GVN units involved in the cordon were the 46th Regt, 25th ARVN Div. which killed 10 enemy soldiers May 14, and elements of the 5th ARVN Rangers, which killed six. A total of 8 AK-47 rifles, an RPG-7 launcher, 17 B-40 rocket rounds, six 82mm mortar boosters, and a Chicom radio were recovered from the area.

Brigade Intelligence Officer, Major Dennis F. Hightower, said that although less VCI were detained than in previous cordons, "this operation was aimed more at piercing the military structure, which was considerably dented."

A brief firefight this morning led to the death of a Viet Cong and discovery of a cache of mines and rockets by "Warriors" of the 5th Bn, 12th Inf.

Seven 107mm rockets, 3 antitank mines, 4 explosive charges, and 14 firing devices were recovered from a sampan. The sampan was discovered sunk in the Khai Canal 11 miles southwest of Saigon by reconnaissance elements if the "Warrior" battalion's Echo Co.

The firefight occurred as a "Boston Whaler" boat was enroute to pick up an ambush patrol. Two VC fired on the boat with small arms and the whaler's occupants returned fire. One on the VC Dropped and fell into the water. The other, dragging the dead VC's body, disappeared into the nipa palm.

The boat then picked up the patrol and returned to the scene of the firefight. A search turned up a blood trail leading into the nipa palm, along with one AK-47 rifle and the cache in the sunken sampan. The sampan was in excellent condition. Cannisters from the 107mm rockets and mines showed no rust. "I would say that the sampan was sunk moments before the firefight began," commented Captain Bernard P. Thomas from Claridge, Pa., the battalion intelligence officer. "The VC who had just deposited the material were probably startled by the whaler and engaged it with AK-47 fire."

The Redcatchers were unable to follow the blood trail very far into the nipa palm. Brigade units have frequently found enemy supplies and equipment hidden in the area where this cache was found.

Twenty-nine members of the Viet Cong Infrastructure, or "shadow government", were detained in the first day of another combined 199th-GVN cordon near Ben Luc.

Working with elements of the 50th Regt, 25th ARVN Div, the Brigade processed a total of 1,072 civilians through the cordon's combined holding and interrogation center (CHIC). This is the fifth large cordon in which the Brigade has participated since February.

In other action, "Old Guard" infantrymen from 2nd Bn, 3rd Inf killed one Viet Cong with a Claymore mine last night in an ambush 13 miles west of Saigon. In the ambush, which occurred in the "pineapple" region, members of the Echo Recon platoon also captured one AK-47 rifle and two magazines after engaging in a small fire fight with an estimated enemy squad.

Redcatchers today killed four Viet Cong and detained one while on patrol southwest of Saigon.

"Old Guard" infantrymen from Charlie Co, 2nd Bn, 3rd Inf. received fire from 8-12 Viet Cong 10 miles south of Duc Hoa while riding as passengers on a Navy river patrol boat (PBR).

Responding to the ambush, the Redcatchers opened up with small arms and automatic weapons fire. A sweep of the area yielded three VC bodies.

In another action, "Warriors" from Delta Co, 5th Bn, 12th Inf opened fire on one VC while moving into their night defensive position 10 miles southwest of Saigon. After calling for illumination, the VC was killed by small arms and M-79 grenade fire.

The fifth in a series of large 199th-GVN cordon and search operations ended today. The operation pulled up stakes after concentrating for five days on the town of Ben Luc 16 miles southwest of Saigon.

Fifty-eigth VIO, one VC military and two draft dodgers were held during the cordon. In addition of five Viet Cong were killed along the cordon's perimeter, three by Navy gunboats patrolling the Vam Co Dong River, two by a night ambush patrol of "Cottonbalers" from Alpha Co, 3rd Bn, 7th Inf.

More than 1,500 civilians were processed through the CHIC during the cordon. The people were fed and sheltered by Brigade Civil Affairs (S-5) Section under the command of Captain James B McGinns from Stanford, N.C. Entertainment was provided by cultural drama team from Long An Province.

Second Lieutenant Andrew Duskie from Concord, N.C., 199th Psyops officer, was presented an award by Lieutenant Nguyen Van Moi, Long An Province Psyops officer, in an informal ceremony during the last day of the cordon.

Elsewhere, an ambush patrol of "Warriors" from 5th Bn, 12th Inf. spotted and killed one Viet Cong 10 miles southwest of Saigon.

A "Silver Spur" gunship from the 3rd Sqdn, 17th Air Cav, flying in support of 199th operations, spotted, engaged and killed a single NVA soldier 2 miles south of Duc Hoa late this morning.

The enemy soldier was wearing a khaki uniform and helmet when engaged in the northern "pineapple" region. His pistol and propaganda leaflets were recovered. The incident occurred 15 miles west of Saigon.

One VC body was discovered today after helicopter gunship crews supporting Brigade elements strafed and area in the southern "pineapple" region 15 miles west of Saigon.

Sweeping the area after the gunship run, members of the "Old Guard" 2nd Bn, 3rd Inf. also found blood trials, and an enemy fighting position which showed evidence of recent occupancy.

In other action, "Warriors" from 5th Bn, 12th Inf detained six Viet Cong suspects after a helicopter light fire team observed two persons in a sampan on a canal 8 miles southwest of Saigon. The crewmen observed a 50-gallon drum in the sampan, and when they went in for a closer look, they were fired on by the sampan's occupants.