DESCRIPTION
An ongoing rice denial operation that covered most of the southern part of the Province.
During this operation the deputy Task Force commander, Colonel White, began readying the Nui Dat base area for the new additions to the Taskforce. It was to be upgraded to a new Infantry Battalion, 3 RAR and the Armoured group were receiving a Tank Squadron.
The Taskforce perimeters had to be expanded and charted to accommodate the new arrivals.
above: Nui Dat extensions to the SE corner.
Survey Sect
4 Survey Control
c) Two third order control stations AAS029 and AAS030 were established in an area SE of Nui Dat allocated to the new units being posted to task Force.
| AAS029 | E 744 074.03m | N 1165 195.29m | Ht 43.47m |
| AAS030 | E 744 685.09m | N 1166 597.23m | Ht 50.08m |
In addition to the two control stations, a theodolite and chain surround traverse of an area 1700m by 1800m was observed. Tis surround was also levelled and connected to the existing base level net through ATF 9.
A Sect 1 Topo Svy Tp Op Report No 19 (Nov 67)
131 SURVEY
Under the guidance of Topo Surveyors, 131 Surveyors were deployed to survey in the new SE corner of Nui Dat perimeter.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper's "uncovered tunnel" close to the proposed new perimeter extensions, Nui Dat. Photo courtesy P Hopper.
We were driven into Hoa Long and headed east for a short period. From here we moved north towards the SE perimeter of the Taskforce. As we traversed north toward the barbed wire entanglement, I uncovered an underground tunnel!
It was cleverly hidden but was on our pathway. I first noticed a few planks of wood on the ground. We pulled them apart and saw a deep hole about 3ft in diameter, just enough for a person to squeeze through. I certainly wasn’t going to venture down it, so we called in the Engineers (Tunnel Rats). It took them some time to arrive and I’m not too sure what they found but it was rather worrying finding a VC tunnel so close to our base.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper Nov 1967
Naturally the expansion of the Taskforce area was going to impinge on the local people. Hoa Long harboured many who had been relocated from surrounding villages in the past. Although they were resentful of the disruption caused to their lives, they still tended their now distant stock, paddies and orchards during the daylight hours.
I remember how we upset some Vietnamese villagers during the traverse through their small banana plantation. I think they knew they were going to lose their plot to the Taskforce Base.
I also recall coming across a grapefruit tree that was heavily laden with fruit. I relished eating several of them as it was the only citrus fruit we’d encountered since arriving in Vietnam.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper Nov 1967