DESCRIPTION
Another huge combined forces search and destroy operation involving most elements of the Taskforce. It was centred on a wide area around Thua Tich to the coast. This area had long been used for bases, staging areas, communication routes and food production for the VC. The multi-brigade basis involved the following US forces, 1st Inf Bde, 9th Inf Div HQ, 11th Armoured Cav, 3/5th Cav, 2/35th Artillery Bty, 1/83rd Artillery Bty and an Army Aviation Coy. Aust forces included 2RAR, 7RAR, 1ARU, A Sqn 3 Cav, 4 Fd Regt, 1 Fd Sq (Engineers), 1 SAS Sqn, 161 Indep Recce Flt., No 9 Sqn RAAF. ARVN force involved was one Regiment of the 18th Inf Div.
131 SURVEY FSB WILTON (YS 5478)
Heading out of Duc Thanh towards FSB Wilton. Photo courtesy W Brooker.
On the 27th Oct, 131 surveyors joined Arty Recce Party and A Sqn 3Cav when they proceeded to the proposed FSB Wilton that centred north of Route 327 near Ap Quang Giao.
Theatre grid was provided by the surveyors to FSB Wilton YS 538778, by traversing from a known Topo point on the eastern side of Xa Binh Gia YS 507774.
above: FSB Wilton traverse.
4 Fd Regt comprising 108 Fd Bty and 106 Fd Bty moved to FSB Wilton by Chinooks later that day. Theatre grid was given to their Bty centres
The next day A Bty 2/35th US moved under APC escort to FSBWilton. Theatre grid was passed to their position.
22. On the 27th Oct a regimental Fire Support Base was established at YS 5476 as part of the preliminary operation SANTA FE. Theatre grid was provided by a traverse from a Topo Svy point at YS 507774 to YS 538778 and thence to the gun area.
131 Bty Reports Survey Section Oct ‘67
SECONDARY ROLES
LP 31 D was moved from Nui Dat to FSB Wilton. It was to be positioned within the FSB but considered only “reasonable”. The LP was split and another forward LP, 31 G was positioned on a ridge with a section of A Sqn 3 Cav.
FSB perimeter defence and fwd LP work was not unfamiliar to 131 surveyors so it is expected that the “Wilton” surveyors supplied some of the manpower for LP 31G.
131 Survey FSB Lion (YS 6181)
131 Surveyors and Recce Party arrive FSB Lion. Left to right: Gnr W Brooker (back), Gnr P Fuhrmann and L/Bdr J Menz. Photo courtesy P Hopper.
131 Artillery Surveyors FSB Lion awaiting orders. Left to right: W Brooker, P Fuhrmann and J Menz.
A second FSB was to be established close to Thua Tich. The survey to it presented as many problems as it had for FSB Mike in Op Paddington. It was envisaged that a long traverse from FSB Wilton along Route 327 then up Route 328 to FSB Lion (Thua Tich) be attempted with protection being supplied by 3 Cav. This was discounted by the Sqn as the rate of advance was far too slow.
On the afternoon of the 2nd Nov,131 Surveyors and Arty Recce Party flew into the Thua Tich area, secured by 7RAR, to prepare coordinates and bearing of FSB Lion, for the incoming 4th Fd Regt.
The infantry/cavalry group presumably had as their prime objective something other than protecting a group of artillery surveyors strung out along the road. The surveyors could easily have been left in the lurch if contact had been made and a pursuit of enemy forces carried out.
That this plan to carry survey down Routes 327 and 328 should receive serious consideration shows that previous experience was again being ignored. During Operation PORTSEA in March/April 1967 the then survey section commander had looked at ways of carrying survey. Forward to the Xuyon Moc area for a similar sort of distance along Route 23 from the vicinity of Dat Do.
PS Sadler Doc 8 Ch 4 Survey Sect Pt D
We spent the afternoon providing survey and didn’t finish until it was dark. Consequently we had no time to dig weapon pits and spent the first night hiding behind ration boxes. Gnr Menz heard a noise to our front and leapt up and crept out to check it out. We waited anxiously for him to return and I was worried he might be mistaken for a VC. Anyway he crawled back and gave us the all clear. Whatever it was had moved off.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper Nov 1967
Jimmy Menz joined the surveyor ranks in Holsworthy early ’67. Not only did he show a great aptitude in the practical skills required but his background in the timber industry proved a valuable asset in field survey. He was well liked and respected by all who knew him.
J McFadden Nov 2006
20. The second FSPB, LION was established at THUA TICH – YS 6181. This FSPB caused quite a headache survey-wise as there was no control in the area. Prior to the commencement of the Op this problem was discussed with TOPO Survey and the initial plan was to traverse along Route 327 and 328 starting from FSPB WILTON at YS 5476. The protection for this job was to come from the Infantry and Cavalry elements who were to move along this Route. However after discussions with the Infantry and Cavalry it was found their rate of advance would have been too fast and consequently this plan was dropped. The next possible alternative was provided by a move of 2 RAR HQ to a hill at YS 566764. A quick recce of this hill proved the idea impractical owing to very dense trees and undergrowth.
131 Bty Reports Survey Section Nov ‘67
4 Fd Regt flies into FSB Lion. Photo courtesy W Brooker.
Above and below. 3/5 Cav Mobile bridge used to help A Bty 2/35th negotiate Song Rai crossing on Route 327. Photo courtesy W Brooker.
The morning of the 3rd Nov, 108 Fd Bty and 106 Fd Bty departed FSB Wilton and were airlifted to FSB Lion. 131 surveyors worked all day till last light to get them on Regimental Grid.
Later that day A Bty 2/35th US moved under APC escort from FSB Wilton along Route 327 and up Route 328 to FSB Lion.
L/bdr Irvine, Gnr Brooker, Gnr Menz, Gnr Fuhrmann and myself set to tying in the Btys and placing them on a provisional grid.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper Nov 1967
It is interesting to note that on pp261 of “On the Offensive” by McNeil & Ekins, it reads;
“On the 4th November several VC penetrated the perimeter of 108 Fd Bty and laid 4 Claymore mines. They exploded 2 as the guns were firing. A gunner later died of his wounds received in this incident”.
News of this event reached us the following morning. We were fortunate the VC didn’t try to enter the FSB where we were stationed.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper Nov 1967
Obtaining Theatre Grid
Theatre grid for the FSB was still a priority. After consultation with Topo Survey, a long distance single leg traverse to Thua Tich from a known Topo trig point at Nui Chau Chan was employed. Nui Chau Chan was some 40 odd km north of Nui Dat near Xuan Loc in Long Khanh Province. This seemed to be the only feasible method of getting theatre grid to FSB Lion.
above and below: Geoff Holden at Thua Tich making contact with Nui Chau Chan. Photos courtesy W Brooker.
20. The only remaining workable solution was a long range scheme using Nui Dat, Nui Chau Chan (YT605102), an RO south of Saigon and Thua Tich. This scheme was to be done in conjunction with Topo Survey who were to establish a third order trig point in Thua Tich.
22. The plan to establish this point was to use the first order trig point at CHAU CHAN, RO on a point just south of Saigon (Marked by 66 Engineers Topo Survey US ARMY) and measure the angles and distances to NUI DAT and THUA TICH. This plan was put into effect on the 5th Nov and successfully completed on 6th Nov. Our surveyors assisted TOPO Surveyors at NUI DAT and THUA TICH and LT YERBURY went to CHAU CHAN to control the scheme.
23. Once the coordinates of the point in Thua Tich were found a change of grid was carried out and theatre grid established for the guns.
131 Div Loc Bty Operational Reports, Survey Section Nov 1967
above: Map underlay comes from Ian McNeil and Ashley Ekins' "On the Offensive".
above: FSB Lion.
Surveyors' hootchies FSB Lion. Photo courtesy W Brooker.
Topo Surveyors at Nui Dat or Nui Dat North. Photo courtesy P Hopper.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper on the tellurometer at Nui Dat or Nui Dat North. Photo courtesy P Hopper.
The plan was put into effect on the 5th Nov and successfully completed on the 6th. 131 surveyors assisted Topo surveyors at Nui Dat and Thua Tich. Lt Yerbury flew to Chau Chan to control the scheme.
Survey Section
4. Survey Control
b) Op Santa Fe: During this operation it was proposed to establish two control stations AASO25 Thua Tich and AASO26 Nui Dat North, to third and second order accuracy respectively from a first order station Nui Chau Chan. Azimuth was to be from a further first order station Nui Chau Thoi. Unfortunately due to inclement weather this was not possible and although distances were measured successfully, azimuth to AASO25 Thua Tich only was observed off a 4th order azimuth mark on Nui Chau Chan. A radio aerial tower was also coordinated on this hill allowing an azimuth, for artillery purposes to be computed for the station Thua Tich. Provisional coordinates for AASO25 are as follows;
| E 760 045.0m | N 1181 404.5m | Ht 106.5m |
AASO26 (Nui Dat North) was planned to be established as close as possible to AASOO1 (Nui Dat), which is not intervisible with Nui Chau Chan. These two stations could then be connected by a simple traverse. It was hoped that the values of AASOO1 obtained in this manner could then be compared with the present values and some assessment made of initial data used to compute values of AAS001. This experiment will be carried out when operations allow.
A Sect 1 Topo Svy Tp Op Report No 19 (Nov 67)
Once coordinates of Thua Tich was established, a change of grid was applied to the Regimental coordinates and the batteries upgraded to Theatre grid.
When Bravo Radar was deployed to FSB Lion alongside 108 Fd Bty, survey was taken to their position. YS 614811.
SECONDARY ROLES
After survey was completed, surveyors were deployed on perimeter defence duty. Some were placed in defensive positions guarding the radar while others manned the composite forward LP 31G YS 609809 on the SW of FSB Lion.
US Cavalry join the FSB perimeter near surveyors. Photo courtesy W Brooker.
Surveyors at FSB Lion. Photo courtesy W Brooker.
Jimmy Menz at Surveyors section of FSB Lion Perimeter. Photo courtesy W Brooker.
131 Surveyors; Geoff Holden, Terry Bruce and Kenny Woodbine. Photo courtesy W Brooker.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper tubbing on Santa Fe. Photo courtesy W Brooker.
Kenny Woodbine and Jimmy Menz sandbgging, FSB Lion. Photo courtesy Ken Woodbine.
On the 6th Nov FSB Lion was mortared along with probes to the NE and southern perimeter.
We surveyed the radar in and set ourselves up on perimeter defence to protect it. We only had our SLRs at the time and I was worried that this would be totally inadequate if we were attacked. The following day we were attacked. One of the US Cavalry Units arrived that afternoon. We could hear them coming for miles off. One of the tanks was unserviceable so they left it about 100m to our south. They then lined up along the perimeter defence.
I contacted HQ requesting a break in piquet duty for that night as the US were going to provide it. I was told to be on full alert.
Sure enough we were sprayed about 8pm that night. I remember the tracer bullets coming directly over our weapon pit. Gnr Menz jumped in an immediately opened fire. I also fired in the general direction of the tracer bullets. I knew the fire was coming from behind that unserviceable tank, The VC had got in behind it and used it for protection.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper Nov 1967
I shared a weapon pit with Nick Armstrong over several days after our survey work was finished, when we were 'guarding' the Bravo radar - some 20 metres to our rear. He was keen to get off a shot or two that night also but wasn't allowed. The shooting had almost finished when the ‘stand to’ was called. I was in my hootchie (about 2 metres back and 3 sandbags down) watching the VC tracers going over my head. Mostly VC tracers anyway - we later found out that they also shot at our infantry across the way and encouraged them to shoot back (pity we were in the line of fire when Charlie bugged out).
Gnr Furhmann Nov 1967
24. During and on completion of the Survey in FSPB LION the surveyors acted as protection for the radar and one of the LPs deployed in the area.
131 Bty Reports Survey Section Nov ‘67
Word eventually filtered through to Nui Dat HQ that the defensive firepower allocated to surveyors protecting the radar was woefully inadequate.
The day after being sprayed, a 131 section officer, arrived by resupply chopper to hand us some trip flares, 2 Claymore mines and an M60. He was also most concerned that we vote in some mindless ½ Senate elections being held in Australia. I had more important things on my mind and was in no mood for his total lack of appreciation of the position we were in. I refused his offer. He did not stay long and returned to Nui Dat on the next chopper.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper Nov 1967
Training in the use of M16s, M60s, trip flares and Claymore mines is not that essential inside Nui Dat. However it was becoming obvious to surveyors manning defensive positions at FSBs that some training would be most appreciated. For some time now, training consisted of “in the field” trial and error.
I spent the rest of the day learning how to use the “new” weapons at our disposal. I got all the surveyors together and took them down to the wire to show them how the trip flare worked. Unintentionally I set one off. The Claymore mines also worried me because we’d heard about the VC creeping in and turning them around with disastrous results. After the trip flare incident I left the “workings” of the Claymore for another day.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper Nov 1967
Night piquet is always a tense time. After being mortared, having the perimeters probed and infiltrated, the tenseness is acute. Possibility becomes probability.
I was in the weapon pit with Gnr Brooker and we both heard noises on the wire to our south. I released the safety catch on the M60 and was ready to fire. We still had to get permission from HQ, but I thought if we don’t open up we could all be killed. I was about to squeeze the trigger when I heard the grunting of a pig!
We were both so relieved.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper Nov 1967
On the 16th Nov, the Radar, the LPs and surveyors returned to Nui Dat.
It was a most dangerous time for the artillery surveyors. In the end most of us were merely providing protection for radar sets that never seemed to work properly. We were relieved to get back to Nui Dat.
Act Svy Sgt Hopper Nov 1967