BYRD, Headquarters, 2D Bn, 7Th Cav, 1St Air Cav Div, Period 25 Aug 66 - 20 Jan 68
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'. SECURITY .MARKING The classified or limited of tbis repo" applies to eacll pale, unless otllerwise marked. Separate pace printouts MUST lie ,marked accordingly. THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNJTED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE TITLE 18, U.S.C., SECTIONS 793 AND 794. THE TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LB. NOTICE: When government or other specifications or data are used for 3l!y purpose other than in connection with a defi- nitely related government procurement operation, the U. S. Government thereby incurs no resp0nsibility, nor any obligation whatsoever; and the fact that the Government may have furnished,' or in any way supplied the said drawings, specifications, or other data is not to be regarded by implication or otherwise as in any manner licensing the holder or any other person or corporation, or conveying any rights or permission to manufacture, use or sell any patented invention that· may in any way be related DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20310 IN Ra'l.Y REFER TO (M) (22 Jul 68) FOR OT RD 68X035 5 August 1968 SUBJECT: Combat After Action Report - Op BYRD, Headquarters, 2d Bn, 7th Cav, 1st Air Cav Div, Period 25 Aug 66 - 20 Jan 68 SEE DISTRIBUTION DOWNGRADED Ar 3 YEAR INTERVALS; DECLASSIFIED APTEa 12 YEARS DOD DIH 1. Subject report is forwarded as inclvsure for review and evaluation in accordance with paragraph 5b, AR 525-15. 2. Information contained in this report is Frovided to insure appro- priate benefits in the future from lessons learned during current operations and may be adapted for use in training material_ BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY: d Go G. WICKHAM 1 Incl Major General, USA as The Adjutant General DISTRIBUTION Commanding Generals US Continental Army Command US Army Combat Developments Command Commandants US Army War College US Army Command and General Staff College US Army Adjutant General School US Army Air Defense School US Army Armor School US Army Artillery and Missile School US Army Aviation School US Army Chemi;al School US Army Civil Affairs School US Army Engineer School US Army Infantry School US Army Intelligence School US Army lQ -:-l('U _" ...... DISTRIBUTION (Cont'd) US Army Field Service School US Army Military Police School US Army Missile and Munitions School US Army Ordnance School US Army Quartermaster School US Army Soecurity Agency School US Army Signal School US Army Southeastern Signal School US Army Special Warfare School US __ 0 __ --I ; ':!" or .. ;. 'tWO!; .. : Deputy Ichiefs _--__ 0. ____ 0 •• J Chief of Engin' '., Chief of Resear, lnd Development Assistant Chiefs vi Staff The Surgeon General The Provost Marshal General Research Analysis Corporation aSD (SA), Assistant for Southeast Asia Forces Defense Documentation Center Planning Research Corporation Senior Army Representative, Education Center, Marine Corps Development & Education Command Joint Action Control Office Project Manager, Naval Inshore Warfare Office USAF Air Ground Operations School Commanding Generals US Army Materiel Command US Army Flight Training Center US STRIKE Command US Army STRATCOM US Army Southern Command Commanding Officers US Army Logistics, Doctrine Systems & Readiness Agency US Army Limited War Laboratory US Army Aviation Test Activity 2d Bn, 7th Cay. 1st Air Cav Div 2 DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY OFFICE OF A!)JUTAN1' GENE:fiAI... WASHINGTON. C.C. ZC310 AGAN-P (1-1) (8 Oct 68) FOR OT RD 6eX()3':: 11 October 1968 SUBJECT Securit:r Classificacion of Combat After Action F.eport - Operation BYRD (U) SEE DISTRIBlJIION 1. Referenc.e: I.etter> Headquc:.rtt:r s, of the A=y> Subject: Operation BYRD, 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Air Cavairy Divisiol., 25 August 1965 - 20 January 196&, dated 5 August 1968. 2. The Combat Action Report :orwarded by letter was re- ceiv"d unclassified at Heac.qua;t:ers, Departm.;nt of the Army and pubUs!1ed without noting that para.graphs 1 and 2 (p:lges 35 and 36) of the report contain CONFIDEN::IAL inforraation. 3 •. rec:eipt of this letter, will ir.Sl.!re that all copies are placed und·er appropriate protecticr-. and classified in accord- ance ... rith AP.. 380-5 as follows: -,..,...,-, 35, 36 and the last page of the report CONFIDENTIAL. b. Mark the letter of transmittal - Regraded Unclassified! I When Separdted from Classified I i c. Nark the first page of report. GROUP !.,. grading instructicns. I II d.' blocks 2a anc of DD Form 1473 (page 85 of subject re- f i port) to indicate CONFIDEl-lT: AI. ,_'n ,. ,,, - (,lU.'l.TP. 6, ;,., )..1 --' • ..,,, .. -------' '----- ... :ay ORD!::R OF T?E SECRS!:'ARY 0;:- THE ARN"!: .. _12 A..,C U' DISTRIBUTION: !ne Adjut2nt Generel G-enerals US Arrr.y US Army COii:r·at Developnlen':-; Co:nmandants US Army War College 175 Army Cor.-.:rcand and General :3-;:aff College or'." DISTRIBUTION (Conc1d) us Army Adjutant General School US Army Air Defense us Army School US Army Artillery and Hissile School US Army Aviation School, US Army Chemical School US Army Civil Affairs School US Army School US Army Infantry Schoof us Army Intelliger,ce School Chaplain School' US Army Medical Field Service School US Army Military Pelice School US Army Missile and School US Army School US Army Quartermaster School US Army Security Agency School US Army Signal School US Army Southeastern Signal School US Army Special Warfare School US Army Transportation School Copies Office, Chief of Staff] US Deputy Chiefs of Staff "Chief of Engineers Chief of Research and Development Assistant Chiefs of Staff The Surgeon General The' Provost !1arshal Research Analysis Corporation (Library) OSD(SA). Assistant for SO>ltheast Asia Defense Documentation Center Senior A=y Representative, Marine Corps Development & E.ducation' Cc.r..r;,and Joint Action Control Office Project Manager, Naval Inshore Warfare Project Office Air Ground Operations Cornmandin; G2ner21s US STRIKE COt:lrn.. nd· US Army Materiel Command US Army Flight Center US Army STR-\TCOH CoImtlander, US Army Forces Soutnern COlnnand Commanding Officers • US Army Logistics, Doctrine Systems & US Army Limited War Laboratory US Army Aviation Test Activity 2d Bn, 7th Cay, 1st Air Cav 2 AVDAIK.SC 10 Mey SUBJECT:. Report - Operation BYRD THRU: .Commanding Gene 1st Cava 1vision AP 96490' TO: Commanding General I Field Forces Vietnam APO .San francisco 96350 , 1. a. MACV.Dir 335-8, CET OPNS, AAR b. I Field Forces V, Tactical SOP c. 1st Cav Reg 335-16, dtd. 16 Oct subj; CST OPNS, AAR 2. In accordance wi.ti:lClbov8 After Action Report for this tmit is' herewith fOR THE COMMANDER: q.4----- KENNETH A. IWANUSA 1/LT t Infantry' Adjutant J)OWNGRAl')C AT 3 YEAR II2DRVALS; J:lICLAU:ttlD 12 YEARS lHR 6200.10 II. DATES OF OPEflATION: 25 August 1966 ..; "2Q January 19:6B', . ..' III. LOCATION: BuiH "l'HUAN, SE portion of BINH TUY. S£" por'tion of LAM DONG. W, portion and'S portion , TUYEN DUC Provinces. (AN,NEX ,II - BYRD AD) IV. CONTROL OR COMMAND HEA'D9UARTERS: 'I F'lElO, FORCE VIETNAM V. REPORTING OFFICER: 25 ,Aug. 66 9 Dec '66: .LTC t>'l.- Vaughn. - N ' ••••• 10, Dec ,66 -,''29 ' 'CI't"''r;r:ed ," - " . 30 Mar 61 1 Aug 61: LTC' -' , . , 2 Aug 57 - 20 Jan 68: LTC JosephT,. Jr. '-VI. lASK ORGANIZAlION: AnncK B VII. SUPPORTING fDRCES: Annex t VIII. INTELLIGENCE;, Characteris,tic& of Area . ". TERR/H,N f.,,' ,:General. By1fD' not only an e.tensive aree in terms of square miles, but also a" area' that varied greatly in climate and types terrain. The AO ',a?,J:-.'?fBi.T!h th the excep- tion of the nonheaSt Corner" (ees·t "01"; grid line oa) ,Lalli Dong Tuyen Duc'-Province grid line Nihh" Pro)l1:nce (south of grid linars--and-wDst'lJ'fg%id"li'ne 6tH.' ···tn tho portion of· the A.D the Thraung Son Mountain Range· consists mainly of rugged hills and mountains with isalqted rolling plateaus. The is thickly f.Qlieted with multi-canopied forest ,and heavy u,nderbrush. ,,·lJecause of thisruggeo relief, exfiltration routes follow streams and linDS which a nDrth-south drainage pattern. The principle ri-ye::s the Da R' Giao. Da ft,' ,Baa.. Song, La Ngs. and Son9 Long. The ,.-;,10 1cIt.. wide strip the length of the .nat with .ome ,areas of low rI!t , t:.;,; , . .. tJ - Heavily forested areas are few, with heavy bruSh and thick bamboo along the streams being prevalent. Deroliation has been extensive in many sections of the plainS " especially in the Le Hong Phong Forest (BN 1030), Dong Gia (ZT 2525) and Niu Ba Dang (ZS 2792). Drainage is provided by the Song Phan, Song Cai, Suoi Da, and Song Luy Rivers. Along the coast of the South China Sea are broad beaches with extensive sand dunes reaching in some areas a height of sixty meters. Infiltration is not frequently car- ried out along the beaches because of continuous surveillance, however, some enemy resupply has been affected over the beach, vicinity AM7393 and BN2627. 2. Observation and Fields of Fire: Taken as a whole the AO affords poor observation in the northern regions due to the heavily forested hills and mountains and thick fol- iage and underbrush in the valleys. Aerial observation is good over much of the plains and excellent in the rice producing area around Phan Thiet. Ground observation in the area is rated as good to excellent. trajectory weapons are restricted by the vegetation and irregular terrain except in the rice produc- ing area. The high forest canopy limits the use of observed artillery fire and reduces the effectiveness of aircraft observa- tion and air strikes.