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Overseas Movement letter 
   

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List of 7/15th Records at the
National Archives in Suitland, Maryland

Researched by: 15th webmaster

Students of history will be disappointed to find how incomplete the records are from the Vietnam War, at least as it relates to the 7/15th. Records are scattered around various archives, with two of the major ones being at the U.S. Army Military History Institute, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, and the Washington National Records Center (WNRC) in Suitland, Maryland.

U.S. Army Military History Institute [website]
ATTN: Inquiries
22 Ashburn Drive
Carlisle, PA 17013-5008
Phone: 1-717-245-3225 or 1-717-245-3601
(They do not accept historical inquiries by phone)
FAX: 1-717-245-3711

Washington National Records Center [Suitland website]
4205 Suitland Road
Suitland, Maryland  20746-8001
Phone: 1-301-778-1600
FAX: 1-301-778-1521
Reference Requests Fax: 1-301-778-1501
Email: suitland.center@nara.gov

[NARA website]

Detailed list of the 7/15th records at Suitland, MD:

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S-3 Lessons  Learned
1 May 1971
Fire Support Base 6 (FSB 6)

Obtained by: 15th webmaster

Here we have a look at a page from "Lessons Learned" dated 1 May 1971 and formerly classified 'Confidential'.  These pages came from the National Archives (see Box 14 above) and they serve as a good example of just how detailed some of the information from the archives really is.  These reports were usually prepared by S3 (Intelligence) of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB) 7/15th FA

The highpoint of the reporting period came at 0600 hours, 31 March at FSB 6. The enemy launched his assault with a coordinated program of B-40, recoiless rifle, and mortar fire from an estimated battalion sized force. As the ground attack intensified, the enemy engaged the friendly positions with grenades made from "Coke" cans which used powder fuzes. The high volume of grenades directed against friendly positions drove the defenders back and the enemy soon occupied the perimeter bunkers on the Northeast portion of the compound from which the enemy directed B-40, grenades, and flame throwers at the ARVN forces. It was suspected that the enemy was employing B-47 rockets in that air bursts were observed. Despite artillery and air support which was called In directly upon the postion by the US Integrated Observation System team leader, the enemy continued the assault throughout the day and at 1720 the fire base was evacuated.

The escape and evasion effort met scattered resistance from the time of its departure as snipers took their toll and a pursuit element constantly harassed the rear of the retreating forces. Air support by Cobra gunships finally succeeded in halting the pursuit, thus permitting the extraction and rescue of friendly elements. Despite heavy casualties from air and artillery strikes delivered against the base the enemy tenaciously held his ground throughout 1 and 2 April 1971. At one point during the attack the abandoned howitzers were turned and fired against friendly positions in Ben Het, Dak To II, Tan Canh, and other friendly positions along Highway 512. Battery A, 7/15 FA fired 38 x 8", and 25 x l75G High Explosive, fuze VT, rounds onto FSB 6 in counter battery fires. ARVN assault elements regained the firebase the following day after heavy air and artillery fire support was directed on the enemy held positions. The enemy managed another probing assault against the position, but this assault failed. Enemy artillery remained active throughout the period with rockets and mortars directed against friendly installations at FSB 5, Tan Canh, Ben Het, and Dak To II. Casualty figures are recorded as being US -3 KIA, 4 WIA and 2 MIA; ARVN -7 KIA, 54 WIA and 1 MIA. Equipment losses included four 105mm Howitzers destroyed and one IOS destroyed. Enemy losses were heavy. Over 500 KIA were recorded along with several prisoners and large amounts of munitions. Enemy elements participating in the assault on FSB 6 were the 66th NVA Regiment and the 40th NVA Artillery Battalion. The sharp upswing of enemy activity indicated that the spring offensive had begun and demonstrated the enemy's ability to attack any installation, sustain heavy losses and continue to be effective.

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Summer 1971
"Have guns will travel"
Photo: 15th webmaster

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Operational Report-Lessons Learned,
Headquarters, 7th Battalion, 15th Field Artillery
for Period Ending 30 April 1971
RCS:CSFOR-GS(R-3).

C Battery, 7th Battalion, 15th Field Artillery
Gun #1 - 1971
(these projos weighed over 200 lbs each)

 November 1970 thru April 1971 
The 7/15th fired 7,894 of these 8"
projos in this 6-month period,
and 15,061 175mm projos.
Total rounds fired by the three
firing batteries of the 7/15th
in this 6-month period:
 22,955 

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Medical cases treated for this period
(1 Nov 70 - 30 Apr 71) were as follows:

   
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ORDERS RETURNING THE 7/15th COLORS FROM VIETNAM FOR INACTIVATION CEREMONY

James Moore, Jr. submitted the following set of orders from 17 November 1971 when the 7/15th deactivated at Fort Lewis, Washington

   
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7/15th VIETNAM HISTORY

Arty Stories

Awards

Campaigns

History

Scroll of Honor

Nam Stories

Time Line

News Stories

USNS Walker

Photos