STORIES BELOW

Ambushing; VC in the BAG!~!; VILLAGE AMBUSH; CONTACT Wait Out!.

Ambushing is a Australian key skill in jungle fighting and developed during the Aussie experience in Malaya and Borneo. For 3 Platoon the "shape" of the ambush and Harbour formation was changed from a circle to a TRIANGLE during training in Australia in 1969. Why I don't really know, I think an idea from "action reports" coming from 5RAR, then in Vietnam. However it was a great change and I always felt it was a far stronger formation to fight from as we did not dig in during our tour of Vietnam.

Also it meant that the 'face' of the each side of the triangle was flat, so that no position was in front of another position. Cutting down on the risk that you would not get shot by some one from your own Platoon. "Move into Harbour" was also made in to a 'drill' signaled by holding your arm up at head level and sweeping it around in a circle. The drill was practiced continually, first on open playing fields so all could see the concept. It was carried out when the Platoon was in the bush on exercises and intending stopping for more than a few minutes.

In this way, for what ever the reason we were stopping, the Platoon was ready to protect itself or lay on an ambush. No matter what section formed the "killing group", the other two sections provided security with a far safer formation than the old harbour shape of a circle. Each section would form up as one part of the THREE sides of a triangle, with a M60 Machine Gun at each point. This shape gave very good all round protection both in a night harbour or ambushing a track, which we did on EVERY night in Vietnam, when on operations in the jungle.

Each gun could offer fire support to its own section and the section on the 'next angle' of the triangle. In this formation the killing ground was covered by two M60 machine guns. The Platoon Commander a 2nd Lieutenant (called Boss or Skipper) would be in the middle of the formation with the bloke who carried a most important bit of equipment a radio set, he was the platoon signaler (sig). The Platoon Sergeant would also hutchie up there.

In the jungle it was important to get out of the 'move' formation and into a harbour or ambush position as quickly and quietly as possible. As the shape of the ambush was a 'drill' it enabled all members of the platoon to know were the rest of the platoon was situated to prevent some one being shot by mistake. Something proved to me when working with a different sub unit I nearly shot a member of that unit and is explained on the page:- THE ODD ANGRY SHOT.

While on the move the Boss depending on the tactical situation would make a decision to ambush a likely looking track and the platoon would go to ground. Then he or the Sgt would make a recce with a couple of Diggers or a likely position. Then one Digger would move back and pick up the platoon while the ambush position was kept under watch, this was to prevent the platoon being ambushed its self. Each section would be placed on the ground making sure that they lined up with the other sections. The machine gunners would be given their arcs of responsibility, the rest of us would set up our bed spaces to ensure that during the night when you woke up you knew which way was 'inside' the platoon and which was 'outside' the enemy!

ROUTINE

Everyone maintained a routine from the way you carried your weapon 'at the ready', to be able to open fire in a moments notice to packing your equipment as soon as it was no longer required. The ability to pack your basic webbing and gear so that when the Platoon stopped for a meal it was a minimum of effort to unpack, fire up the hexie, cook a meal and a brew, eat and clean up and pack again ready to move was critical. In fact I got so used to the routine being part of my everyday life I got some what frustrated if something occurred to interrupt it.

The routine at night was also critical and important so that security was maintained and you were aware of your position in the ambush relative to the other members of your section and the platoon. During my tour I heard stories of when Diggers woke up and lost their sense of direction and they heard a nosie, they fired across the platoon position as they thought the noise was coming from 'outside' the platoon's position. So it was the utmost importance that your bed space was orientated so that when you woke up in the pitch dark, and unable to see your hand in front of your face, there was no mistake as to which direction you could expect the enemy and where the other positions of the platoon were.

When you were able you prepared your bed space as soon as you could. This was carried out by simply cleaning away the leaves and checking you were not going to put your bed on an ants nest or any other form of wild life. Sometimes I would spay mossie replant around were my bedroll was going to be and finally I would eat well away from my bed space. The track system would be set up so you would continue to mark the track by moving the leaves along the 'track' to the pits on your right and left. Even in the dead of night it was possible to 'see' the track and with no leaves you made little or no sound.

Next I would lay out my big pack at the head of the sleeping area, and the hutchie only laid out, so when the piquet came to check on you before last light he knew were you were. This was done without opening the sleeping gear. To prevent any sleeping buddies with many legs, I only always put this out when able to get in to bed. (Then when leaving for my turn on piquet it would be rolled up and put away). Next would be a meal and perhaps time to write back home before it got dark. Making sure that all equipment not needed was packed up and you could move if need be without loosing half your equipment. Then came 'stand too' whispered along the position and slipping on your webbing and grabbing the SLR you stayed very still and quiet until the order came to 'stand down. If your piquet was in the middle of the night you were free to go to bed.

It was a simple matter of taking off your basic webbing and placing  so you could get it on at a moments notice, then getting out the bed role lay it along the inside of the hutchie. Placing the SLR next to that and taking your boots off, when you were able, and climbing in to the bed roll, making sure that you could touch the SLR's pistol grip with little effort. The first thing you reached for when you woke up at any time. Sometimes it was hard to imagine that 30 other Diggers were with in cooee of you.

Once the platoon was set in position, a trip flare was set up in the middle of the killing ground, once tripped, the sound and the blazing light could not be missed. To ensure that our skills remind high, during our few stays at Nui Dat, the platoon would set up on the range in sections, lying on our backs when a flare would be set off to our front. Then we would dive over grab weapons and open up on to the figure targets to our front, after a magazine each and a belt from the gunner we would check our hits on the targets. This took place after dark, again to get used to the way we would do it for real.

In the bush once the flare was in place the Claymore mines would be set up to cover the centre of the killing ground and a couple to cover in front of each Machine gun. In the morning getting ready for "stand -too" before full light, all gear would be packed up and put back in to packs. One morning however the Digger packing the trip flare made an error and the flare went off. I was just having a brew, but reacted by diving flat on the ground with my SLR ready in a few seconds, he was aware of how close it was as he was jumping up and down yelling, 'don't shoot its me', over and over. It was the best thing he could have done, after our heart rates went back to normal we all had a laugh. The Platoon had made the first kills of the tour, in such an ambush while on the first operation with 2 VC KIA, however I was not with them, being ill I had been left back at NUI DAT by the Boss, I was not a happy camper at the time.

VC in the BAG!~!.

However I was with the Platoon during a successful ambush on the 23rd April 1970 when a group of Viet Cong walked along a dry creek bed that the platoon had staked out. It had started the day before when B Company was fighting into a bunker system and the platoon was moved towards the area to form a blocking force. You could hear the automatic fire, the steady loud bangs of the M60's and the lighter crackle of the AK47's. Some times while on the move 'dead' rounds would whistle through the trees. Then there was an attack from some fighter planes who dived towards the ground and dropped their bombs and swept skywards again, we could see it through the breaks in the trees as we moved across open areas and the planes in their dive, attacking, it looks just as it does in the movies.

Finally after moving for hours we found a dry creek bed on the edge of some open areas. Lucky for us the area next to the creek was high enough and just big enough for the platoon to lay out its bed rolls to try and get some sleep that night. It did not last long when about 0300hrs we could hear some noises down in the creek bed, in our section we could not tell if someone from the platoon was just moving around or the enemy. A huge bang woke up those not yet on the alert when John from another section, banged on the "clacker" to set off the claymores, to our left.

The result was a VC KIA, a platoon commander of D445, his pistol still in plastic rapping. Moving out later on, his sandals lay on the ground with blood on them, close to were he was buried in the dry creek bed. I remember thinking that it was not much to show for a human life. Another red figure on our "Kill Board" at Nui Dat.

At first light a check of the area found a blood trail so the Boss called for a Tracker Dog. The dog along with his Digger arrived by CO's chopper and together with a small patrol started to follow the blood. Soon on the radio came a call from the patrol commander that they could see a large party of enemy walking across an open area, some carrying AK's and many carrying Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG). The rest of the platoon quickly got its basic webbing on and hiding our big backs as best we could, moved out of the creek area to join the patrol. By radio we were told in what direction to follow and swung left across another open area back the way we had come the day before, most of the Diggers had grins on their faces getting ready for a possible contact with the group we thought at this stage might be North Vietnamese Army Regulars?

I was feeling a little uncomfortable as I had loaned my M16 to one of the patrol and was carrying his SLR and webbing which didn't fit, so it was just flapping about my waist. I was half running next to the Boss, we were trying to keep up with the rest of the platoon when a large explosion followed by smoke billowing from some trees about 250 meters to our right rear, that was followed by heavy automatic fire from M16s. It was clear that the patrol had not waited for us and were now firing on the enemy and had used a M72 rocket luncher as a tree burst. Yet we were running the other way? For some reason I had a brain wave and said to the Boss "We should be going that way", pointing at the last of the smoke.

He looked at me, then over at the area and for one minute I thought he was going to agree, but he said, "we have to join up with the patrol". A few minutes later we had followed the sound of the firing and hit the ground all around the patrol, I was still with the Boss so was able to hear the discussion about what the patrol commander had seen.

Expecting to have the enemy respond I was trying to get the webbing organised so I could get to the magazines if needed, however there was no reaction from the enemy group and after a short wait the patrol commander went over with a few Diggers to check out the area. He reported that the nogs had taken off leaving some papers and the start of cooking fires for a meal. When seen at first the patrol had thought they might be Australians because of them wearing bush hats and basic webbing, however Aussies don't carry RPG so they had waited for the group to cross the clearing and settle on the ground before opening fire.

It would have been interesting if the enemy had decided to have ago at the patrol at that point or if the Boss had made up his mind to sweep through at the point of the smoke, as its not often you get a platoon sized enemy unit in the open patrolling like Aussies. Its possible they were from the Bunker battle the day before with B Company, perhaps waiting for the Aussies to leave so they could move back in? The result was we were ordered out of the area "immediately" by the CO over the radio as the rounds from the contact had landed near other Australian units and they did not like it much, so we moved back to get our big packs and moved on.

All in all; I have all ways, even to this day; regarded it as a missed opportunity to met the nogs on level terms. Not that 3 Platoon thought it was Rambo or anything, but it was an opportunity to have a crack at an enemy unit in an area that was just right for a platoon contact without the nogs using bunkers to shoot the shit out of us. Another frustrating day; the way unfortunately the war was fought in Vietnam at times!~!

VILLAGE AMBUSH:-

It is not usual for a whole village to be ambushed but that's just what A Company did in MAY 1970. We were at the Horse Shoe at that time and 3 Platoon was given "warning order, "there will be an 'O' Group at 1400hrs". This meant we would be going out that night so time to get gear sorted, get a meal, shit, shave, shower, shampoo whatever. The Section 2i/C for 7 section would issue ammo link Link for the M60 machine gun, claymore mines spread around the section Diggers. We called him the "Diggers batman" real name Jock & a nice bloke for a Lance Jack. (Lance Corporal) 'O' Groups were relatively informal, as long as you were awake and paying attention it was ok. Some times a map would be used to point out the ground or a likeness would be made or the area in the soil like a kid playing with mud, called of course a 'Mud Map'.

When working close with other units like tonight, with the other platoons of 'A' Company it was important to know exactly were they would be in relation to your own position. Also what fire support would be available from the Artillery at Nui Dat, or perhaps mortars fired by the Battalion's Support Company. Once I remember we were so far away from fire support we were told that our support would come from a ship.

Tonight we were going to try something new. As it was believed our movements were being past on to the VC, we were going to arrive at our positions just at last light and the Village chief would be told at the last minute to prevent any information being past on. When the method of insertion was read out, "walking", groans came from everywhere. In fact a few of us coined the phrase "Grey's Greyhounds" after the bus line in Australia, to reflect the feeling we walked a bloody lot in 7RAR.

It was called an 'Ambush' but it was far from the normal ambush situation. I'd never heard of a Company ambushing a village before this was going to be interesting. The village was Phuoc Loi and although not far from the Shoe, we would be walking in a round about route through the bush to get there. I was surprised to see that we would be taking the 90mm recoilless rifle would be going along. Having been trained in support weapons back in Aussie, including the Carl Gustoff, I was sweating on who would carry the 90mm?

When it was not me picked, I breathed a silent sigh of relief. It was a heavy sucker and at this time it was a hot time of the year. Lined up ready to go we moved out of the Shoe with 1 Plt, in the lead followed by 2Plt, CHQ and then us. As we left the area all cocked their individual weapons, and "switched on". Through the bush local houses could be seen in the distance so as usual no sound was made by anyone, talking was replaced by signs and hand signals.

Suddenly the 'thumb down' sign was past down the line. ENEMY. All froze trying to see through the bush, looking hard, listening for any strange noise. "KEEEEEEEEEEE" The forward scout must have bumped a plover, a bird, the noise they made was terrible. I still hate that sound to this day. Thumbs up, off we went, what ever was seen must not be a threat to us. The light was starting to fade so we must have been getting close? We passed 1 Platoon setting up near the road south of the village, 2 Plt had already moved into their ambush position to the south-west. We crossed the road, Route 44 and moved around the west side of the village, passing CHQ people setting their position up. We continued around to the North of the village quite close to Route 44, running to the Shoe. The sections were placed on the ground about 2030hrs I was in a group facing south and the village, with the Long Hais to our right, it was just finally dark.

CONTACT Wait Out!

Suddenly we could see and hear automatic weapon fire. CHQ had seen as many as 8 Viet Cong and had opened up and were firing in to the village. You could see the red tracer going from our right in to the village and green tracer coming from the village. "POP HISSSS" artillery rounds arrived over our posting the area lit up with bright yellow light. Then we could see them, the Viet Cong. They were right in front of us, perhaps a few hundred meters away moving from right to left in front of a long white building, one Cong was carrying a AK47 and using the high step. Once again I was near the platoon commander, "Boss can we open fire?" I could not believe we could actually see VC and we had not open fired yet. "FIRE." We did not need any other invitation. I slipped the safety catch off and aiming at the Cong with the AK I fired about 10 rounds, I could hear the rest of the section blazing away..

The Cong returned fire straight away, the streams of green tracer was flying our way, you had to remind yourself that these 'fireworks' could kill you. I picked another target and fired the rest of my rounds and quickly drooped down and changed magazines the used the top of the paddy bun to aim and continued firing. I was concentrating on keeping my fire down on target and not firing high, a problem in the darkness, although the illumination was still ariving and you could still see the VC moving across our front. "BANG." What was that? "RPG keep your heads down" It had landed in the middle of the platoon area, but because we were spread out along the paddy buns, it had hit no one. "Cease fire, cease fire." 'You have to be joking', I thought but slowly the fire from the section slowed and then stoped. "BANG". This time we had fired the 90mm, no explosion, bugger. "BANG" another one this time an explosion. Someone thought that they saw a light in a house to the left of the village and we put 2 rounds from M72s were fired into the house, it sort of 'shuck' and clouds of dust flew up.

The radio started to chatter". The boss was talking to 'Father' in CHQ, then he said, "we are going to sweep towards the village". "Blakey you move over to Jonesy and watch our backs went we move". I had to run over the ground targeted by the RPG to reach the other Digger and when the platoon started to move towards the village in sections. We followed a bound at a time as the platoon moved its position closer to the village. The illumination was now stoped so we had to use our night vision to run over the ground. What had happened to the VC we never found out but one unlucky Cong walked past 2 platoon and after a chase they killed him. It was an uncomfortable night huddled on the side of a paddy but trying to get some sleep after the excitement of meeting the Viet Cong head on.

There is no doubt it was exciting, to be able to actually see the Viet Cong and engage them. I remember being surprised in the fact that they used green tracer and that we used red tracer, easy to tell who was who and were? I was pleased that I had concentrated on my job and not allowed the incoming fire to distract me. The next morning we were moved back to the Shoe and never used the tactic again.

This was a great pity as it obviously had worked and worked well. However it was one of the silly contradictions of that war. The village was one on the road that the Company used to move to NDP Brigid. The long white building was very clear from the road. I took a photo of it one day & then house we used for target practice and when I get them back from the Battalion Association I will put them on this page.

PAGE 16 of A GRUNTS VIEW:- "AMBUSH in VIETNAM"

To move to "END OF TOUR" Page use the SLR on the right.

To return to "MINE INCIDENT" Page use left SRL.

To return to ENTRY PAGE click on Willy the PIG.

Page Checked and up-dated 17th November 2003.

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