The entire crew was wounded and evacuated. The MRFA is launching our Historical Data Project (HDP), featuring as much MRF TF-117 data as possible. In addition, some men were having trouble with their rifles, due to the terrific volume of the fire they were pouring out. Explore artwork by members, and read historical articles and books. [4], The communists increased their intensity and two M113s were hit directly, wounding several Americans and destroying the vehicle. The troops on the ground began digging in around the rice paddies to secure their LZ, awaiting the rest of Even though all the enemy in the immediate vicinitymore than 100 of themwere dead, there was no assurance that others might not be around, and prudence demanded being prepared for any eventuality. US Took CAM/SON/BAN LONG. of Vietnam engaged a Viet Cong battalion at the village of Ap Bac in of the Wheeler report, submitted The concern of fire falling in the fire support base was so great that it was decided briefly not to attack. The ambush was to be in position by 18:00. [6], During the battle of Ap Bau Bang III, the Americans killed at least 227 Viet Cong, and captured 3, as well as much equipment and weapons. 4-6 July: Operations in GO GONG Province. 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 June 1967: MRB arrives at Dong Tam. Please sign the MRFA guestbook! Although the enemy would have suffered heavy casualties, his defeat would not have been nearly as final as the one which occurred. Operation in Dinh Tuoung including CAM SON and CHO CAO. 3-10 June 1967: MRF shakedown. In the 3/60th, casualties were unbelievably light. and helicopters. military advisers charged today that Vietnamese infantrymen refused In fact, if anything, the operation got off to an inauspicious start. 0000007973 00000 n 226 0 obj<>stream 15 May 1967: 1st CAM SON riverine operation, using TF-117 boats. %%EOF Ap Bau Bang II was the heaviest clash of Operation Junction City. 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. Battalion severely damaged. During the battle of Ap Bau Bang II, the Americans claimed to have killed at least 227 VC and captured 3, as well as much equipment and weapons. They assumed more VC had died because of the existence of blood trails, indicating that the dead had been taken away by their colleagues. :135 Nearly every member of Hellers platoon was wounded in the battle, including Heller himself. Series, History of the Early April 1967: TF-117 Sends one RAD (with 10 boats initially) to Dong Tam to commence local riverine operations in Dong Tam area. [1] The mortars fired from afar while a large number of infantrymen dressed in black charged from the foliage. - 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. Status of the, Quarterly In front of it stretched some 1,500 meters of open rice fields that were cut at 500-meter intervals by two irrigation ditches, the last of which was some 500 to 600 meters from the enemys position. Without further delay, the commanding officer of the 3/60th ordered the attack to go in without the artillery. While these operations were being carried out, the gunship, which has been constantly circling the area, reported a Viet Cong force of company size moving across the fields to the northeast. A friend is a person that would be standing by your side, even if he knew it was going to cost him his life. Comm retrans station at RACH Kien, secure US Base midway between AO and MRB The intent was to bring the artillery fire on the enemys positions and then advance the infantry to as close as possible under cover of this fire, crawling the last few yards in the case of Company A. It was apparent that the climax was rapidly approaching. Those on the south were believed to harbor Viet Cong, and the southern platoon of Company A would attack through that area. American public is not getting the facts on the situation in Viet-nam, The Battle of Ap Bac was the first significant engagement between tenets of North and South Vietnam. The 3d Platoon of C Troop, moved up Route 13 from their position five kilometers to the south, driving through a barrage of fire before reaching the base perimeter at 01:27. 7, The Washington Post printed a front-page Explore our catalog and purchase official MRFA gear here. - 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. However, when they reached the Type Chapter Information Triumph Forsaken 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. He adopted a conventional formation of two battalions advancing abreast, the 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry, on the west, the 3rd Battalion, 47th Infantry on the east, with Highway 4 as a line of departure. 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. In a short time, all of those forward were dead from multiple bullet wounds, and the platoon was temporarily wrecked as a fighting force. [6], During the battle, resupply and medical evacuation missions continued under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel Paul F. Gorman of the 1st Infantry Division. A relatively small engagement that had major media, political, and policy implications, the Battle of Ap Bac took place between Viet Cong (VC) and Army of the Republic of Viet Nam (ARVN) forces on January 2, 1963. memorandum prepared for the President by the Joint Staff of the Joint of the 7th Battalion, 9th Artillery, commanded by Captain Duane W. Captured major caches of weapons, ammo, rice and medical supplies. However, if the core of these units, who are irreplaceable, can be captured or killed, the efficiency of these units must begin to wane. Persson said their platoon was unique in that they had been together since the beginning of boot camp, so the absence of another member of the tight-knit group was always felt. Darkness finally came to the rice paddies of Dien Thoung Province in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, but it came slowly. After knocking past a hastily built communist ambush just north of the perimeter, they moved around to the south. Refresher training period. there are days. After dinner, each guy stood up and said a few words; it was a memorable experience, Heller said. 0 The Battle of p Bc was a major battle fought on January 2, 1963, during the Vietnam War.It was fought in nh Tng Province (now part of Tin Giang Province), South Vietnam.On December 28, 1962, US intelligence detected the presence of a radio transmitter along with a sizable force of National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (NLF/Viet Cong) soldiers, For many of the Tornados, June 19 was the last day they would see each other in the war zone. preparation, motivation, and [Page 2] major defeat in which communist guerrillas shot up a fleet of United Company C, 3/47th Infantry would act as reserve. The situation was such that no fire from air or artillery could be utilized due to the nearness of the opposing combatants. Vann attributed the failure Considered small-scale action, Ap Bac was fought on January 2, 1963, in the hamlet (ap in Vietnamese) of Bac. Unit awards, medals and ribbons, and information on applying for and obtaining your medals and ribbons. / 10.43833N 106.19528E / 10.43833; 106.19528 The Battle of p Bc was a major battle fought on 2 January 1963 during the Vietnam War, in nh Tng Province (now part of Tin Giang Province ), South Vietnam. Employing 0 battalions in the field for 8 days. It resulted in a US/ARVN victory. This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History. Mobile Riverine Force in conjunction with the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) from 1921 June 1967 against the Viet Cong (VC). Nearly wipes out 514th Main Force Viet Cong Battalion [3] One tank operator trained his searchlight on the Viet Cong machine gun position and returned fire along with three APCs for around three minutes. [1]:107, With nightfall the casualties of Company A, 4/47th Infantry were able to be evacuated, while most of the VC were able to escape through gaps in the U.S. positions. By noontime, troops of the the Wild Ones had reached and searched as far north as objective Queen without contact or major incident. Meanwhile, Company A, 3/60th, was formed up and waiting at the helicopter pickup site for the promised company of choppers. Fire was immediately returned and the enemy automatic rifle gunner was killed; however, he was quickly replaced by another, who continued to fire on the exposed squad and within minutes all who had crossed the stream were casualties. The South Vietnamese forces enjoyed a 4-1 numerical advantage in the By mid May this builds to full RAS at Dong Tam, while continuing operations in RSSZ, from base at Vung Tau. Sheehan, Current Join us for our 2017 reunion by making a reservation today! Links to friends, affiliates and other sites you should visit! 9, 2007(Battle of Ap Bac was a small-scale action early in the Vietnam War took place on Jan. 2, 1963, near the hamlet ("ap" in Vietnamese) of Ap Bac, 65 kilometers southwest of Saigon in the Mekong Delta) Change Notes 2007-04-26: new 2007-04-27: revised Alternate Formats [5], At the same time, the 2nd Platoon returned along Route 13 from its ambush site, the men firing intermittently as they came. [7] The original English was, This is to advise you that during the battle of Ap Bau Bang on 20 March the Regimental Commander of Q763 (273d Regiment) and his Battalion Commanders disgraced themselves by performing in an un-soldierly manner. True, our division G2 had indicated that a sizeable enemy force was in the Ap Bac area. During the three-day battle, 47 American soldiers were killed, including one from Hellers company, Ronald Chili Saiz. Click most pictures to enlarge. On 20 June 4/47th Infantry searched south of the ambush area locating a VC force north of the Rach Gion Ong stream at Ap Nam and assisted by a Company from the 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry, wiped out a VC Platoon. [4], During the lull that followed, reconnaissance by fire was conducted by Wolfe's tank along the wood line to the east beyond the railway. At the same time Company A, 4/47th Infantry moving south towards Company C, 4/47th Infantry walked into an L-shaped ambush from well-entrenched VC; exposed on open rice paddies the Company sustained heavy casualties. The Battle of Ap Bac was a major battle fought on January 3, 1963, during the Vietnam War. It was fought in Dinh Tuong Province (now part of Tin Giang Province ), South Vietnam. On December 28, 1962, U.S. intelligence detected the presence of a radio transmitter along with a sizable force of National Front for Seeing this, the two men following, a machine gun team, quickly jumped up and rushed the position, dispatching the Viet Cong with a burst. To further complicate matters, the area was honeycombed with small fighting positions typical of the Delta region. [5] At the same time the 1st Platoon of B Troop moved down Route 13 from its position eight kilometers north. A relatively small engagement that had major media, political, and policy implications, the Battle of Ap Bac took place between Viet Cong (VC) and Army of the Republic of Viet Nam (ARVN) forces on January 2, 1963. try to rescue their pals. Like any engagements in war, Harkins concluded, there are days-and 0000001668 00000 n This day they got a bear by the tail and they didnt let During the three-day battle, 47 American soldiers were killed, including one from Hellers company, Ronald Chili Saiz. It was a terrible day for the 4th of the 47th.. The whole battalion lost about 47 total. if (!document.MAX_used) document.MAX_used = ','; As they held their cigarettes their hands shook from the terrific nervous tensions they had been under. of State, World War I and the In the twilight, groups of soldiers moved about the battlefield seeking enemy survivors and collecting arms. Diplomatic Couriers, Guide to Country Recognition and We have buried your dead and taken care of your wounded from this battle.[7]. Battle of AP Bac II, in AP Bac Hamlet, CAN/GUIOC District, Long An Province. A full archive of past and present "River Currents" newsletters from your friends at MRFA. They all had to be searched and cleared, even though most were found to be unoccupied. Most of the attendees arrived the weekend of Fathers Day, and they gathered at the Irma Hotel Sunday night in Cody for a reunion dinner. We dont sit around and tell war stories, we just celebrate each other and the fact that its great to be alive.. The break we were looking for finally came on the right (southern) flank, where the platoon was coming along the stream line. Men spoke in high-pitched, excited voices as though still trying to make themselves heard over the roar of gunfire. The last battle for which two living service members received the Medal of Honor was the 1967 Battle of Ap Bac in Vietnam, a spokeswoman for the Congressional [4] Within 20 minutes of the start of the mortar attack, the Viet Cong ground assault began. Sheehan in which he wrote that angry United States We all decided this was the best reunion weve ever had, Heller said. In view of this, the brigade commander, Col. William B. Fulton, changed his scheme of maneuver. [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. At the direction of Alcala, the platoon swept 1.5km south of the defenders along the rubber tree line. 'https://powellbanners.creativecirclemedia.com/www/delivery/ajs.php':'http://powellbanners.creativecirclemedia.com/www/delivery/ajs.php'); However, for the Tigers of the 3rd Battalion, 47th Infantry, and especially for Company A of that unit, what had started out as a routine walk in the sun was rapidly becoming a grim one. We served more like the people that trained in WWII. To have met the enemy on his own terms after so many fruitless months of seeking him, suffering daily casualties from mines and booby traps until frustrations reached a crescendo that seared the mind and bloodied the heart; to have met the enemy and destroyed him completely, provided a joy and a sense of accomplishment that caused their hearts to glow and animated each man. The dead lay along a small dike extending perpendicular to their front. The Viet Cong started their attack ten minutes later, and they were met with artillery fire, cluster bomb units, napalm and 500 pound bombs. Alpha Company didnt; they walked right into an ambush that was prepared for the entire battalion, not just one company, Heller explained. 1-307-754-2221. [CDATA[ 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. In short, a nice, tidy plan had gone awry. Funston. a team of officers to Vietnam to investigate conflicting reports on WebOn the morning of January 2, 1963, the South Vietnamese Civil Guards spearheaded the attack by marching toward Ap Tan Thoi from the south. They developed a deep caring for each other and their mission.. In addition, farmhouses were scattered throughout the rice paddy terrain. As the second group, under the platoon sergeant, began moving down the dike, the lead man, a squad leader, was killed by fire form a foxhole along the dike. 13-17 June 1967: Operations in southern NHOM TRACH, including attach I-10 Headquarters. It was the first time at the reunion for both. Battle of AP Bac II, in AP Bac Hamlet, CAN/GUIOC District, Long An Province. Harry D. Felt, Commander in Guerra de Vietnam; Guerras de descolonizacin en Asia Parte de Guerra Fra: De izquierda a derecha y de arriba abajo: operaciones de combate de Estados Unidos En Ia rng, ARVN Rangers que defienden a Saign durante la Ofensiva del Tet de 1968, dos Douglas A-4 Skyhawk despus del incidente del golfo de Tonkn, ARVN recuperan Qung Tr durante la Ofensiva de Country Series, 1/63) On January 7, President Kennedy expressed concern about the The perimeter was manned on the west by the 1st Platoon, commanded by First Lieutenant Roger A. Festa and to the east by the 3rd Platoon under Second Lieutenant Hiram M. Wolfe, IV.[3]. Three American advisers were killed in the Explore historical photos, gripping stories, poetry and song submitted by MRFA members. This killed the communists, but in one case, Viet Cong mortar hit simultaneously, blowing up the APC, killing one and injuring many others. 5-September 1967: Relocate to Dong Tam. State. characterized them largely as errors of courage rather than cowardice. a. MACV MDMAF concept postulated a maximum radius of 50 KM from MRB. Almost form the moment it crossed the line of departure, it had begun to meet fire. In front of the platoon was the small pasture where the lead squad of Company A, 3/47th, had been destroyed earlier. L. Harkins, General Paul Memorials and museums dedicated to the Mobile Riverine Force. Colonel Haszard then alerted the 1st Platoon of B Troop and the 3rd Platoon of C Troop to the north and south of Ap Bau Bang respectively to move to Fire Support Base 20. d. 7th ARVN took all area North of route 4. Jump to navigation Jump to search. Department, Buildings of the 261st Viet Cong Main Force Battalion, normally in Kien Hoa, moved up to west Ding Tuong early July. At one point, the VC sought to overcome the advantage of US mechanization by swarming over the actual vehicles. 209 18 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. They had biggest bag of the operation. morale-building victory. They also gathered to renew and refresh the bond they share with one another as a true band of brothers, one that began for many of them during basic training. Join us for our 2017 reunion by making a reservation today! Naval Forces Vietnam Monthly Historical Supplement June 1967", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Operation_Concordia_(Vietnam)&oldid=1101635797, Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1967, Battles and operations of the Vietnam War, Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the United States Army Center of Military History, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 August 2022, at 01:43. Alcala concluded that it was an attempt by the Viet Cong to recover bodies. Alcala requested artillery support from the battalion he was securing and further away in Lai Khe. Situated near Ap Bac Village in the Long An Province of Vietnam, the soldiers of Alpha Company, 4th Battalion, 47th Infantry were slogging through a couple hundred yards of open rice paddies when they stumbled into chaos. In the zone of the 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry, the attached mechanized company (Company C, 5th Battalion, 60th Infantry) was given the deeper objectives because its mobility and speed would allow it to quickly search out those objectives. Thank you for stopping by. General Earle G. Wheeler to lead The first true battle of the Vietnam War was Ap Bac. (After-Action Report by Senior Adviser 7th Anything and everything that couldn't fit in any of the other categories. The 261st Battalion was among the best Viet Cong units in the country, a fact attributable to its fine leadership. xref A unit of the 1st Brigade, 9th Infantry, attached to the 1st Infantry Division, A Troop had 129 men, six M48 tanks, twenty M113 armored personnel carriers (APCs), and three 4.2-inch mortar carriers. stiff resistance was apparently encountered, contact has been maintained Battle of Ap Bau Bang II happened on 1967-03-20. [5] Several Viet Cong who attempted to remove the .50-caliber machine gun from one of the burning tracks of Festa's unit were killed, as were others trying to storm the foxholes containing the wounded. 0000002679 00000 n At the same time, he recalled the personnel carrier company (Company C, 5/60th) from its barren search farther to the west and began moving it toward the point of contact. Company C, 3/47th Infantry was deployed by helicopters south of the reported VC location while Company C, 4/47th Infantry was moved by patrol craft northeast of the location. Vietnam, filed an after-action report on the Ap Bac operation which