Operation Burlington Trail
Operation Burlington Trail | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the Vietnam War | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
United States | Viet Cong | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Col. James Waldie Col. Charles B. Thomas | | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
198th Infantry Brigade 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment | 72nd Main Force Battalion 74th Local Force Battalion 105th Local Force Company | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
129 killed | US body count: 1,931 killed |
- v
- t
- e
- Laos
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1966
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1967
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- Napoleon
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- Houston
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- Lima Site 85
- Quyet Thang
- My Lai Massacre
- Walker
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- Pegasus
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- Toan Thang I
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- Scotland II
- Delaware
- Allen Brook
- May Offensive
- Jeb Stuart III
- Nevada Eagle
- Mameluke Thrust
- Toan Thang II
- Robin
- Binh An
- Thor
- Pocahontas Forest
- Quyet Chien
- Somerset Plain
- Phase III Offensive
- Champaign Grove
- Vinh Loc
- Thượng Đức
- Maui Peak
- Henderson Hill
- Sheridan Sabre
- Meade River
- Hat Dich
- Speedy Express
- Taylor Common
- Fayette Canyon
- DMZ Campaign (1969–1971)
- Bold Mariner
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- Toan Thang III
- 2nd Tet
- Iron Mountain
- Massachusetts Striker
- Wayne Grey
- Purple Martin
- Ben Het
- Maine Crag
- Atlas Wedge
- Frederick Hill
- Geneva Park
- Montana Mauler
- Oklahoma Hills
- Washington Green
- Virginia Ridge
- Apache Snow
- Hamburger Hill
- Lamar Plain
- Pipestone Canyon
- Binh Ba
- Montgomery Rendezvous
- Utah Mesa
- Campbell Streamer
- Idaho Canyon
- Nantucket Beach
- Fulton Square
- LZ Kate
- Toan Thang IV
- Randolph Glen
- Green River
- Texas Star
- Cambodian campaign
- Pennsylvania Square
- Clinch Valley
- Elk Canyon
- Pickens Forest
- Wolfe Mountain
- Chicago Peak
- Firebase O'Reilly
- Chenla I
- Imperial Lake
- Jefferson Glenn
- Tailwind
- Son Tay Raid
- Cuu Long 44-02
- Toan Thang 1/71
- Lam Son 719
- Finney Hill
- Middlesex Peak
- Caroline Hill
- Long Khánh
- Chenla II
- Nui Le
1972
Post-Paris Peace Accords (1973–1974)
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- Farm Gate
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- Arc Light
- Combat Skyspot
- Tiger Hound
- Shed Light
- Thanh Hoa
- Bolo
- Popeye
- Yen Vien
- Niagara
- Igloo White
- Commando Hunt
- Giant Lance
- Menu
- Patio
- Freedom Deal
- Proud Deep Alpha
- Linebacker I
- Enhance Plus
- Linebacker II
- Homecoming
- Tan Son Nhut Air Base
- Babylift
- New Life
- Eagle Pull
- Frequent Wind
- Yankee & Dixie stations
- Gulf of Tonkin
- Market Time
- Vung Ro Bay
- Game Warden
- Double Eagle
- Stable Door
- PIRAZ
- Sea Dragon
- Deckhouse Five
- Bo De River, Nha Trang, Tha Cau River
- Sealords
- Đồng Hới
- Pocket Money
- Custom Tailor
- End Sweep
- Paracel Islands
- East Sea
- 1964
- 1965
- 1966
- 1967
- 1968
- 1969
- 1970
- 1971
- 1972
- 1973–74
- 1975
Operation Burlington Trail was a security operation conducted during the Vietnam War by the U.S. 198th Infantry Brigade in Quảng Nam Province, South Vietnam from 8 April to 11 November 1968.
Background
In early April 1968, the 198th Infantry Brigade moved into the Quế Sơn Valley to replace the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. On arriving the Brigade was tasked with assisting the 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment and the 39th Engineer Battalion in reopening Route 533 between Tam Kỳ and Tiên Phước Camp, 20 kilometers to the southwest. Units of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) 2nd Division would also assist in searching the Viet Cong (VC) Base Area 117 in the mountains south of Route 533, which was believed to shelter the 72nd Main Force Battalion and the 74th Local Force Battalion.[1]: 485
Operation
The operation began on 8 April when Companies C and D 1st Battalion, 46th Infantry Regiment were landed on two hilltops overlooking Route 533 10km southwest of Tam Kỳ.[1]
On 9 April the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment was landed on Hill 218, several km west of the 1/46th Infantry positions. The 1/6th Infantry began constructing Firebase Bowman (15°29′24″N 108°25′34″E / 15.49°N 108.426°E / 15.49; 108.426) to serve as the main fire support base for the operation.[2] Meanwhile Troop A and a platoon from Troop C 1/1st Cavalry, began their advance along Route 533 towards Tiên Phước. The column was ambushed by elements of the VC 72nd Main Force Battalion, but the Cavalry fought through the ambush, killing 33 VC and capturing four.[1]: 486
On 10 April, a VC mortar attack hit Firebase Bowman, killing two Americans and wounding eight. On the afternoon of 13 April Company A 1/6th Infantry, engaged a VC platoon 5 kilometers southwest of Firebase Bowman killing seven VC while another 19 were killed by air strikes. That evening, the VC launched an attack on Company B 1/6th Infantry's night defensive position, wounding 22 Americans.[1]: 486
On 14 April the Cavalry column reached Tiên Phước and by 17 April Route 533 was open to regular traffic.[1]: 486
Later in April the remaining companies of the 1/46th Infantry joined the operation together with Company A, 1st Battalion, 52nd Infantry Regiment, which assumed responsibility for the defense of Firebase Bowman.[1]: 486
On 30 April, a VC force attacked Firebase Bowman losing four dead and wounding eight defenders. On 1 May, Company A 1/46th Infantry, was landed 11km southwest of Bowman and was engaged by a VC force, the VC lost 31 dead before disengaging.[1]: 486
On 23 July elements of the 1/1st Cavalry engaged the VC 105th Local Force Company and elements of the VC 2nd Division’s engineer battalion near the southern entrance to the Quế Sơn Valley, 10km northeast of Tam Kỳ killing 68 VC.[1]: 611
The operation continued until 11 November 1968.
Aftermath
VC losses were 1,931 killed, while U.S. losses were 129 killed.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Villard, Erik (2017). United States Army in Vietnam Combat Operations Staying the Course October 1967 to September 1968. Center of Military History United States Army. ISBN 9780160942808. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 65. ISBN 978-1555716257.