commander had the bodies removed and buried and the enhgineers were called in to remove the butterfly bombs. We also had to "rescue", under orders of one of our Captains who was an interrogator, a young NVA, he looked to be 16, from Big Red One troopers who had captured him and were angry at having lost some buddies.They had beat him pretty bad. He was needed for interrogation. It was wierd, the whole thing, locked and loaded to save the enemy from my fellow Americans, but he might have known something that could save American lives. The Big Red One troopers didn't look much older then the enemy. I was 23, so relatively older at the time. I'll never forget that place or time.

Guest		26-Jul-2008 13:43
I remember Loc Ninh, I was with C Troop 2nd Plt and were flown in by C130's while Our tanks rolled up the 13 as fast as they could. Alan Benoit C Troop 1/4 Cav 2nd Plt

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