Operation Mallet: 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division (Big Red One)
Operation Mallet (Vietnam War) from January 28 to February 15, 1966. The operation took place around Nhon Trach east of Saigon in Bien Hoa province. This search & destroy operation was aimed at wiping out Vietcong bases threatening the capital. Includes infantry, artillery and tanks and APCs in combat operations.
Summary: 48 tanks, M-113 APCs and soldiers cross open field. The tanks raise dust. Soldiers lay flat on ground as they take cover from enemy fire. Wounded soldier on litter is rushed to CP area. An M-113 with Red Cross markings stands nearby. Soldiers carry wounded soldier on litter to UH-1D medical copter. The copter takes off. Soldiers walk through brush. Huts burning in bg. M-48 tank drives on sandy road. Jets attack enemy positions. Explosions and smoke. M-113s with soldiers atop move out along road. Soldiers under cover of brush on either side of sandy road. They get up and move out along the road. Soldiers and M-113s move along road. CU, smoke rising from Vietcong tunnel. Soldiers walk in brush. VS, tunnels and trenches of Vietcong base camp in bamboo thicket. VS, demolition team prepares charges to blow tunnel complex. LS, explosion. Soldiers atop M-113s under way. M-88 recovery vehicle and M-113s arrive at new CP area.
Travel shot of truck convoy driving on Highway 15. Trucks drive off road and park in field. VS, soldiers set up tents. Vietnamese farmer with wagonload of straw passes tents and vehicles. Soldier sets up cot. Soldier digs foxhole. CH-47 copters land. Soldiers get off and walk across field. UH-1D copters fly over soldiers waiting on field. VS, soldiers resting. Soldiers board the UH-1Ds and they take off. Gunner at doorway of UH-1D in flight. AV, shadow of speeding UH-1D on ground. Air-to- air, UH-1D in flight low over ground. Copters land and soldiers rush out. Soldiers cross field, enter jungle. Soldiers cross narrow canal on single board. Soldier sets fire to deserted Vietcong hut. Soldiers walk past burning huts. Soldiers walk single file on narrow dirt road. Soldiers walk under arch as they enter jungle. VS, soldiers in jungle open, heat, and eat cans of C-rations. Dead soldier on litter is placed on sling and is raised to CH-47 copter which is hovering overhead. Officer speaks over radio. VS, soldiers cautiously enter Vietcong bunker complex. Soldier throws grenade into bunker and runs for cover. Explosion. Soldier enters the bunker after the explosion. VS, soldiers move thru dense jungle. UH-1D brings in supplies. Dead soldier on litter is carried to copter landing area. Soldiers eating cake. Soldier throws grenade into bunker, takes cover and the grenade explodes. Soldier enters bunker. VS, soldiers examine captured Vietcong items and papers. Soldiers carry captured items from the area. UH-1D lands. Wounded soldier on litter is loaded aboard. Travel shot, truck convoy driving on road. Soldiers set up 105mm How. Trucks arrive at CP area. Title SEARCH AND DESTROY MISSIONS (1ST INFANTRY DIVISION)
Production Date March 1968
Shot List Summary: AVs, smoke rising from ground. Air-to-air, looking down at UH-1Ds flying low over terrain and thru smoke. Officer talks over lip microphone in abn copter. Pilot at controls of copter. Soldiers walk to line of copters; their rotors are turning. CU, rotors of UH-1D turning. Soldiers board UH-1D. Shadow of copter on ground as it takes off. Air-to-air. UR-1D in-flight. Soldiers in airborne copter. Air-to-air, UH-1D following smoke trail over jungle. Soldiers walking with M-113s as they cross dried paddies. Soldiers search behind an embankment. M-113s and an M-48 tank raise dust as they pass soldiers. CU, treads of M-48 and soldiers on foot cross dried, dusty land. Two soldiers in brush; one soldier is speaking over radio. Flight of UH-1Ds lands. Soldiers rush-off the copters. Smoke from signal grenade. Soldier and officer in brush. The officer speaks over radio. UH-1Ds land. Soldiers get off the copters. Soldiers run across grassy field as the copters fly off. Officer in jungle. He talks over radio and checks map. Soldiers enter jungle. Soldiers pass thru small village in jungle. VS, soldiers walking in jungle. Smoke from signal grenade covers entire screen. Officer checks map while walking in jungle. Soldiers cross open area and move thru jungle. Soldiers walk across grassy field. Soldiers wade across swamp. A soldier falls in the mire. Soldiers walk in jungle. Shot from copter as it takes off over burning brush and soldiers waiting to be airlifted out of the area. AV, village of Lai Khe.
Title SEARCH AND DESTROY MISSIONS (1ST INFANTRY DIVISION) Coverage Dates 03/15/1968-03/19/1968
Shot List Summary: Soldier with M-60 MG on his shoulder crossing field. The area is clouded with dust. UH-1Ds fly off and the dust clears. Soldiers kneeling in field. UH-1D flies over. Soldiers rush off copter thru cloud of dust. Copter takes off. Soldiers cross field. Soldiers search in village. Officer speaks over radio. Soldiers walk past hut. Soldier with M-60 Machine Gun crosses dried rice paddy. Soldiers walk between trees on rubber plantation. Soldiers at M-113. CU, radio operator. Officer speaks over radio. Officers and soldiers check their position on maps Soldiers follow M-113s and an M-48 tank. The armor knocks over trees as they advance. M-48 among trees. M-48 moves forward knocking over rubber trees. M-113 and soldiers on foot crossing plantation. Officer talks over radio; looks at map. M-48 in field. Pan to M- 113 and soldiers. Soldier resting. M-113s and soldiers approach tree line. Soldier throws hand grenade into bunker. He runs for cover and the grenade explodes. Soldier checks destroyed bunker. M-113s and soldiers crossing plantation. M-113 knocks over tall tree. CUs, bunkers and tunnels at treeline. Burned body of Vietcong. Soldier examines captured weapons and other item Dead Vietcong half-buried in bunker. Soldier looking at the dead VC. Pan, burned out treeline with bunkers. Soldiers cross field and enter heavy underbrush. M-113s and M-48 cross open field. Soldiers follow the armor. M-48 tank moves into dense brush. M- 113s in brush; soldiers follow. soldiers come out of underbrush and start across clearing. Shot from atop M-48 as it moves thru brush. M-113 crosses ditch. M-113s making their way over dikes; soldiers follow. Soldier at .50 cal Machine Gun atop M-48. M-113s climb over dike. VS, soldiers fill canteens from 5-gal can. Sweaty soldiers wipe their faces with paper towels. Soldiers cross field. CU, helmet of soldier with words: "USA I Love You". Long line of UH-1Ds with rotors turning. Soldiers inside one of the copters. Copters take off one at a time and fly past. Air-to-air. Copter laying smoke screen over landing area. UH-1Ds land in tall grass. VS, soldiers with MG guarding perimeter of landing zone. Copters fly off. soldiers in tall grass near hovering UH-1D. Vs, soldiers walk between trees on rubber plantation. soldiers cross road. Soldiers take cover in brush on outskirts of village of Ap Loc Thanh. Soldiers cross field and approach village. LS, villagers. Women and children grouped together. Vietnamese National Policemen stand guard. ID cards are checked. American officer interrogates civilian. American soldier on guard in village. Damaged houses. Trench outside village. soldiers search in village. Theater. American soldiers bring in Vietcong suspects. Villagers grouped together.
