Battle of Tam Kỳ
Battle of Tam Ky | |||||||
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Part of the Vietnam War | |||||||
M113s clear the way for infantry | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
United States | Viet Cong | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Walter C. Cousland | |||||||
Units involved | |||||||
1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment 3rd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment | 3rd Regiment, 3rd Division | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
US body count: 436 killed |
The Battle of Tam Kỳ took place during the
Background
In early March 1968 the
Battle
On the evening of 3 March 1968, the 1/1st Cavalry was at its base camp at Hawk Hill (15°38′42″N 108°24′00″E / 15.645°N 108.40°E). The 1st Platoon of Troop A was on Hill 10, securing a sector of Highway 1 and the 2nd Platoon of Troop A was at Tam Kỳ Base Camp prepared to assist in the defense of the Province headquarters.[1]: 107 That evening Hawk Hill was hit by a heavy bombardment of 45 122mm rockets and 50 rounds of mortar fire. At first light Troop C, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, the squadron’s air cavalry troop, discovered the rocket-firing positions on Hill 34 (15°38′49″N 108°21′36″E / 15.647°N 108.36°E) to the west of the base camp. 23rd Division commander General Samuel W. Koster extended the cavalry's area of operations to the west and attached one company of infantry. The squadron was again to be committed as a maneuver battalion to eliminate the enemy force that had fired on it.[1]: 107–8
Troop C was ordered to move to the west to link up with Company A, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment. About that time, 15 PAVN soldiers were sighted in bunkers and the operations officer requested an immediate air strike. At 09:38, Troop C started moving toward the area of contact as the air cavalry discovered more and more enemy positions. Some small arms fire was being received by the aircraft and one
At 19:20 Troop C and Company A, 3/21st Infantry, moved to establish a night defensive position on Hill 34. The hill was triangular in shape, with rice paddies and streams on two of its three sides; it was an excellent defensive position. The field of fire over the rice paddies was well suited to the long-range, direct fire weapons on the tanks and armored cavalry assault vehicles. This position guarded the Phu Xuan River, a known infiltration route and prevented the PAVN from using the same firing data against Hawk Hill as was used the previous night. Except for a few rounds which landed about 100 meters outside the perimeter at 22:55 hours, the PAVN, identified as the 3rd Regiment, 3rd Division did not threaten the position overnight.[1]: 108–9 On the morning of 5 March Cousland sent Troop C and Company A back into the area of contact to attack the suspected PAVN positions from the rear. Two air strikes were made on the area shortly after first light, followed by an artillery preparation. After an aerial resupply of ammunition, the cavalry-infantry team moved out with air cavalry elements on either flank. At 13:05 the team received small arms and automatic weapons fire at a range of 50m. This attack soon developed into a heavy fight which lasted until 18:30 when the unit withdrew to its night defensive positions.[1]: 109–10
On 6 March Cousland committed Troop B, Troop C, Company A, 3/21st Infantry and the air cavalry troop.[1]: 110
Aftermath
The battle resulted in 436 PAVN soldiers killed and many weapons captured.[1]: 110 [2]: 484
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.
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