Page 4 January 16, 2020 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Vietnam 19 June 1967
A Day at War
By Milford E. Traber
(PARENTAL WARNING:
Graphic and Violent Content)
I was active with The 9th Infantry Division
Company B 3rd Battalion 47th Infantry in the
Mekong River Delta from 28 January through
31 December 1967. Our duties were to search
for, route out and destroy the Vietcong and
North Vietnam Regular Divisions who had
operated for 40 to fifty years unchallenged
and firmly implanted in the rural areas around
and south of Saigon. On this particular day,
we were targeting an area around the town/
hamlet by the name of Tan An located just
18 miles southwest of Saigon. The operation
was a search and destroy mission. We were
looking for a division of NVA (North Vietnam
Army) regulars and their VC (Viet Cong)
support groups, which were estimated at about
10,000 people. There were about 2000 (two
Battalions) of us (3rd battalion 47th infantry
and 4th battalion 47th infantry). We were to
be assisted by a battalion of 101st airborne
(Screaming Eagle) and a Battalion of ARVN
(Army of the Republic of Vietnam), which
brought us to about 4,000 men. Soon after
we left the village contact was made with
the enemy. Company A 4th battalion 47th
infantry was the first. While in the process of
clearing an extremely large rice paddy, they
came under fire by a hostile and numerically
superior force.
The NVA were entrenched in the wood
line, and Company A was standing knee-deep
in mud and water. The NVA used a couple
of snipers to lure them into the killing zone.
When Company A 4/47 was standing in the
middle of the killing zone, the NVA opened
up with everything they had. Company A
was slaughtered in less than 90 seconds.
Everyone was hit, and only eight people
came out alive.
The Battalion Commander gave orders for
Company B and Company C 3/47 to attack
from our position, which was slightly to
the west and north of A-Company’s 4/47
position. We literally ran down trails that
were marked Tu Dai, which was a warning
to locals that this trail is booby-trapped. I
was carrying the M60 machine gun and just
happened to be the first one in our group to
go down that trail. Everyone who followed
did so by stepping exactly in my footprints.
I got lucky and did not step on or fall into a
booby trap, and as a result of everyone waling
in my tracks, nobody got hurt on that trail.
We hit the rice paddy and jumped in the mud
up to our knees and came on line for what
is known as a final assault (i.e. everybody
shoots laying down a base of fire sufficient
to make the enemy keep their heads down
long enough for us to walk over the top of
them and then eradicate them). We started
shooting and walking toward the enemy as
fast as the knee-deep mud would allow us.
The enemy watched as we advanced, and
when we were in their killing zone, all hell
broke loose.
The enemy opened up on us with everything
they had, and people started dropping like flies.
We had to keep moving because we were out
in the open with no cover or concealment.
Our only chance at this time was to walk
over the top of these people, route them
and kill them. I had already gone through
most of my ammo when my assistant gunner
brought the last belt. I deliberately left about
six rounds hanging out of the gun to make
it easier and faster to clip on another belt. I
had the gun over my arm and knee to keep it
out of the mud. My assistant gunner clipped
on the last belt and then took a round from
an AK47 in the chest, did a backflip, and
landed face up in the mud. I immediately
yelled for a medic.
As I looked around, I noticed that everybody
else was about 40 to 50 yards to my rear.
At least half of our force was either dead
or wounded, and the rest were pretty much
out of ammo. I saw the Doc coming, so I
stood up and began to shoot some more. The
Doc started to work on my assistant gunner
while I provided cover fire. I was raking the
field shooting from the hip and following
my tracers when I was hit in my left hand
by an AK47 round that tore my hand from
the machine gun and rendered me useless.
I immediately fell back to lower my profile
and screamed at the Doc that I was hit. The
Doc asked me where, and I told him in the
hand. He asked me “what do you want me
to do?” I, realizing that he was working on
a far more serious injury than mine, said
nothing at the moment, but “I can’t cover
you anymore.” The Doc said, “then get your
ass out of here.”
I looked around and spotted a bomb crater
that our platoon leader, platoon Sgt. Bush,
and a rifleman Merrill Suedemeyer were
holed up in. I started to do the low crawl
towards the crater, and I thought the world
was coming to an end. Bullets were hitting
in the mud all around me. I got lucky and
made the hole. When I rolled into the hole,
I found it provided concealment, but not
cover. The top was wet mud that bullets could
come through, and the rest of the hole was
leech-infested water up to your neck. The
Lieutenant ordered Suedemeyer to get the
machine gun and bring it back to the hole.
Suedemeyer set the gun on top of the hole
and started to shoot. He lasted about six to
ten rounds before he was shot in the neck,
fell over me and died.
Sgt. Bush jumped on the gun and fired
until the ammo was gone. At this point, a
hell of a lot of artillery started landing on the
enemy’s position. Then there was almost quiet
as the enemy waited for the Dust Off chopper.
During this time, the Doc crawled over to
the hole and told us that my assistant gunner
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Police Reports from page 3
Coast Highway.
A lost property report was taken at 1631
hours from the 300 block of Main Street.
Lost was a wallet.
A child custody court order violation report
was taken at 1651 hours from the ESPD lobby.
One male adult was arrested at 1850 hours on
Imperial Highway and Pacific Coast Highway
for being in possession of counterfeit money
and drug paraphernalia.
A petty theft report was taken at 2313 hours
from the 800 block of North Pacific Coast
Highway. The victim’s bags were taken.
Thursday, January 9
An eavesdropping report was taken at 1035
hours from the 700 block of Lomita Street. A
known subject recorded a private conversation
without consent.
An online petty theft report was taken at
1259 hours from the 500 block of North
Pacific Coast Highway. Unknown suspect(s)
took victim’s property from his hotel room.
A domestic battery report was taken at 1219
hours from the 300 block of Main Street. Exboyfriend
pushed ex-girlfriend against a wall.
A false identity report was taken at 1602
hours from the 300 block of Main Street.
Unknown suspect(s) took money from the
victim by false pretenses.
Friday, January 20
One male adult was arrested at 0142 hours
from El Segundo Boulevard and Pacific Coast
Highway for possession of a controlled substance,
possession of drug paraphernalia and
one LASD misdemeanor warrant.
One male adult was arrested at 0301 hours
from the 1700 block of East Imperial Highway
for suspicion of grand theft, possession
of a controlled substance, possession of drug
paraphernalia and three LAPD misdemeanor
traffic warrants.
One male adult was arrested at 0301 hours
from the 1700 block of East Imperial Highway
for suspicion of grand theft.
Two female adults were arrested at 0310
hours from the 1700 block of East Imperial
Highway for suspicion of grand theft.
A burglary (auto) report was taken at 0558
hours from the 500 block of East Walnut
Avenue. Unknown suspect(s) broke into the
victim’s vehicle and stole his property.
A burglary (auto) report was taken at 0636
hours from the 1400 block of East Grand
Avenue. Unknown suspect(s) broke into the
victim’s vehicle and stole his property.
A burglary (auto) report was taken at 0727
hours from the 1600 block of East Palm Avenue.
Unknown suspect(s) broke into the victim’s
vehicle and stole his property.
A shoplifting report was taken at 1020
hours from the 700 block of South Pacific
Coast Highway. Two female adult suspects
walked into the store and stole merchandise
without paying.
A lewd or lascivious acts w/child under 14
years report was taken at 1044 hours from the
300 block of Main Street.
A petty theft report was taken at 1821 hours
from the 400 block of South Pacific Coast
Highway. The suspect entered the store and
stole merchandise.
A burglary (commercial) occurred at 1934
hours from the 700 block of South Pacific
Coast Highway. The two suspects entered the
store and stole merchandise.
Saturday, January 11
One female adult was arrested at 0036
hours from Imperial Avenue and Main Street
for misdemeanor DUI.
One male adult was arrested at 0303 hours
from Imperial Avenue and Main Street for
misdemeanor DUI.
A dead body report was taken at 0527 hours
from the 500 block of Sierra Place. A male
adult was found deceased.
Property Report- A found property report
was taken at 1103 hours from the 500 block
of Virginia Street. A multi colored charm
bracelet was found.
A criminal threats report was taken at 1844
hours from the 300 block of Main Street. A
known male suspect threatened the victim.
Sunday, January 12
One male adult was arrested at 0317 hours
from the 100 block of South Pacific Coast
Highway for violation of a court order. •