Reconnaissance can be deadly also

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Steadfast
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Reconnaissance can be deadly also

Post by Steadfast »

During my tenure in the 75th Inf in RVN I heard of another team finding many enemy back packs during reconnaissance of their AO. I believe the number was at least 30 plus backpacks. The team radioed in they were setting up an ambush and waiting for the enemy to come back and reteive their equipment. Ballsy huh? Well it was typical of what usually went down. The team was in communication with command and was informed that a reaction force was inbound and would be there in roughly 45 minutes. Team was preparing for a large force and spread out a little more than what is usual to try and get more of the enemy in the initial killing field. When the reactionary force was on the ground and headed toward their position. A green Lt. told the team he was south of them and headed in a northerly direction towards the teams location. Unbeknowst to the team the Lt. mixed up his information to the team. He was north of their location and heading in a southerly direction. When the reactionary force arrived from the north the team thought the enemy was coming at the same time as the reactionary force. It turns out the reactionary force had a Puerto Rican as their point man. They did not arrive along the trail but came in through the bushes. The team opened up and killed the first 3 men and wounded seven others of the reactionary force before both being on the radio and saying they were in contact. The contact lasted only 1 minute but proved to be very deadly. They both realized they were in contact with friendly fire and broke contact. But it was too late already. The LRRP team suffered no casualities. This is what happens when the wrong sitrep is given. There is no 2nd chance for an error of this magnitute. Sad that men die when someone does not know their ass from their elbow. In this case it was 3 killed needlessly. Bitterness from the infantry base wide was quite evident as some of our men went to EM/NCO club and hostilities arose and bad fights broke out. I do not know what fate befell the Lt. But I am sure he had a terrible lesson on map reading that day. After that we were isolated on base and acts were brought to our small club since we could not venture into the grunts territory.

R.I.P. All those that die from friendly fire.

~S~
RLTW
Steadfast

4/325 82d DIV 68-69
2nd Bde HHC (LRRP), 4 ID
K Co (Rgr), 75th Inf (Abn), 4 ID
69-70
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BadMuther
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Post by BadMuther »

Thanks for sharing Stead.

RIP.
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Slowpoke
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Post by Slowpoke »

I can only imagine the horror the Team felt when they realised the mistake. Link-ups were never easy, given the Life/Death tensions of combat. Thanks Ranger Steadfast for sharing that.
I never wore a cape, but I still have my dog tags.

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Post by Spartan »

~S~ to those killed in the engagement and for those who fired them up, that they may find peace.
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