Patrol Report

Blue Spruce 

June 12th-18th, 1968 #398-68

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The Jim Southall Story, Over 100 Patrol Reports.

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LCpl Southall 19th Patrol 146 hours with 13 sightings of a total of  112 VC, 12 fire missions were called in the Tinh Yen River Area for Operation Mameluke Thrust .

Members of Lance corporal Jim Southall's 19th patrol were:

Cpl Donsbach, this is the only time they will work together on patrols. 

LCpl Morris, this is the 5th time they will work together on patrol. Patrols 2-3, 12, 18-23 and 25-27 before Jim Southall is wounded in action (WIA) on his 28 patrol in 1968.

PFC Delbert Enos the rear point (tail-end Charlie), this is the 9th time they worked together on patrol. Patrols 10-19, 21-23 & 25-27 in 1968.

PFC Washburn,  will appear on 7 patrol reports with Jim Southall. Patrols 5, 13-15, 19, 21 & 23 in 1968.

Corpsman Cothran, this is the first patrol he worked together with Jim Southall. They will work together on 7 patrols in 1968. Patrols 19, 21-22 and 24-27 this was one of the best corpsman in 1st Recon. 

PVT McDowell, this is the 1st time they will work together on in Vietnam.

PFC Jerry Keker, worked with Jim Southall on 13 patrols in 1968. Patrols 12-19, 21-23 & 26-27 in the year of 1968.

PFC Rose,  only worked with Jim Southall on one patrol in 1st Recon Battalion.

PFC Kraskiewicz, this is the 1st Patrol with Jim Southall in 1968. They will work together on 3 patrols. Patrols 19-21 PFC Kraskiewicz will be WIA in 1968. 

PFC Nelson Livington, was one of the best radio operator in Bravo Company. He will work with Jim Southall on 13 patrols in 1968. Patrols 14-19 and 21-27.

PFC Douglas, this is the 5th time he worked with Jim Southall on Patrol in Vietnam in 1968. Patrols 5-7, 11, 19 & 21 in the 1st Recon Battalion.

PFC Doug Wolfe ran position of point on most of his patrols with Jim Southall. Patrols 13-19 and 24-27 in 1968. He was considered one of the best point men in the 1st Recon Battalion and that's coming from a point man....

The Jim Southall Story

Some Give It All

The Jim Southall Story

1st Recon Battalion
1967 - 1970

The Jim Southall Story, Over 100 Patrol Reports.

A work in progress!

Operation Mameluke Thrust

On 9th of May 1968 the 1st Marine Division commander MG Donn J. Robertson was ordered to conduct a spoiling attack into the valleys west of Danang and around Thường Ðức Camp. The loss of Kham Duc on 12 May raised the concern that the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) would next seek to overrun Thường Ðức. PAVN units in the area were believed to include the 31st Regiment, 341st Division and the 368B Rocket Regiment.

Operation Mameluke Thrust

On the 19th of May 1968 the 1st Battalion 7th Marines attacked west from Danang along the Song Vu Gia towards Thường Ðức, while the 3rd Battalion 26th Marines attacked into Happy Valley. By the end of May both units had discovered PAVN base areas but had minimal contact.

On the 3rd of June 1968 the area of operations was expanded east into the "Arizona Territory" near the An Hoa Combat Base and the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines was added to the operation.

At 07:30 on 7th of June while moving south of the Liberty Bridge (15.856°N 108.192°E) Company B 1/26 Marine came under fire from a PAVN force dug in on a low hill, the battle continued for 9 hours until the PAVN retreated. Marine losses were 17 dead and 46 wounded while PAVN losses were 64 dead.

On the 9th of June Company L 3/26 Marines discovered a recently abandoned 125 bed PAVN field hospital. On the 11th of June Company I 3/26 Marines discovered the headquarters of the PAVN 368B Rocket Regiment and large quantities of rockets and targeting equipment.

On the 13th of June near the village of Ky Chau 1/26 Marines cornered a PAVN force against the Song Ky Lam and a Republic of Korea Marines force. The 9 hours long battle resulted in 3 Marines killed and 24 wounded while the PAVN lost 44 killed. That night Company B 1/26 Marines ambushed a retreating PAVN unit killing 13 for no Marine losses.

On the 14th of June 3rd Battalion 5th Marines deployed from the An Hoa Combat Base into the Arizona Territory. As Company I advanced it was hit by PAVN mortar fire which killed most of the command, the Company Executive Officer 1LT Joseph Campbell though seriously wounded himself took command and arranged for defensive fire and medevac helicopters before dying of his wounds.

On the 15th of June southeast of Hill 55 1/26 Marines located and overran a PAVN bunker system killing 84 PAVN for the loss of 7 Marines.

The operation continued throughout June and July with minimal contact and it appeared that tha PAVN had abandoned the area. On the 28th of July a Marine Stingray patrol spotted 4 PT-76 light tanks 3.5 km northwest of An Hoa Combat Base, artillery and airstrikes were called in and 4 secondary explosions were seen. An agent reported that 2 PT-76s had been destroyed but no wreckage was located.

At 04:00 on the 1st of August a PAVN force attacked a Marine Stingray patrol in the Arizona Territory killing 5 Marines and wounding 11 for the loss of 3 PAVN.

From the 1st–2nd of August A Troop, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry under the operational control of the 5th Marine Regiment killed 96 PAVN in the Arizona Territory.

On the 6th of June 1968 Companies E and F 5th Marines engaged a PAVN Company near the village of Cu Ban overrunning the position and killing 23 PAVN for the loss of 1 Marine.

On the morning of the 17th of August 3/5 Marines and BLT 2nd Battalion 7th Marines attacked a suspected PAVN base near Chau Phong southeast of the Liberty Bridge killing 53 PAVN for no losses. The following morning the Marines engaged more PAVN units near Chau Phong resulting in 13 Marines killed and 49 PAVN killed.

On the 29th of August a PAVN Platoon ambushed Company D 1st Battalion 5th Marines killing 12 Marines and wounding 18 while the PAVN lost 25 dead.

On the 14th of September Company L, 3rd Battalion 7th Marines was ambushed 4 km south of Hill 55 resulting in 1 dead and 4 missing. The following day the bodies of the missing Marines were recovered and 72 bunkers were destroyed in the ambush area.

On the 18th of September BLT 2/7 Marines were deployed onto Route 4. The following morning as the Marines patrolled west they were hit by fire from entrenched PAVN positions. The battle continued all day and 2 Companies from 3/7 Marine were helicoptered in to support the assault. Marine losses for the day were 14 dead and 54 wounded. On the morning of the 20th of September the Marines overran the position finding only 3 dead PAVN from the 2nd Battalion, 36th Regiment. Company G 2/7 Marines then encountered a PAVN force near Nong Son losing 5 dead and 19 wounded before withdrawing to allow supporting fire to engage the PAVN. On the 21st of September 1968 the Marines overran the PAVN bunkers which turn out to be the command post of the 36th Regiment, PAVN losses were 69 killed.

Operation Mameluke Thrust concluded on the 23rd of October 1968, the Marines had suffered 269 dead and 1730 wounded while the PAVN had 2728 killed and 47 captured. Operation Henderson Hill began immediately in the same area of operations.

Some Give It All

Operation Mameluke Thrust

The Jim Southall Story
Some Give It All

Line most reconnaissance Marines One or more of Jim Southall's patrols have not been Declassified or just messing and information is not available to the public at this time.