In the afternoon before the 1970 Christmas cease fire two NVA tanks were spotted about 7000 meters SW of A-4 (Con Thien). We started a fire mission and the tanks took off in a zig-zag direction away from us. Eventually we completely destroyed one of the tanks and the other disappeared. It was hiding in a bunker. An hour or so later an air observer found the other tank and we fired on the bunker and it took off out of its bunker. We were within two hours of the Christmas cease fire and the tank was getting further and further away from us. We scored a direct hit on the remaining tank and knocked a track off one side. Now all he could do was go around in circles and in a few rounds we destroyed this tank also making for a happy Christmas cease fire.
Sometime in early 1971 we noticed that there was a helicopter landing between A-4 and the DMZ each morning. We were wondering what they were doing. After checking with battalion they assured us we were seeing things. The next morning we cleared the location for fire and prepared many rounds with VT fuses. Here came the helicopter again. It landed 2000 to 3000 meters out. We commenced firing direct fire with the 4 guns firing a round about 15 seconds apart so as the rounds were about 50 meters over the helicopter LZ. The helicopter took off and we saw the double explosion. The first explosion was the 8 inch round and the second was the helicopter. Ground forces verified that it was an NVA helicopter. The NVA were using A-4 as a shield from ground radar further to the south. | |