Operation Kingfisher
Operation Kingfisher | |
---|---|
Part of the Quảng Trị Province, South Vietnam | |
Result | Both sides claim victory[1]: 139 |
Col. George E. Jerue (until 13 September)
Col. Richard B. Smith
2nd Battalion, 4th Marines
3rd Battalion, 4th Marines
2nd Battalion, 9th Marines
3rd Battalion, 9th Marines
3rd Battalion 26th Marines
5 captured
1,942 estimated killed
155 weapons recovered[2]
Operation Kingfisher was a
Prelude
Following the conclusion of
Battle
16–27 July
This period saw only minor contact with the PAVN.[1]: 125
28–30 July
2/9 Marines, supported by a platoon of five
4–14 September
On the morning of 4 September, 3/4 Marines engaged a PAVN force 1.5 km south of Con Thien, trapping the PAVN force between two Companies of Marines. The Marines claimed that the PAVN lost 38 killed and 1 captured, while the Marines lost 6 dead and 47 wounded.[1]: 132
On 7 September 3/26 Marines supported by M-48s encountered a PAVN force 4.8 km south of Con Thien. The PAVN were alleged to have lost 51 killed, while the Marines lost 14 killed.[1]: 132
On the evening of 10 September 3/26 Marines engaged the PAVN 812th Regiment 6 km southwest of Con Thien.[1]: 132 Some of the attacking PAVN were alleged to have been wearing USMC helmets and flak jackets and they were well supported mortars and 140mm rockets. An RPG destroyed an M67 Flame Thrower Tank, but the PAVN were unable to penetrate Marines lines and US artillery boxed in the Marines forcing the PAVN to withdraw by 20:30. The following morning the Marines had claimed that 140 PAVN bodies were found around the Marine lines, the Marines had lost 34 dead and 192 wounded.[1]: 133
On the morning of 13 September, a PAVN Company attacked the northeastern sector of the Con Thien base, but they failed to penetrate the base and were forced back by Marine small arms and artillery fire.[1]: 133
21 September
On 21 September Companies E, F & G, 2/4 Marines conducted a large sweep east of Con Thien just below the Trace. As the units advanced through the hedgerows the companies came under sniper, mortar and then heavy artillery fire. The company had later walked right into a pin-wheel ambush[5] The close-quarters fighting continued all day, ending at nightfall. The Marines had lost 16 killed and 118 wounded, while claiming the PAVN were estimated to have lost 39 killed. At the end of the battle the Marines left 15 of their dead on the battlefield, on 10 October 2/4 Marines went back in to retrieve their dead.[1]: 134 LCPL Jedh Colby Barker would be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in this battle. The Marines were unable to retrieve bodies from the site for three weeks.[5]
14 October
At 01:25 on 14 October PAVN artillery hit 2nd Battalion 4th Marines position around Washout Bridge between the
At 02:30 the PAVN attacked Company G, by destroying 2 machine gun position with RPGs. The PAVN penetrated the wire and overran the Company command post (CP) killing the Company commander Capt. Jack W. Phillips, his forward observer and 3 Platoon leaders; these young 2nd lieutenants just arrived in country. Capt. James W McCarter was ordered to take over command of Company, but he was killed by PAVN fire before he could reach the Command Post. Company F was ordered to support Company G and sweep through the area and drive the PAVN out. The Marines were supported by AC-47 Spooky gunships. Finally the PAVN was forced to withdraw by 04:30. The Marines had lost 21 dead and 23 wounded. SGT Paul H. Foster was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in the battle. The PAVN were alleged to have lost 24 killed.[1]: 136
25–27 October
On 25 October 2/4 Marines began a sweep north along Route 561, there was no enemy contact but progress was slowed by heavy undergrowth and the unit set up a night position.[1]: 136 That night PAVN rockets hit the 2/4 position killing the Executive Officer, Major John Lawendowski and wounding the commanding officer Lt.Col. James Hammond and two others of the command group who were evacuated by helicopter. The regimental operations officer Lt Col. John C. Studt was flown in to take over command of 2/4 Marines.[1]: 137
On 26 October, 2/4 Marines, less Company F which remained at the night position to guard a stock of ammunition, moved north and secured the objective by 13:00. The Battalion then came under PAVN mortar and small arms fire.[1]: 137 A UH-34D helicopter of HMM-363 was shot down as it attempted pick up casualties, killing the pilot and door gunner, another UH-34 attempted to land but was damaged and made a forced landing at the C-2 Strongpoint. Lt Col Studt called for reinforcements and Company F moved north to the Battalion position, while two Companies from 3/3 Marines moved north from the C-2 Strongpoint arriving at the 2/4 position at dusk. The PAVN probed the Marine position with direct and indirect fire and ground attacks before withdrawing around 02:00 on 27 October. The following morning the Marines claimed 19 PAVN dead but were unable to police the area due to PAVN mortar and artillery fire.[1]: 138 The Marines had lost 8 dead and 45 wounded in the period from 25–27 October.[1]: 139
Aftermath
Operation Kingfisher concluded on 31 October. Marine casualties were 340 dead and 1,461 wounded. According to US reports, the PAVN sustained 1,117 killed and 5 captured, and a further 1,942 claimed to have been killed by U.S. forces and 155 weapons were captured.[2] Tactical victories were claimed by both sides.[1]: 139 Operation Kingfisher was followed immediately by Operation Kentucky.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
- ^ .
- ^ a b "Operation Kingfisher II OP File". USMC History Division. p. 178. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
- ^ "41 U.S. Marines in 11 Days of Fighting", Associated Press, September 23, 1967, retrieved March 8, 2010
- ^ ISBN 9780307700254.
- ^ ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2018-06-09.