Operation Austin IV
Operation Austin IV | |
---|---|
Part of Phước Long Province, South Vietnam | |
Result | U.S. claims operational success |
Lt.Col. Henry E. Emerson
148 estimated killed
6 captured
Operation Austin IV was a
Prelude
Operation Austin IV was a search and destroy operation near the Cambodian border in II Corps.[1]
Operation
On 1 May the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment conducted a helicopter assault near Bu Prang Camp and patrolled the area until 6 May without making any contact with the PAVN. Also on 1 May the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment was deployed by helicopter onto 2 infiltration routes from Cambodia and patrolled the area until 8 May without making any contact.[2]: 28
On 6 May following intelligence indicating the presence of enemy forces near the abandoned Special Forces base at
On 14 May a B-52 strike took place northwest of Bù Gia Mập and 2/502nd and 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment were sent into the area to exploit the strike but met only scattered resistance. On 17 May 2/502nd was flown out of Bù Gia Mập to Nhon Co (11°58′41″N 107°33′54″E / 11.978°N 107.565°E), while 2/503rd was flown by helicopter to Sông Bé Base Camp. On 18 May 1/327th was flown out to Nhon Co.[2]: 29
Aftermath
Operation Austin IV officially concluded on 18 May, with the US claiming PAVN losses were at 101 killed, 148 estimated killed and 6 captured, U.S. losses were 9 killed.[2]: 30
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.
- ^ a b Jones, Frank (2015). The U.S. Army Campaigns of the Vietnam War: Buying Time 1965-1966 (PDF). Center of Military History. p. 48.
- ^ a b c d "Operational Report for Quarterly Period Ending 31 July 1966" (PDF). Headquarters 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. 1966. Retrieved 23 October 2017.[dead link] This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ISBN 9780671695347.