Picto-map of the SW quadrant of AO Rapier [Trang Bang to FSB Pershing] Each black-lined box = 1 klick X 1 klick [One (1) klick is 6/10th of a mile]. Grid lines, Check Points, and topographical features overlap for printing & paste-up. The assembled map will cover from Trang Bang 1/2 way to Trung Lap; and from south of the Boi Loi woods to FSB Pershing. MAP # LAYOUT ORDER: North # 9..8..7 Pershing & Check Points "G" & "H" on Six Alpha [TL-6A] East–West #10 7 #11 6 #12 #13 5 #14 4 Patrol Base Lorance #15 3 #16...2...1 Trang Bang, FSB Stewart, & Highway 1 [QL-1] East–West South

#1

The Bridge (XT501194) near Trang Bang to about 1/2 way to Trung Lap. Commonly refered to as Suicide Bridge because in the old days it had been blown up so much.

The 'Little-peoples Big Compound' [ARVN; old French fort.] (XT515188) shows up as a faint-pale-triangle in the green on the south side of HWY-1 directly across the road from the red 8 on the map. The pale line running NNE past the fort through Ap An Binh is a dirt ox-cart road; and photos of it and An Binh can be seen on Sarge's RIF page.

Note the stream commonly known as the Trang Bang River (R. Cau Troung Chua); the flow was north to south, starting up near Pershing and Check Points "G" & "H."

#2

[Area north of Map #1]

#3

Patrol Base (PB) Lorance (XT517219)

[Map north of Map #2]

#4

[Map area north of Map #3]

#5

The little red symbol at XT511238 is the small pagoda south of Pershing near the stream.

[Map area north of Map #4]

#6

This is the area just south of FSB Pershing. Again note the little red symbol for the Pagoda by the stream.

Check Point Echo on Six Alpha is visible – top left of frame.

[Map north of Map #5]

#7

FSB Pershing (XT519256)
Dry Lake (E of Pershing) XT523255

Check Point Hotel (XT512262). The place where the White Mice had a check-point, and the Road-venders hung out to sell stuff from guys stationed at Pershing.

Check Point Golf (XT508259) was where 6-A crossed the stream. Commonly refered to as 'the little bridge' or 'the big bridge over the little stream.' A small triangular ARVN compound once guarded this bridge on the NW (XT508260); but, by Spring of '69 it was abandoned and we only used it at night. Commonly called "the old French Fort." [It was a great spot to "sand-bag" ambushes.]

The printing for Check Points Golf and Hotel are smeared on this picto-map from 1969; but you get the idea.

The white "School-house" along Six Alpha (XT504255)

CP Foxtrot (XT502253)

The red symbols in the area near the words Ap Troung Giai is the location of "the graveyard near Pershing."

A foot-path crosses the stream on a destroyed bridge at XT507247 and leads to that nasty little 'VC village' on Six Alpha between Check Points Echo and Foxtrot.

#8

[Maps 8 & 9 should be the TOP TWO MAPS in your PAST-UP]

#9

#10

As you left the bridge going between Golf and Foxtrot there was a gradual climb. Pretty flat between the bend-in-the-road and Foxtrot [Schoolhouse area].

It was at Foxtrot that the Convoy was ambushed on May 5, 1969 and Sergeant First Class Curtis Dees was killed.

#11

Check Point Foxtrot

Don Dien La Than Dua is a rubber plantation.

CP Echo (XT500245)

Check Point Delta (XT498241)

Between CP Echo & Foxtrot was that nasty little VC Village. There was slightly low-laying ground between Delta and Echo,and you could clearly see the rubber plantation off in the distance. Check Point Delta sat on a slight rise between Echo and Charlie.

#12

CP Charlie (XT496235)

#13

Check Point Bravo (XT494226) was in the middle of nowhere and we very seldom set up there – simply because it was too-damned-hot baking in those rice paddies.

#14

There was a great little house on the west side of Six Alpha at Check Point Alpha (XT491218). Well built for the area; it had a cool veranda to relax on, and interesting architecture..... not your typical mud & thatched roof place.

There was a cemetery just south-west of CP Alpha (out of frame & off map).

The very bottom-left of the screen is the approx. location of the "Ruff-Puff Compound "(Regonal/Popular Forces) off Six Alpha near Trang Bang. It also known as "the Little-peoples Big Compound."

#15

Ap Loc Trac and X. Loc Du are suburbs of Trang Bang; and were commonly described as being in Trang Bang.

Two small pagodas are represented by red symbols on this frame – XT506205 and XT503210. The other red symbols – that look like lazy I's – are a cemetery at vic XT500206.

#16

Trang Bang "Market" lower left of screen.

Trang Bang Temple at bend in road between downtown intersection and bridge.. [Site of "the Little-girl-in-the-photo" napalming in 1975.]

Fire Support Base Stewart (XT498195). The LZ/PZ for Stewart was just across the highway.

Site text Copyrighted © 2002 by B. Holzhauer Picto-map courtesy of Lt. Tony Alcaraz via Spc4 John "Randy" Cornett – who liberated it from the L.T. in 1970 – and Tony is probibly just now finding out (for the first time) where that danged-map he misplaced went!