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:
Area of Operation:
A Shau Valley, Thua Thien Province
10 May 1969 - 7 Jun 1969
Binh Tay I
To clear Base Area 702 as part of the Cambodian Incursion.
Dates:
Area of Operation:
Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia (northeastern Cambodia)
6 May 1970 - 16 May 1970
Buffalo
Defend Con Thien Combat Base
Dates:
Area of Operation:
Quang Tri Province, I Corps
2 Jul 1967 - 14 Jul 1967
Cedar Falls
Search and destroy VC elements near Saigon
Dates:
Area of Operation:
Iron Triangle and Thanh Dien Forest Reserve; Binh Duong Province, Hau Nghia Province, Tay Ninh Province; III Corps
8 Jan 1967 - 27 Jan 1967
Crimp
Search and destroy, with particular focus on locating and destroying the headquarters of Viet Cong Military Region IV.
Dates:
Area of Operation:
Binh Duong Province, Hau Nghia Province, III Corps. Particularly the HoBo Woods, west of the Iron Triangle
8 Jan 1966 - 14 Jan 1966
Defiant Stand
Amphibious assault to confront the VC forces on the island
Dates:
Area of Operation:
Barrier Island, I Corps
7 Sep 1969 - 20 Sep 1969
Hammersley
Reconnaissance
Dates:
Area of Operation:
Long Hai hills area, Long Tien District, Vung Tau Province
2 Feb 1970 - 9 Mar 1970
Irving
To continue to engage the NVA’s 18th Reg.
Dates:
Area of Operation:
Binh Dinh Province, II Corps
1 Oct 1966 - 24 Oct 1966
Jefferson Glenn
Search and destroy, pacification support
Dates:
Area of Operation:
Thua Thien Province, Quang Tri Province; I Corps
5 Sep 1970 - 8 Oct 1971
Manhattan
Search and destroy
Dates:
Area of Operation:
Boi Loi Woods, Binh Duong Province, III Corps
23 Apr 1967 - 12 May 1967
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 Quang Tri Province.
Dates:
Area of Operation:
Quang Tri Province, I Corps
3 Aug 1966 - 31 Jan 1967
Rolling Stone
To provide security for the 1st Engineer Battalion as it worked on highways within the province; search and destroy.
Dates:
Area of Operation:
Binh Duong Province, III Corps
7 Feb 1966 - 2 Mar 1966
Sam Houston
Search and destroy, border surveillance
Dates:
Area of Operation:
Pleiku Province and Kontum Province; II Corps
1 Jan 1967 - 5 Apr 1967
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:
Area of Operation:
Van Tuong Peninsula, 16 miles south of Chu Lai; I Corps
17 Aug 1965 - 24 Aug 1965
Swift
Prevent disruption of national elections; search and destroy
Dates:
Area of Operation:
Quang Nam and Quang Tin Provinces, I Corps
4 Sep 1967 - 15 Sep 1967
Tuscaloosa
Search and destroy
Dates:
Area of Operation:
Quang Nam Province, I Corps
23 Jan 1967 - 28 Jan 1967
Union
Search and destroy communist strongholds in Que Son Valley; Gain control of Que Son Valley
Dates:
Area of Operation:
Que Son Valley of Quang Nam and Quang Tin Provinces, I Corps
21 Apr 1967 - 17 May 1967