Operation Prairie
Operation Prairie was a U.S. military operation in Quảng Trị Province, South Vietnam that sought to eliminate People's Army of Vietnam forces south of the Demilitarized Zone. Over the course of late 1965 and early 1966 the Viet Cong and the PAVN intensified their military threat along the DMZ. The tactical goal of these incursions was to draw United States military forces away from cities and towns. Operation Hastings, a series of actions in defense of the DMZ, lasted from 15 July to 3 August 1966. It was considered a strategic success. Operation Prairie was conceived as a larger, longer mission covering the same areas along the DMZ.
It commenced on 3August 1966 and lasted for six months. The majority of the activities were conducted by the 3rd Marine Division in the Con Thien and Gio Linh regions with the main objective of stopping the PAVN 324B Division from crossing the DMZ and invading Quang Tri Province.
Various units engaged in fiercely fought actions during the operation, usually supported by a mixture of artillery, air and helicopter gunship support, sometimes including B-52 strategic bombers. By November the 324B Division had been withdrawn after heavy losses. It was replaced by other PAVN units, but these remained inactive.
The operation was considered highly successful by the Americans. They had lost 226 Marines killed against estimated PAVN of over 1,700 dead or captured and suppressed PAVN activity. However, the PAVN strategy had tied down large numbers of US troops in the area south of the DMZ, leaving population centers under-protected.
Background
Over the course of late 1965 and early 1966 the Viet Cong and PAVN intensified their military threat along the DMZ. The tactical goal of these incursions was to draw United States military forces away from cities and towns; a similar strategy would be employed during the final months of 1967 in order to maximize the impact of the upcoming Tet Offensive. In response, the Marines elected to construct and reinforce a string of firebases south of the DMZ at Con Thien, Gio Linh, Camp Carroll, and Dong Ha. To support the defense of the DMZ area, Marines were often relocated from the southern regions of I Corps.The original actions in defense of the DMZ, officially designated as Operation Hastings, began on 15 July 1966. Operation Hastings was a strategic success for American and Army of the Republic of Vietnam troops as the estimated enemy casualties reached upwards of 800 enemy soldiers. The operation, however, was only scheduled to last slightly longer than three weeks, reaching its conclusion on 3 August 1966.
Objectives
Due to the initial, albeit brief, success of Operation Hastings the United States elected to essentially renew the mission and rename it Operation Prairie. Operation Prairie would cover the same areas along the DMZ that Operation Hastings had, as well as having the same mission. The formal objective of Prairie was to search the areas south of DMZ for PAVN troops and eliminate them. Operation Prairie also aimed to determine the extent of PAVN and VC infiltration of northern I Corps.A majority of the activities would be conducted by the 3rd Marine Division in the Con Thien and Gio Linh regions beginning in early August 1966 with the main objective of tracking and stopping the PAVN 324B Division from crossing the demilitarized zone and invading Quang Tri Province. The preliminary plan centered on the insertion of four to five man "stingray" teams along the suspected enemy avenues of approach. If these reconnaissance teams encountered the enemy they would call for artillery support from Cam Lộ and helicopter or other aircraft support from Da Nang or Chu Lai. In the event that ground reinforcements were needed the infantry companies located at Cam Lộ and Dong Ha would provide them.
Operations
Operation Prairie, following closely on the heels of Operation Hastings, was launched on 3August 1966 seeking to interdict any communist infiltration. The first significant encounter occurred on 6August 1966, just after the UH-1E insertion of a five-man team codenamed Groucho Marx 4 km north of the Rockpile and 1 km southeast of Núi Cây Tre Ridge. Shortly after landing the team could smell smoke from a suspected enemy camp and soon reported PAVN movement along trails near their position. Team Groucho Marx called for an artillery bombardment from Cam Lo on the location on two occasions over the next days.On the morning of 8August 1966, the team spotted approximately 15 enemy troops moving in a skirmish line in search of the American patrol. Reinforcements from Company E 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines arrived in support via CH-46 helicopters, as well as a pair of gunships. However the enemy had disappeared, so the Marines called for helicopter extraction. Eight UH-34 helicopters from HMM-161 arrived at the improvised landing zone without incident, but upon takeoff PAVN troops opened fire from a ridgeline to the north. In total five of the UH-34s were able to land, but only 20 of the 45 Marines were evacuated as the other helicopters abandoned the withdrawal due to the heavy fire. Now under the command of Captain Howard V. Lee, the Marines that remained set up a defensive perimeter and fought off several large attacks from what is estimated to have been a company of enemy soldiers.
File:UH-1DongHa1967.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2|A UH-1E Huey gunship preparing for take off at Đông Hà Combat Base.
Over the course of the next few hours Major Vincil W. Hazelbaker landed his UH-1E helicopter under withering enemy fire to resupply the Marines. Hazelbaker then departed, reloaded his helicopter at Dong Ha Airfield and returned. After several unsuccessful attempts Hazelbaker finally safely landed and resupplied the troops a second time. However, during the unloading of ammunition an enemy rocket impacted the rotor mast, crippling the aircraft. Hazelbaker then assumed command, as Lee had been injured by a fragmentation grenade, and directed a napalm strike on the enemy position at dawn on 9August 1966. Reinforcements finally arrived later that morning, secured the area, and aided in the evacuation of the remaining Marines in the afternoon. In total the Marines suffered 32 casualties, with five men killed, while they inflicted at least 37 enemy killed-in-action. A support team later noted other bloodstains and drag marks indicating a much larger number of casualties. For their actions during the two-day fight, Lee earned the Medal of Honor and Hazelbaker the Navy Cross.
Convinced that the PAVN had returned in strength across the DMZ, on 14August the 4th Marines commander Colonel Cereghino moved the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines up from Phu Bai Combat Base to relieve the 2/4 Marines from their defensive duties to conduct a reconnaissance in force along Route 9 from Cam Lo to the Rockpile and the area north.
On the morning 17August 3 companies from 2/4 Marines left Cam Lo and moved west along Route 9. At midday marine aircraft bombed Hill 252 which overhung Route 9 near the Khe Gio bridge. The Marines moved forward but came under fire from a PAVN bunker dug into Hill 252. The Marines called in airstrikes and two M-48 tanks from Company C, 3rd Tank Battalion at Cam Lộ arrived to support the Marines. Total casualties were two Marines and an estimated 20 PAVN killed.
On the morning of 18August the Marines renewed their attack taking Hill 252 and killing a further three PAVN. The 2/4 Marines continued west and established night defensive positions north of the Rockpile. The 2/4 Marines established a command post 2 km northeast of the Rockpile and the companies then searched to the north, northwest and northeast. On 19August Company E located two concrete bunkers and was moving to destroy them when they were caught in a machine gun crossfire. The Marines called in air, artillery and gunship support and overran the PAVN positions killing 30 PAVN for the loss of two Marines killed. A B-52 strike was called in behind the PAVN position and for the next two days the Marines searched the area occasionally skirmishing with the PAVN or being hit by mortar fire.
The Razorback
On 21August a PAVN machine gun located on a ridge named the Razorback 1 km northwest of the Rockpile began firing on helicopters supplying the Marine observation post on the top of the Rockpile. On 23August Lieutenant Colonel Bench ordered Company E to destroy the machine gun. Company E commander Captain Edward Besch arrived in the area at midday and established a command post and then led three squads to explore the rock face of the ridge. At 14:00 they found a bowl shaped area honeycombed with large caves that showed signed of recent PAVN occupation. After searching the area, one squad was detached to search for the machine gun further down the ridge and then returned to the command post. Besch continued his search with two squads until 16:30. They were preparing to leave when they heard voices in one of the caves. Hoping to capture prisoners they approached the cave mouth where they were fired on and then squads of PAVN soldiers emerged from six caves scattering the Marines with fire.The two squads engaged in close combat with the PAVN and desperately radioed for assistance. Bench formed a composite company with platoons from Companies F and G and his headquarters company and they were flown into the Company E command post while fighters and VMO-2 gunships provided air support. The platoon from Company F was sent forward to the Razorback. The other platoons secured the command post against PAVN forces which were attempting to outflank them. With flareship support and AC-47 fire, the Company F platoon reached the edge of the bowl at 00:30 finding the PAVN controlled the high ground from their caves while the Company E troops were scattered below. An attempt to reach the trapped Marines failed. At 06:00 the PAVN emerged from their caves for a final attack on the Company E position and the Company F platoon counterattacked breaking the PAVN assault. At dawn Company G was deployed to the Company E command post and tanks were moved up from Cam Lộ. The tank guns, together with recoilless rifle fire, blasted the PAVN positions, breaking through to Companies E and F by mid-morning. Total Marines casualties were 21 dead, 11 from Company E, while PAVN losses were estimated at 120–170 killed.
A PAVN prisoner captured on the Razorback was identified as coming from the 803rd Regiment, 324B Division. He revealed that his unit's mission was to neutralize the Rockpile and then attack Cam Lộ. At 03:00 on 26August listening posts of Company A 1st Battalion, 4th Marines outside the perimeter at Cam Lộ reported movement and were then withdrawn into the perimeter. The commander decided to let the PAVN come through the wire before being exposed by flares and then hit by defensive fire. However, some PAVN soldiers penetrated the perimeter before the flares were fired, attacking the positions where the 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines artillery had been located only the previous day. Satchel charges destroyed Marine positions and a tank retriever. Marine losses in the attack were nine killed.
On 29August 2/4 Marines returned to Dong Ha while the 1/4 Marines conducted a reconnaissance in force along Route 9 meeting no resistance. Marine losses in August in Operation Prairie were 37 dead while PAVN losses exceeded 200 dead.