SPRING 1966 LONG RANGE RECONNAISSANCE PATROL (LRRP) by RANGER Conners (Chinese Bandit 13) A Long Range Reconnaissance

Patrol (LRRP) was formed from members of the 1st Bn (ABN) 8th Cav Recon platoon and attached to division headquarters in the spring of 1966 as directed by the Department of Defense where seven LRRP teams from the US Army Special Forces, US Marine Corps, Navy and other Army units were established to conduct simultaneous patrols within the Republic of Vietnam. LRRP operations had been suspended in Vietnam following the detection of the B52 recon teams and the 1st Cav Divisions insertion of an infantry battalion adjacent to a previously undetected NVA regiment. This operation was intended to assess the capability of selected American intelligence units to conduct LRRP operations for the purpose of locating and observing large size NVA units and identify any changes warranted prior to the resumption of long range ground reconnaissance operations in SE Asia. The Chinese Bandit five man team members were SSG Robert Grimes (Acting Platoon Leader of the Recon Platoon), SGT Jerry Conners, Keijo Hyvonen, Louis Tyler, and Terry Stevens. The first long range patrol was conducted along a 75 mile route adjacent to the Cambodian and Laotian borders for a period of twelve days and was performed while the other DOD directed teams performed LRRP operations in other portions of Vietnam. The major objective of the patrol was to locate North Vietnamese positions that had been reported along the border and to obtain specific essential elements of information that included descriptions of the enemys uniforms, weapons, communication and other equipment and the presence of any Caucasian personnel. We wore a mixture of uniforms including standard issue jungle fatigues, WWII vintage M42 jungle camouflage fatigues and 'tiger fatigues'. All members wore patrol caps, LBE with two canteens, two ammo pouches containing four magazines each, one butt pack and carried M-16 rifles (taped with slings removed) with bayonets. Two members of the patrol also wore NVA captured rucksacks. Only one 35mm camera and two sets of binoculars and one small IR device were carried. The first LRRP rations were issued and each member carried six after removing the outer package and discarding everything except the main dehydrated meal. We intended to only eat one meal every other day and our diet was supplemented by a variety of foods including jungle chocolate candy bars. Only one PRC-25 radio was carried; however, a vertical half-rhombic antenna was assembled in addition to the two other standard antennas. Only one SOI was carried and used to prepare the coded daily reports what were transmitted. No fragmentation grenades were carried and only two smoke grenades, one by both Grimes and me. I carried the only signal

mirror and a single VS17 air panel to assist in any emergency extraction. Several of us wore the 101st Recondo School taped soap dish containing sutures, morphine and other emergency medical items secured to our LBE harness. All members of the patrol had a wound piece of 550 chord secured to our harness with a 2000 pound tensile strength snap link. SSG Grimes and I drove a jeep to Division G-2 where captured NVA equipment was stacked in front of the entrance. We were given a briefing that included descriptions of the area we were to patrol and the locations of suspected NVA regimental CPs. We were instructed to recommend and plot our routes and request for pre-arranged fire support after Grimes completed his low aerial reconnaissance of the area in an OH-13. Grimes and I returned to the Battalion area and tentatively selected the routes and observation points from the supplied topographic maps and aerial photographs. We gave the LRRP patrol members a warning order prior to Grimes performing the reconnaissance flight. Upon his return we discussed what he had observed and updated our information on the area but did not alter our intended routes. The entire patrol participated in the preparation of the operations order that was later given by SSG Grimes. There were no rehearsals performed and the time prior to departure was spent studying maps and checking equipment. We were inserted about two hours before nightfall using one UH-1 that made only one descent and hover for unloading located near an active and believed to be safe farming area located about 2.5 km east of the area where we would be operating. The actual LZ was located north of the area at coordinates 48PYA554597 and this area had been evaluated for enemy activity during Grimes' observation flight and by the low level photo reconnaissance performed by the Air Force. No enemy contact was anticipated and none were encountered. We moved rapidly into the tree covered mountains at the southern limit of the patrol area and proceeded northward along the border and through the night to our first observation and study area (hilltop 847) and arrived prior to BMAT. We had previously conducted numerous three day patrols, including those along the Cambodia border, where we had located and cleared a NVA Regimental CP and hospital; however the terrain had not been as steep but our navigation skills and physical conditioning enabled us to move quickly. Movement, consisting of rapidly walking (routinely 3 km/hour)point to point routes for approximately 18 hours, was intended to be limited to late evening and night navigation with daily situation reports made in the early morning to airborne Air Force aircraft from positions selected on mountain tops that afforded the opportunity to observe long distances. Rising smoke from what was believed to be cooking fires was plotted on the topographic maps that we carried; however, the

planned patrol route was not altered and these sightings were not evaluated from close range. We remained on well worn and narrow trails during most of the movements between observation points. We did not expect the enemy to establish ambush sites or set out mines and booby traps in these areas that were believed to be only occupied by NVA troops. On several occasions we discovered enemy boot prints at stream and trail junctions but not along the trail routes that we were following. We wore issued jungle boots and altered our routes to avoid trails having damp and soft surfaces where our boots would have made an impression in the soil. This was difficult to achieve during night movement but when I checked our trail when doubling back during temporary halts, we managed to do well at leaving no signs of our passing. After about a week of patrolling, an emergency extraction was necessary when Tyler became unconscious with a malaria fever. At the risk of compromising our location, we requested a single UH-1 to a small tree lined hilltop where we used a rope hoist secured to Tylers snap link to lift him from a large rock outcropping to the skids of the hovering helicopter where the crew were able to grab and lift him onboard. After the aircraft departed, we moved quickly along a narrow trail down to a valley and up to another mountain ridge where we lay-dogged until nightfall and then resumed our patrol as planned. We were able to zig-sag along our planned routes and complete the daily observation reports from the pre-selected observation points. Close enemy observation was only made on the last day of the patrol where 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 which we had occupied for the 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 base camp 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 the other six teams had more difficulty navigating. When he and I were alone, he asked, Would you like to dye your skin brown, put on black pajamas and parachute into North Vietnam? We have a chance to be the first Sting-Ray team.