Posted on Jul 4, 2018
173rd Airborne Brigade Search & Destroy at Tan Binh Vietnam: "Operation Eagle Flight" 1966 US...
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel GOOD SEARCH AND DESTROY READ/SHARE.
SGT John " Mac " McConnell PO1 Tony Holland SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas Maj Marty Hogan SGT (Join to see) SGT Philip Roncari SPC Margaret Higgins SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SP5 Michael Rathbun CW5 Jack Cardwell]] COL Mikel J. Burroughs ] CPL Dave Hoover SFC Shirley Whitfield LTC Stephen F. SGT Jim Arnold SSG William Jones MSgt Ken "Airsoldier" Collins-Hardy Capt Dwayne Conyers SGT Damaso V Santana
SGT John " Mac " McConnell PO1 Tony Holland SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas Maj Marty Hogan SGT (Join to see) SGT Philip Roncari SPC Margaret Higgins SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SP5 Michael Rathbun CW5 Jack Cardwell]] COL Mikel J. Burroughs ] CPL Dave Hoover SFC Shirley Whitfield LTC Stephen F. SGT Jim Arnold SSG William Jones MSgt Ken "Airsoldier" Collins-Hardy Capt Dwayne Conyers SGT Damaso V Santana
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Thank you my friend CW5 Jack Cardwell for reminding us about the 1966 "Operation Eagle Flight" Search & Destroy by the 173rd Airborne Brigade Search & Destroy at Tân Bình, Vietnam
Tân Bình is southeast of Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh) which was named Saigon in South Vietnam.
In 1966 the only Search and Destroy mission was Operation AURORA I from 9-17 July 1966 Long Khanh Province. Conducting search and destroy operations in northern Long Khanh Province and eliminating VC tax collecting in the province.
Background from .asalives.org/ASAONLINE/173rd.htm
On May 5, 1965, the Brigade deployed to South Viet Nam as the first US Army ground combat unit in that war.
Upon arrival, one battalion of the Royal Australian Army and a battery from New Zealand were attached to the Brigade -- making the 173d Airborne the only multi-national combat unit in the war.
Initially headquartered in Bien Hoa, the Brigade operated in the four provinces around Saigon. (Xuan Loc, Long Khanh, Phuoc Long & Phuoc Tuy), but (in its roll as a "Fire Brigade") also went to the Central Highlands (Pleiku/Kontum) to fight Viet Cong. The 173d also conducted constant operations against the southern stronghold of the VC Main Force in the legendary Iron Triangle in War Zone D.
At 0900 Hours, February 22, 1967 (during Operation Junction City) over 800 paratroopers jumped into the rice paddies at Katum in War Zone C. The same unit (plus attached combat engineers and artillerymen) that had made the famous jump on the Island of Corregidor (2/503d) during WW2, made the first and only full-sized combat jump by an American unit (there were Vietnamese jumps of course and some small unit jumps by USMC's Force Recon as well).
Once on the ground, the paratroopers joined the Brigade in cutting off VC units fleeing a massive sweep by the 1st, 4th, and 25th Infantry Divisions, and the 11th Armored Cavalry regiment.
In the summer of 1967, the Brigade saw extensive and bloody action in the Central Highlands near Kontum, Pleiku, Dak To.
List of 1966 operations
10. MARAUDER 1-8 January 1966 Hua Nghia Province: The New year began with the 1/503rd and the 1/RAR being airlifted into adjacent positions along the Oriental River in the Plain of Reed area of the Mekong Delta. The next morning , the 2/503rd fought through a series of fortified enemy positions using air, artillery and tear gas to rout the VC. 326 VC suspects were rounded up along with large numbers killed in the actions decimating the VC 267th battalion.
11. CRIMP 8-14 January 1966 Binh Buong, West of Hobo Woods: The Australians made contact first, and after heavy fighting, the RAR and the 173rd unmasked an extensive set of underground tunnels, captured several 12.7mm antiaircraft guns, killing over 128 VC and capturing another 91 while detaining 509 suspects.
12. ON GUARD 17-21 January 1966 Di An, Phu Loi
13. PHOENIX 26 February - 22 March 1966 Binh Duong & Bien Hoa Province
14. SILVER CITY 9-22 March 1966 Long Khanh Province: The 173D Airborne Brigade (SEP), including elements of the 1st Royal Australian Regiment, conducted a heliborne assault near the Song Be River in War Zone "D" to initiate Operation Silver City. The first few days of the operations consisted of thorough screening of the area, leading to the discovery of vast quantities of food, munitions, bunkers, tunnel systems documents, and several large VC base camps.
The seventh day of Operation Silver City will long be remembered by the troopers of the 173D, for on this day the 2/503rd Infantry Task Force was attacked from all directions by the 501st VC Battalion. The troopers held their perimeter while inflicting heavy losses on the guerrillas. Resupply of needy ammunition was effected during the battle by helicopter at no small risk to equipment and crews. Numerous tactical air strikes were initiated with great effectiveness. The VC had to resort to chaining their machine gunners to the tripods of their weapons, but even these measures could not stop the crack troopers of the 173D.
The 1st Battalion, 503d Infantry was directed to reinforce the 2nd Battalion during the battle. The VC element was nearly annihilated by this time and chose to break contact rather than tackle two battalions of SKY SOLDIERS. Four hours after initial contact, all VC were routed or destroyed.
The after-action mop-up patrols counted a total of 302 VC bodies with only seven US losses, the highest kill ratio to date. Throughout the rest of the operation it was indicated that an estimated 150 additional VC dead had been dragged away.
15. DENVER 10-25 April 1966 Song Be, Phuoc Long Province: The brigade task force discovered over 34 tons of rice and 2,167 documents during patrols and Eagle flights with no major elements of VC encountered.
16. DEXTER 4-6 May 1966 Tan Uyen: The brigade initiated the three day operation in the northwest portion of Bien Hoa province.
17. HARDIHOOD 16 May- 8 June 1966 Phuoc Tuy Province: On 19 May the 1/503d Infantry became engaged with an estimated fifty VC. The firefight that ensued resulted in twenty VC killed with minimal friendly casualties.
18. HOLLANDIA 9-17 June 1966 Phuoc Tuy Province: The brigade deployed to the Lon Hai Peninsula, east of Vung Tau, to search for elements of the 274th and 275th VC regiments and their controlling headquarters. Two deserted base camps revealed sizeable quantitites of rice and miscellaneous equpment.
19. YORKTOWN 23 June - 8 July 1966 Long Khanh Province: Approximately 37 miles east of Bien Hoa in Xuan Loc Province three platoons of A/2/503d Infantry engaged an enemy force between 75-100 enemy strong employing 50 caliber machine guns and grenade launchers.
20. AURORA I 9-17 July 1966 Long Khanh Province: Conducting search and destroy operations in northern Long Khanh Province and eliminating VC tax collecting in the province.
21. AURORA II 17 July - 3 August 1966 Long Khanh, Binh Tuy Lam Duong Province: Similar to Aurora I, the brigade deployed 80 kilometers northeast of Bien Hoa. 25 Sampans were sighted and subsequently destroyed by gunships, tactical air and artillery fire.
22. TOLEDO 10 August - 7 September 1966 Phuoc Tuy & Binh Tuy Provinces: The Sky Soldiers uncovered over 125,000 rounds of small arms ammunition, over 50 tons of rice, 10 base camps, 75 huts and 5 tunnel systems in the May Tao Secret Zone.
23. ATLANTIC CITY 13-22 September 1966 Dau Ting Airfield: The 4th Battalion and B Battery/ 319th Artillery provided airport security.
24. SIOUX CITY 26 September - 9 October 1966 Xom Cat: The 1st and 2nd Battalions along with artillery support deployed 23 kilometers northeast of Bien Hoa. They discovered numerous food, weapons and vehicular maintenance caches.
25. ROBIN 10-17 October 1966 Phu My to Bear Cat: Elements of the brigade provided highway security from Phu My north to Bear Cat along Highway 15 for the newly arrived 3d Brigade, 4th Infantry Division.
26. ATTLEBORO 7-20 November 1966 Minh Thanh: The 2/503d Infantry and A/3/319th Artillery boarded planes for Minh Thanh in Tay Ninh Province. They encountered several base camps, bivouac and training sites.
27. WACO 25 November - 2 December 1966 Bien Hoa Area:
The brigade reassumes responsibility for the Tactical Area of Responsibility for the area surrounding Bien Hoa.
28. WINCHESTER 8 October - 4 December 1966: The 4/503d Infantry's mission was to relieve the 2d Battalion of the 26th Marine Division and to occupy and maintain control of an assigned sector of the Da Nang TAOR. Throughout the 58 day period the paratroopers conducted numerous day and night patrols in addition to providing security for the daily convoys of troops and supplies moving through I Corps.
29. CANARY/ DUCK 7 December 1966 - 5 January 1967 Phu My to Bear Cat: The 173rd conducted a two phase highway security operation along Highway 15 from Phu My to Long Binh and from Phu My to Bear Cat for elements of the 199th Light Infantry Brigade and the 9th Infantry Division."
http://www.asalives.org/ASAONLINE/173rd.htm
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 (Join to see) SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC (Join to see) Cpl Joshua Caldwell SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
Tân Bình is southeast of Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh) which was named Saigon in South Vietnam.
In 1966 the only Search and Destroy mission was Operation AURORA I from 9-17 July 1966 Long Khanh Province. Conducting search and destroy operations in northern Long Khanh Province and eliminating VC tax collecting in the province.
Background from .asalives.org/ASAONLINE/173rd.htm
On May 5, 1965, the Brigade deployed to South Viet Nam as the first US Army ground combat unit in that war.
Upon arrival, one battalion of the Royal Australian Army and a battery from New Zealand were attached to the Brigade -- making the 173d Airborne the only multi-national combat unit in the war.
Initially headquartered in Bien Hoa, the Brigade operated in the four provinces around Saigon. (Xuan Loc, Long Khanh, Phuoc Long & Phuoc Tuy), but (in its roll as a "Fire Brigade") also went to the Central Highlands (Pleiku/Kontum) to fight Viet Cong. The 173d also conducted constant operations against the southern stronghold of the VC Main Force in the legendary Iron Triangle in War Zone D.
At 0900 Hours, February 22, 1967 (during Operation Junction City) over 800 paratroopers jumped into the rice paddies at Katum in War Zone C. The same unit (plus attached combat engineers and artillerymen) that had made the famous jump on the Island of Corregidor (2/503d) during WW2, made the first and only full-sized combat jump by an American unit (there were Vietnamese jumps of course and some small unit jumps by USMC's Force Recon as well).
Once on the ground, the paratroopers joined the Brigade in cutting off VC units fleeing a massive sweep by the 1st, 4th, and 25th Infantry Divisions, and the 11th Armored Cavalry regiment.
In the summer of 1967, the Brigade saw extensive and bloody action in the Central Highlands near Kontum, Pleiku, Dak To.
List of 1966 operations
10. MARAUDER 1-8 January 1966 Hua Nghia Province: The New year began with the 1/503rd and the 1/RAR being airlifted into adjacent positions along the Oriental River in the Plain of Reed area of the Mekong Delta. The next morning , the 2/503rd fought through a series of fortified enemy positions using air, artillery and tear gas to rout the VC. 326 VC suspects were rounded up along with large numbers killed in the actions decimating the VC 267th battalion.
11. CRIMP 8-14 January 1966 Binh Buong, West of Hobo Woods: The Australians made contact first, and after heavy fighting, the RAR and the 173rd unmasked an extensive set of underground tunnels, captured several 12.7mm antiaircraft guns, killing over 128 VC and capturing another 91 while detaining 509 suspects.
12. ON GUARD 17-21 January 1966 Di An, Phu Loi
13. PHOENIX 26 February - 22 March 1966 Binh Duong & Bien Hoa Province
14. SILVER CITY 9-22 March 1966 Long Khanh Province: The 173D Airborne Brigade (SEP), including elements of the 1st Royal Australian Regiment, conducted a heliborne assault near the Song Be River in War Zone "D" to initiate Operation Silver City. The first few days of the operations consisted of thorough screening of the area, leading to the discovery of vast quantities of food, munitions, bunkers, tunnel systems documents, and several large VC base camps.
The seventh day of Operation Silver City will long be remembered by the troopers of the 173D, for on this day the 2/503rd Infantry Task Force was attacked from all directions by the 501st VC Battalion. The troopers held their perimeter while inflicting heavy losses on the guerrillas. Resupply of needy ammunition was effected during the battle by helicopter at no small risk to equipment and crews. Numerous tactical air strikes were initiated with great effectiveness. The VC had to resort to chaining their machine gunners to the tripods of their weapons, but even these measures could not stop the crack troopers of the 173D.
The 1st Battalion, 503d Infantry was directed to reinforce the 2nd Battalion during the battle. The VC element was nearly annihilated by this time and chose to break contact rather than tackle two battalions of SKY SOLDIERS. Four hours after initial contact, all VC were routed or destroyed.
The after-action mop-up patrols counted a total of 302 VC bodies with only seven US losses, the highest kill ratio to date. Throughout the rest of the operation it was indicated that an estimated 150 additional VC dead had been dragged away.
15. DENVER 10-25 April 1966 Song Be, Phuoc Long Province: The brigade task force discovered over 34 tons of rice and 2,167 documents during patrols and Eagle flights with no major elements of VC encountered.
16. DEXTER 4-6 May 1966 Tan Uyen: The brigade initiated the three day operation in the northwest portion of Bien Hoa province.
17. HARDIHOOD 16 May- 8 June 1966 Phuoc Tuy Province: On 19 May the 1/503d Infantry became engaged with an estimated fifty VC. The firefight that ensued resulted in twenty VC killed with minimal friendly casualties.
18. HOLLANDIA 9-17 June 1966 Phuoc Tuy Province: The brigade deployed to the Lon Hai Peninsula, east of Vung Tau, to search for elements of the 274th and 275th VC regiments and their controlling headquarters. Two deserted base camps revealed sizeable quantitites of rice and miscellaneous equpment.
19. YORKTOWN 23 June - 8 July 1966 Long Khanh Province: Approximately 37 miles east of Bien Hoa in Xuan Loc Province three platoons of A/2/503d Infantry engaged an enemy force between 75-100 enemy strong employing 50 caliber machine guns and grenade launchers.
20. AURORA I 9-17 July 1966 Long Khanh Province: Conducting search and destroy operations in northern Long Khanh Province and eliminating VC tax collecting in the province.
21. AURORA II 17 July - 3 August 1966 Long Khanh, Binh Tuy Lam Duong Province: Similar to Aurora I, the brigade deployed 80 kilometers northeast of Bien Hoa. 25 Sampans were sighted and subsequently destroyed by gunships, tactical air and artillery fire.
22. TOLEDO 10 August - 7 September 1966 Phuoc Tuy & Binh Tuy Provinces: The Sky Soldiers uncovered over 125,000 rounds of small arms ammunition, over 50 tons of rice, 10 base camps, 75 huts and 5 tunnel systems in the May Tao Secret Zone.
23. ATLANTIC CITY 13-22 September 1966 Dau Ting Airfield: The 4th Battalion and B Battery/ 319th Artillery provided airport security.
24. SIOUX CITY 26 September - 9 October 1966 Xom Cat: The 1st and 2nd Battalions along with artillery support deployed 23 kilometers northeast of Bien Hoa. They discovered numerous food, weapons and vehicular maintenance caches.
25. ROBIN 10-17 October 1966 Phu My to Bear Cat: Elements of the brigade provided highway security from Phu My north to Bear Cat along Highway 15 for the newly arrived 3d Brigade, 4th Infantry Division.
26. ATTLEBORO 7-20 November 1966 Minh Thanh: The 2/503d Infantry and A/3/319th Artillery boarded planes for Minh Thanh in Tay Ninh Province. They encountered several base camps, bivouac and training sites.
27. WACO 25 November - 2 December 1966 Bien Hoa Area:
The brigade reassumes responsibility for the Tactical Area of Responsibility for the area surrounding Bien Hoa.
28. WINCHESTER 8 October - 4 December 1966: The 4/503d Infantry's mission was to relieve the 2d Battalion of the 26th Marine Division and to occupy and maintain control of an assigned sector of the Da Nang TAOR. Throughout the 58 day period the paratroopers conducted numerous day and night patrols in addition to providing security for the daily convoys of troops and supplies moving through I Corps.
29. CANARY/ DUCK 7 December 1966 - 5 January 1967 Phu My to Bear Cat: The 173rd conducted a two phase highway security operation along Highway 15 from Phu My to Long Binh and from Phu My to Bear Cat for elements of the 199th Light Infantry Brigade and the 9th Infantry Division."
http://www.asalives.org/ASAONLINE/173rd.htm
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 (Join to see) SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC (Join to see) Cpl Joshua Caldwell SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
Initially, the 173rd was assigned to defend the Bien Hoa Air Base. The brigade routinely conducted sweeps up to 15 kilometers around the base, with company size operations often being the norm.
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