Operation Kunia

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Operation Kunia
Part of
Bình Dương Province, South Vietnam
Result Inconclusive
Belligerents  United States Viet CongCommanders and leaders MG John C. F. Tillson
Col Edwin H. Marks
Units involved 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division
Casualties and losses 40 killed US body count 105 killed

Operation Kunia was an operation conducted by the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division in the Ho Bo Woods, lasting from 15 September to 10 November 1967.[1]: 372 

Background

Kunia operational area, 24 September 1967

In September 1967 the 1st Brigade was assigned responsibility for destroying base areas in the Ho Bo Woods, which were believed to be sheltering the Viet Cong (VC) 1st and 7th Battalions. U.S. forces had last entered the area in June 1967 during Operation Manhattan.[1]: 373 

The plan called for 4 artillery battalions to support the attack, 2 of which would establish firebases on

Rome plows to clear the woods. The entire operation was to be completed by the end of October.[1]
: 373 

On 14 September the two artillery battalions moving along Route 6A became stuck in mud several kilometers from the planned firebase locations.[citation needed] The 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry was deployed to protect the stranded convoy while it took 2 days for engineers to extract the bogged down vehicles and build a Corduroy road out of the area.[1]: 373 

Operation

After the delayed start, the sweep of the woods proceeded relatively uneventfully with occasional small engagements, sniper fire, mines and booby-traps. On 20 September the 168th Engineer Battalion began flattening the woods, being met with some mines and hit and run attacks resulting in 33 vehicles destroyed. Most resistance had been eliminated by mid-October and the clearing operation proceeded unimpeded, extending southeast into the Filhol Plantation. When tunnel complexes were located the engineers would pump water into the entrances, then wait several days for the structure to weaken before destroying them with explosives and artillery fire.[1]: 373–4 

Aftermath

Operation Kunia officially concluded on 31 October, with the US claiming VC losses were 105 killed, U.S. losses were 40 killed. Within 2 months of the end of the operation the VC had returned to the area which they used as a base for their Tet Offensive attacks.[1]: 374 

References

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

  1. ^
    ISBN 9780160495403.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain
    .