Largest Arms Cache --Black Knights

October 8 1967 – Near Bearcat, Bien Hoa Province, III Corps – OPCON 1st Brigade, 9th Infantry Division –

During the closing days of “ OPERATION AKRON III”, B-Troop discovered the largest arms cache of the war. Tank Commander Rolf Nelson and his crew were awarded the Bronze Star for their discovery of the entrance to the arms cache consisting of a massive system of tunnels and bunkers 13 miles southeast of Bearcat. Spanning a 2,200 yard area, the intricate subterranean system contained complexes as deep as 35 feet with three to five levels and ceilings from four to six feet high. Nearly two weeks of extensive digging and counting yielded 1,140 weapons, almost 95,000 rounds of small arms ammo, 3,634 grenades, 2,273 recoilless rifle shells and 452 mortar rounds. The haul included four 75mm howitzers--the first artillery pieces taken from the VC by U.S. forces.