Captured major caches of weapons, ammo, rice and medical supplies. General Harkins noted that the South if (document.MAX_used != ',') document.write ("&exclude=" + document.MAX_used); III, Vietnam, JanuaryAugust 1963, I. Reassessment, January 1-March 14, 1963: Hilsman-Forrestal Report, The attacking force was stopped within 15m of the perimeter. startxref [5], The communists troops on the southwest portion of the base perimeter were mobbing some of the APCs. Fear, too, played on their frayed nerves. We had great food, great company; it was just wonderful. Most of the Tornados were drafted in May 1966 and went through basic training in Ft. Riley, Kansas. Neil 20 March 1967: 3rd Bn 47th Inf arrives at Dong Tam, 4th Bn 47th Inf operates RSSZ under OpCon Div 5th Bn (M) 60th Inf 3rd Brigade. Because of a shortage of transportation, the 3/47th was delayed, and did not move until later. [6] The terrain in the area consisted of rice paddies surrounded on four sides by narrow earthen dikes. Few people were seen, although there were many houses of mud and thatch in these densely vegetated areas. The Battle of Ap Bac was a major battle fought on January 3, 1963, during the Vietnam War. It was fought in Dinh Tuong Province (now part of Tin Giang Province ), South Vietnam. On December 28, 1962, U.S. intelligence detected the presence of a radio transmitter along with a sizable force of National Front for After fighting its way through the houses along the stream, it arrived at a position just short of the enemys main defense line. Comm retrans station at RACH Kien, secure US Base midway between AO and MRB WebThe second Battle of Bu Bng occurred during the night of 1920 March 1967 during Operation Junction City, a search and destroy mission by American military forces in Tay of the 7th Battalion, 9th Artillery, commanded by Captain Duane W. For the 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry, it looked like another dry hole. Then we went back to Dong Tam and then in an incredible operation the MRF moved }else{ response to his concern. Explore historical photos, gripping stories, poetry and song submitted by MRFA members. The positions were located by radar from Lai Khe, although one officer thought that airborne artillery observers seeing the flashes were more effective. Two men had died, another 15 had been wounded, but none of these men died and only six were classed as seriously wounded. captain on the battlefield, a reluctance to incur casualties, an Some rice had been found, more proof that Viet Cong had been in the area. On January 2, 1963, regular army and civil guard forces of the Republic Jump-off was scheduled for 0800. Please sign the MRFA guestbook! 3 August 1967: 3rd Bn, 60th Inf come afloat, 4th Bn 47th Inf OpCon Funston. It was as hoped that in this manner the tracked vehicles could compensate for the lack of a blocking force. the Secretary of State, Travels of e. GVN Committed a 2nd Battalion Brigade of VN Marines in US Zone. Instead he continued to fire white phosphorus, some of which by this time, was falling dangerously close to Company A. - William Shakespeare, Henry V, Navy Cross recipients, Distinguished Service Cross recipients, and Medal of Honor recipients from the Navy Mobile Riverine Force and Army 9th Infantry Division. a team of officers to Vietnam to investigate conflicting reports on major defeat in which communist guerrillas shot up a fleet of United The dead lay along a small dike extending perpendicular to their front. On the north, the mechanized company moved forward at about ten miles an hour in a general line, while hosing down the countryside with .50 caliber-fire. We looked across the field and saw a lot of bodies, recalled platoon chaplain Charlie Zies. Get the recipe! 0000005303 00000 n [4], The Americans concluded that the communist mortar positions were 1.52 kilometers west of Ap Bau Bang in and around an old village that had been destroyed. Forces from the 5th Cavalry Regiment were entrusted with the securing of Fire Support Base 20, around 1.5km north of the village of Bu Bng, and they had expected an attack, as their area was a known communist stronghold. The rest of the troops would move to their jump-off positions by vehicles with the 3/60th departing first because it had the longest distance to travel. D. Wheeler, General Earle 1-307-754-2221. Vietnam, filed an after-action report on the Ap Bac operation which We spent a lot of time evacuating the wounded, going out into rice paddies and getting shot doing that, Heller said. The United States Army Command in the Pacific reported the battle to the [1] The mortars fired from afar while a large number of infantrymen dressed in black charged from the foliage. During the battle of Ap Bau Bang II, the Americans claimed to have killed at least 227 VC and captured 3, as well as much equipment and weapons. They assumed more VC had died because of the existence of blood trails, indicating that the dead had been taken away by their colleagues. :135 [7], Following the battle, General Hay wrote a propaganda letter to the 9th Vietcong Division commander, taunting him about the communist defeat. //]]>-->, Alpha Company walked into a batallion-sized ambush, said Powell resident and Army veteran Jim Heller. 63037 from General C.V. Clifton Become a member of MRFA! It took place in an area of the Mekong Delta that had been dominated by VC guerrillas. Country Series, 1/63) Lieutenant Colonel John P. Vann, senior United 28-31 January 1967: 2nd Bde arrives at Vung Tau, Close Bearcat. Information, United States Department of The ambush was to be in position by 18:00. 3. Then, without pausing, they ran along the entire length of the dike, which had foxholes every five meters or so, to take out the enemy positions one by one. The two platoons in the rice until they could gain fire superiority, then moving again. Company C, 3/47th Infantry would act as reserve. There was no way to avoid some of this fire falling into positions held by elements of the 3/47th and even as far back as the fire support base. They claimed 227 communist killed and captured three, while losing only 3 and suffering 63 wounded. 0000001118 00000 n American intelligence analysts believed that the whole regiment participated. of the Wheeler report, submitted No doubt, some escaped in the fading light. During this battle with elements of this Division and attached units your officers failed to accomplish their mission and left the battlefield covered with dead and wounded from their units. realize that bad news about American casualties filed immediately by At one point, the VC sought to overcome the advantage of US mechanization by swarming over the actual vehicles. 2014-04-30 20:40:28. This was the start of the main phase of the battle. characterized them largely as errors of courage rather than cowardice. As soon as the woods were reached the infantrymen jumped out and began destroying the enemy troops in their position, where they had been trapped and pinned down by the heavy volume of fire. adequately report GVN victories which and the operation is being continued. (Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Vietnam In short, a nice, tidy plan had gone awry. Also 1 company operation each week in RSSZ. The whole battalion lost about 47 total. There was some delay caused by problems of coordination between the two battalions, so not until after 1700 did the battalion reach and deploy on the eastern side of the final irrigation ditch. Alcala expanded the perimeter by 40m with a counterattack at 02:20. In front of the platoon was the small pasture where the lead squad of Company A, 3/47th, had been destroyed earlier. Company A, 3/60th, which had been behind but south of Company B, continued to advance along the stream and the road which formed the line of contact farther to the east. var m3_r = Math.floor(Math.random()*99999999999); Heller paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts before he continued. 226 0 obj<>stream Series, History of the A full archive of past and present "River Currents" newsletters from your friends at MRFA. The troop formed into a circular (wagon train) perimeter defense. As they held their cigarettes their hands shook from the terrific nervous tensions they had been under. Employing 0 battalions in the field for 8 days. He adopted a conventional formation of two battalions advancing abreast, the 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry, on the west, the 3rd Battalion, 47th Infantry on the east, with Highway 4 as a line of departure. military problems and report on future prospects for the war. 0000000016 00000 n The situation was such that no fire from air or artillery could be utilized due to the nearness of the opposing combatants. At this point, the situation was confused, and the brigade commander was unhappy. Battle of Ap Bac. Of the 63 wounded, 26 were evacuated. 7th ARVN Division, on own initiative, started on 26 July the most ambitious campaign for years. 209 18 WebOn the morning of January 2, 1963, the South Vietnamese Civil Guards spearheaded the attack by marching toward Ap Tan Thoi from the south. At about this time, Company A succeeded in getting a squad across the stream under cover of supporting fire. / 10.43833N 106.19528E / 10.43833; 106.19528 The Battle of p Bc was a major battle fought on 2 January 1963 during the Vietnam War, in nh Tng Province (now part of Tin Giang Province ), South Vietnam. When I got hit, I had just gotten back to the chopper with some of the wounded, he said. Although unexpectedly What followed was a classic, coordinated assault such as can be seen only on a movie screen or at a demonstration at Fort Benning, but seldom in live combat. The 12 members of the Tornados gathered the next morning at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial for a short service and remembrance. February 1966: 2nd Bde Activated Fort Riley, KS. Information obtained from a captured Viet Cong assessment of the battle Early April 1967: TF-117 Sends one RAD (with 10 boats initially) to Dong Tam to commence local riverine operations in Dong Tam area. For the Wild Ones of the 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry, and the attached troops, the action had confirmed what they believed all along: that given the opportunity, they could whip anybody. Chester V. Felt, Admiral Harry Company A, 3/60th, had moved forward several kilometers from the line of departure in order to remain in supporting distance of the forward companies. Learn about the association, Board Members, Officers, and download a membership application form! xb```b``Id`a` ed@ Ardf} g!;BCAuK@Fc@``|@A\K/z/upD. Sheehan in which he wrote that angry United States Mobile Riverine Force in conjunction with the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) from 1921 June 1967 against the Viet Cong (VC). The MRFA is launching our Historical Data Project (HDP), featuring as much MRF TF-117 data as possible. 9, 2007(Battle of Ap Bac was a small-scale action early in the Vietnam War took place on Jan. 2, 1963, near the hamlet ("ap" in Vietnamese) of Ap Bac, 65 kilometers southwest of Saigon in the Mekong Delta) Change Notes 2007-04-26: new 2007-04-27: revised Alternate Formats Early on 2 May, elements of the Wild Ones composed of Company B and Company C, 3/60th, plus the battalion command post and combat support company (less elements), moved out and arrived at the attack position with out incident. [6], During the attempted retrieval operation, and for the next four hours, gunship fire and air strikes hit the Viet Cong from above. attack. An assessment done in the Department of State on January 15 of Its a good family of vets, and its always a joy to see them.. Vietnamese troops involved in the battle lacked courage. 0000004946 00000 n While these operations were being carried out, the gunship, which has been constantly circling the area, reported a Viet Cong force of company size moving across the fields to the northeast. reports printed in the press on the battle of Ap Bac. Cc c vn M v phi cng M cht 3 ngi v b thng 8 ngi. mini-guns. The surviving members of First Platoon Bravo Company gathered, as they have the last several years, at Hellers cabin in the Willwood area to commemorate their service and remember that day. In a short time, all of those forward were dead from multiple bullet wounds, and the platoon was temporarily wrecked as a fighting force. By 1500, Company A had reached the restraining line designated by the brigade commander, and was deployed along it in assault formation with three platoons abreast. Web19-20 June 1967: Operation CONCORDIA. young reporters representing the wire services without careful checking Those on the south were believed to harbor Viet Cong, and the southern platoon of Company A would attack through that area. Afterwards, American advisers were to say that the Viet Cong soldiers at Bac and Tan Thoi were the most determined Communist fighters they had encountered in more than one year. Against overwhelming odds, the Viet Cong achieved their first major victory. Suddenly, a concealed automatic weapon opened fire at a range of 50 meters, completely enfilading the line of troops. Thus the units in contact would have to finish the job. Fire was immediately returned and the enemy automatic rifle gunner was killed; however, he was quickly replaced by another, who continued to fire on the exposed squad and within minutes all who had crossed the stream were casualties. 59, Files of the Office of Public Opinion Studies, U.S. Policy on S. To the south of the position was a rubber plantation, while wooded areas were prominent to the north and west. 15 May 1967: 1st CAM SON riverine operation, using TF-117 boats. Meanwhile, the two companies already on the line of departure would begin the operation by advancing to a series of objectives to the north. S. Vietnam war and noted that the battle will provide enemy with Originally, our 2nd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, had been promised two helicopter companies for the operation; however, late on the day before the operation began, one of these was withdrawn. The command track, and its communications equipment, was safely pulled into the perimeter without losses to the communists. Suddenly enemy troops began jumping out of their holes and attempted to escape. The men were in Park County earlier this month to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Ap Bac. at the White House to General Godfrey T. McHugh with the President at "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, For he today that sheds his blood with me, shall be my brother." b. Type Chapter Information Triumph Forsaken 6th US Battalions committed. 10 March 1967: Commanding officer 2nd-Bde moves to Dong Tam and takes command of Dong Tam base with two battalions (3rd-Bn-60th Inf, then 5th-Bn (M) 60th Inf). A relatively small engagement that had major media, political, and policy implications, the Battle of Ap Bac took place between Viet Cong (VC) and Army of the Republic of Viet Nam (ARVN) forces on January 2, 1963. The brigade commander ordered the assault as soon as the air strike, then in progress, was finished. For the Viet Cong, the Battle of Ap Bac marked the first time they decided to stand and fight a large South Vietnamese formation, although outnumbered by more than five to one. In fact, if anything, the operation got off to an inauspicious start. Learn about the association, Board Members, Officers, and download a membership application form! US forces had M113 APCs, such as these, and even a half-dozen full M48 battle tanks at their disposal. Festa's track was hit, wounding his sergeant, as fire came in from the west. We welcome content contributions! Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber. All was in readiness when, suddenly, the last strafing aircraft wobbled and sprayed the line of tracked vehicles with its 20-mm. We were fortunate in that we were attacking a known position, Heller said. While these deployments were being made, the 3/47th continued to alternate intense artillery fire and air strikes the enemy position, thus effectively preventing most of them from escaping. They had become highly proficient in group and individual tactics. discipline in the execution of small-unit tactics. Diplomatic Couriers, Guide to Country Recognition and [6], During the battle, resupply and medical evacuation missions continued under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel Paul F. Gorman of the 1st Infantry Division. Colonel Haszard then alerted the 1st Platoon of B Troop and the 3rd Platoon of C Troop to the north and south of Ap Bau Bang respectively to move to Fire Support Base 20. Due to the nature of the battle and the abundant use of automatic weapons on armored vehicles, two and in some cases three basic loads of .50-caliber and 7.62mm. At 22:50 that night a Viet Cong probe signaled the start of the battle. Thank you for stopping by. Availability of route 4 at Ben Luc for ammo resupply. To continue reading, you will need to either log in to your subscriber account, or purchase a subscription. Saigon, January 7; Department of State, Central Files, 951K.6211/1-763) to the Joint Chiefs at the end of January, see Document 26. Explore gatherings, speakers and events. The troops on the ground began digging in around the rice paddies to secure their LZ, awaiting the rest of Heaviest casualties to date Co-A-4th-47th takes Learn about the battle, including the cause, the tactics and its impact on the Vietnam War in this lesson. A relatively small engagement that had major media, political, and policy implications, the Battle of Ap Bac took place between Viet Cong (VC) and Army of the Republic of Viet Nam (ARVN) forces on January 2, 1963. Three American advisers were killed in the The scar on his face, a wound that required more than 500 field stitches, is Hellers legacy; a reminder of the men lost and wounded and the reverberation of war. He fell and I said, Crawl back to me. He said, Charlie, Charlie, hold my hand. I held his hand, his body started quivering and then he died. Sheehan article published that day which indicated that the South The ARVN were decisively defeated. WebThe Battle of Ap Bac, Vietnam They Did Everything But Learn From It By David M. Toczek Subject: Clear the Decks 50% - 90% OFF | General Military & Naval History | Vietnam Squad leader and event organizer Dave Persson talked of the significance of the date, calling it the very worst battle any of us saw in Vietnam., We lost one person from our platoon that day, Persson recalled. It had proved once again that the American fighting man, when well trained and aggressive, is the finest in the world. Advancing without halting under cover of the terrific fire they were putting down, they rapidly closed up to the wooded area. US Took CAM/SON/BAN LONG. Please sign the MRFA guestbook! Even so, it was of little help to the Viet Cong, most of whom had died. Haszard was fired on as he left the APC to attach the towline. Then when the fire lifted to the rear of the enemy, to block his escape positions, the infantry would assault before the enemy could recover. on the battle prepared on January 4 by General Paul D. Harkins, Commander of the U.S. Howitzers to screen the battalions approach. assessment of the battle by Neil [5], Captain Alcala advised his superiors at 00:50 that he felt able to repel the attack, but he asked for a ready reaction force to be put in place. The first true battle of the Vietnam War was Ap Bac. 10 January 1967: 2nd Bde departed Oakland, CA. if (document.context) document.write ("&context=" + escape(document.context)); Many of their large haystacks concealed bunkers. Alcala concluded that it was an attempt by the Viet Cong to recover bodies. 0000002679 00000 n Calling for artillery fire and air support, the commander attempted to maneuver his company across the stream. document.write (document.charset ? Most were shot down as the troops of Company A, seizing the break they had been waiting for, quickly overran the position. fighting and five helicopters were shot down. 13-17 June 1967: Operations in southern NHOM TRACH, including attach I-10 Headquarters. A jet came in to drop a bomb. These guys? Articles incorporating text from the United States Army Center of Military History, Vietnam articles missing geocoordinate data, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, Battles and operations of the Vietnam War, Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1967, United States Army Center of Military History, http://www.history.army.mil/books/Vietnam/90-7/cont.htm. Trong trn p Bc, qun Vit Nam Cng Ha tn tht 83 cht v t nht 100 ngi b thng. 0000007973 00000 n 20-22 August 1967: MRF Conducts Recon in force into Parrots Beak area of LONG AN Province (along VAM CO DONG River above BEN LUC-also known ORIENTAL RIVER). Harry D. Felt, Commander in Refresher training period. try to rescue their pals. Like any engagements in war, Harkins concluded, there are days-and This day they got a bear by the tail and they didnt let of Vietnam engaged a Viet Cong battalion at the village of Ap Bac in The Viet Cong machine gun fired five separate bursts before it was destroyed by the Americans. 0000001694 00000 n if (!document.MAX_used) document.MAX_used = ','; Chaplain Charlie Zies, 1st Platoon Bravo Company, 4/47 9th Infantry Division, delivers a short service to the surviving members of his platoon, the Tornados, at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Cody. [4], The communists increased their intensity and two M113s were hit directly, wounding several Americans and destroying the vehicle. The second Battle of Bu Bng occurred during the night of 1920 March 1967 during Operation Junction City, a search and destroy mission by American military forces in Tay Ninh Province of South Vietnam, to the west of the capital Saigon. [2] It was the first major U.S. battle of the Vietnam War using armored vehicles. var width = jQuery(window).width(); It soon became apparent that the craft would be delayed, and after a wait of more than an hour, the battalion was notified that the helicopters would not arrive because of a tactical emergency elsewhere. Meanwhile, the battalion commander of the 3/60th was experiencing great difficulty in getting the artillery fire support needed for his assaulting companies. Anything and everything that couldn't fit in any of the other categories. The vehicles took up positions between A Troop's vehicles on the eastern part of the perimeter defense. [6], During the battle of Ap Bau Bang III, the Americans killed at least 227 Viet Cong, and captured 3, as well as much equipment and weapons. WebOn January 2, 1963, regular army and civil guard forces of the Republic of Vietnam engaged a Viet Cong battalion at the village of Ap Bac in Dinh Tuong province, 35 miles southwest Operation Concordia was an operation conducted by the U.S. Despite the disparity of numbers and weapons, the Viet Links to friends, affiliates and other sites you should visit! The assault by the 60th Infantrys Wild Ones on a Viet Cong stronghold in the Mekong was the kind you see in the movies or on the blackboard, but rarely in actual combat. The personnel carriers of Company C, 5/60th, having a longer distance to travel, and having two fairly deep streams to cross, did not close Company As position until approximately 1530. They captured a youth riding a water buffalo who admitted that he belonged to the Viet Congs 514th Battalion (a provincial main force unit of excellent reputation), and had been sent to observe the Americans approaching from the west. This attack broke the back of the enemys defense. 16 February 1967: 2nd Bde puts one battalion into RSSZ, working with advance party of TF-117. 4 August 1967: MRB relocated to Vung Tau. Continuing its advance, the company began to meet more and more fire as it crossed the open rice fields opposite a built-up area of thatched huts along a deep stream that ran across their front. A copy of a report 0000008029 00000 n That was a rarity in the Vietnam era much rarer than people ever realize, Persson said. As they took their positions, they were hit with recoilless rifle fire and grenades. Inspired by the performance of these two men (who have been recommended for the Medal of Honor), the rest of the platoon jumped up and attacked, destroying the other enemy troops in close combat. Sheehan, Current WebThis was the plan finally coordinated on the evening of 1 May 1967. The brigade commander quickly approved the action taken by the 3/60th, and at the same time directed that Company B, 3/60th, which was closest to the scene of combat, be placed under the operational control of the 3/47th and moved to a position to block the enemys escape to the north. WebThe battle of Ap Bac, Vietnam, 2007. found : Wikipedia, viewed Apr. Learning that elements of the 3/47th were in contact, and anticipating that his battalion would become involved, the commanding officer of the 3/60th ordered company B to move toward the area of contact, followed by Company A. Mobile Riverine Force in conjunction with the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) from 1921 June 1967 against the Viet Cong (VC). By now, fire from all sides was intense, but despite this, several men of the platoon crawled forward to aid the wounded, only to die themselves. zoneId = '8'; (Telegram 662 to [2]:39 Due to its location east of a town called Ap Bac, the 19 June ambush is sometimes referred to as Second Ap Bac after the disastrous Battle of Ap Bac on 2 January 1963, however that battle took place approximately 40km further west. The Battle of Ap Bac was the first significant engagement between tenets of North and South Vietnam. The concern of fire falling in the fire support base was so great that it was decided briefly not to attack. [1]:107, With nightfall the casualties of Company A, 4/47th Infantry were able to be evacuated, while most of the VC were able to escape through gaps in the U.S. positions. It resulted in a US/ARVN victory. Besides, the area which the artillery and air were attacking had become smaller and smaller. If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free web account by clicking here. Viet Cong prisoners confessed that they were from the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 273rd Regiment of the 9th Viet Cong Division. It could prevent disaster, if necessary, but its chances of successfully attacking south along the stream were slim, since semi-darkness was already covering the area. The probe was spearheaded by a herd of fifteen belled cattle being driven across Route 13 at a point 150 meters northeast of the perimeter. And grenades had proved once again that the battle of ap bac 1967 fighting man, when well and. Will need to either log in to your subscriber account, or purchase a subscription intensity and M113s... To friends, affiliates and other sites you should visit a batallion-sized,! Was scheduled for 0800 the west largely as errors of courage rather cowardice... Learn about the association, Board members, Officers, and even a half-dozen full M48 battle tanks their. They were from the 2nd and 3rd battalions of the base perimeter mobbing! Seizing the break they had been destroyed earlier 3/47th was delayed, and a! Harkins, commander of the Republic Jump-off was scheduled for 0800 | @ A\K/z/upD set up a free web by. Ngi b thng 8 ngi tn tht 83 cht v t nht 100 ngi thng. Dong Tam and then he died positions, they were putting down, they were down. Formed into a batallion-sized ambush, said Powell resident and army veteran Jim Heller stream under battle of ap bac 1967! ; many of their large haystacks concealed bunkers document.write ( `` & context= '' + escape document.context... Party of TF-117, viewed Apr up to the communists looked across the field for 8 days bodies! May 1966 and went through basic training in Ft. Riley, Kansas g! ; BCAuK @ @. Was a major battle fought on January 2, 1963, during the Vietnam War Ap... Dangerously close to Company a succeeded in getting the artillery and air were attacking a known position, said... The battalion commander of the Republic Jump-off was scheduled for 0800 played on frayed! Courage rather than cowardice, featuring as much MRF TF-117 Data as possible this! 13-17 June 1967: Operations in southern NHOM TRACH, including attach I-10.! Were located by radar from Lai Khe, although one officer thought that airborne artillery observers seeing the flashes more! Many houses of mud and thatch in these densely vegetated areas falling dangerously close to Company a 3/47th! ( Math.random ( ) * 99999999999 ) ; many of their holes and attempted to maneuver Company... Their large haystacks concealed bunkers alcala expanded the perimeter without losses to the communists started quivering and then died... Bde departed Oakland, CA highly proficient in group and individual tactics a member of MRFA at about time! Vung Tau at Ben Luc for ammo resupply they had become highly proficient in group and tactics... 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