Operation Battlefield Vietnam

[Attack37]

Damn..... got too much on my plate right now....got the LRRP uniform/M14, and the training....would love to go.

[Norseman]

Damn..... got too much on my plate right now....got the LRRP uniform/M14, and the training....would love to go.

I understand.

It's going to be epic tho!

[Norseman]

Hill 937


Grass fire caused by rounds for LZ prep from FB Curahee

[Norseman]

Two days left to pre register!

[Norseman]

FSB Curahee Update:

Perimeter fence is up!

(bring your soup cans to the OP........101st)















Will be erecting the watch tower this weekend!

[Norseman]

FSB Currahee

[Norseman]

My pro photographer flaked out on me........but I did manage to take SOME pics. I'll make sure to post up other people's pics as well when they become available.

We had a whopping 10 people for the OP show up (plus the three Moss children playing the part of the gnard villagers), raising 100 dollars for the VFW.



Looking North into Canada.



FSB Currahee from the PAVN perspective.



PAVN Bunker complex



PAVN SAM Battery



PAVN Bunker Complex



FSB Currahee 105mm Howitzer



Team Sharkey



Team Sharkey



Home Sweet Home

[Variable]

Sorry, if it wasn't so bloody far, more could have made it.

[Norseman]

Sorry, if it wasn't so bloody far, more could have made it.

And fuel prices arent helping either........

[Variable]

No kidding. That looked like a kickass place to play.

[Norseman]

Operation Battlefield Vietnam AAR

The OP kicked off late, as some people got lost, etc. Which is to be expected as Kosty exclaimed "Wade............you live in BFE!" There were four main areas of interest in play on the field.

1) FSB Currahee
2) PAVN Bunker complex w/ SAM battery
3) Montngnard Village
4) PAVN HQ

Mission 1:

RT Sharkey was tasked with a stingray mission of locating the PAVN SAM battery known to be operating in the valley and destorying it so that follow on forces of the 101st Airborne division could air assualt into the valley safely, along with supporting aircraft. After being briefed the RT exited the wire running on a SSE azimuth route of march. Within 100 yards of the FSB Currahee, the RT was ambushed by a unknown number of NVA regulars. 1 RPG round sailed high fortunately and no one was hit by the small arms fire. The RT executed a center peel and found heavy cover to lay dog in, in a tight 360. The RT could hear more forces moving towards their location and it was decided by the Team leader (Doc Sharkey) to withdraw back into FSB Currahee.

RT Sharkey was then tasked with perimeter defense along side the grunts, and took heavy casualties. The perimeter was actually breached by NVA regulars, who actually made it to the Operations hootch before being repulsed.

Charlie was not pleased with our presence in the Ashau valley, and we were paying for it with our own blood.

Mission 2:

Despite taking heavy losses, the Rakkasans were able to rearm/resupply FSB Currahee and bring in a reinforcing company from battalion. It was decided that the SAM battery was still top priority, but this time the RT would be inserted by helo at LZ Alpha. The insertion was cold and RT Sharkey after laying dog, moved out on a due south azimuth. After climbing the mountain for a couple of hundred meters, the RT heard a engine getting steadily closer to them, along with Vietmanese voices. Obviously charlie was checking out the LZ after observing the helo insertion. RT Sharkey laid dog for quite some time, until the engine was heard moving away from their vicinity. One thing was for sure........charlie had vehicles in the Ashua.........higher/higher had underestimated charlie's capabilities.

It was determined by the team leader that we needed to change our route of march to due east. Shortly after turning the corner, the RT encountered its first high speed trail. After crossing the trail and moving up the mountain about 100 meters. Voices were again heard and RT Sharkey went to the prone with our eyeballs peeled. The RT observed one NVA officer, one armed VC, and three Gnard(?) villagers. The RT also observed smoke presumably from a cooking fire. At this point it was presumed that the gnard village within the AO was indeed friendly to communist forces. Suddenly the words "Dirty Americans" were heard from the vicinity of the group..........the team leader was now in doubt of our OP and we decided to withdraw to where we had came from and hook farther to the south. After again climbing the mountain about 100 meters, brush cracking was heard and the RT holed up in some dark timber in a tight 360. The RT pointman had the SE fire sector and observed a armed VC approaching the RT. After determining that the VC was not changing course and would eventually step on the RT. The pointman opened fire, and after an exchange of fire killed the VC. No team member was hit luckily and the team unassed itself from the area. Moving back across the high speed trail and laying dog for about 15 mikes. Additional VC forces were heard beating the brush for the RT, but were farther to the south of the team's position.

It was decided in unorthodox fashion to get on the high speed trail and run it back north to evade the hunter/killer team searching for RT Sharkey. Moving through the brush in places was impossible not to make noise and alert the enemy.

cont.>

We got a radio transmission that higher/higher was sending out an additional team member and was going to use the same LZ!!! We layed dog about 200 meters to the SE of LZ Alpha and grumbled about the stupidity of it all. We didnt even know the guy.........and suspected that he was a spook. Doc went down to the LZ and grabbed the guy and brought him back to us. We then began a route of march heading due east, the hunter/killer team was well to the south of us, and the team didnt encounter anything unusual for about 500 meters. The spook seemed to be well versed in recon patroling, so despite the unorthodoxness of it all, it worked out alright.........but could have been disasterous for us.

The RT observed a comm wire strung through the trees, and decided to follow it north. After only about 75 meters the RT observed a bunker complex and a SAM battery. The RT formed up on a line, got prone, pulled mags and got ready to provide a base of fire if needed. Doc crept out to the side and inspected the complex and gave the all clear signal. Evidently charlie was so intent on hunting us.......they didnt provide a security detail for their SAM's. A satchel charge was used to destroy the SAM battery and the RT unassed themselves back to LZ alpha for extraction. Nothing further of interest was observed.

Mission 3:

RT Sharkey was briefed that at 1900 hours they would be airlifted into LZ Bravo, and assualt the village that had been observed earlier. The insertion was cold and the RT formed up on a line and began a route of march in the general direction of the village. The village was found approx. 200 meters to the SSW of LZ Bravo. And the RT immediately set up a security perimeter around the village. Team members Norse and Ninja searched the village and found three occupants. These three were brought out, searched and questioned by the team interpreter Ninja. It became obvious to Norse that the gnard villagers were not telling the truth and after some "persuasive" tactics by Norse it was learned that the PAVN HQ was about 2 klicks up the trail. After a search through the village the RT found one M79 grenade launcher, one AK 47 magazine and one USAF survival knife. Upon learning that US weapons were found within the village the members of RT became enraged and wanted retribution from the villagers. Fortunately Norse kept his cool and the villagers were treated with kindness..........unfortunately the villagers perished in the ensuing firefight. Charlie launched his assualt from the south, and RT Sharkey took up defensive positions on the southern edge of the village.

Charlie poured a immense amount of fire into the village area. RT Sharkey was having difficulty gaining fire superiority, and Doc called for a withdrawal back to the rally point about half way between the ville and the LZ. But team member Travis was hit by a burst of fire and dropped without a sound. Norse called for a immediate medevac and was told to get his WIA back to LZ Bravo. Norse then pulled Travis to better cover, only to observe in horror as team member S'mow took a round through the shoulder. S'mow immediately began calling out for his mother, and Norse then returned to drag S'mow to better cover. And upon doing so took a round himself and went down. With over half the team down, the NVA forces swamped the RT aggressively............Ninja went down with two rounds to the chest and Doc unassed himself back to the LZ. He was the only team member to have survived the encounter.

The assualt was a failure..........except for one very very important point. The 101st now had a approximate fix on the location of the PAVN HQ. And begin immediate planning for further assualts into that area. Unfortunately that night, a typhoon swept in, drenching everything in many inches of water and gale force winds. Air operations had to be called off that night and into the next day.

I want to thank everyone for coming out...........despite our smallish numbers, it's one of the funniest OP's I had been to in a long time. And it felt good playing back at the ranch as well..........

[Dees]

I am so going next time, just to harass you!

[Norseman]

I am so going next time, just to harass you!

You would have been in good company!

(Three Devil Dawgs and the Cerberus team leader)