OPERATIONS ORDER
Operation Panther (1969), Tandemonium (Part II)

--- OPERATIONS ORDER ---

Situation

Background Information
After successfully recovering the medic from the POW camp, Delta 1 has been informed about the other survivors being moved deeper into the jungle. This, alongside the intelligence that has been so graciously given to us by the VC captives, gives us a chance to strike deep inside enemy territory, and neutralize several ammo and supply caches scattered alongside the Ho Chi Minh Trail as we make our way to the exact position where the prisoners are being held. Rearm, resupply and get ready to move. You leave in 30.

Friendly Forces
DELTA 1 is comprised of a LRRP squad from the "C" I Field Force, Vietnam, fresh off their assignment with hunting down caches on the Ho Chi Minh trail and assisting the Air Cav platoon from the 1st Cavalry Division with their assault on the garrisons in the west part of the region and the liberation of the POW camp.

Supporting Assets
Supporting the LRRP in their mission to take down the caches in the region are ZULU H, with 2 UH-1D Slicks on station for insertion and extraction. They can not support the team on the ground throughout their mission as the terrain consists of densely vegetated tropical jungle with thick canopy and tall undergrowth with the terrain further southeast developing into swamps and marshlands that are traversable on foot, meaning that once they land in Pia Hom, they are on their own until they have completed their mission by destroying as many caches and stockpiles as they are able to locate, and have extracted the 2 missing POWs from the area. Despite a notable chunk of the AAA threat being neutralized this morning, we should approach with caution as there is the chance of other AAA being in the region. Should the need arise, we have fast movers available for “Prairie Fire”, however, we hope there will be no need for that.

Enemy Forces
Enemy forces are composed of local and regional VC forces with the possibility of Pathet Lao forces reinforcing them due to our attacks on Ban Pakha, Phouvong, Antoum and the POW camp earlier this morning. Due to the location of objectives and their purpose, all personnel encountered are to be treated as enemy combatants, be it armed or unarmed. We can not risk anyone notifying the garrisons and outposts in the area of our presence, as the weapons we use will mask our presence due to the muzzle noise.

Mission

Tasking
You are tasked with acting upon the intelligence from the rescued air medic, Price, and the 2 VC captives from Camp Striker. They have informed us of several caches and stockpiles on the south part of the region, snaking east towards Vietnam out of Laos, meaning they are supplying the Ho Chi Minh Trail and killing our boys in "the South". As such, your mission is twofold. You are to land at Pia Hom which we have napalmed twice in the past 2 weeks, and head east along the trail, locating as many outposts and caches as you can, recovering intelligence and destroying the supplies they are running down the trail to South Vietnam. The intel we have recovered and found on the 2 VC captives is just scribbled down notes which consist of the following:

On the hill that numbers 28 logs tall, turn and face midday sun. 144 paces guard the weapons with which we will throw out the oppressors.

Another one reads:

If the supplies for the kitchen on the trail run low, make 380 paces towards the sunrise to get more from the stockpiles. Make sure you don't leave the rice directly on the ground as it will rot.

I'm sure you guys can figure it out, it's what you've been trained for. Keep your eyes peeled for any boobytraps and contact along the trail. Skinnies are bound to be more jumpy after the hell we put them through this morning. As for the location of our MIA crew, we have drawn a blank. Find any intel in the field that can help us locate them and bring them back. The air medic said they moved them further east, so they should be in the area.

End-state
Once you have located and secured our POWs, radio in for the birds to pick you up and bring you boys home safely.

Execution

Commander's Intent
The primary goal of our mission is to retrieve the remaining crew from the downed helicopter yesterday, whilst trapping and destroying any VC supplies or forces we may encounter.

Tasks and Sequencing
PHASE 1 (INSERTION): Delta Squad will touch down at LZ Silver where we will proceed to the first known enemy position and cache. We expect this first cache to be unmanned, so we intend to plant trapped munitions amongst the VC supplies. PHASE 2 (PATROL): Delta is to continue eastwards following a nearby trail as guide to locate further enemy caches, troops and potential intel regarding the location of the two friendly MIA crewmembers. PHASE 3 (EXTRACTION): Should Delta locate the missing crew, we are to extract via LZ Gold, utilizing any friendly batteries and air support available to us at that time.

Administration/Logistics

Resupply
There are no logistical support assets available to us at present, so we are to ensure we bring enough supplies and munitions for the duration of our mission.

Medical
There are no medical support assets available to us at present, so we are to ensure we bring enough of our own medical supplies for the duration of our mission and to compensate for casualties appropriately.

Rules of Engagement
We do not have the facilities to accommodate CPERS at present.

Fire Support Plan
Artillery will be available to us once we have successfully located and retrieved the missing POWs.

Close Air Support
CAS will be available to us once we have successfully located and retrieved the missing POWs.

Command/Signal

Communications Plan

Callsign	Primary Frequency	Superior Frequency	ACTUAL
DELTA 1	250mHz	40mHz	SSG Johnson SF Commander (≤45)
DELTA 1-1	251mHz	250mHz	SFC Jenkins SF Team Leader (≤6)
DELTA 1-2	252mHz	250mHz	Sgt Jochem (Ret.) SF Team Leader (≤6)

Considerations
In accordance with SOP