The Bonding of Warriors
A Unit History
The Early Years (1966-1967)
Ch 11
by Winslow "Rick" Stetson
The SOP specified that each patrol member 'must know the nature and purpose of the mission, including infiltration and extraction, landing zones, route of travel, enemy and friendly situation, escape and evasion routes, supporting elements, call signs and signals, and reporting times.' The SOP also detailed the three formations to be used by patrols: file (used in movement), circle (long halts) and column (breaking contact and wide open areas.) The SOP contained the following procedure for breaking contact: 'If the point man is compromised, he fires in the direction of the enemy until his magazine is empty. Simultaneously the team splits into a column, taking two steps to their respective flanks, the team leader moves to his right and the remainder of the team goes to the opposite flank of the man in front. As soon as the point man empties his magazine, he runs down the center of the column, and the team leader fires his magazine and breaks down the center following the point man. This procedure is followed to the 4th man in the column who throws a white phosphorous grenade, empties his magazine and breaks to the rear. The assistant team leader is the last man to fire. This procedure can be repeated until contact is broken, remembering that there is no lull between any of the magazines fired. The large volume of fire and the willie peter (grenade) is usually sufficient to break contact.'
The mission of the long range patrol as stated in the SOP was: 'To acquire information about the enemy through visual ground reconnaissance.' The paragraph following the unit's mission, was headed, 'Capabilities,' and it contained a single sentence that reflected the commander's philosophy, one that would result in significant changes in the way the long range patrol conducted operations. The SOP stated the long range patrol had the capability:
A. To conduct visual ground reconnaissance in jungle type terrain for periods of 1 to 7 days. When supply is feasible, the mission can be continued for a total of 11 days.
B. To conduct small-sized ambushes on combat patrols.
C. To conduct visual ground reconnaissance in the Mekong Delta for periods from 12 to 48 hours unless the terrain permits extended operations.
Prior to Clancy Matsuda assuming command, ambush patrols were not considered. The LRRPs attending MACV Recondo School had been told they were reconnaissance experts and they should never reveal their locations by making noise in enemy territory. With just five men on a patrol, it was thought too dangerous to open up on an enemy of unknown size. Matsuda, however, thought of the LRRPs as 'warriors,' which meant that given the right opportunity, his patrols could take the fight to an unsuspecting enemy. Sound judgment would have to be used. It would be foolish to initiate contact on the point element for a VC company. Ambushes would have to be conducted in areas where patrols had radio contact so that if necessary, a reaction force could be dispatched immediately. The LRRP commander felt, however, that carefully selected ambushes would make the enemy apprehensive about operating in areas he once considered safe and they were worth the risk.
Matsuda's addition of ambushes to the unit's capabilities did not win immediate acceptance by all members of the long range patrol. There were a few who pointed out there was no 'A' in 'LRRP.' The commander knew there would be those opposed to the change and so the policy of sending out ambush patrols was implemented gradually. The majority of the patrols continued to be reconnaissance in nature but the patrol leaders knew that should the circumstances be favorable, an ambush could be conducted.
By November 1967, the final class of new patrol members was enrolled in the 9th Infantry Division's Recondo School. When the 23 recondo students graduated on the 13th of the month, it would bring the long range patrol company up to 100% in strength. Thus, Matsuda selected the date to be called 'Organization Day.' Not only would there be a graduation ceremony, but the unit would officially become E Company, 50th Infantry. To commemorate the occasion there would be a review of troops by the commanding general, demonstrations of LRRP's in action and an open house to show off their new facilities.
The LRRP's worked hard in preparation for the big event. Buildings were cleaned, equipment displays were constructed, coordination was made with pilots, rehearsals conducted for the demonstrations and practice runs were taken on the obstacle course. The company commander had the LRRP Standard Operational Procedure and Recondo School Program of Instruction put in special binders and placed on a table in the entrance to the classroom building for visitors to look at. Stetson had concerns about the SOP being placed in the open as it contained sensitive information such as how patrols were inserted but CPT Matsuda assured his lieutenant that only friendly eyes would be viewing their SOP. Instead of worrying about the SOP, the LRRP commander told Stetson he needed to prepare to serve as the commander of troops for the parade formation. Matsuda explained that he would be with the commanding general in the reviewing party and that all Stetson had to do was to salute when the general stood before him and report, 'Sir, your long range patrol is ready for inspection.'
Organization Day finally arrived and the company area looked spotless. So did the men in their tiger fatigues, polished boots and black berets as they stood in formation at parade rest. Stetson in his best command voice, called the unit to attention as the commanding general approached. He gave a smart salute but when he looked at the two shining silver stars on the general's hat, he suddenly lost his composure and shouted out, 'Sir, your long range patrol is ready for instruction.' The general gave him a puzzled look and Stetson quickly corrected himself saying, 'I mean, ready for inspection.'
Despite the glitch by the commander of troops, the commanding general was visibly pleased with the accomplishments of the division's long range patrol and their new facilities. In his remarks, the general praised the LRRP's for providing 'a great deal of information about enemy movements, action and supply upon which larger units could act.' After the general concluded his remarks, a demonstration of a LRRP insertion and extraction was held.
The following account of the Organization Day demonstration appeared in the November 29, 1967 edition of the Old Reliable newspaper: 'A helicopter swooped down over LRRP headquarters, flared into a hover and dangled two 80' ropes earthward. In seconds, four heavily armed, camouflaged figures had rappelled to the ground and fanned out in practice formation. While a narrator explained the insertion procedure, a simulated contact was made and attention focused just outside the adjacent base camp berm where a smoke bomb had been thrown. The smoke indicated the location of the LRRP's waiting for extraction while under enemy fire.
In seconds, a helicopter light fire team was making low-level firing passes, spewing rockets and mini gun fire. Additional passes brought the familiar whump, whump of exploding grenades as the gun ship's grenade launchers beat back the enemy in preparation for the extraction.'
The paper gave the day additional coverage in the December 6th edition when several photos were printed of Tyrone Muse demonstrating use of the confidence course. The cut-line read: 'PFC Tyrone Muse, 19, of Baltimore a member of the 9th Infantry Division's LRRP detachment works out on the unit's confidence course during recent Organizational Day activities. In the top photo, Muse shows grim determination to pull himself across a tightrope bridge. Below, he leaps from a log bridge after sprinting across it.'
December was a month of anticipation for the original LRRPs who had formed the unit at Fort Riley, Kansas for they were getting 'short,' which meant they did not have much time left in country. All had been counting the days until their DEROS (date estimated return from overseas) and they took pride in teasing the newer members just how short they were. (I'm so short I could fit in a matchbox.) There was also a sense of anticipation by all LRRP's because there was a rumor floating around Bearcat that the base camp would host a visit by Bob Hope's traveling USO show. The famous entertainer had performed for some of their fathers during World War II and every Christmas since he had visited overseas military bases during the Christmas holidays. Many of the shows had been filmed for TV specials the soldiers had watched while growing up so they were fully aware of the huge boost to morale created when Hope showed up accompanied by beautiful singers, dancers and actresses.
The itinerary for Hopes shows in Vietnam during December 1967 was classified. The Army did not want to advertise such an inviting target, several thousand GI's gathered in front of an outdoor stage, ahead of time. However, when a stage was constructed at Bearcat it appeared what had been rumor might actually turn out to be true. The final proof came several days in advance when the LRRP's received word that Hope would indeed be visiting Bearcat but that headquarters wanted a patrol out in the jungle during the show to make certain there was no enemy activity in the area. Every LRRP had his heart set on seeing the Bob Hope Show, Ann Margaret was just one of the entertainers he had with him that year, and it was difficult selecting a team to pull patrol duty while Bearcat watched the show. Finally, five men who were within a couple of weeks of rotating back to the states, volunteered to conduct the mission. The patrol found no signs of the enemy, the show went off without incident and when the LRRPs returned back to the base camp, they heard what a great performance they had missed.
At midnight on New Years Eve, streams of red tracers filled the air over Bearcat as the men celebrated the conclusion of 1967. It had been a year in which the 9th Infantry Division Long Range Patrol demonstrated it could operate in a hostile environment. One LRRP had been killed in action and a number had been injured or wounded. More would be lost in the years that followed, especially as operations picked up in the Delta and the LRRPs took the fight to the Viet Cong. The first 9th Infantry Division LRRP' established a unit from scratch that went on to locate and help defeat a determined enemy up to the day the last troops were pulled out of Vietnam. The soldiers who wore the black berets in the 9th Infantry Division did their part towards contributing to the well-known and true motto: 'Rangers lead the way.'
I was all of 20 years old and not really looking forward to my first Christmas far from home, especially in Viet Nam. I figured that the Bob Hope Christmas Show would be a great way to try to forget about home. Not so much for the show itself but for all the other soldiers sharing the same fate and memories. The laughter was bound to help. I knew that as a new guy in the unit, having been there since Oct 1, 1967 there was a slight chance I might be called to run a mission during the Christmas truce but was reassured by my Team Leader James Martin that would not happen. Late morning of the 24th I was told to report to the HQ. Along with myself were a number of guys who came in when I did, along with those who were in the Recondo School right after we were. I had been a Team Leader on the Recondo School mission and felt comfortable in the jungle running with Jim Martins team.
We were advised that we were selected (actually newest guys in the unit) to run missions to observe what the VC were up to during the truce. I remember the team I was on consisted of some great soldiers, Jim Glaze (a two tour Veteran, airborne and tough as nails), Greg Foreman (big blond surfer dude who I would latter run a number of missions with and who soon would have his own team), Bob Wallace, (quiet and serious) and I forget who else was selected. I think that Wallace was the TL but I cannot be sure. The team was truly a throw together as we had never run missions together before, but since we all were trained and knew the SOP of the unit we felt comfortable. We drew our rations for 5 days and double-checked our equipment as the selected team leaders did their over flights to select the LZs and see what ever they could see from the air. None of us were real happy about going our over Christmas but we all realized that it had to be done.
Christmas Eve we climbed aboard our birds that were to insert the various teams in the selected Areas of Operation (AO) at last light. There is a thing called pucker power. This is where your asshole shuts so fast that it glues your ass to the deck of the bird. This was what the level of tension the men were at as we prepared for insertion. All weapons loaded and ready, not knowing what was waiting upon landing. Actually landing was not quite what happened. Generally men left the aircraft between 10 and 4 feet, so all were on the ground in a matter of seconds as the bird swooped in and never really came to a hover. This and extracting were the most dangerous times of the mission. We inserted quietly and held a tight circle just in the wood line listening for movement to determine if we had been spotted. Nothing unusual at all and everything was calm and we had made a clean insertion. We had to find a place to hold up for the night and went further into the wood line. We crossed a hard pack wide trail and were careful as we crossed it one at a time. It was getting dark and we found a bamboo thicket to hunker down in not far off the trail (only a couple of meters).
As darkness came quickly in the jungle the team had to quickly set up in a wagon wheel with all heads to the center. This was so we had 360 degree of coverage and that anyone trying to find us in the thicket would make a racket trying to get in. We had an over flight check sometime after darkness to make sure we were set for the night. I was too concerned with absorbing the jungle noise and listening for anomalies than to think about Christmas. I was the closest team member to the trail when we set up and I don't know how that happened but if contact came from the trail I'd be first in line. After a while the tension kind of seeped away and my eyelids got heavy and I drifted off to sleep. It was our standard procedure to sleep unless we had movement near by. Now I know that sounds crazy now, 5 men, deep in enemy territory, falling asleep, but it always worked well. When I was going through the school it sounded nuts to me but it did work.