Alcala concluded that it was an attempt by the Viet Cong to recover bodies. An Air Force flareship kept the battle area continually lighted. morale-building victory. 0 18 June 1967: Relocate to SOIRAP/VAMCO, Commence Operation CONCORDIA. Company A was to move by trucks furnished by the brigade besides organic vehicles form the battalion, and upon arrival would go into battalion reserve near the line of departure. Many of their large haystacks concealed bunkers. Powered by Creative Circle Media Solutions. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The battle of Ap Bac, Vietnam, 2007. found: Wikipedia, viewed Apr. Click most pictures to enlarge. We have buried your dead and taken care of your wounded from this battle.[7]. 4 August 1967: MRB relocated to Vung Tau. Relations, World Wide Diplomatic Archives In the zone of the 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry, the attached mechanized company (Company C, 5th Battalion, 60th Infantry) was given the deeper objectives because its mobility and speed would allow it to quickly search out those objectives. } At 07:00 the final air strike and artillery rounds were fired. 13-17 June 1967: Operations in southern NHOM TRACH, including attach I-10 Headquarters. 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 The vehicles took up positions between A Troop's vehicles on the eastern part of the perimeter defense. Memorials and museums dedicated to the Mobile Riverine Force. [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. Customarily, when major events occurred in Vietnam, there was nothing to indicate that the days operation would be other than routine. Become a member of MRFA! Suddenly, a concealed automatic weapon opened fire at a range of 50 meters, completely enfilading the line of troops. he added along with the bad news of damage to helicopters and three There was much shouting and hollering as leaders tried to find their men, ascertain their status and reorganize for the night. By 1600, everything was ready for the coordinated attack. But one officer, John Paul Vann, saw darker omens for the futureand in the Battle of Ap Bac, the Viet Cong proved him correct. Some rice had been found, more proof that Viet Cong had been in the area. They had biggest bag of the operation. There is no question that, had the 2nd Brigade waited until dark, the enemy force, or most of it, would have slipped out. Heaviest casualties to date Co-A-4th-47th takes Instead he continued to fire white phosphorus, some of which by this time, was falling dangerously close to Company A. Battle of AP Bac II, in AP Bac Hamlet, CAN/GUIOC District, Long An Province. The bomb dropped, but the pilot had been blown up in the blast. 5-17 August 1967: RSSZ operations. Meanwhile, Company A, 3/60th, was formed up and waiting at the helicopter pickup site for the promised company of choppers. Comm retrans station at RACH Kien, secure US Base midway between AO and MRB The concern of fire falling in the fire support base was so great that it was decided briefly not to attack. General Harkins noted that the South Click most pictures to enlarge. [4], At 00:30, 20 March 1967, the Viet Cong resumed their attack, hitting Fire Support Base 20 with mortar rounds, rifle grenades, rockets, and recoilless rifle fire. Heavy harassment of route 4. In half an hour they had advanced to within 100 meters of the main enemy line, but were held up by intense fire from small arms and mortars. Series, History of the direct orders to advance during Wednesdays battle at Ap Bac and that an It was also planned to place a battery of 105-mm. military problems and report on future prospects for the war. Department, Buildings of the (Initially 3rd-Bn 47th Inf then 4th-Bn, 47th Inf) 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. Clifton, Major General Sheehan in which he wrote that angry United States At 11:50 on March 19, 1967, A Troop, 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment, commanded by Captain Raoul H. Alcala deployed within the perimeter of Fire Support Base 20. At 03:30 the communist fire eased; resupply of the units and evacuation of the wounded was completed during the next 75 minutes while the artillery and air strikes continued. We were fortunate in that we were attacking a known position, Heller said. The two platoons in the rice until they could gain fire superiority, then moving again. 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. Explore historical photos, gripping stories, poetry and song submitted by MRFA members. indicated that the Viet Cong attributed their success at Ap Bac to Releases, Administrative Firing continually during their sweep, they turned west, then north, before doubling back and entering the perimeter from the southeast. In addition, some men were having trouble with their rifles, due to the terrific volume of the fire they were pouring out. 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. '&charset='+document.charset : (document.characterSet ? However, for the Tigers of the 3rd Battalion, 47th Infantry, and especially for Company A of that unit, what had started out as a routine walk in the sun was rapidly becoming a grim one. 209 18 try to rescue their pals. Like any engagements in war, Harkins concluded, there are days-and At the same time Company A, 4/47th Infantry moving south towards Company C, 4/47th Infantry walked into an L-shaped ambush from well-entrenched VC; exposed on open rice paddies the Company sustained heavy casualties. Memorials and museums dedicated to the Mobile Riverine Force. [5], At the same time, the 2nd Platoon returned along Route 13 from its ambush site, the men firing intermittently as they came. 0000003035 00000 n The break we were looking for finally came on the right (southern) flank, where the platoon was coming along the stream line. Mobile Riverine Force in conjunction with the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) from 1921 June 1967 against the Viet Cong (VC). In a short time, all of those forward were dead from multiple bullet wounds, and the platoon was temporarily wrecked as a fighting force. The men then began Advanced Infantry Training, a highly specialized program for their operational designation the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam. As they took their positions, they were hit with recoilless rifle fire and grenades. Company C, 3/47th Infantry would act as reserve. Joint Chiefs of Staff as one of the bloodiest and costliest battles of Temporarily stalled, the company commander requested the support of the empty tracked vehicles which he could see to the north. The First Battle of Ap Bau Bang occurred on November 1112, 1965. After discussing the pros and cons with the commander of the 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry, the brigade commander decided to continue the operation, even though the loss of the blocking force did not augur well for success. discipline in the execution of small-unit tactics. Nicknamed the Tornados in honor of platoon Sergeant Johnny Tornado Jones the men knew every minute counted. True, our division G2 had indicated that a sizeable enemy force was in the Ap Bac area. Alcala sent his 2nd Platoon commanded by First Lieutenant Harlan E. Short to establish an ambush along the trail at a point 1.5km north of the fire support base and approximately 350 meters west of Route 13. L. Harkins, General Paul 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. After knocking past a hastily built communist ambush just north of the perimeter, they moved around to the south. December 1966: 2nd Coronado Conference Anything and everything that couldn't fit in any of the other categories. US forces had M113 APCs, such as these, and even a half-dozen full M48 battle tanks at their disposal. zoneId = '3'; 0000000016 00000 n 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 The command track, and its communications equipment, was safely pulled into the perimeter without losses to the communists. <<1580FEC57EE0BF4FA30A1AAA607739CA>]>> other military operations being undertaken successfully by South They also gathered to renew and refresh the bond they share with one another as a true band of brothers, one that began for many of them during basic training. of the Department, Foreign Relations of the United States, 19611963, Volume if (document.mmm_fo) document.write ("&mmm_fo=1"); Chester V. Felt, Admiral Harry [5] Several Viet Cong who attempted to remove the .50-caliber machine gun from one of the burning tracks of Festa's unit were killed, as were others trying to storm the foxholes containing the wounded. trailer On 20 June 4/47th Infantry searched south of the ambush area locating a VC force north of the Rach Gion Ong stream at Ap Nam and assisted by a Company from the 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry, wiped out a VC Platoon. Not the animal, physical fear that had possessed them as they threw themselves, yelling and screaming, at the dug-in enemy a short time before, but fear for the safety of comrades who had fallen in the vicious assault. young reporters representing the wire services without careful checking Operation Concordia was an operation conducted by the U.S. 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. "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, For he today that sheds his blood with me, shall be my brother." Encapsulating the great terrors, mistakes, ironies, and courageous acts of the Vietnam War, The Battle of Ap Bac recounts the clash in which the Viet Cong first won their spurs. of the Secretaries of State, Travels of on the battle prepared on January 4 by General Paul D. Harkins, Commander of the U.S. 0000004946 00000 n Aboard USS Pope. [7] reports printed in the press on the battle of Ap Bac. This was the plan finally coordinated on the evening of 1 May 1967. 1-307-754-2221. Funston. c. Biggest US operation ever held in the Delta. If you already have a web account, but need to reset it, you can do so by clicking here. Men spoke in high-pitched, excited voices as though still trying to make themselves heard over the roar of gunfire. command which never placed a Vietnamese officer above the rank of major defeat in which communist guerrillas shot up a fleet of United Thank you for stopping by. Vietnamese forces at Ap Bac had made a number of errors, but he - 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. 2. thus this was not a real and valid test test of operating radius. 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. This answer is: newsmen spread the word to American public that GVN forces wont fight and, on the other hand, do not to the poor state of training of the South Vietnamese units, a system of 24-June 26 July 1967: Operations in eastern Long An Province, principally in CAN GIOUC and CAN DUOC Districts. At the brigade commanders suggestion, it was decided to lay a heavy volume of smoke on the area, using a battery of 155-mm. When it arrived the 11 carriers quickly deployed in line to the north of Company a so that the battalion was deployed on an assault line 1,000 meters long and facing the east. 19 August 1967: Relocate to SOIRAP?VAMCO 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. 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. Battle of p Bc Trn p Bc; Part of the Vietnam War: A map of the battlefield. During the battle, 29 US air strikes delivered 29 tons of ordnance, and American artillery fired nearly 3,000 rounds. His Company B still occupied the blocking position to the north, and was relatively fresh. 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. d. 7th ARVN took all area North of route 4. the US/GVN forces. We spent a lot of time evacuating the wounded, going out into rice paddies and getting shot doing that, Heller said. It was fought in nh Tng Province (now part of Tin Giang Province), South Explore historical photos, gripping stories, poetry and song submitted by MRFA members. VC casualties were limited to 18 soldiers killed and 39 wounded, even though their positions had been hit by more than 600 rounds of artillery, napalm, and other ordnance released by 13 warplanes and five UH-1 gunships. Ap Bac had far-reaching consequences for the South Vietnamese government and the American involvement in Vietnam. Electronic resources for U.S. foreign relations, Copyright It took a lot of guts, he wrote, on the part of those pilots and [Page 3] crews to go back into the area to Battle of Ap Bau Bang II happened on 1967-03-20. 3rd and 4th Battalions, 47th Infantry Regiment, United States Army Center of Military History, "U.S. 0000008029 00000 n During the three-day battle, 47 American soldiers were killed, including one from Hellers company, Ronald Chili Saiz. A reinforced company, and possibly more, had been lost for the time being to the Viet Cong 514th Battalion. I yelled for a medic and one ran across the field.. During the three-day battle, 47 American soldiers were killed, including one from Hellers company, Ronald Chili Saiz. States helicopters carrying Vietnamese troops into battle. 28-31 January 1967: 2nd Bde arrives at Vung Tau, Close Bearcat. Web19-20 June 1967: Operation CONCORDIA. Battle of Ap Bac. That was a rarity in the Vietnam era much rarer than people ever realize, Persson said. Making the experience even more memorable was the appearance of Don and Mark Saiz Chili Saizs twin brother and nephew. Refresher training period. The men were in Park County earlier this month to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Ap Bac. xb```b``Id`a` ed@ Ardf} g!;BCAuK@Fc@``|@A\K/z/upD. Early April 1967: TF-117 Sends one RAD (with 10 boats initially) to Dong Tam to commence local riverine operations in Dong Tam area. The battalion commander of the 3/60th Infantry intended to move his unit forward by stages before making the final assault. [5], The perimeter now contained the artillery battery, all of A Troop, and the two relief platoons, which provided a large quantity of armor. If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free web account by clicking here. [7], Following the battle, General Hay wrote a propaganda letter to the 9th Vietcong Division commander, taunting him about the communist defeat. It was as hoped that in this manner the tracked vehicles could compensate for the lack of a blocking force. They all had to be searched and cleared, even though most were found to be unoccupied. realize that bad news about American casualties filed immediately by there are days. 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. Battalion severely damaged. 0000002958 00000 n Because of its earlier start and lack of contact, this battalion was already north of the general line of contact, although some three kilometers to the west. 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 The MRFA is launching our Historical Data Project (HDP), featuring as much MRF TF-117 data as possible. Even so, it was of little help to the Viet Cong, most of whom had died. May 1966: 2nd Bde receives fill of troops '&charset='+document.characterSet : '')); When recoilless fire began hitting the tracked vehicles, the die was cast. During the evening of 19 March, the Viet Cong Ninth Division attacked the base with machine guns, mortars, rockets and small arms fire. 16 February 1967: 2nd Bde puts one battalion into RSSZ, working with advance party of TF-117. Because of a shortage of transportation, the 3/47th was delayed, and did not move until later. It resulted in a US/ARVN victory. For the artillery, it was especially difficult; the tubes were so hot from continuous use that now the rounds they fired were beginning to become erratic. Commence Operation Coronado,3d-47th and 4th Bn, 47th Inf afloat-3rd-Bn, 60th Inf OpCon T.F. 0000001668 00000 n Vietnamese troops involved in the battle lacked courage. The Battle at Ap Bac Changed Americas View of the Vietnam War by dnewbold 7/25/2006 On January 3,1963, several American war correspondents approached General Paul D. Harkins to ask what he thought about the battle the 7th Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) Division had just fought at a village named Bac. 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battle of ap bac 1967