Operation Bold Mariner
| Operation Bold Mariner | |
|---|---|
| Part of Quảng Ngãi Province, South Vietnam 15°13′08″N 108°54′47″E / 15.219°N 108.913°E | |
| Result | U.S. victory |
United States
Viet CongBLT 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines
48th VC Local Force Battalion
P-31st Local Force Company
C-95th Sapper Company
Operation Bold Mariner was a
Background
The peninsula was believed to be supporting elements of the
Operation
On 12 January the Marines conducted a feint against
At 07:00 on 13 January the Marines landed on the peninsula meeting negligible resistance. Once ashore the Marines linked up with Task Force Cooksey and then pushed east forcing the VC towards the sea. While encounters with the VC were minimal, the Marines encountered extensive networks of mines, booby-traps and fortifications. On 19 January 2/26 Marines captured 56 Vietnamese of military age, under interrogation they were found to be members of the C-95th Sapper Company. The Marines evacuated numerous civilians for screening, eventually totaling some 11,900 people.[1]: 301
On 24 January 2/26 Marines returned to their amphibious assault ships.[1]: 301
Following the conclusion of the assault phase, Operation Russell Beach continued with Marine combined action teams, the 46th Infantry Regiment and the ARVN 6th Regiment operating to cleanse the peninsula of VC/People's Army of Vietnam forces.[1]: 303
Aftermath
The operation concluded on 7 February.[1]: 303 During the operation the population was largely removed from the peninsula during the assault phase and a clear and search operation was followed by the construction of new roads and hamlets. The population was allowed to return in April 1969 together with South Vietnamese government institutions[1]: 125
Gallery
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Marines of the 26th Marines wait for the word to deploy after coming ashore -
2/26 Marines prepare to form an assault line on Hill 37 -
A Marine explores a Viet Cong tunnel complex found by 2/26 Marines -
Vietnamese civilians evacuated aboard Marine UH-34 helicopters -
Vietnamese civilians evacuated from the Batangan peninsula sheltered at a relocation facility near Quang Ngai City
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Notes
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
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Further reading
- Goluboff, Benjamin (2004). "Tim O'Brien's Quang Ngai". ANQ: A Quarterly Journal of Short Articles, Notes and Reviews. 17 (2). Informa UK: 57–62. S2CID 162356077. (includes a comparison of reports of this operation)
- Martin, Earl S. (1978). Reaching the other side: The journal of an American who stayed to witness Vietnam's postwar transition. Crown. ISBN 978-0-517-53315-4. (an eyewitness account of the operation)
