Operation Marauder was an operation conducted by the 173rd Airborne Brigade and the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) in the Plain of Reeds, Mekong Delta, lasting from 1 to 8 January 1966.[1]
Prelude[]
The Plain of Reeds had long been used as a base by the Viet Cong (VC). Operation Marauder marked the first time that U.S. forces had operated in the area.[1]
Operation[]
On 1 January 1966 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 1 RAR and C Battery, 3rd Battalion, 319th Artillery Regiment were deployed by air into Ba Tri airfield from Hậu Nghĩa Province.[1]
On 2 January 2/503rd landed at Landing Zone Wine (10°49′19″N 106°24′14″E / 10.822°N 106.404°E) where they were engaged by an entrenched Viet Cong force. After a daylong battle, supported by artillery fire and air support the 2/503rd overran the VC position, finding 111 dead. The remainder of the operation saw only sporadic contact with the VC.[1]:87 On 6 January the 2/503rd located the abandoned headquarters of the 506th Battalion, recovering arms, ammunition, maps and personnel rosters.[2]
Aftermath[]
Operation Marauder officially concluded on 8 January with heavy losses having been inflicted on the VC 267th Main Force Battalion and the headquarters of the 506th Battalion.[1]:88
References[]
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Tolson, John (1973). Vietnam Studies: Airmobilty 1961–1971. Department of the Army. p. 86. ISBN 9781494721848.
- ↑ Carland, John (1999). Combat Operations: Stemming the Tide, May 1965 to October 1966. Government Printing Office. p. 169. ISBN 9780160873102.
The original article can be found at Operation Marauder and the edit history here.