The amount of artillery support during the past two days has created a shortage at the firebases. The CH-47s are hauling large sling loads into the bases and with help from the 355th with their flying cranes(CH-54s)the units are receiving the needed ammo. The problem is that we are having a hard time getting into the bases. B-52 strikes are being employed all over the valley today. Our window to get in and out of the bases is very thin today.

Company A/1/8 has one of its platoons in contact by mid morning. They have one KIA and are pulling back and calling for mortars. During the first foley of support one of the mortar tubes at TasK Force Alpha's location explodes. They have 12 wounded and we rush to Hill 467 to evacuate. We take the wounded to LZ Mary Lou. Afterwards we are to report to the resupply area.

We are assigned to help place eight artillery censors. These look like a 105mm shell with a flat plate attached to the base. It has a small antenna mounted to it. We are to drop these out of the ship and they will hit nose first into the ground. At that time a signal will activate and the artillery peole will be able to hone in on this signal. After two hours and dropping all eight censors in the valley none of them work. We return to resupply once the little circus is over.

Company A/1/8 does not return to the contact area. They instead establish a night location. The area where D/3/12 engaged the bunkers has been pounded all day by air strikes and artillery. A few aircraft report ground fire but nothing serious. Today has been very hot. Maybe the NVA took the day off to cool down.

We resupply until dark and then are released. The lack of contact creates an uneasy calm. We know they are up to something. Its his ball and his field so we will just have to wait to find out what will come next.