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Military operations in the Iron Triangle west of the 1st Division base camp at Lai Khe, and other areas of operation of the 1st Infantry Division.

The name Bandido Charlie originated with 1st Lt. Larry Garner, who was Charlie Company C.O. in 1967. The Bandido Charlie Company symbol was created in May 1967. The nickname Bandido Charlie has been incorrectly credited to General William Westmoreland and the Tet offensive in January 1968.
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B-52 bombing mission
Looking west, the Saigon River is in front of us, about 1/4 mile away. This was a B-25 strike where six B-52 bombers each dropped one hundred 1000 pound bombs.
PX in Lai Khe
Night time fire of a 50 caliber machine gun on an APC.
A fire mission, 81mm mortar being fired from the inside of an APC, and a recon mission in the Iron Triangle.
81 mm mortars
recon
M-48 tanks
M-48 tanks doing some target practice with high explosive rounds.

company area
recon
Recon patrols in the Iron Triangle.
recon mission
Recon patrol in the rocket firing area just west of Lai Khe.
company C
Protecting Rome plows at work in the Iron Triangle.
A tank retreiver pulling a tank out of a mud hole, then dragging it back to Lai Khe.
Company C
maintenance area
Guard duty after sunset.
evening chow
Fixing evening chow somewhere in the Iron Triangle.
bunker
A recon mission in the Iron Triangle south of FSB Hertigen.
What are we looking for in this jungle?
guard duty
Guard duty in the northern part of the Iron Triangle. Black Virgin Mountain can be seen in the distance.
Infantry (nicknamed legs) landing for a night operation just west of Lai Khe, then searching for snipers the next day.
Infantry (legs) preparing to leave the next day. The pilot of the Huey had been hit by sniper fire, and managed to land.
assembly by Lai Khe
Evening on the east side of the Lai Khe base camp, preparing for a battalion size operation to the Michelin Plantation.
Travel north along Highway 13 about 25-30 miles, then west 10-15 miles to the Michelin Plantation. Stay off untraveled roads. The operation is led by two M-48 tanks, which will detonate any mines along the way.
highway 13
nearing Michelin
The plantation operated at a minimum level during the Vietnam War, and the area was secure enough in 1969 for French businessmen, employees of Michelin, to travel to the plantation from Saigon.