Operations

Ground Operations

Summaries of operations and offensives carried out predominantly on the ground with infantry forces.

Most operations discussed were efforts by the United States, South Vietnam, and their allies. This is due to the availability of information.

Where statistics, particularly for causalities, are presented as a range of numbers, there were discrepancies between sources.

National Archives photo no. 100310308

Apache Snow

To cut off the North Vietnamese so that they could not attack coastal areas.

Dates:

10 May 1969 - 7 Jun 1969

Area of Operation:

A Sầu (A Shau) Valley, Thừa Thiên Province, I Corps

Binh Tay I

To clear Base Area 702 as part of the Cambodian Incursion.

Dates:

6 May 1970 - 16 May 1970

Area of Operation:

Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia (northeastern Cambodia)

Buffalo

Defend Con Thien Combat Base

Dates:

2 Jul 1967 - 14 Jul 1967

Area of Operation:

Quảng Trị Province, I Corps

Cedar Falls

Search and destroy VC elements near Saigon

Dates:

8 Jan 1967 - 27 Jan 1967

Area of Operation:

Iron Triangle and Thanh Dien Forest Reserve; Bình Dương Province, Hậu Nghĩa Province, Tây Ninh Province; III Corps

Crimp

Search and destroy, with particular focus on locating and destroying the headquarters of Viet Cong Military Region IV.

Dates:

8 Jan 1966 - 14 Jan 1966

Area of Operation:

Bình Dương Province, Hậu Nghĩa, III Corps. Particularly the HoBo Woods, west of the Iron Triangle

Defiant Stand

Amphibious assault to confront the VC forces on the island

Dates:

7 Sep 1969 - 20 Sep 1969

Area of Operation:

Barrier Island, I Corps

Double Eagle

Search and destroy; to trap VC and PAVN units in Quảng Ngãi Province

Dates:

28 Jan 1966 – 6 Mar 1966

Area of Operation:

Quảng Ngãi Province, I Corps

El Paso II

To determine 9th VC Division strength and locations along Route 13 and to destroy said forces and installations, particularly around Lộc Ninh and An Lộc.

Dates:

2 Jun 1966 – 13 Jul 1966

Area of Operation:

Bình Long and Phước Long Provinces, War Zone C, III Corps

Greeley

Search and destroy. Prevent an attack on and to take control of the Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG - US Army Special Forces) camp at Đắk Tô.

Dates:

16 Jun 1967 – 12 Oct 1967

Area of Operation:

Đắk Tô area, Kon Tum Province, II Corps

Hammersley

Reconnaissance

Dates:

2 Feb 1970 - 9 Mar 1970

Area of Operation:

Long Hải hills area, Long Điền District, Vũng Tàu Province, III Corps

Highland

To secure Highway 19 between Qui Nhơn and An Khê for deployment of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) to Vietnam

Dates:

22 Aug 1965 – 2 Oct 1965

Area of Operation:

Bình Định Province, II Corps

Houston

To secure Highway 1, particularly Hải Vân Pass, and provide security for details working on the railroad between Huế and Da Nang.

Dates:

26 Feb 1968 – 12 Sep 1968

Area of Operation:

Thừa Thiên and Quảng Nam Provinces, I Corps

Irving

To continue to engage the NVA’s 18th Reg.

Dates:

1 Oct 1966 - 24 Oct 1966

Area of Operation:

Bình Định Province, II Corps

Jefferson Glenn

Search and destroy, pacification support

Dates:

5 Sep 1970 - 8 Oct 1971

Area of Operation:

Thừa Thiên Province, Quảng Trị Province; I Corps

Manhattan

Search and destroy

Dates:

23 Apr 1967 - 12 May 1967

Area of Operation:

Boi Loi Woods, Bình Dương Province, III Corps

Prairie

A follow up to Operation Hastings wherein the Marines were tasked with making sure the 324B NVA Division did not cross the DMZ into Quảng Trị Province.

Dates:

3 Aug 1966 - 31 Jan 1967

Area of Operation:

Quảng Trị Province, I Corps

Rolling Stone

To provide security for the 1st Engineer Battalion as it worked on highways within the province; search and destroy.

Dates:

7 Feb 1966 - 2 Mar 1966

Area of Operation:

Bình Dương Province, III Corps

Sam Houston

Search and destroy, border surveillance

Dates:

1 Jan 1967 - 5 Apr 1967

Area of Operation:

Pleiku Province and Kon Tum Province, II Corps

Starlite

To rid the Van Tuong peninsula of the Viet Cong 1st Regiment, as they were a significant threat to the Chu Lai base, with a hammer and anvil attack using amphibious and heliborne forces.

Dates:

17 Aug 1965 - 24 Aug 1965

Area of Operation:

Van Tuong Peninsula, 16 miles south of Chu Lai, I Corps

Swift

Prevent disruption of national elections; search and destroy

Dates:

4 Sep 1967 - 15 Sep 1967

Area of Operation:

Quảng Nam and Quảng Tín Provinces, I Corps