Operation Coronado IV

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Operation Coronado IV
Part of Operation Coronado, Vietnam War
Date19 August - 9 September 1967
Location
Result U.S. claims operational success
Belligerents
 United States Viet Cong
Commanders and leaders
MG George G. O'Connor Unknown
Units involved
United States Mobile Riverine Force
3rd and 4th Battalions, 47th Infantry Regiment
506th Local Force Battalion
Casualties and losses
Unknown US body count: 59 killed
97 individual and 8 crew-served weapons recovered

Operation Coronado IV was the fourth of the

Bến Tre Provinces).[1]
: 125 

Operation

On 20 August the MRF assault craft left the

Vàm Cỏ river anchorage of the MRF's main base just after midnight and landed their troops at 09:04 in the target area north of Bến Lức on the Vàm Cỏ Dong (Vam Co East) River, after travelling more than 50 km. Because the waterways off the Vàm Cỏ Dong in the target area were not navigable by the vessels, the two infantry battalions were landed to move west and search the area on foot. Company C, 3rd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment remained at a pickup zone near the fire support base at Bến Lức as an airmobile reserve. To intercept VC forces, the 334th Aviation Company's supporting gunships maintained surveillance of the areas forward of the infantry battalions.[1]
: 126–7 

At 14:00 the movement of the 3/47th Infantry forced a VC platoon to retreat from a lightly fortified area. The gunships were then ordered by the battalion commander to open fire on VC attempting to evade contact with the ground troops, and the 3/47th Infantry, was brought in by helicopter to attack the VC, encountering mostly sniper fire and collateral damage from US helicopter fire. The Americans found 34 VC dead and documents that identified them as part of the 506th Local Force Battalion.[1]: 127 

The Americans believed they had succeeded because of the surprise achieved by the ground troops in disembarking from the boats landing from the river, forcing the VC into open terrain where helicopters could attack them. During the phase of the operation at Ben Luc, which ended on 22 August, the MRF suffered six wounded and the VC 59 dead.[1]: 127 

For the remainder of August and the first week of September, the MRF operated in

Định Tường Province in IV Corps further south.[1]
: 127 

See also

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-1780392479.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain
    .