Operation Allen Brook, May 4-Aug 23, 1968.

Grunt Units:

2/7 04 May-17 May 7th Mar Regt CC June 1968/Tab D AAR Op Allen Brook, 04-17 May 68
 3/7 15-17 May 3/7 CC May 1968
3/27 17-28 May  3/27 CC May 1968/Tab D AAR Op Allen Brook 17-28 May 1968
3/27 19-20 May  3/27 CC May 1968/Tab D AAR Op Allen Brook 17-28 May 1968
3/5 18-31 May 3/5 CC May 1968
27 Mar 17 May-31 July 27 Mar CC May 1968
 27 Mar CC June 1968/Annex F AAR Op Allen Brook 17 May-06 June 68
 27 Mar CC July 1968
1/26 A,B,D  26 May-06 June 1/26 CC May 1968
 1/26 CC June 1968
1/27 A,B,C, 31 May-23 June  1/27 CC may 1968
2/27 23 June-16 July 2/27 CC June 1968
 2/27 CC July 1968 (W/3/B/5 Tk 1-13 Jul & 1/B/5 Tk 13-16 Jul.)
3/27 16-31 July 3/27 CC June 1968/Tab D AAR Op Allen Brook16-31 Jul 68 (w/1/B/5 Tk)
BLT 2/7 31 July-23 Aug  Blt 2/7 CC July 1968
 BLT 2/7 CC Aug 1968/Tab A AAR Op Swift Play/Allen Brook/Mameluke Thrust (W/2/B/1 Tk)

1st Engineer Bn. 06 June-23 Aug 1968

Tank Units: 1st Tank Battalion CC, May-Aug 68
3rd Plt. B Co. 1st Tk Bn. B15, B22, B32, B35, B52 (Blade Tank), F21, F23 (Flame Tanks).
2nd Plt. B Co. 5th Tk Bn. B11, B21, B22, B23, B24.
2nd Plt. C Co. 1st Tk Bn. C22, C23, C25, & B23, B42 from B Co. 5th Tk Bn.
1st & 3rd Plt's. 5th Tk Bn.

Books;
MARINE CORPS TANK BATTLES in Vietnam, by Oscar Gilbert
PRAYING FOR SLACK A Marine Corps Tank Commander In Vietnam, by Robert E. Peavey

Tankers Id;
1st Tks, Tim Mayte (Silver Star), "TJ" Siva (Silver Star), Lt. Scott, Bruce Van Appledorn, Lenny Mendes,
Ben Green (KIA) 7 May 68. Lt. Fredrick H. Williams (KIA) 26 May 68.
5th Tks, Bob Embesi, Bob Peavey, Gerry Hearne, Gary Gibson, John Cash (KIA) 12 May 68.

 


3/B/1/Tk & 2/B/5/Tk = 1 Blade Tk, 2 Plt = 5 Gun & 1 Flame Tk ea. W/ E & G/2/7. Attacked East from Liberty Bridge (AT 923-533) to Obj. A (AT 955-535) 229 Civilians removed from vic. (AT 955-534). A Tk from B/5/Tk KIA 7 VC at (AT 940-532).

Map Link (Large Map)


E & G/2/7, Attacked Obj. B (AT 970-545) 70 Bunkers were destroyed at (AT 955-548),
(AT 955-545), (AT 974-535), (AT 976-545), 1st Tk Bn Tanks B15, B32, B33, B35, B52, F21, F23.
5th Tk Bn Tanks B11, B21, B22, B23, B24.


W/ Obj. C (AT 983-530) secure units moved on to RR tracks.
1st Tk Bn Tanks, B15, B22, B32, B33, B35, B52, F21, F25.
5th Tk Bn Tanks B11, B21, B22, B23, B24.


An armored column of 5 Tks & 5 LVT's (2 towed) W/1 Plt/E/2/7 returning to Phu Loc 6 had to fight there way back. At (AT 971-546) Sgt. Ben J. Green TC of B33/1/Tk was shot between the eyes and KIA. At (AT 965-551) a Co. B/?/Tk received Mortar & RPG fire, 1 Tk was hit by 4 RPG's. (2 WIA's). E & G/2/7 Linked up W/armored column vic. (AT 968-551). K/3/7 vic. (AT 955-535). All units received incoming during the night. 1st Tk Bn Tanks B15, B22, B32, B33, B35, B52, F21, F23. 5th Tk Bn Tanks B11, B21, B22, B23, B24.


Tanks fired on NVA at (AT 948-548) 4 KIAs. Co. G/2/7 and tanks moved to Liberty Bridge (Phu Loc 6). The tanks resupplied and A/1/7 replaced G/2/7. A/1/7 and tanks return to Bn CP. B52 hits mine at (AT 944-535) Tank disabled, 2 WIA.


A/1/7, E/2/7 & K/3/7 attacked to Obj. 1 at (AT 970-555) K/3/7 attacked to Obj. 2 at (AT 970-545) Forward area of sweep at (AT 999-544) 1st Tk Bn Tanks B12, B15, B22, B33, B35, F23. 5th Tk Bn Tanks B11, B21, B22, B23, B24.
Under the OPCON of 2/7, A/1/7, E/2/7, K/3/7 and the remaining tanks attacked towards Obj. 1 (AT 970-555). Heavy fighting continued all the way to (AT 999-544).


Under the OPCON of 2/7, A/1/7, E/2/7, K/3/7. 7 tanks & 2 Amtracks through overpass w/E/2/7 & K/3/7. Bn perimeter hit by friendly arty fire at (BT 012-539). Tank & Amtrack got stuck in mud (BT 014-545). Obj. A (BT 040-540) not reached.


On may 12 the Bn turned around and attacked west towards Obj. 1 (AT 990-534). A tank w/Co. K hit a mine at (BT 002-532) and broke a track. A tank was hit by RPG's at (AT 997-533) w/1 KIA (John Cash).


On may 13 the Bn attacked west towards Obj. 1 (AT 990-534). Co. I/3/27 landed at (AT 976-501). A/1/7 & K/3/7 w/tanks attacked west through Obj. 1 to (AT 985-535).


On may 14 the Bn attacked west towards Obj. 2 (AT 970-544). Co. I/3/27 moved to a blocking position at (AT 967-538) A/1/7 & K/3/7 w/tanks attacked west through Obj. 2 to (AT 970-544). E/2/7 attacked to (AT 968-554), K/3/7 seized Obj. 3 at
(AT 957-547) Bn CP was at (AT 956-546).


On may 15 the Bn attacked towards Obj. 4 (AT 952-534). A tank from B/5/Tk B24 hit a mine at (AT 946-536) w/ 1 WIA. By 1400 all units were at Liberty Bridge area (Phu Loc 6). Co. E & 2/7 command were relieved. 3/7 took OPCON of G/2/7, A/1/7
 & I/3/27.


On May 16, A/1/7, G/2/7 & I/3/27 OPCON to 3/7. At 0001 made a night crossing of the Song Thu Bon River.
The Bn. ran into a real shit storm at Phu Dong (2). At this point it was mostly a grunt operation.


On may 17, 3/7 OPCON of G/2/7, A/1/7 & I/3/27. At 0700 Co I/3/27 in heavy fire fight at (AT 965-526). A/1/7 & G/2/7 got into the fight and the position was over run. Co.s K, L/3/27 were helifted in to (AT 961-512) & 3/27 took over Allen Brook. Co. K moved to (AT 962-522), Co. L moved to (AT 967-523).


On may 18, units of 3/27, moved to (AT 959-526) Co. K & L came under heavy fire from Le Bac (2) and Heat Casualties soon out numbered Battle Casualties. Co. M landed at the LZ and Co. I was extracted. Co. M replaced Co. K. The Bn set in at (AT 959-524) 3/5 was OPCON to 3/27 this date and 2 Co.s I & K from 3/5 Joined 3/27 in the field.
*5th Mar CC=3/5 choped to 7th Mar on 17 May 1968.
*7th Mar AAR on Op. Allen Brook from 04-17 May 1968 does not list 3/5 as an attached or supporting unit.
*3/27 AAR on Op. Allen Brook from 17-28 May 1968 list's two Co.s of 3/5 joining on 18 May and returning to 3/5 on 20 May 1968, Co.s I & K/3/5.  Have not been able to chase down 3/5 AAR or CC for May 1968.


On may 19, units of 3/27, swept the battle area retrieving dead, equipment, NVA 782 gear & POW's.
The Bn. stayed in the same location for the night.
On the 20th I & K/3/5 returned to 3/5. The Bn. moved East to (AT 970-522) and set in for the night.


On may 21, units of 3/27, started moving North to Obj. Echo (Phu Dong (2)). At (AT 974-532) the lead elements came under fire and Air/Arty fire was called in. There were quite a number of heat casualties. The Bn. pulled back to (AT 972-537) for the night. On the 22nd, the Bn. moved North towards An Quyen (1). The Bn. set in for the night at (AT 972-553).
On the 23rd Co.s K & M made sweeps to the Song Thu Bon River, but made no contact.
The Bn. remained in place for the 2nd night. Units of 3/5 swept large areas of the Eastern AO.


On may 24, units of 3/27, started moving South West to Le Bac (1). The Bn. pulled back to (AT 954-545) for the night. On the 25th, the Bn. moved South towards Le Bac (1). Co. I and a Plt. of Tks from 2/C/1/Tk C22, C23, C25 w/ B23 & B42 from B/5/Tk joined the Bn. The Bn. set in for the night at (AT 942-538). On the 26th Co.s L & M with the tanks swept through Le Bac (1) and secured it. At (AT 959-525) the XO of C/1/Tk leading the Heavy Section of 2nd Plt. was shot through the chest and KIA. (Lt. Fredrick H. Williams) At (AT 953-534) C23 was hit by an RPG w/1 WIA. The Bn. set up in Le Bac (1) for the night. 3/5 conducted sweeps near the RR tracks. 1/26 joined OPCON to 27 Mar.


On May 27, units of 3/27, started being relieved by units of 1/27. Co. C 1/27 relieved Co.s K & M 3/27. On the 28th, I/3/27 & C/1/27 with a Plt. of Tks from 2/C/1/Tk C22, C23, C25 w/ B23 & B42 from B/5/Tk.
Started to move toward Liberty Bridge to link up with 1/27. At (AT 950-532) a tank (C-23) was hit by an RPG with 3 WIA's (1 med-evac). 1/27 relieved 3/27 from Op. Allen Brook.


On May 29, units of 1/27, started sweeping east to link up with 3/5 which was sweeping west. Tanks from 2/C/1 Tk at
(AT 940-531) hit by RPGs (3 WIA). May 30, at (AT 985-537) C25 hit a mine w/light damage. 1/27 to sweep to (AT 965-543) then to (AT974-537) then to (AT984-538). 3/5 was to move to Phu Loc 6 and depart the area. May 31, 1/26 & 1/27 to launch a combined attack to the east.