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22-24 Nov-On the late afternoon of 22 November, at the request of CG, I Corps, 3/7 began reinforcing an ARVN Ranger battalion which had come under attack by an estimated VC regiment about 20 miles south of Quang Ngai. At the same time, the Seventh Fleet SLF moved to a position off Quang Ngai, ready to land on two hours notice. Before the Marines arrived, 71 ARVN had been killed, 74 wounded, and 2 were missing. VC losses were 175 KIA by U.S. body count and 225 by ARVN estimate, not including those killed by air or naval gunfire beyond the immediate battle area. Three VC were captured, in addition to 5 recoilless rifles, 9 machine guns, 2 submachine guns, and 114 rifles. Six enemy 60mm mortars were destroyed. An undetermined number of enemy dead were credited to Marine strike aircraft, which flew 39 sorties in marginal weather against the initial assaults. When the Marines landed, they secured the landing zones, occupied night defensive positions, and early the next morning cleared the critical terrain, capturing 17 Viet Cong, killing 3, and seizing 2 rifles and 5 carbines. On the morning of the 24th the situation was stabilized and 3/7 returned to Chu Lai by helicopter. Marine losses in the encounter were two killed and one wounded.
23 Nov-By this date there were approximately 20 scout/sniper teams of four men each positioned throughout the III MAF area. On 23 November a team at Phu Bai killed two VC and wounded one at a range of 1,000 meters.
30 Nov-1 Dec-Operation DAGGER THRUST IV. On 30 November the SLF (BLT 2/1 and HMM-261) executed an amphibious raid at Lang Ke Ga, on the coast 17 miles southwest of Phan Thiet and about 70 miles east of Saigon. Immediately prior to the landing, leaflets were dropped along the routes of advance, giving brief warning to the villagers. Contact was negligible. Nov III MAF summary:
Patrols...............................................3,488Ambushes..........................................2,576Sniper posts..........................................175Total offensive ground operations...........6,242Enemy contacts.....................................226Enemy KIA............................................126Enemy WIA............................................33Enemy captured......................................22Fixed-wing strike sorties.......................2,551Helicopter sorties...............................23,629Rainfall..........................more than 30 inchesMost rain in one day......................7.8 inches
30 Nov-The III MAF strength in RVN not including Seabees and Naval Support Activity was as follows:
DaNang....................................21,948Chu Lai.....................................14,452Phu Bai......................................2,328Qui Nhon.......................................254Other..............................................89Total.........................................39,071
Personnel strengths fluctuated by area during November due to reassignment between enclaves, replacement, attrition, and movement of battalions. Net strength change for November .................... 422
8-20 Dec-Operation HARVEST MOON was conducted approximately 25 miles northwest of Chu Lai. Units involved were Task Force DELTA, 2/7, 3/3, 2/1 (from SLF), and 3 ARVN battalions. These units were supported by USMC aircraft and artillery and by four B-52 strikes.
USMC: 51 KIA, 256 WIA, 1 MIAVC: 407 KIA, 33 VCC, 231 VCS, 3 RALLIERS
22 Dec-The U.S. military command in Vietnam ordered a 30-hour Christmas cease-fire. A military spokesman said that similar instructions had been issued by South Vietnamese Government military leaders. No action would be taken by allied or RVNAF forces except in self-defense.
31 Dec-USMACV released the following figures to news media in Saigon:
U.S. Military Strength in RVN..............1Jan65 23,000U.S. Military Strength in RVN......... 31Dec65 181,000RVNAF Total Strength........................lJan65 559,500RVNAF Total Strength....................31Dec65 679,000Enemy Military Strength in RVN..........lJan65 103,000Enemy Military Strength in RVN.......31Dec65 230,000U.S. losses during the year..............................1,300RVNAF losses during the year........................11,000Enemy losses during the year(KIA)..................34,000Enemv losses during the year(captured).............6,000
III MAF total arrived during December:
Da Nang................................188Chu Lai..................................138Phu Bai...................................81Total......................................407
III MAF total departed during December
Chu Lai....................................452Qui Nhon...................................25Total........................................477
Net Change ...................................-70
31 Dec-III MAF strength in RVN not including Seabees and Naval Support Activity was as follows:
Da Nang...................................22,464Chu Lai.....................................13,995Phu Bai......................................2,354Qui Nhon.......................................2261st Anglico......................................53Total.........................................39,092
31 Dec-III MAF ground operations for the week ending 31 December were as follows:
Patrols......................................1,169Ambushes....................................633Platoon Operations..........................40Company Operations.........................6Battalion Operations..........................3VC KIA...........................................81VC Captured.....................................6
31 Dec-Results of III MAF Operations since 8 March 1965:
USMC: 342 KIA and DOW, 2,047 WIA, 18 MIAVC: 2,627 KIA, 314 WIA, 535 POW, 2,827 VCS
31 Dec-A total of 14,528 FMFPac personnel remained in Okinawa and Japan.
| Page 240 | (1965: The Landing and the Buildup) |