Ambush at Ap Bac

​Early in 1967, the U.S. Army’s 2nd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division joined forces with the Navy’s Mobile Riverine Forces (MRF).  On June 19, 1967, the Army and the Navy launched their first joint operation, code name Concordia I.  The objective was to capture a large enemy redoubt that was providing training and shelter for the Vietcong in the Can Giuoc District in the Mekong Delta. The operation called for five companies of the 47th Infantry Regiment, 3 from the 4/47th Infantry and 2 from the 3/47th Infantry. The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) 2/46 Infantry was also a part of the operation. 
Company C 3/47th received a report that there was a Battalion size Vietcong force located east of Ap Bac. Company C 4/47th Infantry moved to the northeast by patrol craft. Company C 3/47 did not find any Vietcong, but Company C 4/47 encountered Vietcong positions as they were moving west. Company A 4/47th Infantry was moving south towards Company C 4/47th. Company A had been walking through the rice paddies to save time when they walked into an L-shaped ambush. The Vietcong were well entrenched.  Caught in the crossfire, there was no place to hide. Sadly, 47 U.S. forces were killed in action; 41 from 4th Battalion. Some report indicates 46 killed and 15 sailors wounded. Of the 41 KIA,, 27 were from Company A 4/47, 11 from Company B 4/47, 3 from Company C 4/47.and 3 from Companies B and C 3/47th. Artillery and air support couldn’t be used until noon, two hours later, due to the confusion over the location. Then helicopter gunship and artillery fire began to supplement the fire from small arms and nearby patrol craft.  The MRF unleashed 20mm and 40mm cannon fire as well as .30 caliber and .50 caliber rounds into the Vietcong positions. It wasn’t until after dark that the U.S. casualties were able to be evacuated. That day 4 MEDEVAC helicopters were shot down and four medics from the 4/47 were killed in action. Although the MRF failed to block the enemy’s escape, over 255 Vietcong soldiers were killed. The Battle of Ap Bac, often referred to Ap Bac II or simply June 19th is a scar on the souls of the men of the 47th Infantry Regiment.
This week we salute Cliff Locke. Cliff served in the U.S. Navy. Before deploying to Vietnam, Cliff trained in Coronado, one of the first sailors to be assigned there. While there he trained the Marines. Cliff also received Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) training, going through a rigorous survival and escape training program.  He was deployed to and stationed in South Vietnam from January 1967 to 1968. Cliff was a deckhand, a 3rd Bosum mate. Bosun’s mates are responsible for training and supervision of all deck crew in matters related to deck maintenance, watch standing, and deck operations. He was part of a Mobile Riverine Force (MRF) who lived on a barge patrolling the rivers of Vietnam. After military service, Cliff worked 30 years for the railroad. He retired in 2004 from Burlington railroad. Although not a native Montanan, he stayed in Rosebud county after retirement.