From Mellon’s position at the saddle, he could see a number of friendly elements who had advanced faster than he had, and who were now in his line of march. His 2nd Platoon had linked with one of these units and was working to eliminate enemy bunkers along the base of the hill. With his path crowded with friendly troops, Mellon picked up an APC and took his 3rd Platoon on an end run to get behind two NVA bunkers that were badgering him. As they reached the rear of the bunkers, the APC’s gunner began pouring .50-caliber machine-gun fire into the larger of the two.

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The heavy machine-gun fire must have gotten the enemy’s attention. Four NVA soldiers ran from a clump of bamboo beside the bunker, firing their AK-47s. The 4th Platoon, shooting from above, dropped all of them with several quick bursts of fire. Another enemy soldier dashed from the smaller bunker, collided with Mellon’s radio operator, then did a 180-degree turn and scurried back into the shelter. When efforts by the company’s interpreter to get the man to surrender failed, Mellon tossed a grenade into the bunker and killed him.

Meanwhile, fire from the APC’s .50 caliber had punched a hole about the size of a loaf of bread in the larger bunker. Mellon said: We were out of C-4 so my men borrowed two Claymores [mines] from the APC and duct-taped them to a bamboo pole. After inserting the business end into the hole and detonating it, my men argued whether one Claymore would not have been enough to destroy the bunker.

By noon, Company D, 4/31, had ferreted out the last enemy positions on Hill 63, thus allowing Dorland to concentrate his efforts on the enemy to his west. More reinforcements were also on the way. At 1330, Colonel Gelling inserted Captain Joe Stringham’s Company C, 4/31, into an LZ about 800 meters southwest of Hill 63. Stringham quickly cleared the LZ and headed for the fight. Charlie Company had gone only a few hundred meters before it became embroiled in a firefight that would last until dark.

At 1500, Dorland called for the battalion’s command and control helicopter. The enemy’s attack had slackened, and Dorland wanted to review the situation from the air. Dorland reported that dead NVA soldiers, weapons and abandoned equipment littered the battle area. The helicopter reconnaissance was Dorland’s last significant act as commander. He had grown steadily weaker from his wounds, but he fought to stay until the job was done. Late that afternoon Dorland was given a direct order to leave the field. Lieutenant Colonel Thomas, the 4/31 commander, flew into the battle area carrying a PRC-25 radio and took charge of the task force.

As darkness fell, the units established defensive perimeters and prepared for the next day. With Hill 63 secure, the plan was to trap the NVA in the pocket northwest of the two hills and the Ly Ly River. Two additional rifle companies were scheduled to join the task force the next morning to block enemy escape routes along the river. Company C, 4/31, would sweep and clear enemy positions on Hill X that had cursed Dorland during the day; Company D, 4/31, would sweep north; and Bierschmidt and Spohn’s companies would continue to push west to clear the islands of enemy.

The operation kicked off the next morning under dingy, low-hanging skies. Company C, 4/31, swept and cleared Hill X with little contact, then established a blocking position west of the hill late that afternoon. The other units were not so fortunate. Spohn and Bierschmidt’s companies ran into stiff opposition as they attempted to push west. Company D, 4/31, supported by tanks and APCs, ran into a firestorm when they tried to push north across the open paddy.

Company B, 2/1, and my rifle company, Company D, 3/21, were airlifted into the area shortly before 0930 and established blocking positions northwest of the battle area as planned. By noon, both units reported light contact with the enemy. Later in the afternoon, the two units killed 13 NVA soldiers who were trying to escape from the pocket.

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