From the S&S archives:
Enemy death toll hits 115 in Iron Triangle operation

SAIGON — Units of the 25th Inf. Div. pushed their enemy kill count to 115 as they continued Operation Atlanta in the Iron Triangle 20 miles northwest of Saigon Saturday and Sunday.

The operation has been marked by scattered fighting since it began on Nov. 18. "We know they are out there, but so far they haven't decided to stand and fight," a division spokesman said.

Saturday a company from the 2nd Bn., 22nd Inf., tangled with a large Communist force in thick undergrowth eight miles southeast of Dau Tieng.

The Reds triggered Claymore mines into the advancing infantrymen and then opened up with heavy barrage of automatic weapon and rocket fire.

The U.S. infantrymen called for artillery fire to help drive the enemy off. Two U.S. infantrymen were killed in the fighting.

A sweep of the battlefield Sunday turned up 20 enemy bodies in shallow graves.

Later Saturday, a reconnaissance unit ran into an estimated 30 Reds. The enemy withdrew after a fierce fight. One of the Reds was captured. No U.S. casualties were reported.

Sunday, a company from the 2nd Bn., 27th Inf., found 16 Communist bodies near an enemy base camp. The Reds were reportedly killed Friday.

In the base camp the, U.S. soldiers found 88,000 pounds of rice and two new Red Chinese carbines.

The infantrymen, supported by two M48 tanks, charged the enemy positions and the enemy fled.

The U.S. troops found two enemy bodies. One U.S. infantryman was killed and two were wounded.

Spokesmen for the division said they feel there is a large Communist force in the Iron Triangle. "The men out there say they can hear them moving around at night," the spokesman said.

"The enemy right now seems to be scattered around in small groups, and we are trying to push them together or make them run," the spokesman said.

In the air war, meanwhile, poor weather restricted U.S. warplanes to targets in the panhandle of North Vietnam Saturday.

Pilots hit enemy supply lines, storage areas and gun positions during the 123 missions flown north of the DMZ.