Tactical Distractions: ChelteNam Campaign

1st Platoon visited a hamlet approx 1km NNE of Chaeh Chab Trei, looking for intelligence on a Chelt Cong supply camp believed to be in the local area, coming under light contact during the trip from CC forces which emphasized the likelihood of a nearby encampment. The villages, growing some sort of hemp product, were supportive towards BLUFOR and assisted with what information they have - but the headman of the village was assassinated shortly after providing the approximate location of the camp, and the village then came under attack from CC forces.

The platoon defended themselves, and after calling in a helicopter resupply, swept the jungle to the S of the hamlet, locating the supply caches and a substantial number of CC in bunkers, spider holes, and who had seeded the area with traps. The caches were destroyed through controlled detonation by the engineering team, and intel was recovered with the location of the local CC command bunker, hidden in the jungle in the hills appox 700m ENE of Chaeh Chab Trei.

A friendly USMC squad arrived with resupply and medical support at a close by rally point, and the platoon reboarded their vehicles to transit to the closest road location to the bunker site, coming under almost immediate attack after disembarking. Storming the hill, the platoon were able to secure the site, clear the bunker, and hold it against a vigorous counterattack, the Chelt Cong being supported by PAVN (People's Avon Valley Nationalist) regular forces artillery firing concealment smoke from across the river, destroying one enemy tank in the process through good use of rocket-launched smoke and a close assault.