The dawn mist had not yet completely lifted, and the soldiers of the reconnaissance platoon were ready to go on the east side of Heights 551. Their mission was to clear the enemy hidden in the dense forests on the eastern side of Fudang Mountain. The air is filled with the smell of damp earth, mixed with the freshness of the forest and the chill of the morning. On this day, they will go deep behind enemy lines to complete a key search mission, which is not only related to the safety of the entire reconnaissance platoon, but also to the strategic deployment of the main force.
During the march, fresh footprints on the muddy ground at a fork in the road attracted the attention of the sixth squad leader. It was the traces left by the Vietnamese army, and the direction pointed to the depths of the village. Knowing that the enemy was close at hand, the sixth squad leader immediately ordered the soldiers to be vigilant and prepare to meet the enemy in concealment. Despite their cautious and stealthy approach, fate does not seem to be on their side.
Field Reconnaissance: Operations in 551 Heights
On August 28, 1979, just after dawn, the reconnaissance platoon quietly assembled from the east side of Heights 551. The elite team began their mission as planned—to search from north to south along the eastern side of Fudang Mountain. The morning air is filled with the freshness of the mountains and the humidity of the earth, and the sun gradually rises in the east, illuminating the mist in the mountains.
Every member of the reconnaissance platoon is well-armed, armed with an automatic rifle, and carries the necessary equipment such as grenades, water bottles, and improvised first aid kits. Their clothing was camouflage combat uniforms, and their hats were also covered with camouflage nets to better conceal their bodies in the dense mountain forest. Each warrior's boots were tightly fastened to allow for walking on the rugged mountain roads.
The day's mission was to search for and clear the area of possible enemy hiding, which was essential to ensure the safe advance of the main forces in the future. The platoon commander reconfirmed the route and tasks of each squad before departure. They need to conduct a thorough inspection of every potential hiding place on the eastern side of Fudang Mountain, including loose rock piles, dense bush and any possible man-made bunkers.
Intense tactical deployment
At 2:10 p.m., as the reconnaissance platoon approached the residential area of Basket Pillar Grass, this relatively open small village at the foot of the mountain revealed its quiet appearance. However, for a reconnaissance platoon on a mission, there may be hidden enemies here, and danger may lie beneath every calm surface.
Standing on a slightly higher rock, Staff Officer Tian looked through a telescope at the residential area ahead. He noticed that the layout of the village was simpler, with several dirt paths connecting each house like cobwebs. The village was surrounded by sparse bamboo forests and several fields of farmland, which provided the enemy with possible concealment and escape routes.
After careful observation and consideration, Staff Officer Tian quickly worked out a detailed battle plan. He commanded his officers and men to follow a predetermined plan, and every step was aimed at ensuring effective control of the entire village and preventing the enemy from escaping.
First, the platoon commander led the fifth squad to move silently from the left side of the village. Their task was to cut off all possible paths to the south and prevent the enemy from escaping in this direction. The fighters of the fifth squad quickly and cautiously approached the village through a trail lined with bamboo forests that provided them with good cover. The weapons in the hands of the fighters are loaded, ready for a battle that may break out suddenly.
At the same time, Staff Officer Tian personally led the fourth squad to advance from the front to the village. Their mission is to go directly to the core area of the village and capture enemies who may be hiding. The fighters of the fourth squad were divided into two groups, one group was responsible for controlling the main entrance to the village, and the other group quickly advanced towards the center of the village, ensuring that any adversing enemy could be quickly subdued from the front.
Class 6 was assigned a crucial task: to make a detour from the right side, through a low thicket, to the southern end of the village. Their goal was to block all possible escape routes, ensuring that any enemy attempting to escape from the south side of the village would be stopped. The fighters of the sixth squad struggled to move through the bushes, minimizing the attention of sound and movement in order to keep the elemental surprise.
Spot enemy tracks
As time passed, the sixth squad continued their mission, slowly advancing along the right side of the village. The weather had begun to change, the clouds were getting thicker, and the sun was obscuring most of the light, making the view near the village slightly dim. The fighters of the sixth squad moved more carefully in this light, trying to avoid making too loud noise with each step.
By 14:30, when Class 6 reached a fork in the road on the edge of the village, a detail caught their attention. This fork in the road is a critical path into the interior of the village and into the mountains in the opposite direction, and there is a series of obviously newer footprints on the muddy road. The footprints, deeply imprinted in the wet mud, pointed in the direction of the village, indicating that someone had passed here not long ago.
This discovery immediately raised the vigilance of the soldiers of the sixth squad. They stopped and carefully observed the depth and direction of the footprints, judging from these details the speed of the footprint's owner and its possible destination. The freshness of the footprints indicates that the enemy is not far away.
At this moment, a soldier from the sixth squad pointed to the northwest of the village, where a separate bamboo house could be faintly seen, and a wisp of cooking smoke slowly rose from the chimney. The smoke was unusually visible in the quiet village, which not only confirmed the presence of the enemy, but also suggested that someone might be moving inside the house.
The sixth squad leader reacted quickly, he used hand gestures to silence the team, and used the radio to quietly report the situation to Staff Officer Tian. His report was succinct and detailed, detailing the discovery of footprints and the smoke from the cooking in the free-standing bamboo house, two signs that combined to reinforce the possibility that the enemy was close at hand.
Rapid tweaks and skirmishes
After receiving the report of the sixth squad about the independent bamboo house, Staff Officer Tian immediately realized the need to act quickly and cautiously in case the enemy escaped or counterattacked. He immediately adjusted the combat deployment, accurately directing the movements of each squad to ensure the synchronization and efficiency of the operation.
Staff Officer Tian gave detailed instructions by radio to the two groups of the fourth squad to move quickly but covertly to the left side of the detached house. After receiving the order, the soldiers of the fourth squad quickly adjusted their equipment, checked their weapons and, in accordance with tactical requirements, used the terrain and vegetation as cover, and quietly approached the target position. They move extremely cautiously, avoiding attention at every step, carefully weaving their way through the overgrown terrain, lying down on their stomachs and crawling forward.
At the same time, the sixth squad was also carrying out the orders of Staff Officer Tian and continued to surround the detached house from the right side. Using the bamboo forest as cover, they slowly moved their positions, ensuring that a potential escape route for the enemy was blocked from another angle. The soldiers of the sixth squad communicate with each other through gestures, keeping the formation compact and the synchronization of their actions.
However, in the process of receiving the enemy in this tense arrangement, some unforeseen small accidents occurred. Several soldiers accidentally touched the bolt of their guns while reloading in a tense atmosphere, making a clear and audible sound of metal impact. Such a sound is especially abrupt in the silence of the environment, and it is enough to cause alarm.
At the same time, due to the sparse fence around the detached bamboo house, part of the line of sight was captured by observers from inside the enemy's house. These small movements and the leakage of sight make the enemies inside the room aware of the movements outside. They may have observed the outside through a window or crack in a door, sensing an impending threat.
The enemy inside the detached bamboo house, after observing movement on the perimeter, decided to take action. They tried to open fire through the window at our fighters lurking outside. The window suddenly opened, and the muzzle of the gun was aimed at the nearest target - several fighters of the sixth squad.
However, the fighters of the sixth squad were already ready. At the moment when the enemy's gunfire rang out, the sixth squad reacted with swift movements. Several of them pulled the trigger almost at the same time as the enemy opened fire. Dense gunfire echoed in the air, and bullets fired accurately into the bamboo house, effectively suppressing the enemy's firepower.
In this sudden firefight, several bullets from the sixth squad accurately hit an enemy who was about to fire again, killing him instantly. This action effectively deterred the other enemies, plunging them into a brief period of confusion.
In the confusion of the enemy, some began to try to break through the wall and escape. They slammed the weak walls of the bamboo house with all their might, trying to carve out an escape route on the walls. Cracks began to appear in the wall under the violent impact, and soon several bamboo planks were knocked off, opening a hole large enough for people to pass through.
At this time, it was exactly opposite the ambush position of the fourth squad. The soldiers of the fourth squad have been hiding nearby according to their previous deployment, waiting for the fighters. When he saw that the enemy began to flee, the fourth squad leader immediately made a decision and led his men to rush towards the fleeing enemy.
The fourth squad leader and his team members quickly approached the fleeing enemy, and the fourth squad leader charged in front, and he quickly raised his gun and aimed it accurately at one of the fleeing enemies. After a rapid burst of fire, the enemy fell to the ground, unable to escape.
However, the brutality of the battlefield also manifested itself at this moment. In the process of leading the charge, the fourth squad leader also became a direct target of the enemy's fire due to his extremely close proximity to the enemy. In the firefight, the fourth squad leader was unfortunately hit by the enemy's return fire and fell on the battlefield.
This scene happened extremely quickly, and when the soldiers of the other four squads saw this, they were emotional but still maintained their combat effectiveness, quickly covering the advance, ensuring that the sacrifice of the four squad leaders would not be in vain. They continue to suppress the enemy and ensure that the operation can continue until the threat is completely cleared of the theater.
Post-war clean-up and moving on
In the melee of that bamboo house, the battle was short but extremely fierce, and the reconnaissance platoon, with the concerted operation of all squads, finally succeeded in destroying all the enemies. As the last few gunshots faded away, only the sound of rain and the nervous breathing of the soldiers remained on the battlefield.
Immediately, the platoon commander led the fifth squad to quickly maneuver over from the east side of the village to ensure complete control of the battlefield and prevent possible enemy reinforcements. The soldiers of the fifth squad quickly passed the previously set path and reached the combat area, and their arrival brought additional security to the entire reconnaissance platoon.
Staff Officer Tian immediately began to organize personnel to carry out the work of cleaning up the battlefield. Clearing the battlefield is a heart-wrenching task, especially dealing with fallen fighters. In the immediate aftermath of the battle, the soldiers carefully moved the bodies of the fourth squad leader and other fallen comrades to a relatively hidden place. Every action is done with great care and respect, ensuring that the martyrs are dealt with properly.
At the same time, other soldiers are tasked with searching for enemy corpses and gathering possible intelligence information, such as maps, documents, or communication equipment. This intelligence is critical to understanding the enemy's intentions and future actions. As the search progressed, tensions on the battlefield eased, but everyone remained vigilant in their actions to ensure that no possible intelligence or supplies were missed.
During the clearing of the battlefield, a light rain began to fall in the sky, and the drizzle fell on the soldiers' bodies with the wind, and the rain mixed with sweat, washing the dust and gunpowder smell on their faces. But even so, the soldiers of the whole platoon did not complain, they knew that this was the last farewell to their comrades, and it was also the persistence of the mission.
After completing the clearing of the battlefield, despite the physical and mental exhaustion of the soldiers, Staff Officer Tian still ordered the whole platoon to continue the search mission. In the continuous rain, the platoon regrouped its equipment and prepared to continue their mission. The soldiers checked the weapons and equipment, made sure that everything was functioning properly, and then continued along the mountain road towards the intended search area.
The search continued throughout the night. The soldiers made their way through the darkness and rain, and everyone was on high alert for any situation that might arise. The night and rain made the march difficult, but every member of the reconnaissance platoon showed tenacious perseverance and determination. It was not until 3 a.m. on the 29th, after a long night of searching, that the whole platoon finally returned to the station.
Ren Zhongfu,Lin Rusheng.Squad leader in the self-defense counterattack against Vietnam[J].Weapons Knowledge,2017,0(2):79-82