Night Assault on LZ Hammond: A Battle in Operation Thayer I

LZ Hammond was situated on the west side of National Highway QL-1, about six miles northwest of Phu Cat Airbase in Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam. On September 23, 1966, the North Vietnamese Army launched an attack on LZ Hammond to alleviate pressure on their forces being targeted in the Kim Son and 506 Valleys during Operation Thayer I. The assault commenced at 1:04 AM with a barrage of mortars, recoilless rifle rounds, and small arms fire, lasting eleven minutes. At least eleven 82mm and forty 60mm mortar rounds hit the perimeter, along with an undetermined number of recoilless rifle shots.

The attack left three American soldiers dead and thirty wounded. The fallen included PFC David R. Aiken and SGT Jimmy A. Johnson of B Battery, 3rd Battalion, 18th Artillery, and SGT Noe Magallan of Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry. Several helicopters were damaged, six critically. In response, the Americans launched countermortar and artillery fire at suspected enemy positions and withdrawal routes, while troops on the perimeter engaged with M79 grenade launchers and small arms.

At daybreak, patrols from the 1/9 Cavalry and Support Command swept the surrounding area. They discovered mortar and recoilless rifle positions, ammunition, and significant evidence of enemy casualties, including large pools of blood. A nearby village, just 150 yards from the perimeter, yielded fifteen Viet Cong suspects and additional equipment.

Pictured: David R. Aiken, Jimmy A. Johnson