19 May 1969

At 0630, the jets arrived and pounded the enemy positions with seven air strikes using bombs, napalm, and rockets. For some reason, the NVA popped purple smoke grenades. No friendly forces used "grape", so the jets had some accurately marked targets to hit. During the morning, D Company and A/2/506th moved to the lower LZ. Honeycutt worked on his final plan of attack on the mountain, slated for the morning of the twentieth. Other units moved into locations for the final assault. 2/3rd ARVN moved by helicopter from Hue to an LZ a thousand meters south of AP Bia and then climbed northwest to an assault position five hundred meters from the top of Hill 900. Three companies of 2/501st were airlifted from Firebase Airborne to an LZ eight hundred meters northeast of Ap Bia and the walked to within four hundred meters of the base of Hill 937. 1/506th attacked south of the mountain.

Honeycutt's plan of attack called for A/2/506th to move up the northern face (Finger 2) while C Company to move up Finger 1. A Company would move to the south from the lower LZ and then proceed up the southern ridge; 2/3d ARVN to assault the eastern ridge; 2/501st to assault to the southwest from its position around the mountain.

Over a captured radio, Honeycutt got a message from the NVA. "Black Jack, we are going to kill all of your men tomorrow. When you come up the mountain in the morning, Black Jack, we will be waiting for you. All of your men are going to die. Can you hear me, Black Jack? All will die!"

"We'll see who dies tomorrow, asshole," Honeycutt barked.

20 May 1969 -->