Operation Starlite
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| Operation Starlite | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Vietnam War | |||||||
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| Combatants | |||||||
 United States |
 Viet Cong |
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| Commanders | |||||||
| General Lewis W. Walt |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 5,500 | 1,500 VC 1st Regiment | ||||||
| Casualties | |||||||
| 45 killed 203 wounded |
>614 killed 9 captured |
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Operation Starlite was the first offensive military action conducted by a purely U.S. military unit during the Vietnam War. The operation was launched based on intelligence provided by Major General Nguyen Chanh Thi, the commander of the South Vietnamese forces in northern I Corps area of South Vietnam. Lieutenant General Lewis W. Walt, devised a plan to launch a pre-emptive strike against the Viet Cong regiment to nullify the threat on the Chu Lai base.
The operation was conducted as a combined arms assault involving ground, air and naval units. Marines were deployed by helicopter insertion into the designated landing zone while an amphibious landing was used to deploy other Marines.
Contents |
[edit] Forces involved
[edit] American
The Operation was launched on August 17, 1965, involving 5,500 Marines of the 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade. The brigade was comprised of 2nd Battalion 4th Marines (2/4), 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines (3/3), 1st Battalion 7th Marines (3/7) and 3rd Battalion 7th Marines (3/7 - from the Special Landing Force and originally a reserve component) in an assault on the Viet Cong base near Van Tuong. The United States Navy's USS Galveston (CLG-3) and USS Cabildo (LSD-16) were available for naval gunfire support and 3rd Battalion 12th Marines was the artillery unit in direct support.
[edit] Vietnamese
Viet Cong forces were comprised of the 1st VC Regiment made up of the 60th and 80th VC Battalions, the 52nd VC Company, and a Company of the 45th VC Weapons Battalion. The total Viet Cong strength was around 1,500 men.
[edit] The battle
Mike Co., 3/3 was designated the blocking force and deployed on August 17, 1965 using LVTs to the operational area. When it landed on the beach, it marched 4 miles to establish their blocking positions. 3/3 made an amphibious landing and were tasked with driving the Viet Cong towards the 2nd battalion 4th Marines who were to be lifted by helicopter into three landing zones west of Van Tuong. Secrecy was paramount and no ARVN commander or units were informed of the impending operation.
The Marines met light resistance moving into the attack. Echo Company, 2/4 spotted Viet Cong in the open and called in artillery fire from 3rd Battalion 12th Marines. The artillery barrage was reported to have killed 90 enemy personnel. Hotel Company,2/4 assaulted the 60th VC Battalion who put up a vicious fight. One prisoner was taken and 40 weapons were captured. India Company,3/3 attacked An Cuong after receiving heavy fire from the hamlet and losing their company commander in the engagement.
India Company was ordered to join Kilo and Hotel companies and clean up any opposition, but was caught in a crossfire from Nam Yen Dan Hill 30. Hotel Company established a defensive perimeter and were told to await reinforcements. The expected reinforcements were diverted to assist the supply column that was ambushed west of their position. Recoilless rifle fire from the VC positions tore into the 5 LVTs and 3 flame tanks, forcing the Marines to mount a rescue. The Marines were hit by intense mortar and rifle fire, and suffered 5 dead and 17 wounded. They called in artillery and air support to suppress the mortar and automatic fire.
The developing engagement necessitated the deployment of Lima Company,3/7 from the USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2) to join India company to assist the ambushed supply column. Come nightfall, the Marines hunkered down into defensive positions. The balance of 3/7's Marines came ashore during the night and the battalion got ready for a morning assault on the Vietnamese positions. When they finally attacked they found the VC unit had fled during the night, though pockets of resistance continued from other Viet Cong soldiers holed up in bunkers and caves. Resistance ceased at nightfall.
[edit] Results
The various Marine units reported killing 614 Viet Cong and took 9 prisoners. Nine prisoners were taken along with forty two suspected guerillas. 109 assorted weapons were seized. But the 1st VC Regiment was not totally destroyed as hoped by the Marines.
The Marines lost a total of 45 dead and 203 wounded. [1] [2]. Other sources cite US loses as 54, comprising 52 Marines, a Navy Corpsman and a US Army Major who flew gunship support [3] [4]. Corporal Robert E. O'Malley and Lance Corporal Joe C. Paul received the Medal of Honor for their actions during the operation.
Lessons learned from the battle include the knowledge that the daily allotment of 2 gallons of water per man was inadequate in the Vietnam heat and that the M14 Rifle was too bulky for troops cramped into small personnel carriers. The battle was a big psychological boost for US forces as they engaged a Main Force Viet Cong unit and came out victorious. [5]
[edit] Trivia
- The operation was originally called Satellite, but a power blackout led to a clerical error and a clerk working by candlelight typed "Starlite" instead. [6]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ http://www.marzone.com/7thMarines/Hst0101.htm/
- ^ http://www.historycentral.com/vietnam/Starlite.html
- ^ http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,Leatherneck_050815_Starlite,00.html
- ^ http://www.mca-marines.org/leatherneck/OperationStarliteAug05.htm
- ^ http://www.vwam.com/client/contentclient.php?intIdContent=10
- ^ http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,Leatherneck_050815_Starlite,00.html
[edit] Books
- Summers, Harry G. Historical Atlas of the Vietnam War. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
[edit] Further reading
- Otto Lehrack "FIRST BATTLE: Operation Starlite and the Beginning of the Blood Debt in Vietnam”
