| Operation Nantucket Beach | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Vietnam War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States |  North Vietnam  Viet Cong | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| 198th Light Infantry Brigade | 2nd Division | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 51 killed | US body count: 630 killed 38 captured 212 weapons recovered | ||||||
Operation Nantucket Beach was a security operation during the Vietnam War conducted by the 198th Light Infantry Brigade, 23rd Infantry Division on the Batangan Peninsula from 23 July 1969 to 10 March 1971.
The Batangan Peninsula was a Vietcong (VC) stronghold and the scene of frequent operations throughout the war. The 6th Infantry Regiment and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam ARVN 6th Regiment, 2nd Division were to conduct security and pacification operations throughout the area. [1] : 32
On 7 March Battery A, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment caught a VC force in the open, killing 9. On 13 March Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment triggered a booby-trapped 105mm shell losing 1 killed. On 14 March Company C, 1/6th triggered another 105mm booby-trap losing 2 killed. [2] : 33
On 9 April Battery A, 1/82nd Artillery fired on 45 VC killing 12. On 11 April Battery A, 1st Battalion, 14th Field Artillery Regiment fired on 20 VC killing 4. On 17 April Company B, 1/6th found 5 weapons. On 26 April Troop A, 1st Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment detonated a mine, losing 1 killed. [2] : 33
On 17 November Company B, 1/6th reported 4 VC killed and 1 weapon captured. On 18 November Company D, 1/6th engaged VC killing 3 and capturing 4 weapons and detaining 5 suspected VC. On 21 November Company C, 1/6th detonated a booby trap resulting in 2 US killed. [1] : 32
On 1 December Company C, 1/6th killed 9 VC and captured 1 weapon. From 7–19 December the 1/6th reported 1 PAVN/VC killed and 7 weapons captured. [1] : 32
On 5 January Company D, 1/6th engaged 10 VC killing 1 and capturing 1 weapon. On 9 January Company A, 1/6th Infantry engaged 7 VC killing 6. On 11 January 1/6th killed 3 VC and captured 1 weapon. On 15 January Company D, 1/6th engaged and killed 2 VC. On 20 January Company A, 1/1st Cavalry detonated two booby traps resulting in 1 US killed. On 21 January, Troop D, 1/1st Cavalry’s aero rifle platoon killed 13 VC and captured 2 weapons and 2 suspects. On 22 January, Troop D, 1/1st Cavalry swept the same area and found 6 weapons. On 25 January while on a search and clear mission Company D. 1/6th detonated a "Bouncing Betty” antipersonnel mine killing 1 US soldier. [1] : 32–3
During the first week of February mechanical ambushes killed 2 VC. On 7 February Company C, 1/6th engaged 6 VC killing 1 and capturing 1 and 3 weapons. [1] : 33
The operation concluded on 10 March 1971. US losses were 51 killed, PAVN/VC losses were 630 killed and 38 captured and 212 weapons captured. [1] : 34
Operation Wheeler/Wallowa was a U.S. offensive operation during the Vietnam War, launched on 11 September 1967 as two separate operations and concluding in November 1968. Initially named as Operation Wheeler and Wallowa, this was merged in November 1967 as Wheeler/Wallowa. The operation was at first conducted by the 101st Airborne Division and 1st Cavalry Division, but it was progressively taken over by 23rd Infantry (Americal) Division.
Operation Saratoga was a search and destroy operation during the Vietnam War conducted by the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division that took place in northeastern Hậu Nghĩa, southern Tây Ninh and western Bình Dương Provinces, lasting from 8 December 1967 to 11 March 1968. During this period the Tet Offensive took place and US forces were used for the defense of Saigon.
The 2nd Division was a division of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)—the army of the nation state of South Vietnam that existed from 1955 to 1975. It was part of I Corps that oversaw the northernmost region of South Vietnam.
The inauguration of Richard Nixon in January led to a reevaluation of the U.S. role in the war. U.S. forces peaked at 543,000 in April. U.S. military strategy remained relatively unchanged from the offensive strategy of 1968 until the Battle of Hamburger Hill in May which led to a change a more reactive approach. The U.S. and South Vietnam agreed on a policy of Vietnamization with South Vietnamese forces being expanded and equipped to take over more of the ground combat from the departing Americans which began to withdraw in late June without any reciprocal commitment by the North Vietnamese. The morale of U.S. ground forces began to fray with increasing racial tensions and the first instances of fragging and combat refusal. The antiwar movement in the U.S. continued to grow and public opinion turned increasingly antiwar when the Mỹ Lai massacre was revealed in November.
Phase III of the Tet offensive of 1968 was launched by the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong (VC) from 17 August to 27 September 1968. The offensive was divided into two waves of attacks from 17 to 31 August 1968 and from 11 to 27 September of that same year.
Operation Sheridan Sabre was a security operation during the Vietnam War in Bình Long Province to prevent People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) infiltration from Cambodia, that took place from 7 November 1968 to 4 April 1969.
Operation Iron Mountain was a security operation during the Vietnam War in Quảng Ngãi Province, that took place from 28 February 1969 to 28 February 1971.
Operation Frederick Hill was a security operation during the Vietnam War in Quang Tin Province, that took place from 18 March 1969 to 28 February 1971.
Operation Geneva Park was a security operation during the Vietnam War in Quảng Ngãi Province, that took place from 18 March 1969 to 28 February 1971.
Operation Lamar Plain was a security operation during the Vietnam War in Quảng Tín Province, that took place from 15 May to 14 August 1969.
Operation Pennsylvania Square was a security operation during the Vietnam War conducted by the 198th Light Infantry Brigade, 23rd Infantry Division in Quảng Tín Province from 29 June 1970 to 1 March 1971.
Operation Middlesex Peak was a security operation during the Vietnam War conducted by the 196th Light Infantry Brigade later joined by the 198th Light Infantry Brigade, 23rd Infantry Division in Quảng Tín and Quảng Ngãi Provinces from 10 March to 1 July 1971.
Operation Finney Hill was a security operation during the Vietnam War conducted by the 198th Light Infantry Brigade and later the 11th Infantry Brigade, 23rd Infantry Division in Quảng Ngãi Province from 10 March to 1 July 1971.
Operation Caroline Hill was a security operation during the Vietnam War conducted by the 196th Light Infantry Brigade, 23rd Infantry Division in Quảng Nam Province from 29 April to 1 July 1971. It was the 23rd Division’s last named operation of the war.
Operation Champaign Grove was a security operation during the Vietnam War conducted by elements of the 11th Infantry Brigade in Quảng Ngãi Province from 4 to 24 September 1968.
The Battle of West Saigon took place from 5–12 May 1968 during the May Offensive of the Vietnam War as South Vietnamese and United States forces countered the main thrust of the offensive against the western suburbs of Saigon.
The Battle of Tam Kỳ took place during the Vietnam War from 3–6 March 1968. After a night-time rocket attack on their base camp by the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 3rd Regiment, 3rd Division. The 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment and Company A, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment engaged the PAVN killing 436.
Operation Randolph Glen was a joint U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) military operation during the Vietnam War designed to keep pressure on the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) units in Thừa Thiên Province and prevent them from mounting any attacks on the populated coastal regions.
Operation Wolfe Mountain was a joint U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) military operation during the Vietnam War to engage People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) units in Quảng Trị Province from 22 July 1970 to 30 January 1971.
Operation McLain was a security operation conducted during the Vietnam War by the U.S. Army’s 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) 44th Regiment, 23rd Division in Bình Thuận Province, South Vietnam from 20 January 1968 to 31 January 1969.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain . This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .