 On the 16th of November, Operation Attleboro is in full swing. Here at Tinyen Airstrip combat veterans of the 1st Infantry Division begin boarding assault helicopters to move into the battle in the forward area. Word has been received that contact has been made with the Viet Cong. These units are quickly deployed to reinforce other elements of the Big Red One already in battle. At another location in Tinyen Province, more troops of the 1st Infantry are hitting a DC headquarters. Under pressure, the enemy deserts his camp, and the tough U.S. troopers overrun the base, destroying it as they go. Stockpiles of enemy food, such as these crocs of smoked fish, are discovered and destroyed. Stores of salt are also located. Biggest find of all, however, is 1,250 tons of rice. It is the largest enemy rice cache taken during Operation Attleboro. Demolition men set charges in the pile as the rice is ordered destroyed. The rice, along with everything else in the suspected enemy distribution center, is put to the torch. The smoke from the conflagration can be seen from the air many kilometers away. On the 18th of November, gunships of the 1st Infantry Division leave Tinyen Air Script. Seeking enemy main force units in Warzone C, they are going to reconnoiter by fire. Throughout Tinyen Province, 96 kilometers northwest of Saigon, Operation Attleboro has been going on for more than a month. From the air, as well as in the jungles below, the enemy is difficult to pinpoint. These missions help to locate shifting enemy units. All roads and rivers are closely observed for any sign of Viet Cong traffic. Jungles bordering these thoroughfares screen much of them from view. An artillery-spotting aircraft darts by below, calling in how it's a fire on a suspected VC position. A puff of purple smoke marks the target and the gunship laces the area with machine gun fire. Friendly shells whistle by on their way to the target and it's time to get out. At Dao Cheng, 24 kilometers east of Tinyen, a group of engineers is lined up on a recently completed bridge. It is 21 November and these men are about to be decorated for heroic deeds performed during Operation Attleboro. The silver star for gallantry in action is presented by Major General William E. D. Pugh, commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division. Also, the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious achievement. The red satin pillow with its proud burden moves down the long line keeping pace with the general, each individual receiving the symbol of the Army's recognition with dignity and justifiable pride in a job well done. In the vicinity of Black Virgin Mountain, northwest of Tinyen, an Army 01E bird dog spots enemy positions with marker rockets, pointing out the foe for attacking U.S. Air Force jets. Things get hot for the communist forces as napalm rains down from the jets hissing by overhead. By the 3rd week of November, tactical air support for American ground forces engaged in Operation Attleboro is being provided at the rate of 50 or more air strikes per day. On the fringe of the strike path, the Army's squatter plane observes the effect of the jet attacks. Then, when the aerial assault has ended, artillery units take over to deliver the final portion of the 1-2 punch. At Dao Cheng, headquarters of the 1st Infantry Division during Operation Attleboro, the airstrip is in constant use as planes shuttle in and out of its 2,300 foot runway. C-123s of the U.S. Air Force bring in troop reinforcements and all kinds of supplies. One moment it's drums of fuel being unloaded, then it's boxes of ammunition. By 23 November, 300,000 pounds of cargo. Another assignment given to the Air Force is the large-scale evacuation of Vietnamese civilians from the war zone. Gathered from critical areas by our infantry, these people are transported to safer localities. The amount of activity at Dao Cheng airfield is almost unbelievable as Operation Attleboro begins reaching its peak. Between Army helicopter troop lift missions, the Air Force uses the unimproved strip. The runway here is only 30 feet wide. Throughout the western and northern portion of Tainin Province, combined U.S. ground forces from three divisions and two brigades are uprooting communist main force units from long-held positions. By 23 November, 1,000 of the enemy have been killed and large stores of enemy equipment and supplies, including 2,500 tons of rice, have been captured. Again and again during Operation Attleboro, forward air controllers call upon Air Force jets to soften up pockets of enemy resistance. Response from tactical air support units is almost instantaneous. Enemy targets are hard hit as forward air controllers direct the strikes. In these official U.S. Air Force films, North Vietnamese regular Army units are under attack. Entrenched in a complex of fortified bunkers, the enemy launched a mortar attack against elements of the 1st Infantry Division. To dislodge the enemy main force units from their position, napalm and high explosive are used against them. Forward air control pinpoints the targets. During Operation Attleboro, more than 200,000 tons of bombs and napalm are dropped on the enemy, as the U.S. Air Force provides 24-hour support for American ground forces engaged in driving the enemy out of Tainin Province. During the period 21 through 24 November, elements of the 25th Infantry Division push into the jungles of Khantum Province during Operation Paul Revere IV. The mission of this unit is to locate enemy positions which have been bombed out by our B-52s and evaluate the damage. For the troopers, it's rugged going as they penetrate the wilderness. The undergrowth is so thick in this area, it obscures enemy booby traps planted along the way. One of the troopers is impaled through the ankle with a concealed punjai state. Following this unfortunate incident, the troopers are doubly alert as they push on toward their objective. At the site where the B-52s had struck, a landing zone is established and additional troops fly in. The location is approximately 56 kilometers northwest of Pleiku. In this locality, the men of the 25th find 90 demolished bunkers and the bodies of 66 North Vietnamese Army regulars. From all appearances, the B-52 strikes were effective in neutralizing these enemy positions. For three days, the tropic lightning infantrymen sweep the area west of Plei Jering, but no contact is made. Finally, they return to their forward base camp at Plei Jering. As the mission ends, dry clothing is the first thought of the returnees. Mail from home is next. At their mudclog command post near Lai K, elements of the 11th Armored Cavalry prepare for a road clearing action along Highway 13 in support of Operation Attleboro. All vehicles taking part in the armored convoy are given a final check and many are loaded with sandbags. These are used to help reduce damage from exploding mines. A last-minute briefing is held on possible danger points along the route. Then it's time to move out. Made up of tanks, self-propelled 105-millimeter howitzers and armored assault vehicles, the convoy's mission is to keep the road to unlock 50 kilometers to the north free of Viet Cong activity. Along the way, the battered wrecks of APCs destroyed in previous battles remind the men to proceed with caution. Parts of the highway are in bad shape, and the convoy slows down. The road is strategically located near the eastern border of Thay Ninh province and, despite its condition, is vital to supply and communications in the area. In late afternoon, the convoy arrives without incident at their unlock command post. First order of business is setting up camp and establishing a defense perimeter for the night. Aiming circles are set to position the battery of howitzers for night-firing harrisment of the V.C. Next morning, 15 November, the men of the 11th get ready to do it all over again. In addition to keeping the highway open, the convoy is also acting as a blocking force to prevent the escape of fleeing Viet Cong as Operation Attleboro sweeps across Thay Ninh province. The road winds through a heavily wooded area, and the men remain on alert for signs of a possible ambush. At key points along the route, the convoy halts for fire emissions. Once again, aiming circles are set, and the self-propelled howitzers are brought into position to pound suspected V.C. positions along the road ahead. Mission completed, the convoy moves ahead toward Lai K. Throughout the operation, the 11th armored encounters only sporadic sniper fire, and the vital highway is kept open. Spearheaded by three of the Navy's new patrol air-cushioned vehicles, a series of joint Navy Special Forces operations are wreaking havoc among the V.C. in the Mekong Delta. These strange-looking craft can travel over both land and water at speeds up to 60 miles an hour. A twin-caliber 50 machine gun highlights the vehicle's armament. In addition, it carries its own radar, two M-60 machine guns, and a complement of troops. Driven forward by an airplane-type motor, however, the crafts move out from base camp on the first leg of a typical one-day mission in the area of Makhwa, 60 kilometers southwest of Saigon. This is a low-lying farm region, but the unusually heavy rains have caused floods which have not yet receded. First stop is an isolated Special Forces camp, where the packed Vs must pick up a number of CIDG troops familiar with the terrain. Meanwhile, at base camp, several armed helicopters are being ready to support the packed V's surface operations. In addition to caliber 7.62 machine guns, these Hueys also carry a full complement of 2.75 rockets. Armed and fueled, the choppers join the mission. Leaving the Special Forces camp, the packed Vs fan out to begin the sweep. The floods in the area have created hardships for the VC by inundating his caches and hiding places and making it harder for him to move. The choppers join in above, staying in constant communication as they search the vast flooded area for any sign of suspicious activity. A group of dug-ups is sighted and a packed V speeds toward the spot. The boats are quickly brought alongside and the occupants question. They are local farmers and nothing suspicious is found. After their dug-outs and belongings have been thoroughly searched, they are allowed to proceed. The packed Vs move on across the trackless marshlands. Also supporting the sweep are several aircats, small fiberglass airboats mounted with a caliber 30 machine gun. Finally, VC contact is made, as one of the packed Vs is hit by sniper fire from an isolated hut. The crafts twin 50s immediately go into action, smothering the hut with a hail of bullets. Riflemen open up on VC spotted hiding underwater and breathing through reeds. An armed Huey in the area makes a pass at the target, adding its 2.75 rockets to the barrage. Just to make sure, a gunner in the chopper pours in some fire of his own, as the hut and nearby bunker are a hard hit. When it's all over, troops from the packed V cautiously search the remains. Several VC bodies are found, but miraculously, one man has survived the onslaught. Taken aboard, he seems dazed as he receives medical treatment for his wounds. The sweep moves on. Not far away, several camouflaged VC dug-outs are discovered. They yield some rice, ammunition, and a number of documents wrapped in waterproof coverings. At a prearranged rendezvous point, the packed Vs come together. Prisoners, including the one blood-spattered VC who survived the attack, are carefully gathered together for transfer to a chopper. The Huey arrives, and while hovering just above water level, loads the prisoners for return to base camp. Continuing the operation, the packed Vs draw fire from a tree-covered island. They move through the area, raking the undergrowth with bullets in an attempt to flush the VC. The sniping subsides, and troops wearing armored vests wade into the marsh. Two more VC are spotted hiding underwater, and one is killed trying to escape. The other is captured and brought aboard. With the hour growing late, the men call it a day and head for home. During the return trip, they remain constantly on alert as hundreds of empty shells tell the story of the day's action. Reaching base camp, the vehicles are brought ashore, and their weary crews finally relax. VC prisoners are assembled for preliminary questioning to be followed by airlift to the rear. Another Navy special forces operation concludes successfully. With a few bullet holes, the only enemy score. At Sui Da, a Vietnamese force under special forces command lands for a well-deserved rest when the area is suddenly raked by sniper fire. Caught by surprise, the men scramble for cover as the airstrip's defensive force immediately goes into action. Hit and pinned down by the heavy fire, the wounded await medical attention. Armored personnel carriers quickly move out for a counterattack, but the snipers have faded back into the jungle. Meanwhile, the men wounded in the attack are immediately evacuated by air ambulance to Tainin airstrip, five kilometers away. Awaiting transport to the hospital, the beleaguered troops wonder how long it will be before they are back in action. Near Tainin is the site of a special forces training camp. The heavily fortified installation serves as the main facility for training civilian defense irregular forces in the area. The course in combat tactics is taught by Vietnamese. Classroom instruction is kept to a minimum with the heavy emphasis on field exercises. Looking like walking trees, the camouflage troops cautiously sweep toward a simulated VC position. A smoked grenade signals VC contact and under the watchful eye of an instructor, a concentrated attack is launched. Five days later, it's the real thing as the camp is used as a base for Operation Renegade. Vietnamese CIDG troops under the supervision of the fifth special forces are flown to an LZ 35 kilometers southeast of Tainin, where Viet Cong anti-aircraft positions are suspected. Two airstrikes have softened up the area, however, and the sweep finds it largely deserted with the VC positions abandoned. Twelve small U.S. Navy minesweepers have the responsibility of keeping the Saigon River and Maine Harbor clear of Viet Cong mines. A great volume of critical war material flows through Saigon daily. Any delay could hamper our efforts. The Viet Cong, well aware of this, have made many attempts to mine the river and Maine Harbor. Minesweeping is a dangerous job. The river banks offer the constant threat of Viet Cong attack. To protect themselves from such attacks, these boats are armed with both heavy and light machine guns. Men and weapons stand ready against sudden attack. On this day, 28 November, enemy small arms fire strikes the water around the ship. Our men answer with grenade launchers and machine guns, raking the shore with a concentrated barrage for seven minutes. U.S. Army helicopters may be called in the event of attack. During the skirmish, 4,000 rounds of ammunition were fired. The boats continued on patrol. In special ceremonies at Phu Loi, Vietnam, held the morning of 24 November, Premier Nguyen Cao Ky presents awards to officers of the First Infantry Division, including Major General William E. De Pew, the First Infantry Division Commander, and Brigadier General James F. Hollingsworth, Jr., Assistant Division Commander. Also honored is Brigadier General John R. Dean, Assistant Division Commander. General Westmoreland and two Vietnamese generals watch the ceremony. Other division officers receive the Republic of Vietnam National Order 5th Class. They are congratulated by General Westmoreland. He awards the U.S. Silver Star for valor to three Vietnamese officers and an enlisted man. Vietnamese awards for gallantry are given to a number of U.S. enlisted men. Four days later, Premier Ky arrives at Pleiku Air Base, where he is greeted by boys from the Military Academy at Pleiku. Premier Ky is proceeding by helicopter to Plei Do Chi, an advanced camp of the Fourth Division, where he will give awards. Later, the Premier returns to Pleiku with Major General Arthur S. Collins, Jr., who was awarded the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with ponds. Generals Larson, Collins, and Lee bid him goodbye, and the Premier begins his return flight. On 16 November, villagers of Soi Mon, near Cameron Bay, gather for a periodic visit by an assistant medic from Fifth Special Forces. Mothers, children, and old folks make up the bulk of those seeking medical aid. The village chief announces sick call, and the patients line up for treatment by Sergeant John Pierna in an old villa. The sergeant is capable assisted by his Vietnamese nurse, who helps to keep order among the 100 villagers seeking aid for headaches, rashes, or other minor ailments. After sick call, the medics distribute candy to the eager youngsters. By giving as much help as we can to the beleaguered people of Vietnam, we hope to make more friends, just one more way to win the war. In the heavily populated refugee-packed city of Saigon, seen here in late November, the handling of refuse is a major problem. Tons of it are created daily. It is brought to central points by primitive methods such as this hand-drawn cart, then manually loaded onto old trucks. Even at the dump, slow hand labor removes the refuse. The U.S. Army has now introduced unloading by power equipment. Sergeant Glen F. McCullough, a special forces soldier, now advises the sanitation department. Sergeant McCullough, the sole U.S. advisor to this 1,500-man operation, was asked... Sergeant McCullough, how do you get the Vietnamese people to use the new ideas and to use the new tools you have here? Well, sometimes it's a little bit difficult to do. First of all, you've got to demonstrate the use of the tool to them, show them how to use it, teach them how to use it, show them that it's better than maybe the antique they've been using. And once you've got them convinced that it's no problem, they go right forward. Could you give us an example of this? All right, one thing is an electric metal cutter. These fellows have been used to cutting all their sheet metal and everything with a chisel and a hammer, this kind of antique-y method. So I went down to the PAD warehouse and got an electric metal shears. And it took about two and a half days of intensive showing and teaching. And finally, they got to the point and now they use it every day. They like it real well. And once you show them how easy it is and how much better it is to use the electricity, there's no problem after that. The Sergeant trains mechanics, oversees maintenance, and supervises conversion of equipment, such as flatbeds to dump trucks. Before Sergeant McCullough arrived, about 400 tons of refuse were collected each month. With his modern methods and new power equipment from the U.S., the department now averages 1,500 tons a month. The Infantry School at Fort Benning is host to Sergeant Major of the Army, William O. Wildridge. On 15 November, the Sergeant Major calls on Major General Robert H. York, Commanding General of Fort Benning. He also makes a courtesy call to Brigadier General Charles M. Mount, Jr., Commanding General of the Army Training Center. The Army's number one enlisted man, who recently returned from Vietnam, then joins trainees in the field, where he observes a class in bayonet grills. He also sees the men being trained for hand-to-hand combat. Then it's on to the firing range, where trainees squeeze them off. The Sergeant Major, who received much of his training at Fort Benning, joins the troops for lunch and some informal talk. I could sit here for an hour and just tell you how much the training program has improved in the Army since I've been in it. And you get absolutely the best training that the Army has ever given today. And, of course, this makes you the best soldier the Army's ever turned out. There's no question about it. We're real proud of you, and we love to see you finish your training and come out to the regular units. And they're all delighted to have you because they know that you're a good soldier when you get there, and you're well trained, and you're well motivated. And we're just welcoming you to the team, and we're real proud of you and real glad to have you. I'm going over to Vietnam again in December on a visit, and it's always just great to see the guys over there and talk with them. And they're doing a fine job and getting along fine. As a matter of fact, they have less problems in Vietnam than we do anywhere else in the Army. And I guess it just proves the old saying that a busy soldier doesn't have time for problems, and they're pretty busy over there. I enjoyed having lunch here with you. It's real good, and I'm very happy to see that we haven't changed one thing in the Army. We've still got plenty of carrots. The next day, Sergeant Major Woldridge stops in at Martin Army Hospital, where he visits with soldiers who were wounded in Vietnam. How are you doing, man? Who are you with? 173rd Airborne. 173rd? Well, you know, we're sort of second cousins. It's a fine outfit. You know, your old boss has just been promoted to Major General, and he's gone down to command the training center of Fort Pope Louisiana. General Williamson? Yes, sir. I saw that in Army times and also local paper, where he's been promoted and going down. Well, I guess the 173rd is still running all over the 3rd Arvin Co. area and fighting all over the place like they always do. You getting along all right, man? Everything's real good. Taking good care of me. Everything's okay. Plenty of food. Right. Give your seconds here if you want it. Yes, sir. All right, all you need. No problem. No problem. Nice to see you. Right. Nice to meet you. Take care.