Spring 1966 Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol

SPRING 1966 LONG RANGE RECONNAISSANCE PATROL (LRRP) by RANGER Jerry Conners (Chinese Bandit 13)

A Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol was formed from members of the 1stBn (ABN) 8th Cav Recon platoon and attached to division headquartersin the spring of 1966 as directed by the Department of Defense whereseven LRRP teams from the US Army Special Forces, US Marine Corps,Navy and other Army units were established to conduct simultaneouspatrols within the Republic of Vietnam.The Chinese Bandit six man team members were SSG Robert Grimes(Acting Platoon Leader of the Recon Platoon), SGT Jerry Conners,Keijo Hyvonen, Frank Bishop, Louis Tyler, and Terry Stevens. Thefirst long range patrol was conducted along a 75 mile route adjacentto the Cambodian and Laotian borders for a period of twelve days andwas performed while the other DOD directed teams performed LRRPpatrols in other portions of Vietnam. The major objective of thepatrol was to locate North Vietnamese positions that had beenreported along the border and to obtain specific essential elementsof information that included descriptions of the enemy's uniforms,weapons, communication and other equipment and the presence of anyCaucasian personnel.We wore a mixture of uniforms including standard issue junglefatigues, WWII vintage M42 jungle camouflage fatigues and 'tigerfatigues'. All members wore patrol caps, LBE with two canteens, twoammo pouches containing four magazines each, one butt pack andcarried M-16 rifles (taped with slings removed) with bayonets. Twomembers of the patrol also wore NVA captured rucksacks. Only one 35mmcamera and two sets of binoculars and one small IR device werecarried. The first LRRP rations were issued and each member carriedsix after removing the outer package and discarding everything exceptthe main dehydrated meal. We intended to only eat one meal everyother day and our diet was supplemented by a variety of foodsincluding `jungle chocolate candy bars'. Only one PRC-25 radio wascarried; however, a vertical half-rhombic antenna was assembled inaddition to the two other standard antennas. Only one SOI was carriedand used to prepare the coded daily reports what were transmitted. Nofragmentation grenades were carried and only two smoke grenades, oneby both Grimes and myself. I carried the only signal mirror and asingle VS17 air panel to assist in any emergency extraction. Severalof us wore the 101st Recondo School taped soap dish containingsutures, morphine and other emergency medical items secured to ourLBE harness. All members of the patrol had a wound piece of `550chord' secured to our harness with a 2000 pound tensile strength snaplink.SSG Grimes and I drove a jeep to Division G-2 where captured NVAequipment was stacked in front of the entrance. We were given abriefing that included descriptions of the area we were to patrol andthe locations of suspected NVA regimental CPs. We were instructed torecommend and plot our routes and request for pre-arranged firesupport after Grimes completed his low aerial reconnaissance of thearea in an OH-13. Grimes and I returned to the Battalion area andtentatively selected the routes and observation points from thesupplied topographic maps and aerial photographs. We gave the LRRPpatrol members a warning order prior to Grimes performing thereconnaissance flight. Upon his return we discussed what he hadobserved and updated our information on the area but did not alterour intended routes. The entire patrol participated in thepreparation of the operations order that was later given by SSGGrimes. There were no rehearsals performed and the time prior todeparture was spent studying maps and checking equipment.We were inserted about two hours before nightfall using one UH-1 thatmade only one descent and hover for unloading located near an activeand believed to be safe farming area located about 2.5 km east of thearea where we would be operating. The actual LZ was located north ofthe area at coordinates 48PYA554597 and this area had been evaluatedfor enemy activity during Grimes' observation flight and by the lowlevel photo reconnnaissance performed by the Air Force. No enemycontact was anticipated and none were encountered. We moved rapidlyinto the tree-covered mountains at the southern limit of the patrolarea and proceeded northward along the border and through the nightto our first observation and study area (hilltop 847) and arrivedprior to BMAT. We had previously conducted numerous three daypatrols, including those along the Cambodia border, where we hadlocated and cleared a NVA Regimental CP and hospital; however theterrain had not been as steep but our navigation skills and physicalconditioning enabled us to move quickly.Movement, consisting of rapidly walking (routinely 3 km/hour)point topoint routes for approximately 18 hours, was intended to be limitedto late evening and night navigation with daily situation reportsmade in the early morning to airborne Air Force aircraft frompositions selected on mountain tops that afforded the opportunity toobserve long distances. Rising smoke from what was believed to becooking fires was plotted on the topographic maps that we carried;however, the planned patrol route was not altered and these sightingswere not evaluated from close range. We remained on well-worn andnarrow trails during most of the movements between observationpoints. We did not expect the enemy to establish ambush sites or setout mines and booby traps in these areas that were believed to beonly occupied by NVA troops. On several occasions we discovered enemyboot prints at stream and trail junctions but not along the trailroutes that we were following. We wore issued jungle boots andaltered our routes to avoid trails having damp and soft surfaceswhere our boots would have made an impression in the soil. This wasdifficult to achieve during night movement but when I checked ourtrail when doubling back during temporary halts, we managed to dowell at leaving no signs of our passing.After about a week of patrolling, an emergency extraction wasnecessary when Tyler became unconscious with a malaria fever. At therisk of compromising our location, we requested a single UH-1 to asmall tree lined hilltop where we used a rope hoist secured toTyler's snap link to lift him from a large rock outcropping to theskids of the hovering helicopter where the crew were able to grab andlift him onboard. After the aircraft departed, we moved quickly alonga narrow trail down to a valley and up to another mountain ridgewhere we `lay-dogged' until nightfall and then resumed our patrol asplanned.We were able to zig-zag along our planned routes and complete thedaily observation reports from the pre-selected observation points.Close enemy observation was only made on the last day of the patrolwhere we were to be extracted by two UH-1s from an area located in the northern limits of the patrol area. Eight NVA were found gathering firewood with their rifles leaning against one tree. That encounter will be described in a separate writing.  We were extracted by two UH-1s from a LZ that we had occupied forthe entire morning. The areas and trails leading into the LZ were reconned by different team members and we were certain that no enemy troops were within several miles of the LZ. The UH-1s arrived mid-day and on time and we dove aboard the helicopters and returned to basecamp where we requested and were given ice cream, milk and different
meals while we prepared our combined de-briefing report that was given by Grimes to G-2 and other division staff late that afternoon.  No other LRRP members accompanied him. When he returned, he informed us that everyone was surprised that we had not become lost since theother six teams had more difficulty navigating. When he and I werealone, he asked, "Would you like to dye your skin brown, put on black pajamas and parachute into North Vietnam?" "We have a chance to bethe first `Sting-Ray' team.

RANGER Jerry Conners, Captain (jconners_98@yahoo.com) 775-847-0214 (Ranger Class 502), Master Parachutist (Honor Graduate of 101st ABN Jumpmaster Class), Special Forces Weapons Expert (1964-65 SF MOI, Weapons & Branch), 101st RECONDO (Brand Number 1919), Army Aviator, AMOC, NRAS-PAL, Military Intelligence Officer Advance Course, Task Force Gramas [Special Operations] ... "Loose Nukes" Recovery Team Greece/Turkey 1974, Sensitive Weapons Theft (RAF Anti-Terrorist Operation) Interdiction Team Misseau, Fort Campbell Sport Parachute Club 1963-64, Distinguished Military Graduate University of Nevada.

"Coureur des Bois"
Chinese Bandit 13
Chinese Bandit Recon LRRP Team 1st Bn (ABN) 8th Cav