At the end of 1966 and the start of 1967 the 119th's mission changed from one of rotating to different units of ARVIN support to one of primary support to the 1st Brigade of the 4th Infantry Divsion. The 1st Brigade's mission centered around the Dak To area. The Tri-Border area was of main concern. The 1st Brigade which included the 1/8th, the 3/8th, and the 3/12th and support artillery of the 6/29th. They established Fire Support Bases (FSB) on several of the mountain tops in the area.
We would rotate off this mission only for a sixty day period while we flew SOG out of FOB II at Kontum. Primary mission would mean the commitment of eight to ten slicks and two to four gunships pre day. The remaining ships which were flyable would go to other units in need of a ship for that day.
From Feb. 1968 till July 1968 we were supporting any units under the control of 1st Brigade at Dak To. Besides the assigned units of that brigade we also flew for the 1/22nd and the 1/35th of the 4th Infantry unit and also three different elements of the 101st ABN which were involved during Operation Mathews during May and June of 1968.
We pulled our tour with SOG during August and Sept. of 68. In Oct. we returned to Dak To supporting the 1st Brigade. We also helped in the move of the 2nd Brigade from Ban Me Thout area to Kontum. The 4th Avn. Bn. which had been main support for 2nd Brigade was not familar with the hazards of flying in this part of the country and several of their pilots flew with us to gain the experience that they would need to fly in the mountain areas of this A/O. Because of the needs of the 3rd Brigade the 4th Avn. moved back to Hensel field and support for the 2nd Brigade became ours and the 170th's mission. We spent Oct. and Nov. in and around the Dak To Plei-Trap valley area pulling several snifer missions and LRRP operations. During these two months we lost four slicks to hostile fire.
In Dec. of 68 and Jan. 69 part of the company was sent to the coast and flew out of Lane Army Airfield and supported units of the ROK. Beginning in Feb. 1969 we were unassigned as far as mission status was concerned. Most of us flew "Hash and Trash" missions for different units in the area. March 1 1969 we went into the Plei-Trap with the 1st Brigade. We put the 3/12th into Swinger from Ple-Mrong and the 3/8th from Polei-Kleng to LZ Pause. The 7/17th put the 1/8th into FSB 20 from Dak To. During the period of March 3 to March 7 while the Battle of LZ Brace was going on the units of the 1/35th came under operational control of 1st Brigade and they were deployed into LZ Mary. They would work this area until LZ Brace was secure and elements of the 3/12th moved into that area. They were then airlifted back to Dak To and given to 2nd. Brigade. At the end of March the 1/8th was pulled out of the valley and was redeployed to An Khe. The 3/12 would remain until April 14th.The 1/22nd had come under 1st Brigade's control on April 1st. The moved into the valley and once established took over the 3/12th roll. The 3/12th was then pulled to An Khe. During April of 1969 part of our company was sent to An Khe to soppurt the units of the 1st Brigade which were enroute there. On April 15th the 2nd Brigade took control of the southern part of the Plei-Trap. The 3/8th was put under 2nd Brigade's command and they remained there with the 1/22nd and the 1/12th.
At An Khe although our primary mission was still the 1st Brigade until all the units arrived we were farmed out to several units in the area. We supported the 3rd Brigade several times because we were close to their A/O and the 1st was still rebuilding itself from the losses that it suffered in the Plei-Trap. By the time I left in Sept. 1969 we were spending lots of time in Happy Valley. Somebody else will have to fill in the blanks from then until the company stood down.