Battles of Nakhang

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Battles of Nakhang
Part of Laotian Civil War; Vietnam War
Date16 February 1966–28 February 1969
Location
Northern Laos
Result 1st battle: North Vietnamese victory
2nd battle: Royal Lao victory
3rd battle: Royal Lao victory
4th battle: North Vietnamese victory
Territorial
changes		 Nakhang captured by the North Vietnamese
Belligerents
 Kingdom of Laos
Supported by
 United States
 Thailand		  North Vietnam
Forces Armee Neutralistes
Commanders and leaders

Kingdom of Laos Vang Pao  (WIA)
United States William H. Sullivan
United States Ramon D. Horinek
United States Eagle
United States Charles Larimore Jones
United States Eugene O. Conley
United States Robert E. Turner
United States John D. Haney

United States John Smith Hamilton		 Unknown 3 unknown officers
Units involved
606th Air Commando Squadron
United States One A-130
20th Special Operations Squadron
Thailand Thai air support
Thailand
 Thai advisers		 North Vietnam 5th Battalion, 168th Regiment
North Vietnam 174th Regiment of the 316th Division		 Battalion Infantry 5
Strength
Kingdom of Laos 5,120
United States Additional air support
Thailand Thai advisers		 Total unknown
First battle: Peaked at 600 to 1,000
Third battle: 600 to 800		 Unknown
Casualties and losses
Total unknown
First battle: Slight
Second battle: At least 10
Third battle: 9 killed, 24 wounded
Fourth battle: Very heavy, 50 percent killed of two battalions, over 50 percent killed of three battalions. Thai advisers killed, one captured.		 Total unknown, but heavy. One North Vietnamese captured
First battle: Heavy, at least 70 killed with upper estimate of 1,000
Second battle: Heavy
Third battle: Estimated 250 killed
Fourth battle: 26 killed		 Three officers executed, battalion members killed or defect to North Vietnam

The Battles of Nakhang (16 February 1966–28 February 1969) were fought between Royalist forces and

C-123 cargo carriers; its location and length made it a vital component of the Royalist defense. Lima Site 36 was the airhead for their guerrillas' movements and resupply, as well as a staging point for U.S. combat search and rescue
helicopters.

The

Democratic Republic of Vietnam
.

On 6 January 1967, the PAVN renewed their offensive for the Third Battle of Nakhang. Despite their taking advantage of an overcast they thought would prevent aerial support, they were defeated within two days by U.S. Air Force airstrikes. It was not until 28 February 1969 that the Vietnamese succeeded in capturing Lima Site 36 for good, with their surprise assault of the Fourth Battle of Nakhang.

Background

When the United States decided to underwrite the Royal Lao Government and the Royal Lao Armed Forces in 1953, it entered into what burgeoned into the Laotian Civil War.[1]

Its northerly location and its airfield made Nakhang, Laos a major base for the

guerrillas.[3]

As early as 1964,

Olin Teague. Also stationed there were half a dozen Royal Thai Air Force majors serving as forward air controllers.[4]

As a result of increasing Royalist activity, there were a series of skirmishes between the sides for possession of the outlying positions surrounding Nakhang throughout 1964 and 1965. In July 1965, Nakhang was the launching point for a successful offensive against Communist forces in the vicinity.[4] By late November, Vang Pao had five weak Royal Lao Army (RLA) battalions to defend the entire north of Military Region 2. He reinforced them by posting three picket lines of Auto Defense Choc (ADC) skirmishers to screen any PAVN approaches. The five battalions plus the ADC militia troops numbered 5,120 strong. Another 5,500 Auto-Defense Ordinaire home guards were alerted in villages throughout the region.[5]

First battle of Nakhang

On 15 January 1966, the PAVN high command dispatched 5th Battalion, 168th Regiment from

AC-47 Spooky gunship responded, dropping flares and firing on Communist troops near the overrun outpost.[6][7]

Later on 17 February, a

F-105 tactical air suppressed the mortars while setting fire to the local village.[8]

By order of the

Ambassador, at 1730 hours 17 February the Americans at Nakhang evacuated to nearby Lima Site 48 Alternate for the night for safety's sake.[9]

A determined attack hit Nakhang at 0430 hours 18 February. Dawn found the Communists infiltrated within 25 meters of Royal Lao Army defenders. Eagle FAC had returned and directed four sorties of close air support south and southwest of the airstrip. Horinek tried to have himself flown in, but was diverted by cratering of the runway. He helicoptered in to the RLA command post north of the city. From there, he led a sweep along the north end of the runway, personally capturing the only PAVN prisoner of the battle.[10]

General

medevaced to Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, the departing helicopter being hit five times.[11] With their charismatic leader gone, Royalist guerrilla morale sank drastically.[7]

With the Royalist forces in dire straits,

strafed by 165 sorties of U.S. tactical air power.[7][12]

Captain Ramon D. Horinek received the Air Force Cross for his exploits during the first Battle of Nakhang.[13]

Interim operations

Royalists casualties were few, as the guerrillas had withdrawn timely. The

Forces Armee Neutralistes Batallion Infanterie 5 (BI 5). They had a tacit nonaggression pact with the PAVN.[15]

Captain Horinek had counted 70 Communists killed by air in one single rice paddy at Nakhang. When questioned, a local villager described a Communist column burdened with wounded and dead taking six hours to straggle by him. Another villager estimated 1,000 Communist dead. The American conclusion was that though the PAVN had captured Nakhang, they had suffered so severely they had lost the battle. They did not occupy the site until 21 February.[14]

Having been unwelcomed at Moung Hiem, and noting that Neutralist soldiers were beginning to desert as the PAVN approached, the guerrillas withdrew back towards Nakhang to evade the oncoming enemy. On 11 March, the PAVN overran the encampment full of cooperative Neutralists, executing its three officers. BI 5 dissolved as some soldiers were killed and other volunteered to join the Communists. The Communist drive also struck some nearby smaller Lima Sites. However, the onset of monsoon rain thwarted any PAVN opportunity to attack the Neutralists holding the crucial forward fighter base at

Moung Soui. The Communists were forced to recede upon their supply lines from Vietnam as the rains began.[16]

Second battle of Nakhang

Vang Pao returned to duty a month after being wounded. He promptly planned to retake Nakhang, using his guerrilla forces without aid from the RLA regulars. The guerrillas moved into the assault mode in early May 1966. The Royalists walked into a vacated Moung Hiem to find unburied skeletons of Neutralist soldiers. A Royalist column left there to occupy Moung Son. A second column attacked Nakhang and met heavy resistance. For the next two days, Butterfly FAC Charles Larimore Jones directed tactical air strikes on the Communists in Nakhang. Meanwhile, Hmong guerrillas from Moung Hiem were being ferried to a hill southeast of Nakhang. One of the Air America helicopters was shot down in flames on 19 May, killing the pilot and nine partisans. On the 23rd, Jones circled above the battle as the Communists were slowly forced from Nakhang. Most of the retreating Communists were caught in an open field; a flight of U.S. jets inflicted widespread casualties. The Royalist guerrillas recaptured Nakhang on 25 May 1966.[17][18]

Taking advantage of the

forward air guides to call in air strikes upon any Communists spotted.[19]

Third battle of Nakhang

In December 1966, PAVN troops in Xam Neua accumulated into a force capable of attacking Nakhang, Lima Site 85, or Lima Site 52. When they chose to assault Nakhang, they changed from their usual night attack tactics. Choosing to infiltrate by night and attack at dawn, 600 to 800 PAVN troops nearly succeeded in a surprise raid on 6 January 1967. However, a brush with a Royalist outpost at 0600 hours brought on the battle. With an overcast of 500 meters or lower, and mountain peaks poking into the clouds as a flight hazard, it appeared that Vang Pao's Auto Defense Choc (ADC) guerrillas would have to fight without air support. Communist troops closed within 100 meters of the Royalists; they broke into the Royalists' final defense line on the north perimeter at 0630 hours. One American Central Intelligence Agency adviser was killed; the other found himself trapped in the headquarters radio shack with only a shotgun and a radio for defense. He called for air support at 0650 hours.[20]

Disregarding the weather, two tactical air flights were diverted to support Nakhang. The

Ho Chi Minh Trail.[21]

Dragonfly Lead, Major Robert E. Turner, spiraled down through the overcast and recovered at 1,700 meters, amongst peaks taller than that. Having been told by the trapped adviser that he could strike anything outside the headquarters compound or its ridgeline, Turner began a series of time-consuming firing passes at the Communists. Unlike the F-105, the Skyraider was slow enough to aim at the Communists. Conserving ammunition and beginning at the northern slope where the attackers were closest to the adviser, Turner fired single rockets or short bursts of 20mm cannon fire to drive the Communists down onto the runway. As he was being damaged by heavy ground fire he flew through, he sometimes had to pull up into the overcast to go over hills and trees to avoid crashing.[22]

After expending his ordnance, he circled up to his wingman, whom he led down into combat. Captain John D. Haney made nine firing passes while Turner distracted Communist gunners with more phony gunnery runs. By the time Haney ran out of munitions, his plane had also taken heavy battle damage from the extensive ground fire. Turner's later bogus attacks meant he had made about 25 passes at his enemy. Empty 20mm cartridge casings from the aircraft clattered on the roof over the adviser's head after some firing passes. Some of the ordnance was delivered within 50 meters of the ADC militia. The aerial attacks sparked the Hmong into a counterattack. Between them, Dragonfly flight had tied up their enemies for a crucial hour and five minutes.[23][24]

Towards the end of Dragonfly's attacks, Butterfly 44 arrived on scene. The FAC took charge of the tactical air power coming on scene and directed it as the overcast cleared. Beginning with an incoming flight of Skyraiders, Butterfly 44 directed tactical air strikes on the Communists all day. Forty Vietnamese bodies littered the Royalist defenses; it was believed the PAVN suffered at least 100 dead. The attackers dispersed back into the wilderness.[25]

That night was spent with the

A-26 Invaders of the 606th Air Commando Squadron on alert in case of Communist attack. A clear morning began at 0645 hours with tactical air raids on suspected Communist field bivouacs. These sorties continued until 0920 hours. Then, working off a captured Communist map, Butterfly 44 found a retreating enemy force and directed 35 minutes of successful air strikes upon them.[26]

During post-battle cleanup, bodies of 43 PAVN soldiers were cleared from the site. Later reports by friendly espionage agent estimated total PAVN dead at 250. Royalist losses were the American adviser killed, as well as eight Hmong soldiers. There were 24 Royalist soldiers wounded; nine were medically evacuated.[27]

Dragonfly Lead Major Robert Earl Turner earned an Air Force Cross for his valor under the overcast of 6 January 1967.[28] His wingman Captain John D. Haney earned a Silver Star.[29] Venom Lead Lieutenant Colonel Eugene Ogden Conley was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his courageous bluff on 6 January 1967.[30] Another pilot on the scene, Major John Smith Hamilton, won a DFC for his actions on 6 and 7 January 1967.[31]

Fourth battle of Nakhang

During the last week of 1968, the U.S. Air Force flew

AC-130 gunship fired support in Military Region 2.[32][33]

Customarily, the PAVN allowed fleeing Royalist troops an avenue for retreat. However, when the Royalists broke out on 2 March, the PAVN unmercifully raked their departure. Of the five Royalist battalions involved, only two were fortunate enough to take about 50 percent casualties. The other three fared worse, with one battalion reduced to 30 effectives. Thai advisers with the Royalist garrison were killed except for one taken prisoner. At a cost of 26 dead, the PAVN overran Nakhang and its

TACAN site, as Nakhang fell into Communist hands.[32]

Notes

  1. ^ Castle, pp. 15–27.
  2. ^ Porter (1966), p. 1.
  3. ^ Ahern, p. 235.
  4. ^ a b Conboy, Morrison, pp. 127–131.
  5. ^ Conboy, Morrison, p. 131.
  6. ^ Porter (1966), pp. 1–2, 5.
  7. ^ a b c Conboy, Morrison, p. 152.
  8. ^ Porter (1966), pp. 2–3.
  9. ^ Porter (1966), p. 4.
  10. ^ Porter (1966), pp. 5–6.
  11. ^ Porter (1966), p. 6.
  12. ^ Porter (1966), pp. 7–10.
  13. ^ Military Times Hall of Valor [1] Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  14. ^ a b Porter (1966), p. 10.
  15. ^ Conboy, Morrison, pp. 152–153.
  16. ^ Conboy, Morrison, p. 153.
  17. ^ Conboy, Morrison, pp. 154–155.
  18. ^ Porter (1967), p. 1.
  19. ^ Conboy, Morrison, p. 155.
  20. ^ Porter (1967), pp. 2–4.
  21. ^ Porter (1967), pp. 3–4.
  22. ^ Porter (1967), pp. 5–6.
  23. ^ Porter (1967), pp. 4–7.
  24. ^ Conboy, Morrison, p. 168.
  25. ^ Porter (1967), pp. 7–8.
  26. ^ Porter (1967), pp. 9–10.
  27. ^ Porter (1967), p. 12.
  28. ^ Military Times Hall of Valor [2] Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  29. ^ Military Times Hall of Valor [3] Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  30. ^ Military Times Hall of Valor [4] Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  31. ^ Military Times Hall of Valor [5] Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  32. ^ a b Conboy, Morrison, p. 209.
  33. ^ Ahern, p. 312.

References

  • Ahern, Thomas L. Jr. (2006), Undercover Armies: CIA and Surrogate Warfare in Laos. Center for the Study of Intelligence. Classified control no. C05303949.
  • Castle, Timothy N. (1993). At War in the Shadow of Vietnam: U.S. Military Aid to the Royal Lao Government 1955–1975.
    ISBN 0-231-07977-X
    .
  • Conboy, Kenneth and James Morrison (1995). Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos. Paladin Press.
    ISBN 978-1-58160-535-8
    .
  • Porter, Melvin F. (1966). PROJECT CHECO REPORT THE DEFENSE OF LIMA SITE 36 25 MAY 1966. [6] HQ PACAF Tactical Evaluation Center. DOPEC-66-03504.
  • Porter, Melvin F. (1967). PROJECT CHECO REPORT SECOND DEFENSE OF LIMA SITE 36 28 April 1967. HQ PACAF Directorate, Tactical Evaluation. Reprinted (1997) by Dailey Book Service. ASIN: B0006QY5VS.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battles_of_Nakhang&oldid=1130161606"