Greeley
Written January 2021
Operation
Dates:
16 Jun 1967 – 12 Oct 1967
Area of Operation:
Đắk Tô area, Kon Tum Province, II Corps
Allied Units:
USA 173d Airborne Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, 1st Cavalry Division; ARVN 5th Airborne Battalion, 8th Airborne Battalion, 42d Regiment
Allied Casualties:
US 129+ KIA, 238+ WIA; ARVN 79 KIA, 13 WIA, 2 MIA
Enemy Units:
24th PAVN Regiment, 174th PAVN Regiment, 304th VC Battalion, Doc Lap VC Battalion
Enemy Casualties:
189 KIA
Objective(s):
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.
Significance/Notes:
Greeley was part of a series of operations including Paul Revere and Francis Marion. On 11 Oct., Greeley was consolidated with Operation MacArthur during which the Battle of Đắk Tô occurred. Greeley represents an early stage of that battle.
Perhaps the most stunning engagement of Greeley was that which occurred between 6th Battalion, 24th NVA Regiment and Company A, 2d Battalion, 503d Airborne Regiment on 22 June. Alpha Company sustained 76 KIA and 23 WIA. When reinforcements arrived, they discovered that many of Alpha Company’s dead appeared to have been killed execution style – point blank, single gunshots to the head. The after action report for this engagement claimed 513 PAVN killed, but only 75 bodies were counted.
Subsequent clashes revealed a deeply entrenched enemy with extensive bunker complexes. The result was high casualties for the US forces.
Sometimes spelled “Greely.”
Sources:
The Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War, 2nd Edition edited by Spencer C. Tucker
Vietnam Battle Chronology: U.S. Army and Marine Corps Combat Operations, 1965-1973 by David Burns Sigler
Vietnam War Almanac by James H. Willbanks
The Vietnam Center And Archive (at Texas Tech University)
Further Reading:
