27 Nov 1967 Vol 2 - No.47
Leaping From Helicopters,
Aero Rifles Kill 4 Viet Cong
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Leaping from their helicopters and assaulting through 500 meters of brush, the lightning-fast Aero Rifle Platoon killed four Viet Cong and detained two suspects near the village of Duong Long in Tay Ninh Province, 56 kms northwest of Saigon.
The quick reaction platoon, from the 25th Div's 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav, dropped into the landing zone after helicopters had sighted movement in the thick hedgerows.
It was the same area where intelligence sources indicated the presence of an enemy concentration.
"We were alerted over the radio of the activity," said 1LT William Mosenthal, the platoon leader from Norwich, Vt. "We charged at full speed to the hedgerows," he added.
Fanning out, the Aero Rifles received small arms fire from the hedgerows. Fire was returned, until two Viet Cong came into the open with their hands in the air. PSG James Price of Onaway, Mich, (or was it Robert Lee Price) and his elements found the body of a third Viet Cong. Two carbines were seized.
The helicopters of Delta Trp spotted more movement in hedgerows to the southwest. Two more helicopter loads of Aero Rifles were flown in, as the 2nd Plt of Bravo Trp rushed up in their armored personnel carriers, dismounted and helped beat the brush.
During the sweep, Price saw fresh footprints around a well checked earlier by the platoon. As one of the men peered down the well, he was shot at, from a tunnel dug into its side.
"We moved out of the angle of fire and began digging," Price explained. "Our equipment was pretty modern. . . a couple of bayonets and some bamboo stakes," Price said jokingly. After the digging and fighting was over, the Aero Rifles had added three more Viet Cong to the day's list of KIAs.
Before the tunnel was destroyed, the platoon found a RPG-2 rocket launcher and six rockets, a CHICOM sub-machinegun and small arms ammunition in the tunnel.
The Delta Trp Aero Rifles suffered no casualties during the contact. "Except one; I got sunburned," lamented Price.