The eastern flank remained open, and he ordered both elements of the 261st and 514th Battalions, exhausted and low on ammunition, to assemble at the southern end of Ap Tan Thoi. Consequently, one artillery round after another simply fell behind Viet Cong positions, instead of on their foxhole line. Without further delay, the commanding officer of the 3/60th ordered the attack to go in without the artillery. The radio intercept and other information obtained by Jim Drummond, Vann's intelligence officer, indicated that the Viet Cong were using Ap Tan Thoi as a headquarters location. Although Vann was suspicious, he decided it was a better landing zone because the area was tranquil despite the heavy fighting elsewhere. Mobile Riverine Force in conjunction with the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) from 1921 June 1967 against the Viet Cong (VC). 
Shortly afterwards, three companies of the 11th Infantry Regiment were committed into battle in northern Ap Tan Thoi, but they too could not overcome the FNL soldiers who had entrenched themselves in the area. [34] The American advisers were quietly confident that Ba's M-113s could turn the tide of battle; on previous occasions, Viet Cong fighters often fled from the battlefield as soon as M-113 armored personnel carriers turned up. [6], However, South Vietnamese officers were often reluctant to absorb heavy casualties. The combined companies were supported by approximately 30 local force soldiers from Chau Thanh District who served as scouts, ammunition bearers, litter carriers, and emergency replacements. WebOperation Concordia was an operation conducted by the U.S. Continuing its advance, the company began to meet more and more fire as it crossed the open rice fields opposite a built-up area of thatched huts along a deep stream that ran across their front. In contrast, Hoang was far more relaxed and commanded a high degree of confidence from the soldiers of the 261st Battalion. WebBattle Of Ap Bac January 2, 1963 Overview Historical Debates Resources Elements of the South Vietnamese 7th Infantry Division engage a smaller Viet Cong force outside the village of Ap Bac, 40 miles southwest of Saigon, in the Mekong Delta. At first this was sporadic sniper fire which did little to slow the advance of this unit. Meanwhile, the battalion commander of the 3/60th was experiencing great difficulty in getting the artillery fire support needed for his assaulting companies. WebA brief lecture on the 1963 Battle of Ap Bac. At around 7:00 am, the first wave of CH-21 helicopters offloaded the first group of South Vietnamese soldiers. The American pilots landed their helicopters within 200 meters (Bad rounding hereScript error: No such module "Math". This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History. He was in my class. Thus, Moyar (2008) argues that Harkins' optimistic and mis-directed doctrine negatively affected the long-term performance of the South Vietnamese military and the American advisers attached to them. [1], Despite the initial success of the Strategic Hamlet Program and the intensified military operations of 1962, the events at Ap Bac placed additional pressure on Diem's government because it showed it could not cope with the resurgence of the Viet Cong, particularly in the regions surrounding the Mekong River.[59]. Almost simultaneously, a third CH-21 sustained heavy damage and was forced to land on the rice fields a short distance from the first two helicopters. [30] By 10:30 am, all the South Vietnamese soldiers who had landed on the field were under heavy fire from inside Ap Bac and refused to move. [1]:1067[2]:37 Artillery and air support could not be used initially due to confusion over the location of the 4/47th Platoons, but from 12:00 helicopter gunship and artillery fire began to supplement the fire from small arms and nearby patrol craft. [12], In November 1962, the National Liberation Front's Military Region 2 ordered the Viet Cong 261st Battalion and the 514th Battalion, the home battalion of Dinh Tuong Province, to destroy the strategic hamlets in their region and at the same time to attack South Vietnamese sweeping operations. Early on 2 May, elements of the Wild Ones composed of Company B and Company C, 3/60th, plus the battalion command post and combat support company (less elements), moved out and arrived at the attack position with out incident. Cao promised to deploy the second Civil Guard battalion which had just arrived on the south-western flank of Ap Bac, and to drop the ARVN 8th Airborne Battalion at around 4:00 pm behind Ba's armored personnel carriers. NOTE: This video is part of a lesson plan titled The Battle of Ap Bac. WebOn Sept 10, 1967, the 3rd battalion of the 26th Marines ventured forward to secure Hill 88. [28], The five UH-1 gunships immediately strafed Viet Cong positions with 2.75 inch rockets, but failed to suppress the enemy fire. Internet research turns up these 112 lost battles of the Vietnam war: 1. Learning that elements of the 3/47th were in contact, and anticipating that his battalion would become involved, the commanding officer of the 3/60th ordered company B to move toward the area of contact, followed by Company A. Many of their large haystacks concealed bunkers. They had scored the biggest successes of the pacification campaigns of 1962, killing thousands of Viet Cong fighters and leaving thousands of others cut off from supplies. for our troops. NOTE: This video is part of a lesson plan titled The Battle of Ap Bac. Memorials and museums dedicated to the Mobile Riverine Force. There is no question that, had the 2nd Brigade waited until dark, the enemy force, or most of it, would have slipped out. When the leading Civil Guard battalion came within 30 meters (Bad rounding hereScript error: No such module "Math". Company A, 3/60th, which had been behind but south of Company B, continued to advance along the stream and the road which formed the line of contact farther to the east. ft),[42] but when the operator fired the device, the flame died after only 30 meters (Bad rounding hereScript error: No such module "Math". Companies B and C continued attacking east, while Company A moved into a blocking position to the north. "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, For he today that sheds his blood with me, shall be my brother." 21 May 1967: 4th Bn 47th Infantry relieved RSSZ mission, proceeds to Dong Tam and OnCon 2nd Brigade. The battle represented the first major confrontation between ARVN forces and the NLF during the Vietnam War; it was also a significant victory for the NLF. Since no officers could be identified among the enemy dead, except for the battalion surgeon, there was reason to suspect that these key people may have moved out earlier in the day, and possibly were some of those that had been encountered by Company B. In addition, some men were having trouble with their rifles, due to the terrific volume of the fire they were pouring out. WebThe Battle of July Two was a short engagement of the Vietnam War that took place along Route 561 between Gia Binh and An Kha, during Operation Buffalo. The South Vietnamese M-113 gun crews were exposed from the waist up, so they were easy targets for snipers; by the end of the day, fourteen South Vietnamese M-113 crewmen had been killed due to their exposure. But experience had shown that at best this was an educated guess, one that all too often had proved false. [28], Vann then ordered his pilot to make contact with the other L-19 that was leading the ten CH-21s with the first South Vietnamese reserve company from Tan Hiep. The U.S. military had every advantage, yet mistakes were made and battles lost. away! [3] The arrival of helicopters changed the nature of the battle considerably; it enabled South Vietnamese soldiers to quickly fly to almost any point in the country, leaving little time for a retreat. It truly is a small world! They marched south in three separate axes towards their objective. [25], Thirty CH-21 Shawnee helicopters were needed to airlift the entire 1st Battalion, ARVN 11th Infantry Regiment, but only ten were available. It was also worried about inciting the United States into directly supporting South Vietnam, and had recommended a policy of avoiding battle at no, costs. Thanks for the memories on this Veterans Day, 2007. [27] Immediately, the South Vietnamese infantrymen were forced to hug the ground. [37] The rescue operation was further delayed when Ba tried to obtain proper authorization to advance, because he was under orders not to take commands directly from the American advisers. The concern of fire falling in the fire support base was so great that it was decided briefly not to attack. By 1500, Company A had reached the restraining line designated by the brigade commander, and was deployed along it in assault formation with three platoons abreast. Alpha Company, 4th,47th. On December 28, 1962, U.S. intelligence detected the presence of a radio transmitter along with a sizable force of National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (FNL/Viet Cong) soldiers, reported to number around 120 in the hamlet of Ap Tan Thoi in Dinh Tuong Province, home of the ARVN 7th Infantry Division. The last battle for which two living service members received the Medal of Honor was the 1967 Battle of Ap Bac in Vietnam, a spokeswoman for the Congressional Medal of Honor Society said. Toczek, p. 72. Certain that the Viet Cong unit was no larger than the reported number, the ARVN 7th Infantry Division was instructed to attack Ap Tan Thoi. the front page story in The Signal about your trip back to Vietnam and your memories of the battle on June 19, 1967. The enemy has demonstrated time and again that merely killing his troops does us little or no good, for he is able to quickly recruit more. Vann hoped to trap the Viet Cong inside the hamlets by blocking their retreat routes on all sides, and annihilate them using an elite battalion of South Vietnamese paratroopers. The 173rd and 175th companies blocked the far western position side as Task Force C, but it was not committed into battle. Command of the 7th was given to Cao's chief of staff, Colonel Bui Dinh Dam. On the south, Company A was exchanging fire with most of the enemy defenders. In view of this, the brigade commander, Col. William B. Fulton, changed his scheme of maneuver. He also argued that sending the 13 M-113 armored personnel carriers through the Cong Ba Ky Canal would enable the Viet Cong to retreat because it might take too much time. They evacuated through the rice fields, taking their dead and wounded comrades. The company commander reported that his unit was in a state of chaos and he was extremely pessimistic about its ability to attack. It [58] Militarily, the morale and confidence of Viet Cong commanders and soldiers, who had experienced serious setbacks during the previous year, were significantly boosted. Explore gatherings, speakers and events. In half an hour they had advanced to within 100 meters of the main enemy line, but were held up by intense fire from small arms and mortars. Visibility was excellent and the day was hot and clear. Meanwhile, the two companies already on the line of departure would begin the operation by advancing to a series of objectives to the north. Please sign the MRFA guestbook! WebHello and thank you for watching! A few of the boys from our ole Reseda neighborhood had the opportunity to serve their country. Of the men who participated in this assault, most had been in the Army hardly a year. To have met the enemy on his own terms after so many fruitless months of seeking him, suffering daily casualties from mines and booby traps until frustrations reached a crescendo that seared the mind and bloodied the heart; to have met the enemy and destroyed him completely, provided a joy and a sense of accomplishment that caused their hearts to glow and animated each man. As the men worked their way toward the enemy, they were forced to crawl over the dead of the other unit. ft) west of Ap Bac, where they were hit multiple times by Viet Cong machine gun and small arms fire. mi) to the northeast. Of the fifteen American helicopters sent to support the operation, only one escaped undamaged, and five were either downed or destroyed. Explore our catalog and purchase official MRFA gear here. ft) before opening fire. WebIt is the first battle since the Vietnam War in which two living service members earned the Medal of Honor. Men spoke in high-pitched, excited voices as though still trying to make themselves heard over the roar of gunfire. He was fearful that the battle would turn out to be the largest defeat of South Vietnamese forces up to that point of the war. The foxholes were deep enough for one man to stand up, or big enough to accommodate a two-man machine-gun crew. Farther to the north (about 30 meters) was another dike, parallel to the one behind which the dead lay. [48] By the end of the day, the airborne battalion had lost 19 soldiers killed in action and another 33 wounded. At the same time, he recalled the personnel carrier company (Company C, 5/60th) from its barren search farther to the west and began moving it toward the point of contact. In short, a nice, tidy plan had gone awry. Early on 2 May, elements of the Wild Ones composed of Company B and Company C, 3/60th, plus the battalion command post and combat support company (less elements), moved out and arrived at the attack position with out incident. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". [56] However, the Viet Cong were far more interested in exposing the weaknesses of Diem's regime and its military. Some rice had been found, more proof that Viet Cong had been in the area. The aircraft flipped over to the right and crashed. On several occasions, Cao's forces were in excellent position to trap and wipe out whole battalions of Viet Cong, but he would fail to close the trap on one pretext or another and allow the enemy to escape. Web2 May 1967: Battle of Ap Bac, not riverine, but most significant battle fought to date by 2nd Brigade. Welcome Home Brother ! Unit awards, medals and ribbons, and information on applying for and obtaining your medals and ribbons. This behavior initially mystified Vann, who was attempting to build Cao into an aggressive commander. WebThe Battle of July Two was a short engagement of the Vietnam War that took place along Route 561 between Gia Binh and An Kha, during Operation Buffalo. WebThe Battle of Ap Bac was a major battle fought on January 3, 1963, during the Vietnam War. Mobile Riverine Force in conjunction with the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) from 1921 June 1967 against the Viet Cong (VC). WebA brief lecture on the 1963 Battle of Ap Bac. His U.S. adviser was Lieutenant Colonel John Paul Vann, who orchestrated much of the unit's activity in concert with his planner, Captain Richard Ziegler. Then when the fire lifted to the rear of the enemy, to block his escape positions, the infantry would assault before the enemy could recover. Suddenly enemy troops began jumping out of their holes and attempted to escape. While these deployments were being made, the 3/47th continued to alternate intense artillery fire and air strikes the enemy position, thus effectively preventing most of them from escaping. WebIt is the first battle since the Vietnam War in which two living service members earned the Medal of Honor. [11] Cao was promoted to general and assumed command of the new IV Corps Tactical Zone, which included the area of operations of his 7th Infantry Division. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments, Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1963, National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. [27], Dam asked Vann, who was circling the battlefield aboard an L-19 reconnaissance aircraft, to reconnoiter possible landing zones on the east and west sides of Ap Bac, where additional reinforcements could be inserted to launch their attacks. To make matters worst, Tho failed to send his second Civil Guard battalion of Task Force B to rescue the first. Originally, our 2nd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, had been promised two helicopter companies for the operation; however, late on the day before the operation began, one of these was withdrawn. [7] Unknown to Vann, Diem would reprimand or demote any officer who lost too many men, no matter how successful the operation. [48] At 10:00 pm, Viet Cong commander Hoang led his two companies out of Ap Tan Thoi and headed for their base camp in the Plain of Reeds, while the local force units left by a different route for their hideouts in the local area. WebHello and thank you for watching! [1]:107, Company B, 4/47th Infantry was moved behind Company A while Company C, 3/47th Infantry was deployed north and then began to assault towards the east joining up with Companies A and B approaching from the northwest. Thus, due to his strong leadership skills and popularity, Hoang was selected to take command of Viet Cong forces for operations in Ap Bac. A reinforced company, and possibly more, had been lost for the time being to the Viet Cong 514th Battalion. Politically, the Viet Cong 261st and 514th Battalions were able to exercise greater influence in their areas of operations because of the prestige of defeating the soldiers of Diem's unpopular regime. They make the same mistake over and over again in the same way". Also, all commanders were concerned about the possible effects the .50 caliber fire of the armored personnel carriers would have when they assaulted. However, by this time all elements of the 3/60th had closed the final assault line and were beginning to meet enemy fire. Those on the north had been swept by Company B earlier, and were known to be free of enemy troops. WebAt Ap Bac, for the first time, the Viet Cong fought at battalion strength and won a decisive victory against Vietnamese troops supported by American helicopters, armored vehicles, and artillery. The MRFA is launching our Historical Data Project (HDP), featuring as much MRF TF-117 data as possible. However, throughout the area, the small streams could be crossed only at certain points. The last battle for which two living service members received the Medal of Honor was the 1967 Battle of Ap Bac in Vietnam, a spokeswoman for the Congressional Medal of Honor Society said. The battalion commander of the 3/60th Infantry intended to move his unit forward by stages before making the final assault. Shortly afterwards, Ziegler returned with Dam's permission, and Ba was ordered to move his M-113 carriers in the direction of the white smoke that were rising from the burning hamlet. Anything and everything that couldn't fit in any of the other categories. [10], In 1962, Diem decided to split the command of the area in the south around Saigon into two, the former III Corps area being reduced in size to cover the area northeast of Saigon, and the newly created IV Corps taking over the west and southwest. One was the commander of the Communist forces. 3rd and 4th Battalions, 47th Infantry Regiment, United States Army Center of Military History, "U.S. Company C, 3/47th Infantry would act as reserve. Small-scale military actions, which would eventually escalate into the Vietnam War, started in the late 1950s, when South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem instituted an anti-Communist campaign aimed at rooting out "left behind" Viet Minh forces. As the second group, under the platoon sergeant, began moving down the dike, the lead man, a squad leader, was killed by fire form a foxhole along the dike. Ziegler's plan, codenamed Operation Duc Thang I,[16] called for the South Vietnamese to assault Ap Tan Thoi from three different directions; three rifle companies from the 11th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, to move from the north; the Dinh Tuong Civil Guards Regiment[note 1] to march northward from the south in separate columns; and a company of 13 M-113 armored personnel carriers with an infantry company on board from the southwest. WebLearn about the Battle of Ap Bac, a major battle fought in Vietnam on January 2, 1963. Finally, Vann radioed Ziegler at the command post at Tan Hiep and told him to ask the commander of the ARVN 7th Infantry Division to order Ba to move toward Ap Bac immediately. Nearly wipes out 514th Main Force Viet Cong Battalion 15 May 1967: 1st CAM SON riverine operation, using TF-117 boats. [53] Vann, who had made key decisions during the early phases of the battle, blamed the South Vietnamese for the debacle. At this point, the situation was confused, and the brigade commander was unhappy. [40] Cohesion and morale among the crews of the armored formation quickly deteriorated as South Vietnamese sergeants, who served as both commanders and machine gunners of the carriers, were killed and were replaced by less-experienced, poorly trained men. The flamethrower had a range of up to 200 meters (Bad rounding hereScript error: No such module "Math". While they crawled, they replenished their dwindling ammunition supply from the fallen. This time, darkness would provide no convenient cover for their escape. [20], Previously, leadership of the 261st Battalion alternated between Hoang, a South Vietnamese revolutionary who had returned from North Vietnam after 1954, and Tu Khue, who was a native of North Vietnam. When reporter Neil Sheehan asked Brigadier-General Robert York what had happened, the general replied, "What the hell's it look like happened, boy. Despite massive support from the US military, the ARVN lost the Battle of Ap Bac. The 1st Company, 514th Battalion, covered the tail of the formation, with one of their platoons acting as a rear guard. [18], On previous occasions, U.S. intelligence had tracked down the location of Viet Cong radio transmitters, but those were often relocated before the South Vietnamese launched their attacks, so Ziegler privately questioned if the Viet Cong had as many as 120 soldiers in Ap Tan Thoi. ft) southeast of the regiment's position. The personnel carriers of Company C, 5/60th, having a longer distance to travel, and having two fairly deep streams to cross, did not close Company As position until approximately 1530. WebThe Battle of Ap Bac was a major battle fought on January 3, 1963, during the Vietnam War. Then just before midday, further reinforcements were flown in from Tan Hiep, and the fifteen U.S. helicopters ferrying the troops were riddled by Viet Cong gunfire, and five helicopters were lost as a result. It was apparent that the climax was rapidly approaching. Ap Bac Revisited - June 19, 2007 Bill Reynolds, What a pleasant surprise to sit down for breakfast on this Veterans Day, 2007, and see the front page story in The Signal about your trip back to Vietnam and your memories of the battle on June 19, 1967. ft). WebOn January 2, 1963, regular army and civil guard forces of the Republic of Vietnam engaged a Viet Cong battalion at the village of Ap Bac in Dinh Tuong province, 35 miles southwest of Saigon in the Mekong Delta. "It was a miserable damn performance, just like it always is. Cao would not approve the use of flares because it could expose the airborne battalion's night defensive positions, and instead ordered 100 rounds of artillery to be fired at a rate of four shells per hour. One was the commander of the Communist forces. [14] Furthermore, South Vietnamese and American intelligence personnel believed the Viet Cong had deployed a reinforced company of about 120 men to protect the transmitter. WebA brief lecture on the 1963 Battle of Ap Bac. Explore historical photos, gripping stories, poetry and song submitted by MRFA members. I was a squad leader with Alpha through AIT. So far as the battalion commander of the 3/60th was concerned, all his chips were in the pot. Internet research turns up these 112 lost battles of the Vietnam war: 1. The wounded Viet Cong soldiers were transferred onto sampans at the canal on the eastern side of Ap Tan Thoi, while the rest of the formation marched on. WebFor the VC, the Battle of Ap Bac marked the first time they stood and fought a large South Vietnamese formationdespite being outnumbered by more than five to one. Finally, the battle has proven the wisdom of the axiom; once you have an enemy force in a trap, destroy it without delay. Again, well-concealed Viet Cong soldiers of the 514th Battalion allowed their opponents to come within 20 meters (Bad rounding hereScript error: No such module "Math". WebOn January 2, 1963, regular army and civil guard forces of the Republic of Vietnam engaged a Viet Cong battalion at the village of Ap Bac in Dinh Tuong province, 35 miles southwest of Saigon in the Mekong Delta. This was the plan finally coordinated on the evening of 1 May 1967. It was fought in Dinh Tuong Province (now part of Tin Giang Province ), South Vietnam. Two Viet Cong soldiers received North Vietnams highest military-exploit medal for winning this battle. Web2 May 1967: Battle of Ap Bac, not riverine, but most significant battle fought to date by 2nd Brigade. NOTE: This video is part of a lesson plan titled The Battle of Ap Bac. Even though all the enemy in the immediate vicinitymore than 100 of themwere dead, there was no assurance that others might not be around, and prudence demanded being prepared for any eventuality. M113 Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle in Vietnam, 1966. During the next five hours, they managed to launch three major assaults, but failed to break the Viet Cong's line of defense. [45] Cao had also lost confidence in Vann, because Cao felt Vann had placed the lives of many South Vietnamese soldiers at risk to save the lives of a handful of Americans. I didn't know his name at the time but I recognized him on your web site. Here's my ole pal, Roy and me showing our support
[1], For the Viet Cong, the Battle of Ap Bac marked the first time they decided to stand and fight a large South Vietnamese formation, although outnumbered by more than five to one. For individual Viet Cong soldiers, the battle proved that they could defeat the superior South Vietnamese forces, equipped with modern military hardware and significant support and funding from the United States. They all had to be searched and cleared, even though most were found to be unoccupied. WebThe Battle of Ap Bac was on 2nd January, 1963. The assault by the 60th Infantrys Wild Ones on a Viet Cong stronghold in the Mekong was the kind you see in the movies or on the blackboard, but rarely in actual combat. WebAs night fell, PLAF soldiers fled the battlefield to the east under the cover of darkness, securing their first pitched battle victory of the war with America and the Republic of Vietnam (RVN). [32] The Viet Cong fired on the exposed soldiers and killed several. To Vann's disappointment, Cao strongly opposed the idea and decided to drop one of his airborne battalions behind the M-113 formation on the western side instead. The Viet Cong had set a new record: the battle was the first time they had either destroyed or downed five helicopters within a few hours. In front of the platoon was the small pasture where the lead squad of Company A, 3/47th, had been destroyed earlier. WebAs night fell, PLAF soldiers fled the battlefield to the east under the cover of darkness, securing their first pitched battle victory of the war with America and the Republic of Vietnam (RVN). Despite the change in leadership, the same problems continued to manifest themselves in the 7th Infantry Division. One was the commander of the Communist forces. [38] When Ba recovered, his company launched a frontal assault on the Viet Cong's foxhole line. From Albert's Peach Cobbler to an Irish Chicken Dinner, we have them all! He did not object to Cao's plan because it was consistent with President Diem's objective to save Vietnamese lives through the Rural Revolutionary Development and Chieu Hoi Programs, which encouraged Viet Cong fighters to join the South Vietnamese military. WebOn Sept 10, 1967, the 3rd battalion of the 26th Marines ventured forward to secure Hill 88. In many other cases, operations were executed on paper only, in order to report an increasing tempo of operations that did not actually exist. Web2 May 1967: Battle of Ap Bac, not riverine, but most significant battle fought to date by 2nd Brigade. They marched South in three separate axes towards their objective commander reported that his was! Lead squad of Company a was exchanging fire with most of the Vietnam War in which two living service earned! Being to the one behind which the dead lay everything that could n't fit in any of the men participated. 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Shortly afterwards, three companies of the 11th Infantry Regiment were committed into battle in northern Ap Tan Thoi, but they too could not overcome the FNL soldiers who had entrenched themselves in the area. [34] The American advisers were quietly confident that Ba's M-113s could turn the tide of battle; on previous occasions, Viet Cong fighters often fled from the battlefield as soon as M-113 armored personnel carriers turned up. [6], However, South Vietnamese officers were often reluctant to absorb heavy casualties. The combined companies were supported by approximately 30 local force soldiers from Chau Thanh District who served as scouts, ammunition bearers, litter carriers, and emergency replacements. WebOperation Concordia was an operation conducted by the U.S. Continuing its advance, the company began to meet more and more fire as it crossed the open rice fields opposite a built-up area of thatched huts along a deep stream that ran across their front. In contrast, Hoang was far more relaxed and commanded a high degree of confidence from the soldiers of the 261st Battalion. WebBattle Of Ap Bac January 2, 1963 Overview Historical Debates Resources Elements of the South Vietnamese 7th Infantry Division engage a smaller Viet Cong force outside the village of Ap Bac, 40 miles southwest of Saigon, in the Mekong Delta. At first this was sporadic sniper fire which did little to slow the advance of this unit. Meanwhile, the battalion commander of the 3/60th was experiencing great difficulty in getting the artillery fire support needed for his assaulting companies. WebA brief lecture on the 1963 Battle of Ap Bac. At around 7:00 am, the first wave of CH-21 helicopters offloaded the first group of South Vietnamese soldiers. The American pilots landed their helicopters within 200 meters (Bad rounding hereScript error: No such module "Math". This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History. He was in my class. Thus, Moyar (2008) argues that Harkins' optimistic and mis-directed doctrine negatively affected the long-term performance of the South Vietnamese military and the American advisers attached to them. [1], Despite the initial success of the Strategic Hamlet Program and the intensified military operations of 1962, the events at Ap Bac placed additional pressure on Diem's government because it showed it could not cope with the resurgence of the Viet Cong, particularly in the regions surrounding the Mekong River.[59]. Almost simultaneously, a third CH-21 sustained heavy damage and was forced to land on the rice fields a short distance from the first two helicopters. [30] By 10:30 am, all the South Vietnamese soldiers who had landed on the field were under heavy fire from inside Ap Bac and refused to move. [1]:1067[2]:37 Artillery and air support could not be used initially due to confusion over the location of the 4/47th Platoons, but from 12:00 helicopter gunship and artillery fire began to supplement the fire from small arms and nearby patrol craft. [12], In November 1962, the National Liberation Front's Military Region 2 ordered the Viet Cong 261st Battalion and the 514th Battalion, the home battalion of Dinh Tuong Province, to destroy the strategic hamlets in their region and at the same time to attack South Vietnamese sweeping operations. Early on 2 May, elements of the Wild Ones composed of Company B and Company C, 3/60th, plus the battalion command post and combat support company (less elements), moved out and arrived at the attack position with out incident. Cao promised to deploy the second Civil Guard battalion which had just arrived on the south-western flank of Ap Bac, and to drop the ARVN 8th Airborne Battalion at around 4:00 pm behind Ba's armored personnel carriers. NOTE: This video is part of a lesson plan titled The Battle of Ap Bac. WebOn Sept 10, 1967, the 3rd battalion of the 26th Marines ventured forward to secure Hill 88. [28], The five UH-1 gunships immediately strafed Viet Cong positions with 2.75 inch rockets, but failed to suppress the enemy fire. Internet research turns up these 112 lost battles of the Vietnam war: 1. Learning that elements of the 3/47th were in contact, and anticipating that his battalion would become involved, the commanding officer of the 3/60th ordered company B to move toward the area of contact, followed by Company A. Many of their large haystacks concealed bunkers. They had scored the biggest successes of the pacification campaigns of 1962, killing thousands of Viet Cong fighters and leaving thousands of others cut off from supplies. for our troops. NOTE: This video is part of a lesson plan titled The Battle of Ap Bac. Memorials and museums dedicated to the Mobile Riverine Force. There is no question that, had the 2nd Brigade waited until dark, the enemy force, or most of it, would have slipped out. When the leading Civil Guard battalion came within 30 meters (Bad rounding hereScript error: No such module "Math". Company A, 3/60th, which had been behind but south of Company B, continued to advance along the stream and the road which formed the line of contact farther to the east. ft),[42] but when the operator fired the device, the flame died after only 30 meters (Bad rounding hereScript error: No such module "Math". Companies B and C continued attacking east, while Company A moved into a blocking position to the north. "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, For he today that sheds his blood with me, shall be my brother." 21 May 1967: 4th Bn 47th Infantry relieved RSSZ mission, proceeds to Dong Tam and OnCon 2nd Brigade. The battle represented the first major confrontation between ARVN forces and the NLF during the Vietnam War; it was also a significant victory for the NLF. Since no officers could be identified among the enemy dead, except for the battalion surgeon, there was reason to suspect that these key people may have moved out earlier in the day, and possibly were some of those that had been encountered by Company B. In addition, some men were having trouble with their rifles, due to the terrific volume of the fire they were pouring out. WebThe Battle of July Two was a short engagement of the Vietnam War that took place along Route 561 between Gia Binh and An Kha, during Operation Buffalo. The South Vietnamese M-113 gun crews were exposed from the waist up, so they were easy targets for snipers; by the end of the day, fourteen South Vietnamese M-113 crewmen had been killed due to their exposure. But experience had shown that at best this was an educated guess, one that all too often had proved false. [28], Vann then ordered his pilot to make contact with the other L-19 that was leading the ten CH-21s with the first South Vietnamese reserve company from Tan Hiep. The U.S. military had every advantage, yet mistakes were made and battles lost. away! [3] The arrival of helicopters changed the nature of the battle considerably; it enabled South Vietnamese soldiers to quickly fly to almost any point in the country, leaving little time for a retreat. It truly is a small world! They marched south in three separate axes towards their objective. [25], Thirty CH-21 Shawnee helicopters were needed to airlift the entire 1st Battalion, ARVN 11th Infantry Regiment, but only ten were available. It was also worried about inciting the United States into directly supporting South Vietnam, and had recommended a policy of avoiding battle at no, costs. Thanks for the memories on this Veterans Day, 2007. [27] Immediately, the South Vietnamese infantrymen were forced to hug the ground. [37] The rescue operation was further delayed when Ba tried to obtain proper authorization to advance, because he was under orders not to take commands directly from the American advisers. The concern of fire falling in the fire support base was so great that it was decided briefly not to attack. By 1500, Company A had reached the restraining line designated by the brigade commander, and was deployed along it in assault formation with three platoons abreast. Alpha Company, 4th,47th. On December 28, 1962, U.S. intelligence detected the presence of a radio transmitter along with a sizable force of National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (FNL/Viet Cong) soldiers, reported to number around 120 in the hamlet of Ap Tan Thoi in Dinh Tuong Province, home of the ARVN 7th Infantry Division. The last battle for which two living service members received the Medal of Honor was the 1967 Battle of Ap Bac in Vietnam, a spokeswoman for the Congressional Medal of Honor Society said. Toczek, p. 72. Certain that the Viet Cong unit was no larger than the reported number, the ARVN 7th Infantry Division was instructed to attack Ap Tan Thoi. the front page story in The Signal about your trip back to Vietnam and your memories of the battle on June 19, 1967. The enemy has demonstrated time and again that merely killing his troops does us little or no good, for he is able to quickly recruit more. Vann hoped to trap the Viet Cong inside the hamlets by blocking their retreat routes on all sides, and annihilate them using an elite battalion of South Vietnamese paratroopers. The 173rd and 175th companies blocked the far western position side as Task Force C, but it was not committed into battle. Command of the 7th was given to Cao's chief of staff, Colonel Bui Dinh Dam. On the south, Company A was exchanging fire with most of the enemy defenders. In view of this, the brigade commander, Col. William B. Fulton, changed his scheme of maneuver. He also argued that sending the 13 M-113 armored personnel carriers through the Cong Ba Ky Canal would enable the Viet Cong to retreat because it might take too much time. They evacuated through the rice fields, taking their dead and wounded comrades. The company commander reported that his unit was in a state of chaos and he was extremely pessimistic about its ability to attack. It [58] Militarily, the morale and confidence of Viet Cong commanders and soldiers, who had experienced serious setbacks during the previous year, were significantly boosted. Explore gatherings, speakers and events. In half an hour they had advanced to within 100 meters of the main enemy line, but were held up by intense fire from small arms and mortars. Visibility was excellent and the day was hot and clear. Meanwhile, the two companies already on the line of departure would begin the operation by advancing to a series of objectives to the north. Please sign the MRFA guestbook! WebHello and thank you for watching! A few of the boys from our ole Reseda neighborhood had the opportunity to serve their country. Of the men who participated in this assault, most had been in the Army hardly a year. To have met the enemy on his own terms after so many fruitless months of seeking him, suffering daily casualties from mines and booby traps until frustrations reached a crescendo that seared the mind and bloodied the heart; to have met the enemy and destroyed him completely, provided a joy and a sense of accomplishment that caused their hearts to glow and animated each man. As the men worked their way toward the enemy, they were forced to crawl over the dead of the other unit. ft) west of Ap Bac, where they were hit multiple times by Viet Cong machine gun and small arms fire. mi) to the northeast. Of the fifteen American helicopters sent to support the operation, only one escaped undamaged, and five were either downed or destroyed. Explore our catalog and purchase official MRFA gear here. ft) before opening fire. WebIt is the first battle since the Vietnam War in which two living service members earned the Medal of Honor. Men spoke in high-pitched, excited voices as though still trying to make themselves heard over the roar of gunfire. He was fearful that the battle would turn out to be the largest defeat of South Vietnamese forces up to that point of the war. The foxholes were deep enough for one man to stand up, or big enough to accommodate a two-man machine-gun crew. Farther to the north (about 30 meters) was another dike, parallel to the one behind which the dead lay. [48] By the end of the day, the airborne battalion had lost 19 soldiers killed in action and another 33 wounded. At the same time, he recalled the personnel carrier company (Company C, 5/60th) from its barren search farther to the west and began moving it toward the point of contact. In short, a nice, tidy plan had gone awry. Early on 2 May, elements of the Wild Ones composed of Company B and Company C, 3/60th, plus the battalion command post and combat support company (less elements), moved out and arrived at the attack position with out incident. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". [56] However, the Viet Cong were far more interested in exposing the weaknesses of Diem's regime and its military. Some rice had been found, more proof that Viet Cong had been in the area. The aircraft flipped over to the right and crashed. On several occasions, Cao's forces were in excellent position to trap and wipe out whole battalions of Viet Cong, but he would fail to close the trap on one pretext or another and allow the enemy to escape. Web2 May 1967: Battle of Ap Bac, not riverine, but most significant battle fought to date by 2nd Brigade. Welcome Home Brother ! Unit awards, medals and ribbons, and information on applying for and obtaining your medals and ribbons. This behavior initially mystified Vann, who was attempting to build Cao into an aggressive commander. WebThe Battle of July Two was a short engagement of the Vietnam War that took place along Route 561 between Gia Binh and An Kha, during Operation Buffalo. WebThe Battle of Ap Bac was a major battle fought on January 3, 1963, during the Vietnam War. Mobile Riverine Force in conjunction with the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) from 1921 June 1967 against the Viet Cong (VC). WebA brief lecture on the 1963 Battle of Ap Bac. His U.S. adviser was Lieutenant Colonel John Paul Vann, who orchestrated much of the unit's activity in concert with his planner, Captain Richard Ziegler. Then when the fire lifted to the rear of the enemy, to block his escape positions, the infantry would assault before the enemy could recover. Suddenly enemy troops began jumping out of their holes and attempted to escape. While these deployments were being made, the 3/47th continued to alternate intense artillery fire and air strikes the enemy position, thus effectively preventing most of them from escaping. WebIt is the first battle since the Vietnam War in which two living service members earned the Medal of Honor. [11] Cao was promoted to general and assumed command of the new IV Corps Tactical Zone, which included the area of operations of his 7th Infantry Division. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments, Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1963, National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. [27], Dam asked Vann, who was circling the battlefield aboard an L-19 reconnaissance aircraft, to reconnoiter possible landing zones on the east and west sides of Ap Bac, where additional reinforcements could be inserted to launch their attacks. To make matters worst, Tho failed to send his second Civil Guard battalion of Task Force B to rescue the first. Originally, our 2nd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, had been promised two helicopter companies for the operation; however, late on the day before the operation began, one of these was withdrawn. [7] Unknown to Vann, Diem would reprimand or demote any officer who lost too many men, no matter how successful the operation. [48] At 10:00 pm, Viet Cong commander Hoang led his two companies out of Ap Tan Thoi and headed for their base camp in the Plain of Reeds, while the local force units left by a different route for their hideouts in the local area. WebHello and thank you for watching! [1]:107, Company B, 4/47th Infantry was moved behind Company A while Company C, 3/47th Infantry was deployed north and then began to assault towards the east joining up with Companies A and B approaching from the northwest. Thus, due to his strong leadership skills and popularity, Hoang was selected to take command of Viet Cong forces for operations in Ap Bac. A reinforced company, and possibly more, had been lost for the time being to the Viet Cong 514th Battalion. Politically, the Viet Cong 261st and 514th Battalions were able to exercise greater influence in their areas of operations because of the prestige of defeating the soldiers of Diem's unpopular regime. They make the same mistake over and over again in the same way". Also, all commanders were concerned about the possible effects the .50 caliber fire of the armored personnel carriers would have when they assaulted. However, by this time all elements of the 3/60th had closed the final assault line and were beginning to meet enemy fire. Those on the north had been swept by Company B earlier, and were known to be free of enemy troops. WebAt Ap Bac, for the first time, the Viet Cong fought at battalion strength and won a decisive victory against Vietnamese troops supported by American helicopters, armored vehicles, and artillery. The MRFA is launching our Historical Data Project (HDP), featuring as much MRF TF-117 data as possible. However, throughout the area, the small streams could be crossed only at certain points. The last battle for which two living service members received the Medal of Honor was the 1967 Battle of Ap Bac in Vietnam, a spokeswoman for the Congressional Medal of Honor Society said. The battalion commander of the 3/60th Infantry intended to move his unit forward by stages before making the final assault. Shortly afterwards, Ziegler returned with Dam's permission, and Ba was ordered to move his M-113 carriers in the direction of the white smoke that were rising from the burning hamlet. Anything and everything that couldn't fit in any of the other categories. [10], In 1962, Diem decided to split the command of the area in the south around Saigon into two, the former III Corps area being reduced in size to cover the area northeast of Saigon, and the newly created IV Corps taking over the west and southwest. One was the commander of the Communist forces. 3rd and 4th Battalions, 47th Infantry Regiment, United States Army Center of Military History, "U.S. Company C, 3/47th Infantry would act as reserve. Small-scale military actions, which would eventually escalate into the Vietnam War, started in the late 1950s, when South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem instituted an anti-Communist campaign aimed at rooting out "left behind" Viet Minh forces. As the second group, under the platoon sergeant, began moving down the dike, the lead man, a squad leader, was killed by fire form a foxhole along the dike. Ziegler's plan, codenamed Operation Duc Thang I,[16] called for the South Vietnamese to assault Ap Tan Thoi from three different directions; three rifle companies from the 11th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, to move from the north; the Dinh Tuong Civil Guards Regiment[note 1] to march northward from the south in separate columns; and a company of 13 M-113 armored personnel carriers with an infantry company on board from the southwest. WebLearn about the Battle of Ap Bac, a major battle fought in Vietnam on January 2, 1963. Finally, Vann radioed Ziegler at the command post at Tan Hiep and told him to ask the commander of the ARVN 7th Infantry Division to order Ba to move toward Ap Bac immediately. Nearly wipes out 514th Main Force Viet Cong Battalion 15 May 1967: 1st CAM SON riverine operation, using TF-117 boats. [53] Vann, who had made key decisions during the early phases of the battle, blamed the South Vietnamese for the debacle. At this point, the situation was confused, and the brigade commander was unhappy. [40] Cohesion and morale among the crews of the armored formation quickly deteriorated as South Vietnamese sergeants, who served as both commanders and machine gunners of the carriers, were killed and were replaced by less-experienced, poorly trained men. The flamethrower had a range of up to 200 meters (Bad rounding hereScript error: No such module "Math". While they crawled, they replenished their dwindling ammunition supply from the fallen. This time, darkness would provide no convenient cover for their escape. [20], Previously, leadership of the 261st Battalion alternated between Hoang, a South Vietnamese revolutionary who had returned from North Vietnam after 1954, and Tu Khue, who was a native of North Vietnam. When reporter Neil Sheehan asked Brigadier-General Robert York what had happened, the general replied, "What the hell's it look like happened, boy. Despite massive support from the US military, the ARVN lost the Battle of Ap Bac. The 1st Company, 514th Battalion, covered the tail of the formation, with one of their platoons acting as a rear guard. [18], On previous occasions, U.S. intelligence had tracked down the location of Viet Cong radio transmitters, but those were often relocated before the South Vietnamese launched their attacks, so Ziegler privately questioned if the Viet Cong had as many as 120 soldiers in Ap Tan Thoi. ft) southeast of the regiment's position. The personnel carriers of Company C, 5/60th, having a longer distance to travel, and having two fairly deep streams to cross, did not close Company As position until approximately 1530. WebThe Battle of Ap Bac was a major battle fought on January 3, 1963, during the Vietnam War. Then just before midday, further reinforcements were flown in from Tan Hiep, and the fifteen U.S. helicopters ferrying the troops were riddled by Viet Cong gunfire, and five helicopters were lost as a result. It was apparent that the climax was rapidly approaching. Ap Bac Revisited - June 19, 2007 Bill Reynolds, What a pleasant surprise to sit down for breakfast on this Veterans Day, 2007, and see the front page story in The Signal about your trip back to Vietnam and your memories of the battle on June 19, 1967. ft). WebOn January 2, 1963, regular army and civil guard forces of the Republic of Vietnam engaged a Viet Cong battalion at the village of Ap Bac in Dinh Tuong province, 35 miles southwest of Saigon in the Mekong Delta. "It was a miserable damn performance, just like it always is. Cao would not approve the use of flares because it could expose the airborne battalion's night defensive positions, and instead ordered 100 rounds of artillery to be fired at a rate of four shells per hour. One was the commander of the Communist forces. [14] Furthermore, South Vietnamese and American intelligence personnel believed the Viet Cong had deployed a reinforced company of about 120 men to protect the transmitter. WebA brief lecture on the 1963 Battle of Ap Bac. Explore historical photos, gripping stories, poetry and song submitted by MRFA members. I was a squad leader with Alpha through AIT. So far as the battalion commander of the 3/60th was concerned, all his chips were in the pot. Internet research turns up these 112 lost battles of the Vietnam war: 1. The wounded Viet Cong soldiers were transferred onto sampans at the canal on the eastern side of Ap Tan Thoi, while the rest of the formation marched on. WebFor the VC, the Battle of Ap Bac marked the first time they stood and fought a large South Vietnamese formationdespite being outnumbered by more than five to one. Finally, the battle has proven the wisdom of the axiom; once you have an enemy force in a trap, destroy it without delay. Again, well-concealed Viet Cong soldiers of the 514th Battalion allowed their opponents to come within 20 meters (Bad rounding hereScript error: No such module "Math". WebOn January 2, 1963, regular army and civil guard forces of the Republic of Vietnam engaged a Viet Cong battalion at the village of Ap Bac in Dinh Tuong province, 35 miles southwest of Saigon in the Mekong Delta. This was the plan finally coordinated on the evening of 1 May 1967. It was fought in Dinh Tuong Province (now part of Tin Giang Province ), South Vietnam. Two Viet Cong soldiers received North Vietnams highest military-exploit medal for winning this battle. Web2 May 1967: Battle of Ap Bac, not riverine, but most significant battle fought to date by 2nd Brigade. NOTE: This video is part of a lesson plan titled The Battle of Ap Bac. Even though all the enemy in the immediate vicinitymore than 100 of themwere dead, there was no assurance that others might not be around, and prudence demanded being prepared for any eventuality. M113 Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle in Vietnam, 1966. During the next five hours, they managed to launch three major assaults, but failed to break the Viet Cong's line of defense. [45] Cao had also lost confidence in Vann, because Cao felt Vann had placed the lives of many South Vietnamese soldiers at risk to save the lives of a handful of Americans. I didn't know his name at the time but I recognized him on your web site. Here's my ole pal, Roy and me showing our support
[1], For the Viet Cong, the Battle of Ap Bac marked the first time they decided to stand and fight a large South Vietnamese formation, although outnumbered by more than five to one. For individual Viet Cong soldiers, the battle proved that they could defeat the superior South Vietnamese forces, equipped with modern military hardware and significant support and funding from the United States. They all had to be searched and cleared, even though most were found to be unoccupied. WebThe Battle of Ap Bac was on 2nd January, 1963. The assault by the 60th Infantrys Wild Ones on a Viet Cong stronghold in the Mekong was the kind you see in the movies or on the blackboard, but rarely in actual combat. WebAs night fell, PLAF soldiers fled the battlefield to the east under the cover of darkness, securing their first pitched battle victory of the war with America and the Republic of Vietnam (RVN). [32] The Viet Cong fired on the exposed soldiers and killed several. To Vann's disappointment, Cao strongly opposed the idea and decided to drop one of his airborne battalions behind the M-113 formation on the western side instead. The Viet Cong had set a new record: the battle was the first time they had either destroyed or downed five helicopters within a few hours. In front of the platoon was the small pasture where the lead squad of Company A, 3/47th, had been destroyed earlier. WebAs night fell, PLAF soldiers fled the battlefield to the east under the cover of darkness, securing their first pitched battle victory of the war with America and the Republic of Vietnam (RVN). Despite the change in leadership, the same problems continued to manifest themselves in the 7th Infantry Division. One was the commander of the Communist forces. [38] When Ba recovered, his company launched a frontal assault on the Viet Cong's foxhole line. From Albert's Peach Cobbler to an Irish Chicken Dinner, we have them all! He did not object to Cao's plan because it was consistent with President Diem's objective to save Vietnamese lives through the Rural Revolutionary Development and Chieu Hoi Programs, which encouraged Viet Cong fighters to join the South Vietnamese military. WebOn Sept 10, 1967, the 3rd battalion of the 26th Marines ventured forward to secure Hill 88. In many other cases, operations were executed on paper only, in order to report an increasing tempo of operations that did not actually exist. Web2 May 1967: Battle of Ap Bac, not riverine, but most significant battle fought to date by 2nd Brigade. They marched South in three separate axes towards their objective commander reported that his was! Lead squad of Company a was exchanging fire with most of the Vietnam War in which two living service earned! Being to the one behind which the dead lay everything that could n't fit in any of the men participated. 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