This week the division’s 2/17 Cavalry Squadron joined the 2d Brigade task force. Our area of operation was shaped like an inverted triangle, with the 1/501 in a swath at the top that included the An Lo bridge and the district town of Quang Dien. The 1/502, south of that, had the area around LZ Sally north to the Song Bo river and west to the mountains, and the 2/17 Cav was to its east along Hwy 1 and beyond down to Hue. The 2/501 would turn over FSB Pinky over to the 2/17 Cav and operate southwards, west of Hue and into the mountains. From brigade’s operation summary:

16 March: Companies B and C, 1-501 Inf, had night ambushes sprung resulting in 1 NVA and 1 VC KIA, Company A, 1-501, with an attached PF platoon attacked village at YD540320. Company B, 1-501 Inf, turned toward the NW and was engaged with SA and AW fire vicinity YD635325. While deploying maneuver elements, the company suffered 1 US KIA and 4 US WIA from an explosion of an unknown type booby trap. The attack continued and by late afternoon enemy action had ceased. Other enemy contacts were by sniper fire. Operations esulted in 1 US KIA and 17 US WIA. Enemy was 14 NVA KIA, 3 VC KKAm 1 VC suspect, 1 RPG-2 launcher, 2 rounds RPG-2, 1 60 mm mortar round, 350 rounds AK-47, 3600 pounds of rice, 6 bunkers destroyed, 5 ChiCom claymore mines, 2 round 82mm mortar, and 1 BAR.

From the diary of Cleo Hogan, commanding D/2/501: 20 March. Today we received orders to go up into the mountain outside Hue called Nui Hon Vuon, or Hill 309. At 1500 hrs NVA on top of Hill 309 opened up with automatic weapon fire and RPGs. 3d Platoon attacked while 1st Platoon supported. Too much resistance. I ordered 3d Platoon to withdraw. The Air Force bombed it for nearly an hour and 3d Platoon tried it again. I had to bring them back down. The Air Force sent in 4 more sets of fighters and they blasted it again. We tried for the third time but could not take the hill. Artillery blasted the hill all night long.

21 March. Still engaged with NVA on Hill 309. At 0700 the Air Force sent in two more sets of bombers. This time Dave Loftin attacked with 3d Platoon supporting, and for the fourth time we were forced to withdraw. The NVA have stood bravely in defense of this hill. After we withdrew, the NVA came out of their bunkers and were walking abound on top of their hill waving at us. We were only about 800 yards apart…

22 March. At 1145 hrs Loftin, 2d Platoon, went around the hill while we kept their heads down with automatic weapons fire. At 1225 Loftin was on top and had the hill secured. The hill isn’t very large, but it looks down on everytihing. From there you can see Hue, Hwy 1, the ocean. I am very proud of these men. We killed 23 NVA and lost 1 KIA and 8 WIA.

This hill was named “T-Bone” because of its shape, and we eventually put a fire support base on it.

The night before the 2/501 was to transfer its responsibility for FSB Pinky to the 2/17 Cav, the enemy hit LZ Sally with approximately 40 60mm mortar rounds, and simultaneously launched a coordinated rocket, mortar, and automatic weapons attack on FSB Pinky and its artillery position. Approximately ten enemy sappers reached Pinky’s perimeter wire, cut it, and entered the perimeter. The attack cost 7 US KIA and 21 US WIA. The enemy lost 25 NVA KIA, 21 VC KIA, 3 NVA PW, 2 VC PW, and a quantity of weapons, explosives, and ammunition. The attack demonstrated how dangerous and skilled was the enemy, not to be underestimated. We redoubled our efforts to make sure that he never believed LZ Sally to be vulnerable to his attack.