[4] Throughout the mortar and antitank bombardment, Alcala maintained radio contact with his squadron commander, Lieutenant Colonel Sidney S. Haszard, who was located to the south. Battle of Ap Bau Bang II happened on 1967-03-20. mistakes at Ap Bac based upon faulty intelligence and inexperience, but TF-117 supports 2nd Bde operations, initially with RAS boats borrowed from the Vietnamese Navy, crewed by US Crews, as TF-117 boats arrived in country, they were phased into RSSZ operations. In the first 10 minutes, 95 percent of them were killed. 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. document.write ('&cb=' + m3_r); The ARVN were decisively defeated. 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. 209 18 Those on the north had been swept by Company B earlier, and were known to be free of enemy troops. Get the recipe! They had become highly proficient in group and individual tactics. The 3rd Battalion, 47th Infantry, would also advance to the north as soon as it arrived. Neil The troop formed into a circular (wagon train) perimeter defense. Then we went back to Dong Tam and then in an incredible operation the MRF moved Instead he continued to fire white phosphorus, some of which by this time, was falling dangerously close to Company A. [7] 13-17 June 1967: Operations in southern NHOM TRACH, including attach I-10 Headquarters. zoneId = '3'; Learn about the association, Board Members, Officers, and download a membership application form! This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History. There are consequences.. 6th US Battalions committed. Moving aggressively, the company closed on the enemy, killed several and forced the others to flee to the north. (Initially 3rd-Bn 47th Inf then 4th-Bn, 47th Inf) We knew they were there. Battle of AP Bac II, in AP Bac Hamlet, CAN/GUIOC District, Long An Province. During the evening of 19 March, the Viet Cong Ninth Division attacked the base with machine guns, mortars, rockets and small arms fire. They were assured of swift success. In short, a nice, tidy plan had gone awry. 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. Were all so close; these are brothers. Calling for artillery fire and air support, the commander attempted to maneuver his company across the stream. 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. In front of the platoon was the small pasture where the lead squad of Company A, 3/47th, had been destroyed earlier. As they took their positions, they were hit with recoilless rifle fire and grenades. assessment of the battle by Neil On the north and south was a line of dense coconut trees and undergrowth. 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. 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. Vietnam, April-Dec. 1963), The Department of State and the White House expressed concern over the This was prompted in part by the need to get as close to the enemy as possible before assaulting, plus the necessity of crossing the tracked vehicles over the two tracked vehicles, would continue to advance by using fire and maneuver within the platoons to destroy individual enemy positions as they were discovered. Explore gatherings, speakers and events. press reaction across the country to the battle of Ap Bac noted that } Later a switch was made and the aircraft attack runs were made from east to west on the south and southwest sides of the perimeter. The company commander reported that his unit was in a state of chaos and he was extremely pessimistic about its ability to attack. 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 1-307-754-2221. f. By agreement with 7th ARVN, MRF had a VN Ranger Battalion as MRF reserve and employed it in combat. In addition, farmhouses were scattered throughout the rice paddy terrain. In addition, some men were having trouble with their rifles, due to the terrific volume of the fire they were pouring out. %%EOF Anything and everything that couldn't fit in any of the other categories. On the south, Company A was exchanging fire with most of the enemy defenders. It was the day after Fathers Day, June 19, 1967. The first true battle of the Vietnam War was Ap Bac. It was a terrible day for the 4th of the 47th.. (After-Action Report by Senior Adviser 7th The men then began Advanced Infantry Training, a highly specialized program for their operational designation the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam. other military operations being undertaken successfully by South The attacking force was stopped within 15m of the perimeter. I yelled for a medic and one ran across the field.. It took place in an area of the Mekong Delta that had been dominated by VC guerrillas. if (document.context) document.write ("&context=" + escape(document.context)); At 22:50 that night a Viet Cong probe signaled the start of the battle. The battle of Ap Bac, Vietnam, 2007. found: Wikipedia, viewed Apr. Meanwhile, Company A, 3/60th, was formed up and waiting at the helicopter pickup site for the promised company of choppers. 2014-04-30 20:40:28. Harry D. Felt, Commander in Of the men who participated in this assault, most had been in the Army hardly a year. He gave Alcala permission to recall his 2nd Platoon from the ambush site to the perimeter. Become a member of MRFA! [6] His Company B still occupied the blocking position to the north, and was relatively fresh. 3-10 June 1967: MRF shakedown. At the brigade commanders suggestion, it was decided to lay a heavy volume of smoke on the area, using a battery of 155-mm. They all had to be searched and cleared, even though most were found to be unoccupied. [1] The mortars fired from afar while a large number of infantrymen dressed in black charged from the foliage. 0000005303 00000 n It had proved once again that the American fighting man, when well trained and aggressive, is the finest in the world. [5], At 03:00 another attack began on the southern perimeter. Kennedy on January 7 in if (document.referrer) document.write ("&referer=" + escape(document.referrer)); 1 June 1967: MRB arrives at Dong Tam. If you would like to purchase a subscription click here. The ambush was to be in position by 18:00. Explore artwork by members, and read historical articles and books. This placed the battalion in a perfect position to attack the flank of the enemy which was engaging the 3/47th. We continued to pour fire into his position and to inch forward, taking best advantage of the cover. [1]:104 The operation plan called for the deployment of five Companies of the 3rd and 4th Battalions, 47th Infantry Regiment into the operations area by assault craft and sweep south towards the ARVN 2nd Battalion, 46th Infantry blocking positions near the town of Ap Bac in Tien Giang Province. Links to friends, affiliates and other sites you should visit! of the Wheeler report, submitted Chester V. Felt, Admiral Harry - 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. Who was the American commander at Ap Bac? Employing 0 battalions in the field for 8 days. 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 It resulted in a US/ARVN victory. document.write ("?zoneid="+zoneId+"&block=1&blockcampaign=1"); - 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. 59, Files of the Office of Public Opinion Studies, U.S. Policy on S. The Powell Tribune has expanded its online content. They crossed to the southern half of the perimeter under the heaviest communist attack. Even though the general location of the enemy was known, the excellent camouflage and small holes customarily used by the Viet Cong made it impossible to spot exact fire positions until very close to them. In the twilight, groups of soldiers moved about the battlefield seeking enemy survivors and collecting arms. var m3_r = Math.floor(Math.random()*99999999999); 0000001118 00000 n zoneId = '8'; It took place in an area of the Mekong Delta that had been dominated by VC guerrillas. Vietnam, filed an after-action report on the Ap Bac operation which It resulted in a US/ARVN victory. At this point, the situation was confused, and the brigade commander was unhappy. If we were going to win, the enemy must soon begin to break and run. Some rice had been found, more proof that Viet Cong had been in the area. So far as the battalion commander of the 3/60th was concerned, all his chips were in the pot. We welcome content contributions! try to rescue their pals. Like any engagements in war, Harkins concluded, there are days-and If you already have a web account, but need to reset it, you can do so by clicking here. 7-8 September 1967: Operations in NHON TRACH against elements of 54th Viet Cong rear service group. Links to friends, affiliates and other sites you should visit! An Air Force flareship kept the battle area continually lighted. Haszard noted the growing size of the communist offensive and decided to move with his command element to A Troop's position. distorted both the importance of the action and the damage suffered by Although more infantry than usual were killed by small arms fire, they were attacking cavalry and armored units, most Viet Cong deaths in this battle still resulted from artillery and air strikes. (Summary telegram 677 from ARPAC to JCS, January 4; Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Vietnam In a short time, all of those forward were dead from multiple bullet wounds, and the platoon was temporarily wrecked as a fighting force. if (document.MAX_used != ',') document.write ("&exclude=" + document.MAX_used); By 20:00 darkness and enemy fire stopped the assault with Companies B and C, 3/47th Infantry, still some 600 meters west of the ambush site. Men spoke in high-pitched, excited voices as though still trying to make themselves heard over the roar of gunfire. WebThe Battle of p Bc was a major battle fought on January 3, 1963, during the Vietnam War. Explore our Navy section: awards, stories, points of interest, origin of navy terminology and much, much more! Department of State, U.S. Perhaps more significantly, no mines or booby traps had been encountered, usually a good sign that you are in an area highly frequented by the Viet Cong. c. MRB most distance to date. While fighting continued, part of Festa's unit were trying to evacuate their wounded. That is a huge, huge loss., Lieutenant Heller and his fellow soldiers in . At 23:00 the Viet Cong opened fire on the northeast section of the perimeter with a wheel-mounted .50-caliber machine gun located on the railway embankment. 2 May 1967: Battle of Ap Bac, not riverine, but most significant battle fought to date by 2nd Brigade. Felt noted that it was important to By noontime, troops of the the Wild Ones had reached and searched as far north as objective Queen without contact or major incident. 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 since Ap Bac the complaint has been increasingly heard that the 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. Also 1 company operation each week in RSSZ. 7, The Washington Post printed a front-page Nicknamed the Tornados in honor of platoon Sergeant Johnny Tornado Jones the men knew every minute counted. Explore historical photos, gripping stories, poetry and song submitted by MRFA members. Making the experience even more memorable was the appearance of Don and Mark Saiz Chili Saizs twin brother and nephew. Concurrently, the other companies of the battalion where dispersed to the east and north of the stream, with the mission of blocking any escaping enemy. The troops on the ground began digging in around the rice paddies to secure their LZ, awaiting the rest of 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 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. Even so, it was of little help to the Viet Cong, most of whom had died. [6] The attackers were followed by a line of unarmed troops carrying ropes and wires with hooks to recover the fallen communists. document.write ("'><\/scr"+"ipt>"); However, when they reached the Wheeler Mission, Mansfield Report, Comprehensive Plan, Thompson States adviser to the Seventh Division of the Army of the Republic of III, Vietnam, JanuaryAugust 1963, I. Reassessment, January 1-March 14, 1963: Hilsman-Forrestal Report, The dead lay along a small dike extending perpendicular to their front. Since no officers could be identified among the enemy dead, except for the battalion surgeon, there was reason to suspect that these key people may have moved out earlier in the day, and possibly were some of those that had been encountered by Company B. Howitzers to screen the battalions approach. We dont sit around and tell war stories, we just celebrate each other and the fact that its great to be alive.. The MRFA is launching our Historical Data Project (HDP), featuring as much MRF TF-117 data as possible. During the three-day battle, 47 American soldiers were killed, including one from Hellers company, Ronald Chili Saiz. to the Joint Chiefs at the end of January, see Document 26. Saigon, January 7; Department of State, Central Files, 951K.6211/1-763) These were the troops of the 273d Viet Cong Regiment, who had been waiting in position in the rubber trees before moving forward under mortar fire cover,[4] wearing dark clothes. he added along with the bad news of damage to helicopters and three This was the plan finally coordinated on the evening of 1 May 1967. 261st Viet Cong Main Force Battalion, normally in Kien Hoa, moved up to west Ding Tuong early July. 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. 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