23 November 1968Duty Log:
1002 ~ 3d Bde (Sgt Garty) At 0915 C 4-9 Rec’d sniper fire Fm 1 or 2 VC – Ret W/Org wpns, LFT, Arty.
1035 ~ 3d Bde (Sgt Garty) C 4-9 contact continues Res: 3 US WIA
1110 ~ MSG: From 3rd Bde – Request AHC immediately to react to the contact, to move one additional company of Infantry 4-9. Msg sent to 1st Bde. Release AHC immediately report to FSB Austin 3d Bde notified.
1131 ~ Mission to Chemical (Sgt Lewis) to provide at stand by CS drop at Little Bear Opns – 1133H Fr for C 4-9
1345 ~ G2 (Log) C 4-9 contact continues with SA/AW fire Fm est Reinf Sqd VC 4 A/S completed.
1445 ~ 3d Bde (Sgt Goetz) Neg fire at 1400 for C 4-9 A/S continues
1500 ~ Gs (Log) C 4-9 contact at 1445 rec’d SA/AW fire again – 19 US WIA (D/O) 5 US KIA
1635 ~ 3d Bde (Lt Sterrit) C 4-9 Res: 13 US KIA, Still rec’d sporadic fire as of 1615
1912 ~ Message to IIFFV (LTC Kenny) From (LTC Taylor) Relayed Gen. Williamson message to Gen. Kerwin on actions of C 4-9 Inf on 23 Nov 68 also gave report on US WIA and KIA.

        On 23 November 1968, Company C, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry, left Fire Support Base Wood in Trang Bang to embark on a combat assault mission. They were sent to an area where contact had been made the previous day, and were intended to be a blocking force for a couple companies of ARVN soldiers who were sweeping towards them from a different area. Things went along smoothly as they moved through and open area and passed a destroyed French Villa. They turned to go parallel to a tree line, when a soldier walking left flank discovered 3 fresh graves, one of them empty. Capt. Winter checked the graves out. Shortly after he returned to his position the firing started. It was initially assumed that they were receiving sniper fire. But as the machine gun and automatic rifle fire continued, it was apparent that they were up against much more. They had stumbled onto a fully reinforced regiment of VC regulars, and the fighting that day was fierce and not without casualties. The VC were behind trees and up in them, and had many men from the 4-9 pinned in an area where they were open targets. Those that were able to pulled back to a wooded area for cover. Tragically, there were 13 men who were unable to make it up the hill, and they will forever be remembered as brave, young Manchu warriors.

• David Ivan Briggs,
• James Clark Carlson,
• John Wayne Colbert
• Arnold Raymond Diekma,
• Michael Nelson Loitz,
• Richard Allen Milks
• Robert John Nixon,
• Frank Sanfilippo,
• Richard Craig Stevens
• Joseph Daniel Szidor,
• Mitchel Ray Tyler,
• Terrel James Vidrine
• Carl J. Winter