Personally, I consider the citation does not sufficiently detail what was happening during the 4½ hour battle commencing at about 1530 hours, nor adequately explain John James’ leadership involvement while wounded. 3 Platoon was working with the Assault Pioneer
Platoon as a half-company commanded by Captain Bill Grassick when contact was made. An attempted attack with both platoons forward was met by extremely heavy enemy fire from three sides. This included overwhelming engagement from RPGs, machine guns, AK47
assault rifles plus 60mm mortar shells exploding in depth. There were seven immediate casualties including Captain Grassick and most of his HQ. The artillery radio was knocked out. The superior-sized enemy force, entrenched in a defensive bunker system, was later identified from captured documents to be the complete 3rd Battalion of 274 VC Regiment while against it was an under-strength half company group of just 52 men. The dense undergrowth restricted visibility to about 10 metres.

With Captain Grassick out of action and being readied for evacuation, Lieutenant James took over command that necessitated the coordination of their rearranged and shrinking perimeter defences, sending requests for and controlling three Australian “Dustoff” casevac choppers as well as a US casevac chopper plus coordinating the fire from three Australian “Bushranger” gunships, two US gunships, and a set of US “Black Ponies” ground-attack OV10 fighters assisted by a “Jade” Fire Air Controller (FAC).

Lieutenant James radioed his company commander Major Reg Sutton who was operating several kms away and requested his reinforcement.

The RAAF and US gunships were directed by James to conduct firing runs with their miniguns and rockets to his most dangerous flank which temporarily quietened that enemy fire. That signalled the first attempts to evacuate the most severely wounded, including Captain Grassick. Enemy fire intensified and although the first Dustoff chopper was struck by enemy fire, the early winching evacuations were successful. A US evacuation chopper considered it too dangerous and departed. Although it was a perilous position for further attempts, Lieutenant James’ radio received a calm, comforting Australian voice identifying itself as Albatross 04. The Pilot was RAAF Pilot Officer Bob Treloar, who advised he was inbound to take out wounded soldiers. James’ immediate thought was that it was not possible as the US Army evacuation chopper had just aborted such an action. But Treloar hovered his helicopter into position as enemy fire suddenly intensified. Simultaneously, the 3 Platoon and Pioneer Platoon perimeters became hotly engaged by enemy who had moved from their original position and closer to the Australians. Notwithstanding the increased enemy attention, Albatross 04 continued to winch out three badly wounded. The enemy launched a new onslaught of AK47, LMG, RPG missiles along with 60mm mortars into James’ position and also at Albatross 04. This barrage killed Private David Banfield of the Assault Pioneer Platoon and wounded eight further soldiers including 3 Platoon Sergeant Alan McNulty, seriously, putting him out of action. Albatross 04, winched three wounded soldiers into the aircraft and escaped being downed despite taking twenty enemy hits. One of the 3 Platoon wounded was re-wounded in the aircraft and a RAAF aircrewman was also badly wounded. As it was far too dangerous for further evacuations, Lieutenant James ceased them until the ground battle was more favourable. Unable to control both the air support and the ground defensive positions, Lieutenant James designated the very calm and experienced Corporal Mick Dench to coordinate the ground defences, effectively as acting platoon commander.