"Victory"*
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Date: 16th November 1965*
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Time: 04:20*  
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Mission type: USA defence and counter-attack*
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NVA Units/Formations present on map:98/34 *
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Map size: Huge (160 x 200)*
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Visibility: 02 (full moon)*
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Turns: 32*
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Lt. Col Hal Moore's After Action Report :*
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B. At approximately 0400 hours, the enemy began probing the 
B Company, 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry sector. At 0422 hours a force of 
250 - 300 enemy attacked B Company, 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry in the 
lst Battalion, 7th Cavalry sector. The route of attack was from the 
southeast as shown at Tab M. Flareship illumination was called for and 
continuous until 0545 hours. The attack was beaten off by small arms 
and artillery fires. At 0431 hours another attack by 200 enemy came in 
on B Company, 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry. Each time a flare would light 
up, the enemy would hit the ground or fall back into the cover and con- 
cealment offered by the high grass and trees. The artillery took a 
heavy toll. There were four batteries firing. The PAVN could be seen 
dragging off numerous bodies. By 0503 hours, the weight of his attack 
had shifted more to the southwest with approximately 100 enemy attacking. 
This was repulsed by 0535 hours. At 0550 hours, the flareship ran out 
of flares. Artillery illumination was then employed. The mortars of 
both battalions had been firing HE since the attack began. Mortar 
illumination was then permitted. At 0627 hours, another attack came 
directly towards the CP. At 0641 hours the enemy had been beaten 
off and was dragging off bodies under fire. B Company, 2d Battalion, 
7th Cavalry had performed magnificently, and had suffered only 6 lightly 
wounded, During the attack, two separate resupply runs of ammo were 
made by the Recon Platoon, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry under fire and one 
by the XO and radio operators of B Company, 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry. *
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C. At 0641 hours, orders were given for all men on the perimeter 
to spray the trees and the anthills and bushes forward and over their 
positions at 0655 hours for two minutes to kill infiltrators, snipers, etc. 
Immediately upon firing, a force of 30 - 50 PAVN exposed themselves 150 
meters forward of Company A, 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry and began firing 
their weapons. Apparently the "mad minute" free spraying, prematurely 
triggered a possible enemy attack. HE and VT artillery was brought in 
and the attack was beaten off in twenty minutes. The tactic of spray 
firing accounted for 6 PAVN dead. One hung from a tree forward of the 
left platoon of B Company, 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry. Another dropped 
out of a tree immediately forward of the B Company CP. One PAVN was 
killed about one hour later attempting to climb down a tree and escape. 
My company commanders reported to me that the men liked this spraying. 
In addition to killing enemy, apparently it affords a release of ten- 
sion built up through the night, and clears any doubts as to enemy 
nearby. At 0716 hours, a cautious and deliberate sweep was made by 
Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry and the Recon platoon, 1st 
Battalion, 7th Cavalry throughout the interior and fringes of the LZ. 
I ordered this conducted on hands and knees to search for friendly 
casualties and PAVN infiltrators in the high elephant grass. The trees 
were also searched. There were negative results. *
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D. At 0810 hours, all units on the perimeter were ordered to 
coordinate with their flank units, and prepare to move out on a search 
and clear sweep 500 meters commencing on order. The movement began at 
0955 hours, however, after moving 50 - 75 meters B Company, 2d Battalion, 
7th Cavalry came under fire. One platoon leader was seriously wounded. 
All movement was stopped. B Company, 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry pulled 
back to the perimeter foxholes and close-in artillery and TAC Air was 
called in. We then moved back out; eliminated all resistance and policed 
the area. 27 more PAVN were killed on this sweep. Enemy dead were ly- 
ing throughout the area. I saw massive evidence of dead and wounded evac- 
uation -- blood, body fragments, bloody garments, etc. We also brought 
in three friendly KIA, Numerous enemy weapons were collected. Many were 
seen which had been fragmented by fire. *
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E. At approximately 0930 hours, the first elements of the 
2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry (-) began arriving at X-RAY. They closed at 
approximately 1200 hours. At 1040 hours, the Brigade Commander ordered 
me to move the battalion; Company B, 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry; and the 
3d Platoon, A Company, 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry by UH-1D to FALCON LZ, 
then to Camp Holloway at Pleiku for two days of rest and reorganization. 
He ordered me to relieve my elements on line with elements of the 2d 
Battalion, 7th Cavalry and the 2d Battalion, 5th Cavalry. This I did. 
However, before moving B Company, 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry, I had them 
conduct one final lateral sweep across their front out to 150 meters. 
This was the scene of extremely heavy action and I wanted the battlefield 
thoroughly policed. The extraction by UH-1D was completely successful, 
and was covered throughout by artillery and TAC Air delivered around 
X-RAY, on the flight routes in and out, and on the slopes of the mountain. 
There was no enemy fire at any time during the extraction. The choppers 
were not brought in until aircraft loads were spotted on the LZ. Hence 
the UH-lDs were only on the ground a few seconds. Concurrently with 
troop extraction, excess supplies, enemy weapons, casualty gear and 
weapons, and casualties were evacuated. Enemy hand grenades, ammo, 
anti-tank weapons, etc were placed in a large hole and arrangements 
were made with CO, 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry for demolition by his 
engineer teams. Many other enemy weapons had previously been destroyed 
elsewhere in the battle area. By 1456 hours all elements of the 
1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry; B Company, 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry and 
the 3d Platoon, A Company, 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry had been extracted 
from X-RAY bound for LZ Falcon. By 1830 hours all elements had left 
LZ FALCON by air and closed into Camp Holloway, vicinity of Pleiku.*
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VIII. ENEMY, FRIENDLY CASUALTIES *
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A.* 
ENEMY: *
Killed, body count – 634 *
Killed, wounded (Est) – 1215 *
Captured, evacuated - 6*
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B. *
FRIENDLY (INCLUDES ATTACHED UNITS): *
Killed - 79* 
Wounded - 121 *
Missing - None *