Operation Virginia Ridge

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Operation Virginia Ridge
Part of
Quảng Trị Province, South Vietnam
16°51′N 106°50′E / 16.85°N 106.84°E / 16.85; 106.84
Result US claims operational success
Belligerents  United States  North VietnamCommanders and leaders Col. Paul D. Lafond
Col. Wilbur F. Simlik UnknownUnits involved
3rd Marine Regiment
27th Regiment
36th Regiment
33rd Sapper BattalionCasualties and losses 106 killed 560 killed
17 captured
141 individual and 34 crew-served weapons recovered[1]

Operation Virginia Ridge was a

Quảng Trị Province, South Vietnam
, from 2 May to 16 July 1969.

Background

In early May 1969, U.S. reconnaissance detected that two

3rd Marine Regiment under Colonel Paul D. Lafond was given the mission of engaging both regiments, preventing any threat to Route 9 and protecting the rice harvest.[2]
: 73 

Operation

The operation began on 2 May 1969 with the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines landed by helicopter at Landing Zone Sparrow (16°52′05″N 106°55′59″E / 16.868°N 106.933°E / 16.868; 106.933),[3]: 479  8 km northwest of Cam Lộ Combat Base meeting light resistance. The 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines secured Firebase Fuller and Firebase Pete (16°48′04″N 106°51′18″E / 16.801°N 106.855°E / 16.801; 106.855) north of Elliot Combat Base and then swept towards the DMZ.[3]: 390  The 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines secured Con Thien and the surrounding area. By 6 May, 1/3 Marines had swept 3 km west of LZ Sparrow along Mutter's Ridge. On the early morning of 10 May an estimated PAVN platoon attacked Company D, 1/4 Marines' night defensive position, killing eight Marines and wounding ten in just ten minutes.[2]: 73 

On 16 May, Company M encountered a small entrenched PAVN force killing four and capturing one. For the remainder of May, the 1/3 and 3/3 Marines swept east towards the A-4 Strongpoint (16°54′24″N 106°59′02″E / 16.9067°N 106.984°E / 16.9067; 106.984) meeting limited resistance.[3]: 1  On 20 May, an estimated force of 20 PAVN attacked Company C's night defensive position losing 15 killed for the loss of three Marine dead and eight wounded. On 22 May Company B ambushed a 30-man PAVN force killing 19 and capturing two.[2]: 74  , On 6–7 June, several B-52 Arclight strikes were made against Mutter's Ridge, Foxtrot Ridge and Helicopter Valley with 2/3 Marines deployed soon after by helicopter to conduct bomb damage assessment. The marines found numerous destroyed bunkers but few enemy dead.[2]: 74 

In mid-June, the 3rd Marines received intelligence that a PAVN force was infiltrating from the DMZ near

Gio Linh District. On 16 June, the 3/3 Marines loaded onto trucks and were driven up Route 1 towards the DMZ at night. As they did so, they encountered the PAVN 27th Regiment and 33rd Sapper Battalion moving south along the roadside. The marines engaged the PAVN force, pushing them into the defenses at the Charlie-1 (16°52′37″N 107°04′37″E / 16.877°N 107.077°E / 16.877; 107.077) position, where 56 PAVN dead were found the following morning.[3]: 5–78  3/3 Marines swept south from Gio Linh towards Con Thien killing 20 PAVN in two separate engagements before midday on 17 June.[2]: 74–5  At 14:00, an estimated PAVN company attacked the 3/3 Marines' command position but were forced back with the loss of 37 dead and three captured. Company L moving to support the command group engaged an entrenched PAVN position killing eight. Aerial observers called in artillery and airstrikes against PAVN forces throughout the day with the final tally being 193 PAVN killed and nine captured for the loss of 19 Marines killed and 28 wounded.[2]
: 75 

Lafond was relieved as commanding officer, 3rd Marine Regiment by Colonel Wilbur F. Simlik on 28 June 1969.[2]

Aftermath

Operation Virginia Ridge concluded on 16 July and was followed by Operation Idaho Canyon.[2]: 75  U.S. losses were 106 killed while the PAVN lost 560 killed and 17 captured and 141 individual and 34 crew-served weapons captured.[4]

Notes

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

  1. ^ "Headquarters MACV Monthly Summary July 1969" (PDF). Headquarters United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. 28 October 1969. p. 33. Retrieved 23 February 2020.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^
    ISBN 9781494287627.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain
    .
  3. ^ .
  4. ^ "Headquarters MACV Monthly Summary July 1969" (PDF). Headquarters United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. 28 October 1969. p. 33. Retrieved 23 February 2020.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.