1st Battalion, 506th Infantry
1969-1970
From Fall 1969 and Summer 1970, Rendezvous with Destiny; submitted by Larry Goodell (A Co, 1st BN, 1969-1970)
From the Fall 1969 issue of Rendezvous with Destiny magazine
August 24 -- An early morning sapper attack on Fire Base Berchtesgaden is successfully repelled by Currahees of B Company, 1st Battalion (Airmobile), 506th Infantry. Approximately 90 NVA sappers, aided by mortar crews on the surrounding ridgelines, attacked the 3rd Brigade command post prematurely after being discovered as a result of a normal alert and the firing of two "mad minutes", spaced several minutes apart. Alert and aggressive action by the fire base security force repulsed the attack at the perimeter. Aided by Cobra gunships from the 4th Battalion (Aerial Artillery), 77th Artillery, 31 enemy were killed. In addition, eight crew-served and I I individual weapons were captured.
October 2 -- The 1st and 2nd Battalions, 506th Infantry and a forward command post are air assaulted into an area 21 miles west of Dong Ha to assist in the redeployment of the 3rd Marine Division.
October 6 -- Currahees of the 1st Battalion (Airmobile), 506th Infantry take one prisoner at an enemy cache site 8 miles south of the DMZ. Located in a large cave complex, the cache contained 2 individual weapons, 22 122mm rockets, 30 60mm mortar rounds, 111 82mm mortar rounds, 20 ChiCom grenades, 17 enemy claymore mines, 2,750 pounds of fish, 3,850 pounds of rice, 36 rucksacks, 405 cans of Spam, and 6 boxes of dried spinach. The 3rd Brigade troopers also find 2 NVA bodies believed killed by them when they engaged an enemy force east of the cache site the day before.
By SP4 Daniel Suderman, from the Summer 1970 issue of Rendezvous with Destiny magazine
May 27 - Recon elements of the 1st Battalion (Airmobile), 506th Infantry, while in an ambush position, engage two NVA at a distance of 75 meters. An unknown size enemy force returns small arms and RPG fire. The "Currahees" retaliate and call for Aerial Rocket Artillery support. The successful operation results in 19 NVA KIAs.
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