Union

Written February 2015

Operation

Dates:

21 Apr 1967 - 17 May 1967

Area of Operation:

Quế Sơn Valley of Quảng Nam and Quảng Tín Provinces, I Corps

Allied Units:

USMC 1st Division, 1st Battalion and 2d Battalions 1st Marines, 1st and 3d Battalions 5th Marines; 1st ARVN Ranger Group

Allied Casualties:

110 KIA, 473 WIA, 2 MIA

Enemy Units:

3d PAVN Regiment

Enemy Casualties:

865 KIA

Objective(s):

Search and destroy communist strongholds in Quế Sơn Valley; Gain control of Quế Sơn Valley

Significance/Notes:

A major battle of the operation was fought at Hill 110. Operation Union II followed a couple of weeks after the conclusion of Union. The US 5th Marines received the Presidential Unit Citation for their actions during Operation Union.

Sources:

Vietnam War Almanac by James H. Willbanks

The Vietnam Center And Archive (at Texas Tech University)

Photo Gallery

Marines of the 3rd Bn., 5th Marine Regiment, 1st MarDiv, cross the Song Kiang river, 10 miles NW of Tam Ky, Vietnam during Operation Union on 6May67.

Source: National Archives photo no. 26387671

Operation Union--Private First Class [illegible] J. Hill (Schenectady, N.Y.) of Hotel Company, 2nd Battalion, First Marines, tosses a grenade through an entrance of a Viet Cong hut while Private First Class Angelo D. [illegible] (Rocky Hill, Conn.) prepares for any Viet Cong resistance.

Source: National Archives photo no. 26387681

Operation Union--Lance Corporal William M. Collins, Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, First Marines, leads a column of Marines under a Viet Cong propaganda gate.

Source: National Archives photo no. 26387675

Operation Union--Lieutenant Colonel Esslinger, Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion, Fifth Marines, and Corporal O'Neal, S-2 Scout, gives villager 700 piasters for the use of the village as a Command Post.

Source: National Archives photo no. 26387677