Battle of Long Dinh

1964 battle of the Vietnam War
Battle of Long Dinh
Part of the Vietnam War
DateFebruary 26, 1964
Location
Long Định, Tien Giang Province, South Vietnam
Result Indecisive
Belligerents
 South Vietnam Viet Cong
Commanders and leaders
Nguyễn Khánh
Units involved
Unknown 514th Battalion
Strength
3,000 600
Casualties and losses
16 killed 40 killed
  • v
  • t
  • e
Military engagements during the Vietnam War
Guerrilla phase

American intervention 1965

1966

1967

Tet Offensive and aftermath

Vietnamization 1969–1971

1972

Post-Paris Peace Accords (1973–1974)

Spring 1975

Air operations

Naval operations

Lists of allied operations

  • 1964
  • 1965
  • 1966
  • 1967
  • 1968
  • 1969
  • 1970
  • 1971
  • 1972
  • 1973–74
  • 1975

The Battle of Long Định [where?] took place during the Vietnam War between the Viet Cong (VC) and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN).

Background

U.S. helicopter surveillance had spotted a large group of VC fighters assembling in a forest glade near Long Dinh. General Nguyễn Khánh immediately rushed his infantry forces there, using M113 armored personnel carriers.

Operation

On 26 February 1964, three-thousand ARVN soldiers encircled the VC 514th Battalion at Long Định. During the 8-hour battle, the ARVN avoided contact with the VC, instead the ARVN commander relied on air and artillery strikes to inflict damage. As a result, the VC 514th Battalion was able to slip through the gaps and successfully withdraw from the area, using sniper teams to secure river crossings.

Aftermath

Due to the incompetence of the ARVN at this battle, General Khánh sacked five of his division commanders.

References

  • Bowman, John S. (1985). The Vietnam War: An Almanac. Pharos Books. ISBN 0-911818-85-5