Operation Houston
Operation Houston | |
---|---|
Part of Thừa Thiên Province, South Vietnam 16°19′16″N 107°46′23″E / 16.321°N 107.773°E | |
Result | U.S. victory |
North Vietnam
Robert D. Bohn
- 5th Marine Regiment (until 22 July)
- 26th Marine Regiment
29 captured
Operation Houston was a security operation in the Vietnam War conducted by the United States Marine Corps’ Task Force X-Ray to reopen and secure Route 1 between Da Nang and Phu Bai Combat Base that took place from 26 February to 12 September 1968.
Background
With the
Operation
On 26 February, Colonel
On 29 February, the engineers completed the repair work on the final section of Route 1 between Hải Vân Pass and Phú Lộc. Technically Route 1 was now open throughout the entire length of I Corps. III Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF), nevertheless, postponed the first road convoy from Da Nang to Phu Bai until March.[1]: 230 On 2 March the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines and the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, which had fought in the Battle of Huế rejoined their parent regiment in the operation in the Phú Lộc District. At the same time the 1/327th Infantry and the 2/502nd Infantry returned to Army control while the 2/327th Infantry was withdrawn from the operation and sent on an operation along Route 547 southwest of Huế.[1]: 249
In late March LaHue expanded the 5th Marines' Houston tactical area of responsibility (TAOR) to include the remaining portion of the X-Ray TAOR, excluding the area occupied by the newly arrived 1st Battalion,
On 31 March 1968, under cover of a mortar and ground attack, VC sappers successfully placed demolitions on the Truoi River Bridge and a smaller bridge, designated Bridge No. 4. The VC K-2 Battalion with three companies reinforced by three sapper platoons had simultaneously attacked the two bridge outposts and a nearby Combined Action Platoon, CAP H-3. Alerted by one of their ambushes, the Combined Action Marines repulsed the VC attack after it reached the outer wire. However both the Truoi Bridge and Bridge No. 4 sustained major damage with both bridges impassable for motor traffic and Bridge No. 4 to foot traffic as well. Company C, 1/5th Marines had placed two squads on the smaller bridge supported by a machine gun and a recoilless rifle and a platoon supported by two machine guns and two mortars on the Truoi River Bridge. The attacking force on Bridge No. 4 killed eight Marines and wounded seven more. On the Truoi River Bridge, the Marine platoon sustained casualties of six dead and 23 wounded. The VC lost a total of 12 men in the attacks. In an investigation of the attack, Bohn reported "the strength of the security forces was adequate." He blamed the success of the attack partially on the fact that the company was new to the sector and had only occupied these positions the day before.[1]: 250
On 1 June, Phase III of the operation began with the 5th Marines conducting extensive rice denial operations in the Phu Thu and Vinh Loc Districts, east and southeast of Phu Bai, in conjunction with South Vietnamese
During Phase IV of the operation, which began on 1 July, Task Force X-Ray assumed operational control of battalion landing team (BLT) 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, which on 9 July assaulted into the Vinh Loc District by helicopter and amphibian tractors and continued the task force's vigorous rice denial campaign. A week later, the BLT joined the 5th Marines and was helilifted to the Thon Mu Kham Valley, southwest of Phu Bai, where fire support bases were constructed and search operations begun.[1]: 372
On 22 July the
The operation mainly saw the use of booby-traps and small hit and run ambushes by the PAVN/VC.
Aftermath
Operation Houston ended on 12 September, after more than six months during which the 5th Marines, and then the 26th Marines, successfully kept Route 1 open between Phu Bai and Da Nang. The Marines reported 702 VC/PAVN killed, 29 captured and 258 weapons captured, while 117 Marines were killed.[3] As Houston ended, XXIV Corps units assumed control of the area around Phu Bai, allowing the dissolution of Task Force X-Ray and movement of the 26th Marines south to the Da Nang TAOR.[1]: 414
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
- ^ .
- ^ "Combat Operations After Action Report (Operation Houston)" (PDF). Headquarters 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines. 20 March 1968. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- ^ "Operations of U.S. Marine Forces Vietnam September 1968" (PDF). Fleet Marine Force Pacific. 1968. pp. 14–5. Retrieved 24 June 2021.