DESCRIPTION
A search and destroy operation by 2RAR and 7RAR, 6 km SE of Xuyen Moc. It was intended to disrupt the coastline resupply conduit for the VC. 4 Fd Regt was in direct support from a FSB YS 677583 on Ho Tram Cape on the coast.
131 SURVEY
On the 27th Sept, Act Svy Sgt Hopper was briefed as to a possible scheme to bring survey to the proposed FSB on Ho Tram Cape. It was a triangulation involving the Cape, the Horseshoe and Nui Dat. Act Svy Sgt Hopper took this briefing back to the survey lines for planning.
The proposed scheme was discussed by Gnr Long and myself back in the lines. Some doubt as to its validity arose when lines of sight from the sandhills of the Cape could not be verified by map information. The only feasible schemes we both thought might be a straight traverse from the Horseshoe or from old 31 C position, Paddington, just north of Xuyen Moc
Act Svy Sgt Hopper Oct 1967
This alternative plan was accepted by higher up.
A Sq 3 Cav hitting the beach. Lang Phuoc Hai and Long Hais in background. Photo courtesy P Hopper.
On the 28th Sept. 131 surveyors joined the advanced elements heading out with A Sq 3 Cav. We proceeded to Lang Phuoc Hai then headed ENE along the beach. After crossing an estuary, A sq 3 Cav harboured for the night.
As soon as we hit the beach we headed east along the water’s edge. At one stage we all climbed on top of the APCs as they crossed an estuary to a sand bar where we largered up for the night. It was like the Wild West, the APCs formed a neat circle and gave us a perimeter defence. We also had B Coy 2 RAR with us at the time so we felt reasonably secure.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper Oct 1967
4 Fd Regt arrive to purple smoke. Photo courtesy P Hopper.
The following morning, the advanced elements were tracked to Ho Tram Cape, the site for the operational FSB.
131 surveyors established an interim Regimental Grid by compass resection coordinates and sunshot bearing using those coordinates.
106 Fd Bty was airlifted to Ho Tram Cape by Chinooks from the Horseshoe. 108 Fd Bty was lifted from the Xuyen Moc airfield temporary position and joined 106 on this interim Regimental Grid.
Earlier that year, in February, members of the first section has fixed a gun position for 103 Fd Bty RAA in YS 4854, south of Dat Do, by observing a sun azimuth, and then using a theodolite to measure directions to a number of prominent features. These lines, which were then plotted on the 1:50000 map as a resection, would have given more accurate bearings than those from a prismatic compass. Did members of the survey section in September 1967 know that their predecessors had done this very successfully only seven months earlier? If not, then it demonstrates that there was something very seriously wrong with allowing the section commander and NCOs to leave Vietnam at the end of their tours before their replacements had arrived and worked with them in the physical and operational environment in which they were going to be providing a service to the artillery for the next twelve months. How many other lessons and benefits of experience, one wonders, were lost this way?
PS Sadler Doc 7 Ch 4 Survey Sect Pt C
The guns of 106 arrived by Chinooks who were guided by purple smoke flares.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper Oct 1967
4 Fd Regt arriving Ho Tram Cape. Photo courtesy P Hopper.
In conjunction with Topo surveyors on Nui Dat (north of Xuyen Moc), survey was carried by a single leg traverse to a high point in the sandhills close to the FSB. This was then carried to the interim grid position and with a “change of grid”, upgraded to theatre grid.
above: Map underlay comes from Ian McNeil and Ashley Ekins' "On the Offensive".
After a week, 106 Fd Bty was deployed to another FSB YS 7662 further east. It was placed on Regimental Grid only by compass resection and sunshot.
15. The survey section was employed on two operations during this period. Operation KENMORE (28th Sept – 8th Oct) and operation SANTA FE which is still continuing.
16. A regimental Fire Support Base was established on the HO TRAM CAPE at YS 677583. Initially it was not possible to provide theatre grid for the guns as there was no control in the area. Regimental grid was established by sunshot for bearing and compass resection for fixation.
17. The survey was upgraded to theatre grid after Topo Survey had established third order control in the area.
18. After a week at the Fire Support Base, 106 Bty were deployed to another Fire Support Base at YS 7662. The guns were established on Regimental grid by sunshot and compass resection.
131 Bty Reports Survey Section Oct ‘67
Survey Sect
3. Taking advantage of Op Kenmore, theatre grid was extended into the east of Phuoc Tuy Province. The following 3rd order stations were established.
| AASO23 | Nui Tam Bo | E 773 070.9m | N 1163 326.7m | Ht 100.43m |
| AASO24 | Ho Tram Cape | E 767 592.6m | N 1158 781.4m | Ht 58.00m |
AASO24 (Ho Tram Cape) was established direct from AASO17 (Horseshoe) and also through the chain, AASO17 (Horseshoe) – AASO14 (Nui Dat north of Xuyen Moc) – AASO23 (Nui Tam Bo) – AASO24 (Ho Tram Cape). As an eccentric was used at AASO14 (Nui Dat Xuyen Moc) computation was done in the reverse sequence to give a closing error at AASO14 of E 1.60m N 0.40m Ht 0.69m over a total distance of 36725.15m. The misclose was distributed by the Bowditch Rule. At present line AASO17 – AASO14 is a computed line only. It is anticipated that this line will be observed when new tellurometers become available.
A Sect 1 Topo Svy Tp Op Report No 18 (Oct 67)
Not long after we’d brought survey to one of the airlifted batteries, I climbed back up one of the sandhills we’d traversed over, to take photos of the battery setting up. While I was taking them the Bty CO yelled at me to get off the dune as Nogs had been spotted in the area.
Gnr Long Oct 1967
Some time after completion of survey Gnr Green and myself spotted some suspect VC a few hundred metres to our north. Both the suspects and ourselves were unarmed at the time and we both scampered for cover.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper Oct 1967
131 surveyors stayed on right to the end of the operation. We didn’t leave until the Chinooks came in and flew 106 Fd Bty back to Nui Dat. We were told to put all our equipment aboard the last Chinook and we flew back to Nui Dat in style.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper Oct 1967
Secondary Roles
On the 30th Sept LP 31B from the Horseshoe, arrived at Ho Tram Cape. It was positioned on the northern side of the Ho Tram Cape FSB. 131 surveyors helped out 31B by manning the LP.
We felt safe this time on LP duty for we knew we weren’t going to be attacked from the south as the South China Sea lay behind us.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper Oct 1967
After the completion of Kenmore duties, Act Svy Sgt Hopper and L/Bdr Irvine were involved in running a comprehensive training programme designed to raise the standards of computation and field surveying of the new surveyors. Due to rotation stuff ups, survey had been left deficient in Advanced Course surveyors.
20. When surveyors returned to Nui Dat after Operation Kenmore, a comprehensive training programme was undertaken aimed at raising the standards of the new surveyors. This training was successfully completed but Operation Santa Fe showed that still more training is required, particularly on computations.
131 Bty Reports Survey Section Oct ‘67
On the 26th Oct, 131 surveyors passed theatre grid to A Bty 2/35 US deployed close to Luscombe Field.