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quickly and move as rapidly as possible from the landing zone in the right direction into the woodlines. This movement must be made behind a blast of fire from our own hand-carried weapons.
Two days later in a note to the troops, General Williamson said:
The helicopter fire support gunships often frighten new troops. They whip over your heads rather quickly, firing on your flank or in front of you. Don't be fooled by the falling expended cartridges or belt links. Often inexperienced troops mistakenly think that these cartridges and links falling among them are fire from the helicopter. They won't hurt you. The real bullets are on the target. These helicopter pilots are some of the most efficient, professional men that we have ever observed. If we can identify the target for them they can and will hit it.
During the month of June the 173d was joined by the 1st Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment. The Australians would be working directly with the Brigade for some months and would soon be joined by a field artillery battery from New Zealand.
On 28 June the 173d Airborne Brigade participated in the largest troop lift operation conducted in the Republic of South Vietnam up to that time. Over 144 Army aircraft, including 77 troop transport helicopters, lifted two battalions of the Vietnamese 2d Airborne Brigade and the 1st and 2d Battalions of the 503d Infantry deep into War Zone D. In all, nine battalions were involved: five infantry; one artillery; one support; a composite battalion of cavalry, armor, and engineers; and the Australian battalion. This was the first time any large-size force of friendly troops had operated in this area for more than a year. Many caches of weapons and rice were destroyed. Twenty-five Viet Cong were killed and fifty or more wounded. On D+2, the forces were extracted.
On 6 July the 173d returned to War Zone D and conducted one of its most successful operations since its arrival in Vietnam. In conjunction with the battalion of Australians and units of the 43d Army of the Republic of Vietnam Regiment, multiple air assaults were made just north of the Song Dong Nai River. Some 1,494 helicopter sorties were flown in support of this operation. Fifty-six Viet Cong were killed by actual body count. Twenty-eight prisoners of war were taken and one hundred tons of rice plus literally tons of documents were captured.
A Critique of an Air Assault
One of the most valuable tools of a commander is the immediate review of a combat operation with his subordinate commanders