Operation Enterprise (Vietnam)
| Operation Enterprise | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Long An Province , South Vietnam | |
| Result | U.S. operational success |
United States
South Vietnam[1]
North Vietnam
Viet Cong 31 killed58 captured
115 defected
65 individual and 14 crew-served weapons recovered
Operation Enterprise was a U.S. Army pacification and security operation that took place in
Background
The
The Vàm Cỏ Đông and Vàm Cỏ Tay rivers also served as vital supply lines for the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong (VC) linking their sanctuaries in Cambodia with their operational areas around Saigon and in the Mekong Delta. Long An Province was believed to shelter the 267th, 269th, and 6th Bình Tân Battalions in the west and the 506th, 508th, 5th Nhà Bè and Phu Loi II Battalions in the east. The VC had successfully established control over most of the province with the result that South Vietnamese Government control was limited to the major towns and outposts along Route 4.[2] At the commencement of the operation in February 1967 the South Vietnamese Government controlled less than a quarter of the population and only 4 percent of the province was considered physically secure.[2]: 114
The ambitious objectives of Operation Enterprise were "to achieve military pacification by destroying the enemy; eliminating his infrastructure; denying him use of lines of communications; and extending government of Vietnam control through the support of Revolutionary Development.”[2]: 111–2
Operation
The 3rd Brigade kept its headquarters at
The
In order to maximize coverage of the province, the 3rd Brigade used “jitterbug” missions, landing several companies from the 3/39th Infantry and 2/60th Infantry by helicopter for short searches of tree lines or canals and then redeploying to another location if no PAVN/VC were located. Night ambushes were also regularly placed along likely infiltration routes and staging areas. More than 30 percent of all operations were combined operations with ARVN forces. By September 1967 the 3rd Brigade's tactics had forced the PAVN/VC to operate in smaller units along the eastern and western borders of the province.[2]: 114
In October 1967
On the night of 10 December, the VC 508th Battalion and elements of the 5th Nhà Bè Battalion attacked a Company A, 2/60th Infantry position at An Nhut Tan, on the Vàm Cỏ Đông River. The VC overran three perimeter bunkers as well as the mortar pit. The attack was eventually repulsed for the loss of 7 U.S. killed and 35 VC killed. A subsequent investigation found that the perimeter defenses were inadequate with the
In addition to offensive operations the 3rd Brigade also conducted training and numerous civic actions to support pacification. Between 1 November 1967 and 30 January 1968, brigade medics treated 44,394 civilians and taught first aid to Vietnamese assigned to village dispensaries. A 7-man team taught a six-week refresher course to an ARVN battalion, while three Mobile Advisory Teams trained Regional and Popular Forces and several Improvement Action Teams made weekly visits to Regional and Popular Force outposts.[2]: 117
Aftermath
Between 1 November 1967 and 30 January 1968, the 3rd Brigade killed 241 PAVN/VC, captured 21 PAVN/VC and received 80 defectors and captured 14 crew-served weapons and 65 rifles for the loss of 31 U.S. dead. During the same period, provincial officials reported killing 43 PAVN/VC, capturing 37 and receiving 35 defectors.[2]: 118
On 10 March 1968 II Field Force, Vietnam commander LG Frederick C. Weyand ordered an end to Operation Enterprise to free up forces to participate in Operation Quyet Thang.[2]: 461
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.
- ^ a b "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-06-27. Retrieved 2018-06-05.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ ISBN 9780160942808.